From: mykes@shell.portal.com (mike myke schwartz)
Subject: Re: Colorado Amendment 2
Organization: Portal Communications Company
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL7]
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 03:38:55 GMT

Robert  Johnston (rj24@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu) wrote:
: In article <C0JsDw.Iqo@news.cso.uiuc.edu> kkopp@uxh.cso.uiuc.edu (koppenhoefer kyle cramm) writes:
: >mykes@shell.portal.com (mike myke schwartz) writes:
: >>: 
: >>: 
: >>: If voting for laws that stops the process of people losing rights and 
: >>: being treated as second class citizens is "Radical Liberalism", then 
: >>: B'God, let's have more of it!  More Rights for everyone, or........?
: >>: 
: >

Note: I wrote just the following short bit (attribution time :)


: >>Laws won't change anything.  Laws protecting blacks have only allowed a
: >>small percentage any real success, and all statistical evidence is that
: >>blacks do live like 2nd class citizens.  I can start with unemployment
: >>rats, income, and health statistics to prove it.  

also, "rats" just above was meant to be "rates"... heh.

: >
: 
: Mike:
: 
: Do you have something better to suggest? I would suggest a huge 
: increase in spending on early childhood education, but I somehow
: get the feeling you wouldn't like that either.
: 

You have two separate issues here.  You ask if I see something better than
laws which somehow magically change bigots into (word of YOUR choice here)
whatever.  And then you talk about something that is NOT a law at all,
spending on early education.  In the first case, I still maintain that
a law ordering people to behave differently has no effect.  As to your
second point, I favor programs like HeadStart, just as I favor public
education.  I just don't favor no choice of public schools nor do I
favor forcing Head Start like programs on anyone that wishes to refuse it.

You ask if I have something better to suggest than laws, in terms of
helping the black community...  I do have some ideas.  I'd start by
leveling the playfield a little.  You see, our US govt. used to give away
free land to white people (the Homestead Acts) and now we should do
likewise for blacks.  Even more specifically, any NEW homestead act
should be very fair - available to anyone of any color who has lived
at or below the poverty level for say, 5 years.  There is a lot of
pride to be gained by ownership in your community.

I would also point out that RESPECT is something that is earned, not
legislated.  FWIW, a Spike Lee movie, or a Bill Cosby multi-million
dollar donation to black charities, or a Fresh Prince TV show, or
NBA basketball players urging youth to stay in school and stay off
drugs really do go a long way towards earning respect.  On the other
hand, a Jesse Jackson or Malcom X or Sister Soulja (sp?) or Ice-T
earn anti-respect (from  me at least).

Also, I believe that there are surely bigots out there.  Just as there
are anti-semites, anti-catholics, ad infinitim.  I also believe that
people can, should, and DO win in spite of these obstacles.  And FWIW,
I believe that there are fewer such obstacles now than ever before and
the trend is even fewer.  And not because of laws, but because of the
obvious: the opportunity is there, people take the opportunity, they
succeed (or fail), and they earn respect for the deeds they do.

To back up what I have said about things never being better, I can simply 
point out that 2/3 of the black population is either middle class or
upper middle class.  That is great compared to 1789 when blacks were
slaves and better than 1863 when almost the entire black US population
was subjected to utter poverty.

: It is a mistake to equate the black community with publicity seekers
: such as Al Sharpton. Should I equate conseratives with Buchanan, 
: or Duke? In any group there will be those who are out there for only
: money, fame, and power.
: 

I have zero problem with anyone seeking money, fame, or power.  But when
those things are achieved by walking all over various people, I do have
a problem.  There is no comparison between Sharpton and Buchanan in these
terms.  But I do agree with you that it is a mistake to equate the black
community...  But I also know it is a mistake to equate Sharpton or
Jackson with the black community!

: 
: Robert Johnston