From: arocho@acsu.buffalo.edu (Vance A. Arocho)
Newsgroups: alt.discrimination
Subject: Re: W.C. of AfAms
Date: 10 Apr 92 06:26:36 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: UB

From: john@anasaz (John Moore)
Newsgroups: alt.discrimination
Subject: Re: Whites Critical of African-Americans

In article <1992Apr5.210250.10914@acsu.buffalo.edu> arocho@acsu.buffalo.edu (Vance A. Arocho) writes:
]JM (John Moore):
]***** The number of Blacks who 'quietly succeed in their lives' are the excep-
]tion, not the rule. Too bad they don't have the good fortune to have a U.S.
]Senator (like the one from Missouri) act on their behalf and help them to suc-
]ceed. I would also remind you that if you that if Clarence Thomas were liberal,
Clarence Thomas was successful long before he encountered John Danforth.

***** Too bad he's the exception, not the rule. And too bad he has to be a con-
servative in order for conservative politicians to help him further his career.
*****

Furthermore, if you don't like Thomas, how about Colin Powell?

***** Supposedly Powell is a liberal on domestic issues so I think I can safely
say that even if he calls himself a Republican we won't see him as any Republi-
can Presidential candidate's choice for V.P. I have no problem with Powell but
allow me to inform you that at the time of his appointment some in the military
felt Powell wasn't the most qualified for the job. Hmmm...a Republican using
quotas? Oh, no!!!
***** 

]Reagan administration, and gone on to become a Supreme Court Justice. This man
]derides AA yet himself was a beneficiary of it (that's how he got into law
]school). Can you say 'hypocrisy'?

Not hypocritical at all. He didn't ASK for AA, and he apparently doesn't
approve of it. That is not hypocritical - it is honest. Besides, he has
also suffered from AA - lots of people conclude that he is successful
because of AA, not because of his own merits.

***** So presumably if Thomas knew at the time that he got into Yale Law 
School through AA, he would have immediately dropped out and thus allow a more
qualified (White) person to take his place? AA should not equal quotas, because
quotas lead to tokenism, IMHO. If AA = quotas then yes, some un(der)qualified
minorities will get hired/promoted and (non-Hispanic) Whites will stupidly con-
clude that these individuals are representative of their ethnic group/race.
*****

]Thomas is regarded as an 'Uncle Tom' or sellout by some African-Americans be-
]cause of his political beliefs. While it is undeniable that hard work and per-

Funny, that! Just because he doesn't hold politically correct beliefs, he is an
'Uncle Tom.'

***** See above (re: getting help from conservative politicians). But I don't
think that the federal government has all the answers. Congress can make all
the laws they want and provide all the economic and educational opportunities
it can, but it can't make people take advantage of those opportunities, stay
in school, start their own businesses, etc.
*****

]sistence are critical to success, Thomas is in need of an attitude adjustment
]if he thinks that just because he's 'made it' that every other African-American
]should be able to as well. Everyone's situation is different. Life in the ghet-
]to is no picnic.

I have never heard Thomas say the contrary. You are putting words in his
mouth, and then condemning him for it.

***** No, I'm not. Look again at the above: I wrote, "...if he thinks...".
You are putting words in my mouth, and then condemning me for it.
*****

]This is not to say that liberals are any better. Some White liberals are closet
]White supremacists...they just don't realize it.

And lots of black activists are black supremacists, and know it damn well!

***** I am neither a Black activist nor am I a Black supremacist, if that is 
what you are implying. Black racism is a direct result of White racism. I am
not saying that this justifies Black racism, but I think White racism must end
first.
*****

]Thomas is where he is because of his politics and politics aside, I fail to see
]how being a federal appeals judge for 18 months qualifies anyone to sit on the
]Supreme Court.
It's more qualification that some other appointees have had.

***** Such as? And just because other appointees in the past had less qualifi-
cation we shouldn't hold would-be appointees today to a higher standard? 
Would you have said the above if Thomas were liberal?
*****

]As far as 'whining' is concerned, please elucidate. Do you mean publicizing and
]protesting racism and discrimination? I certainly hope not. While this is im-
]portant, I'm not sure this should be the #1 priority for African-Americans (or
]Hispanics, either). Improving education and increasing entrepreneurship and
]political participation should be the primary focus of any and all civil rights
]groups IMHO. I think certain groups must change direction.

By whining, I mean:
  -blaming every problem and failure of blacks on white people
***** Fine. Analogously, then, America shouldn't blame all if its economic
problems on the Japanese.
*****

  -not taking responsiblitity for their own problems

***** I don't think I should have to take responsibility for your (generic 
'your') bigotry and discrimination.
*****

Peace.
-- 
"A young man who is a conservative has no heart; an old man who is a liberal 
has no brain." (Winston Churchill)
"Sin trabajo, no hay nada." ("Without work, there is nothing.")
Vance Arocho: arocho@acsu.edu (SUN)/V068PZYD@ubvms  (VAX)
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