From: best@anasaz (Mike Best)
Newsgroups: alt.discrimination,alt.politics.correct
Subject: Re: Sexist African Males
Date: 13 Apr 92 21:12:41 GMT
Organization: Anasazi, Inc.  Phoenix, Az

In article <1992Apr9.181844.21589@casbah.acns.nwu.edu> dowdy@tochtli.biochem.nwu.edu (Dowdy Jackson) writes:
>In article <1992Apr6.230013.24086@anasaz> best@anasaz (Mike Best) writes:
>>
>> [My stuff about personal versus group responsibility]
>>
>This is the problem. Most whites don't see that not much has changed for
>AfAms in this country. Just because you don't see AfAms being beaten and 
>lynched as much now days doesn't mean that the attitudes and enviornment
>which breeds such behavior has changed. 

  My brother and I have both been assaulted by Blacks back when I lived
  in New York and I can tell you that those attacks were directed at 
  us because we were not black.  Your attitude is that all Blacks are
  victims and all Whites are criminals.  If you treat people individually
  instead of as a group then you might address a tangible problem.
  There is something known as "due process" and I was simply objecting
  to being held accountable for something which I as an individual 
  didn't do.

>>  Liberals believe in group rights and group responsibility (social is
>>  the operative prefix to a well known "ism" here) and I don't like
>>  being held responsible for something I didn't do.
>>
>Maybe YOU didn't do it but what are you doing to change it. In a robbery
>situation YOU may not have done the robbery but you are held responsible
>for being an accessory.

  Really bad example.  I didn't do it nor did I know of it as it was
  being done (I wasn't yet born you see) so I have _no_ personal
  responsibility for this (ya can't pin dat one on me!).

  However, your point is good.  What we as a nation do is important.
  I would not say that White Americans should be held solely responsible.
  For example, my relatives arrived from Italy at the turn of this 
  century (and were discriminated against but I'M not whining) so why
  should they/I be responsible for something that occurred prior to
  their arrival (slavery).  If compensation is to be made then why not
  have all US citizens (Black through White) be responsible?  

>>  I also suggest that if compensation is handed out that the continent
>>  of Africa is also held responsible for the AF-AMs own "brothers" 
>>  were quite involved in obtaining the unfortunate future slaves of
>>  the New World.  Address this!
>>
>Well first of all europeans enslaved Africans and transported them to America,
>not Africans. Europeans seperated families, worked the slaves to death and
>killed them...not Africans. African slaves worked for this country for centurie
>and made it what it is today via FREE labor due to the european slave traders
>and masters... NOT AFRICANS. 

  Please, control your emotions.  I did not say that Africans enslaved 
  Africans (though this is true in Africa at the time I suspect).
  What I did say was that Africans helped capture fellow Africans, and
  provided the "commodity", if you will forgive the term, for the
  slave trade.  Were these unwilling future slaves lined up awaiting
  transport to the new world or were they coerced?  If you believe that
  they were forced then consider that it is possible that fellow Africans
  brought them forth for sale.

  So when is enough enough?  That is, when do we consider that enough
  compensation has been doled out (comments about the Great Society
  dismal failure intentionally left out) ?  
  
  I suggest to all that the answer is that when we are treated impartially
  by our system.  To continually claim victim status and blame someone
  else for one's personal dissatisfaction is very easy and seductive.
  However, it is not "man"ly and entails little if any honor.  The US,
  like all places, has bigots but they are fewer in number than you
  would like to believe.  Join the mainstream and you will be treated
  impartially; act as a separatist and you will be treated as different
  (or is that what those people _really_ want? hmmm)

  Mike Best
  {mcdphx|asuvax}!anasaz!best
Newsgroups: alt.discrimination