From: HF.GTD@forsythe.stanford.edu (Gabrielle Daniels)
Subject: Re: Pessimism
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 00:24:25 GMT

In article <jumper.717540026@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu>,
jumper@garfield.catt.ncsu.edu (Michael Lanham) writes to
>cwm54@cas.org ()
>The time is 1830-1850:  Replace the word black above with either of two
>groups: Irish or Chinese.  What was said above about modern blacks was said
>then about shiftless Irish, men who left their wives(& they were Catholic),
>families falling apart etc.
>
>It might add to the discussion to include reasons stretching past simple
>racism for groups' ills in this country.
.
This is a silly ass reply, and it shows what kind of tunnel vision
exists in certain white Americans.
.
The Irish may be the n-----rs of the British Isles and the Chinese
may have come here because of the Opium Wars, overpopulation, famine
and what not.  But on the totem pole, the Irish have dunked
themselves into the melting pot and have come up white and Asians
are admitted more into white suburbs than economically or
intellectually fit Afro-Americans--in other words, they have what I
call "honorary white status." Some things have changed since my
mother was coming up, but not much.  Black folks are still waiting
to see whether they'll melt or burn...
.
cwm54@cas.org() says:

>>         At any rate we must inspire our young to achieve while balancing
>>      that inspiration with reality. If one fights racism one's career is
>>      slowed(I know first hand), but if one doesn't fight it, one's dignity
>>      is gone. If one turns on his own one's climb up the ladder is meteoric.
>
>>         Is it any wonder we're an angry and confused race?
.
Lanham replies:

>Human race that is.  It will probably be a riddle as long as we demand all
>that we want without concern for the future.  Americans especially have
>willingly perpetuated myths and voted in politicians who speak to us of
>dreams.  We have all participated in the dream...we seek jobs, seek better
>lives than what we now have, or maybe what our parents had.  Maybe we even
>hope for a better life for our kids.  But for fifty years we have stolen from
>the future to pay for the present--the thefts include stealing people's
>dignity, their money, and many other things.   When will it end?  We still
>demand 'entitlments' from the government, we demand 'our share' of federal
>money, we demand cheap gasoline, inexpensive clothes, a lot of demands for 'my
>share'.  Maybe it will end when we are all broke now and tomorrow is to. :-(
.
And who created this situation?  Not blacks, mind you.  I speak of
12 years of Reagan and Bush.  They built up the military by
mortgaging the present and the future, and burnt up money in the
Persian Gulf on bombing raids.  Is there any reason why we don't
have any kind of money or program to get this infrastructure
straightened out and people working?
.
Furthermore, the U.S. cannot be kicking around folks any longer so
we can have cheap gas, inexpensive clothes and whatnot.  They are
now calling the tune to us. I am speaking of folks in the
oil-producing countries, in Europe.  The Fifties are over with.  So
is the Cold War.  Is it any wonder that our country has been called
imperialistic.  It was only cheap when we strong-armed someone else
to get it! Who allowed the corporations to send jobs out of the
country? Who allowed the deficit to grow sky-high?
.
Quit blaming black folks and other poor people for demanding a
living wage, a chance to be effective and creative 'human beings'
and the opportunity to live where we wish without being shot at by
young brothers in gangs or young whites in vans and pickups.
NO one should be having this kind of pressure years and years later,
but it exists.  Racism exists!  And I am freaking tired of white
people wanting to bail out of their responsibility for it!