Talk:African Americans/Archive 1

message: "The African American race is the most punished race in North America. African American males are more likely to be imprisoned than any other demographic group, especially between the ages of 20 and 39. African American public school students are most likely to be assigned to special-education classes."
I find this statement very POV, coming as it does, under the rubric of "Slavery and Oppression".  One could just as well say "the African American race is the most criminal race" or "the African American race is the most criminally victimised race".  All these facts are true, and their significance can only be determined by a deeper analysis.  According to a Federal Report [Sentencing in the Federal Courts: Does Race Matter?] "Mearly all of the aggregate differences among sentences for whites, blacks, and Hispanics during 1989-90 can be attributed to characteristics of offenses and offenders that current law and sentencing guidelines establish as legitimate considerations in sentencing decisions." -- Daran 00:22, 5 Oct 2003 (UTC)
thread_title: "...the most punished race"

message: Someone removed the fact that Af-Ams have lower average IQ (~80) than white or asian (~100). This is not in itself a racist comment. It seems to be politically correct to say that all races have equal intelligence, but this is simply not true. Consider dogs, for instance. There are many "races" of dogs, but some races are smarter than others. There is debate that IQ does not measure intelligence. Given this valid contention, it should be stated in the article that "Although African Americans have a lower average IQ compared to whites and Asians, it should also be mentioned that IQ tests have been criticized as being invalid measures of intelligence".  Acornlord 10:28, 28 Feb 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: Acornlord, you're an ass. The fact that such a discussion ever even made it into print in this context is blatantly racist. That crap should have been deleted.deeceevoice 09:47, 3 Sep 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: Never mind the discussion of whether the purported differences arise from cultural irrelevancy of the questions or the test format, the unconscious bias of the testers, or other factors.  Hrm....  Note to self (or interested others):  Has anyone tried a comparison using the sorts of non-verbal/pre-lingual tests used with children who have language or cognitive impairments?  I'm guessing those would come out with much closer averages, but don't know... and also wonder what happens when you normalize across economic, environmental (think "lead-based paint"), and other factors...  I'd do a Google search here and now, but it's waaaaaaay past my bedtime.  "Race in America" is a topic I've been slowly developing an interest in.  pgdudda 06:15, 23 Nov 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  IQ 

message: Ortolan, I didn't mention Tulsa or Bowley, Oklahoma, because neither occurred during the Red Summer.  Yep, I could've mentioned both, as well as Rosewood and a whole lo-oong list of others, but that's not the focus of this article.  I don't see any point in reciting the litany of atrocities committed against black folks in this entry.  In my extensive rewriting of this piece I've made a conscious effort not to dwell on the depravity of racist whites or on blacks as victims.  Again, IMO, that's not the central point of this piece.  However, if you'd like to mention Tulsa or any of the other cities where white folks savaged blacks in mob violence, be my guest.  Throw it up against the wall, and we'll see what sticks.  :-p deeceevoice 00:48, 25 Sep 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: I guess maybe it should go in race riot, an article currently not much good at all, an incomplete list with no serious information.  For instance,   it make no distinction between the mass lynching riots you're talking about here -- attacks by whites on black communities -- and the riots of the 60s -- which were quite different. I don't really know much about the subject, but as a reporter I covered the Chicago and Detroit riots in the 60s.  Ortolan88 02:33, 26 Sep 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: Well, that's what I was thinking -- that such info would be more appropriate there, which is why I made passing reference to one notable summer.  But I didn't bother to even check if there was an article on race riots.  I almost hate reading anything on Wikipedia that deals with black folks.  The abysmal ignorance, arrogance and sometimes outright racism are ridiculous.  Virtually every article I've visited on this site dealing with black folks is just terribly written, with all kinds of idiotic, erroneous notions or just mind-numbing naivete.  And I don't have the time or the patience -- or, frankly, the will -- to deal with it.  Wikipedia needs to somehow attract more knowledgeable people of color; because, clearly, it is greatly lacking in this regard. deeceevoice 18:25, 26 Sep 2004 (UTC)

text: Maybe I can do some preliminary work on the article, clear the ground a little, but you obviously know more about it than I do.  I will put in what I know or can put together, perhaps move or copy a little of what's here over there.  Ortolan88 22:53, 26 Sep 2004 (UTC)
replies: text: Ortolan, without a talk link on your personal page, how do I contact you?  Sent you an e-mail via the link provided, but it bounced back.deeceevoice 09:55, 30 Sep 2004 (UTC)
thread_title:  Race Riots