In <1993Apr13.212441.26562@gtx.com> al@gtx.com (Alan Filipski) writes:  >Even though this city (Phoenix) has a relatively small black >population, black people seem to be responsible for a disproportionate >amount of violent crime.  yesterday, black men robbed a cafeteria, beat >the employees for no apparent reason, and shot one dead, even though >they were being cooperative.  a few days ago, a car full of black men >opened fire on a car containing a young white couple and their baby, >possibly because they didn't like the way the man was driving.  the >baby was slightly injured.  These incidents are not even unusual.  >even if a white person starts out without racial prejudice (as, after >all, we all do) and no one "teaches" them to be prejudiced, it's >sometimes hard to see how they can avoid becoming so, based on their >own observations and instinct for self-preservation.  We always taught >our children that racial prejudice is wrong (not only bad, but also >mistaken), but how do you counteract the effect of these kinds of >incidents?  >what's the answer? how can we work against racial prejudice when >incidents like this keep fanning the flames?  what can we say to deny >that racial prejudice is a rational response to our environment?  is >it? should we?  Since the 60's, I have thought the only hope is through >integration based on ignoring race and treating each person as an >individual, but so many either preach divisiveness by emphasizing race >or validate racism by their actions. where does it lead?   >  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ( Alan Filipski,  GTX Corp,  2390 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA ) > ( INTERNET: al@gtx.com      UUCP: uunet!gtx!al         PHONE: (602)224-8742 ) >  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  	Alan, you can start by teaching your children that the perpetrators of crimes no more represent the "Black community" than racist hateful Whites represent the majority culture (although there are many ethnic minorities who have fallen into the very trap that you are struggling with, and believe otherwise). The trap is the easy way out. 	For yourself, I think it would be a good idea to realize that the demographics related to the crimes you speak of have less to do with race, and much to do with socioeconomic status and disenfranchisement. You're going to find higher crime within *any* community comprised of *any* ethnic group or subgroup that has become dysfunctional, whatever the factors leading to that dysfunction. With ethnic minorities it is more usually than not, as I said, socioeconomic disenfranchisement. 	If, for example, you lived in an area where there were very few Blacks, but quite a few poor-for-generations Whites, you'd see the crime statistics reflecting the dysfunction of those White people. Would you then worry about whther your children would begin to see Whites as undesireable or whatever? The trap springs into action when our innate compunction to define "us" and "other" raises its little voice. The trap becomes dangerous when we stop to listen to that little voice and stop thinking like rational humans. 	It's interesting that Blacks are traditionally seen as *the* or the *most* criminal element in many of our urban areas. I don't know the racial makeup of Phoenix, so I can't speak to your situation. However, I live in San Francisco, a city that loves to tout its "ethnic diversity". Here, we have Black gangs, Hispanic gangs, Asian (yes, the "model minority") gangs, and even a few White gangs. The Asian gangs have become a particularly troublesome element for law enforcement here, mainly due (I think) to their propensity for engaging in organized criminal activities. But ask people on the street and they'll, 8-out-of-10 times, tell you that Black gangs and crime are what they most fear. During the "disturbance" in Los Angeles last year many of the rioters and looters were not Black. Some were even White! I remember being amazed at  television news scenes that showed looting mobs where there were maybe one or two Blacks at most! My perceptions, gleaned from TV news, were further corroborated by numerous friends and relatives that live in Los Angeles. This may have been the country's first truly multi-ethnic riot. Yet I know from face-to-face and online discussion that in the minds of America the popular perception is that it was a *Black* riot! 	In closing, I'd like to say that you raise some interesting points that really need discussion. Our country has spent too long ignoring the racism (and its attendant ills) that is very much a part of our culture. As a people, we are afraid to face up to some hurtful truths, and the problem becomes compounded *daily*. We cannot afford to do it much longer. I truly believe that the  well-being of ALL OF US depends on changing our current course of denial and repression. 	I wish you and your children, and all other people, of *all* colors, luck in avoiding the "trap".  	Peace, my brother. 			m. --