09 October 2008

The Decline And Fall - Part VI...
In the last of my six-part series on why neighborhoods have gone downhill faster than the DOW has this past week, we've talked about the PEOPLE (in general), the ENVIRONMENT, the CITY, CRIME, and DRUGS.
Today's final piece of this "puzzle" will merely begin the scratch the surface on an issue that has had volume upon volume written about it.
And this post might rub some people the wrong way. Some may take this in the incorrect context, and others might become downright offended by it.
Well, that's too bad, because it's what is all around you if you live in a densely populated part of ANY city. For those that don't "get it", I can only offer up that you get your nose into more books, meet a lot more people, and pay attention to everyone and everything around you.
We're going to talk about RACE RELATIONS. There, I said it.
The world is made of only THREE races (unless you count all the stupid people as ONE race, in which case we really have FOUR). We have the Mongoloids, the Negroids, and the Caucasoids,
And on any given day, we can ALL get along pretty damn well.
Growing up, I've had as many black friends as I've had white friends. I actually resist using the "black/white" nomenclature as it refers to PEOPLE as ink is black, paper is white (it's a color-corrective thing), and so on. But, for the sake of brevity, we'll use the term.
I've been a guest at many a black household, both middle and upper class, and I never ONCE felt out of place. I've broken bread with blacks, shared life experiences with many, and have come to an understanding about what it means to be black for these friends and acquaintances.
They've so much as TOLD me outright about living their lives, so I have a more comprehensive idea to the "black experience" than many of my race out there.
I've also been to the dregs of the community as well. Not all that appealing when infants have roaches crawling on them with dog feces nearby while "da boyz" toke on blunts on the sofa, discussing the latest "thang".
And during all those times, I was never put upon by blacks (even the lowlife ones). If anything, I had people of MY OWN RACE take me to task for befriending them. It didn't deter me from those friendships and relations. If anything, it reinforced my belief that we can really work together as ONE race; the HUMAN race..all we had to do was get the lazy ones off their duffs, and the ignorant ones enlightened.
I knew so many black people that busted their asses as much as their white counterparts every damn day for lousy wages, just so their children could never go without (as they once had to). They saved to get their houses, their cars (which were always kept in pristine condition), and education for their kids. They listened to jazz or classical music, loved going to church, and were never at a loss when it came to mutual respect to ANYONE else. Their talents and work ethics were beyond reproach. And they were all good friends.
Times have certainly changed.
Whatever progress had been made by Dr. King has been systematically been UNDONE over the last 30 or so years, and we stand at a crossroad when it comes to race relations. We're at the tipping point of tolerance, because what everyone else has to "tolerate" is nothing short of third world behavior...from the descendants of those I just mentioned.
The black people of yesteryear who practiced restraint, personal responsibility, and felt themselves accountable to a "higher authority" (that would be the MORALITY thing) have been supplanted by many who have come to embrace being "entitled" to almost everything. Today, we have a minority within the minority that is spoiling the "dream" of Dr. King for all others within their race, as well as other races.
Many of today's inner city blacks are driven by one thing: EXCESS.
Take a look around and tell me otherwise. Tell me that those HUGE rims aren't in excess...or that SUPER LOUD bass from the car stereo...or all that gold jewelry...or those top shelf athletic shoes is not in excess. Personally, I've never seen ANY black person in MY neighborhood that held a can of beer SMALLER than a 20 OZ. It's all about "more, more, more" to them. They have to have the BIGGER bottle of booze...the higher alcohol content malt liquor. It's about who can talk the LOUDEST in a group... or who can be the best "PLAYA" on the street...or who can knock up the most women?
It's all about...STATUS.
Now if you HAVE all the aforementioned stuff going for you...you are (apparently) successful (in their mind anyway). To them, being successful is never measured by what defines one as a person, the accumulated knowledge, or even the educational level and chosen vocation. It IS all about how much $hit you got...or can get (by any means possible).
And since all the marketing "Lords of the Realm" are feeding this beast, it's small wonder that blacks are buying INTO it...with disastrous results. It used to piss me off to no end when I would drive through a slum area and on EVERY billboard was some BLACK couple smoking some NEWPORTS ("Alive With Pleasure" said the sign)...or a black woman holding a bottle of VAT 69 (with a "come hither" demeanor). I thought that was being stereotypically racist. Not one sign about personal improvement of anything dealing with being POSITIVE.
That's what every struggling family needs to see every day...smokes & hooch. And unfortunately, many bought into it, and swallowed that bait hook, line, and sinker.
Now I've spoken here often as to how the black community in the inner city has traded one set of shackles for another, and I still hold to that.
The new chains of oppression are those that have clamped about the brains of the young, indoctrinating them into a false belief that nothing matters EXCEPT how annoying you can be, how disconnected you can become from mainstream society, and how fast you can fill up the prisons along the way.
Look at the teen pregnancy rate...or the HIV rate, or the crime rate...or the drug usage rate...facts are facts. I sure as hell didn't do it to the black community...and neither did you.
As much as I detest what businesses have done to the black community, I have to take to task the community ITSELF for doing little if nothing to get their own people to BUY OUT of this "Nowheresville".
All the black community wants to do today in the inner city is make sure THEIR people get as much off of everyone else for free. It's "black for black sake", and heaven help anyone else that gets in the way.
And since the blacks I've come to know and love are dying off in droves, today's black community "ship" is fast losing the ability to ply the waves of normal society with a specific direction in mind.
I have not come across ONE SINGLE black family in my neighborhood that has demonstrated the smallest inkling towards personal betterment, nor betterment of their community.
And that goes for any and all black politicos in this city.
Hell, pick up ANY book by either John McWhorter OR Larry Elder...they say the exact same thing. Listen to Bill Cosby or Alan Keyes. They all know the truth about black America.
It's all about "Victimology"...never about how THEY (the black community) need to get it together. It's always someone else keeping them down.
It's just about "give us all the shit, 'cause we're black...we're not responsible, and won't be held accountable".
Sorry, that crap don't float for me.
"But whitey's keeping us down"
Not THIS whitey.
"But we're oppressed".
No..you're just LAZY.
Race relations in this city are strained at best. A blind man can see that. Take a look at the way the FWPD walks on eggshells, when they should be allowed to UPHOLD THE LAW. A few years back, we had problems with the NAACP playing the "driving while black" card (also back in 1996). I stated that it was an inherent disregard and lack of respect BY the black community NOT just against the whites, but against the "blues" (those in uniform) as well, and that even IF you had 100% BLACK OFFICERS in the SE area, it would NOT make a damn bit of difference.Those officers would STILL be disrespected.
The inner city black community doesn't like BLUE..or WHITE, it seems.
I know that rather than try to get to know me or my wife, the local blacks seem bent on chasing us from the area (as they have done to other whites, by their actions). I don't "move" that easy, people. I did try to get to know one black single mom (24, with FOUR kids already)...and she lied through her teeth to me about dedication, devotion, and a lot of other BS. I was fooled once...not again.
Used to be a time when I gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. Now, I need for them to prove me wrong when I assess them up front. And I've never been wrong yet. I can spot the problem ones AS SOON AS I see and hear them (that goes for ANY race).
Although Indiana is known for the beginnings of WHITE supremacy, parts of it are fast becoming cornerstones of BLACK supremacy, but the MSM will never allude to that, just as they deny that black-on-white crime has been on the rise for over a decade. I tell them to check the DOJ numbers and get back to me (contritely).
Lastly, I want to go on the record as also detesting white supremacist groups. They're just not my cup of tea, even though they dislike much of the small segment of the black community that I have come to dislike. They hate all blacks...I DO NOT. You will never see me hanging with that crowd.
But what can counter the black supremacy movement when so many cannot realize it even exists?
We're still working on that one...
They call it "white flight" when (certain) people leave the city, but I can tell you that there are SO MANY blacks, Hispanics and Asians that have taken that "flight" as well...you never hear about THEM, though.
I used to think it curious when my black friends would refer to their OWN people (that happen to live all around me today) as the *N* word. When I asked WHY they say that, they'd tell me straight up: "Because that's what they ARE, Bob...look at them...they take everything and give nothing back. They're useless, and I'm ashamed to be the SAME COLOR as them".
Well, I was definitely operating in "wow" mode then.
Couldn't believe I heard that, but there it was...plain as day.
A division within the same race...amazing.
Race relations need to be addressed right here...right now (because they basically suck as it stands). We stand at the precipice of anarchy should things go awry. The BLACK community has got to man up and take responsibility for the minority within itself that is causing the rest of that community to be unduly lumped in WITH that group. They need to hold those responsible for this "bad rep" of the entire community up for scrutiny. They need to take their OWN community back. They need to become more self-sufficient, get off the government handout queue, and do for themselves, and that doesn't mean taking from everyone else in the process.
You can embrace your heritage...just don't try to make parts of AMERICA look like the "motherland" in the process, OK?
The best way to get back to what Dr. King's dream is, would be to start from within.
In fact, it's the ONLY way.
Then, maybe we can ALL get on with MORE pressing issues TOGETHER.

Tuesday: Decline and Fall - Epilogue

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

i think when young people are young (under 30) sometimes people white and black are a little rude, and gimmie gimmie attitude. yea, i would love the rims on my car and the running lights. but right now those days have passed for a moment. i remember back in 86 driving my man new toyota mr2 and thinking i was the shit (yea,i was the shit) with the running lights and stereo loud as hell. but those days are gone. i remember being dressed to the nines and smelling fine. going to the club. but those days are gone. no more gin and orange. just orange. when people find God and grow up things change. would write more but i got to go.

Bob G. said...

Indy:
We ALL go through "phases", but sooner or later, we do something called MATURE (into adulthood).

We grow the hell up.

We become RESPONSIBLE for our actions...as well as how they might affect others.
THAT is how a society works TOGETHER.
DO do otherwise is just folly.
Some never get that through their thick skulls.

I also did my share of hell-raising, but in all that, was never arrested.

Guess my Guardian Angel was working O/T in those days...LOL.

Thanks for the comment...it's much appreciated.

BG