Rush today

[calfoxwc]

That's where we disagree. Sure, there are some social and cultural issues that adversely impact members of the black community. But I see that as a problem that is hindering their advancement, not an explanation for why racism persists.

 

And I find it interesting that an explanation for continued racism comes up when discussing African Americans but not other minority groups. I mean, do we say that anti-Semitism persists because of something Jewish folks are doing? Or prejudice against Asians?

 

That's why I see it more as an excuse for irrational racism, not a real cause. Al

 

*******************************************

 

In the service, we were just a bunch of soldiers.

 

We were from every walk of life I suppose, that there is.

 

A good ole boy from the poor part of the bayou, a rich pouty kid who only joined

 

because he wanted to pay back his father because his father wanted him to start

 

in the company as a janitor as a senior in high school, a guy who was in a gang in

 

some big city, I forget. He lived in a ghetto, parents sold out to drugs and drink in his early young years,

 

moved from a nice suburb he remembers to the city - it was so much cheaper.

 

his family was the gang. It's how he had food and safe shelter.

 

He only enlisted because it was either that, or go to jail because he got into a bit

 

of trouble. One of my close friends was a poor kid from the beaches of Puerto Rico,

 

I've told that story before.

 

Of course, in the service, there were all colors of people that there are, and more stories

 

and backgrounds, ...the majority? were regular guys from regular places, I think.

 

I've heard a lot about racism from those friends back then, I never knew much of it at all,

 

personally. It's a tragedy to classify an entire group in general, as I see it, as an object of projected

 

hatred for whatever warped reasons a bigot might have.

 

There is no rational reason for racism/bigotry.