The Conversation

Think About It. The Conversation. “It’s about time we talked about this race issue”.

“We just must get together and do something about all the stopping, frisking, arresting, incarcerating, abusing and killing young inner city men.”

“It seems to me it’s a cultural issue brought on by poverty, lack of education and growing up without a father to provide guidance.”

“Well, I certainly had the talk with my son about not arguing with the police.”

“I’ve heard a lot of you do.”

“Yes.  I was in my Mercedes on my way home, about to enter the gates of the community where we live when I was stopped with no reason.”

“What you call arrested WBB?”

” You heard it right. Apparently  the man in the blue suit and silver badge noticed I was driving While Being Black.”

“And what do you think about the riots?”

“My opinion is that the government should insist that law enforcement ease up on targeting  people of color, improve schools and provide jobs that ghetto children can aspire to.”

“Yes, but riots don’t accomplish anything.”

“May be. But the people just need a way to vent their frustration caused by constantly facing a hostile environment and given no hope for a good income except for selling drugs.”

“Maybe that’s actually one of the problems.  Selling drugs.”

“It doesn’t help, blaming the underdog!”

“It looks like the worst that happens during this violent unrest is the looting of shops in the neighborhoods by young black men.  It’s seldom food. Usually TV sets and drugs. And I’m not talking about aspirin. Seems like theft more than redress of offensive issues.”

“That’s possible; but our preachers and politicians always come out and do their best to calm the waters and work for peace and understanding”

“I guess you’re right. Seems like they’re always on the spot, front and center. I wonder if they had these discussions during the attacks on Irish Catholic and Chinese and other newcomers in the 19th century. Early on the Native  Americans and the new owners of the land had some awkward moments. Italian immigrants were attacked early and Puerto Ricans got it later in the 20th. Many books have been written about the treatment of African-born and American-bred slaves, and the lynching of those freed.”

“My memory of these events only goes back to 1968. However I have read that White-on-Black race riots include Atlanta (1906), Omaha and Chicago  the (1919) and Tulsa (1921). While there’s been constant unrest, there have been only(?) a dozen or so major violent eruptions since the beginning of the 21st century. Ferguson, Baltimore and now Dallas are the latest. And you are correct, the usual suspects are out there promising to fix things.”

“I couldn’t help but notice while you held forth there, that until recently it was the first immigrants who seemed to feel threatened by the new voluntary arrivals and constantly made life miserable for the involuntary arrivals who used to work for free. Something surely is wrong.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for sharing. I’m glad we had The Conversation.” Think About It.

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