Rush Limbaugh on Donovan McNabb

[Dan]

Here's a nice little timeline someone put a lot of work into showing that Rush's deafness may have been a result of his "alleged" pill addiction. Check it out:

http://shock-awe.info/archive/000923.php

 

[janeeng]

Dan, to an extent your right, but, the kid in Edison that killed himself, left a note and in that note, was quoted directly out of a song with one of Today's finest artists. I will drive myself crazy and remember the name of kid, and the exact song that was given. Yes, a movie can do the same, but if you think about it, most kids today are getting high at 12 on, do you think they sit with their buddies watching movies? no way, they are listening to the crap music - all I hear is "put on 97.1 (rap) - put on 105.1 (rap) and others, the list can go on. It's not just Cobain, it's a lot of singers today and some from yesterday.

 

[jimnyc]

Ok, Dan, fair enough! I'll agree with the meat of what you said!

Decent points and well said.

But, I laughed out loud, literally, after reading the quote from Limbaugh!

"...Kurt Cobain was, ladies and gentlemen, a worthless shred of human debris, who had been trying to kill himself for 12 years, and finally did it right, by using a shotgun, so he couldn't miss..."

That WAS a bit rough, but you know I like that kind of humor! Sounds like something O&A would say, but I think it's received differently when it's about someone you like.

Like you said before though, karma! I think he's gonna get a little in return now.

 

[Jack]

Hey Dan I have to agree that movies don't influence people, after all I know you have seen many people in the movies that had jobs and were working and it hasn't influenced you to get a job. ha ha

 

[janeeng]

Whew! guess it's your turn Dan! hahahahahah! better you than me. I already got my share!

 

[Jackass]

I have to agree with Dan though. You CANT in any shape or form blame any artist, athlete, movie or song for anything that anybody does. People have to learn to take responsability for their actions...whether they are 16 or 50. I remember being 16..did I do stupid things?? Hell yeah! I STILL do stupid things, but never did I think about lying on the parkway..under an underpass, because I saw it in a movie. I knew better. My parents taught me..play in the street you get hit and die. The ONLY people you can blame other than the individual person are the parents. No one else!

 

[Bry]

Originally posted by Jackass
Or you didnt go up against anyone who was black.

LOL! Actually, I've made a career out of taking jobs from black people. Ever tried to get a job with a degree in philosophy? I was fired from my first two jobs out of school working as a temp office worker, and both within a week of starting! I got tired real quick of all the conversation about how Satan was roaming the land, and what size print my co-workers were going to buy their next bible in. They were white. One of the jobs was entering loan data into an antiquated business machine program that required a very long and precise series of key strokes for correct data entry. They kept telling me I needed to go faster, and when I finally threw caution to the wind and typed, they stopped me after three hours saying I'd just created three days of work for someone for all the errors I'd entered. Back on the street.
The second temp job was answering telephones (I kid you not) for Circuit City. They were doing preliminary interviews for people that wanted to work selling merchandise in their stores. My job was to "weed out the unworthy" so that they wouldn't have to waste real interview time on crackheads. Well, you can probably guess my general opinion of the job cualifications necessary for selling car stereos at Circuit City. Who could possibly be a better fit than a crack head ?!?! I spent almost a day and a half turning away people that had real qualifications and passing on for an interview every 17 year old single mother and illiterate crack baby that came my way. It was fun while it lasted, but in short order I was back on the streets.
From there I moved up to pizza delivery boy. (I guess by owning a car, I wasn't really competing with blacks for that one.) I quit that after two days because I realized that my '84 Bronco II (yes, I have owned an SUV) was going to die before I could earn enough money waring it out to replace it. I went from there to Ruby Tuesdays and was competing with black people for six years for jobs as a cook. Quite frankly, I was never turned down for an interview and most offered me a job. But I am not kidding around when I say that in the early days, I was BY FAR less qualified as a cook than any of the black candidates I was competeing against. Those restaurants took that white boy in to work for them, even though he'd probably lived a life of easy luxury, probably had not the slightest concept of what the word "labor" meant when found outside of the context of the Communist Manifesto, and had NO kitchen experience what so ever. They took me for one reason and one reason only. Because I'm white. And I'm here to tell ya, the work that my black co-workers took in stride and frequently preformed with grace KICKED MY SORRY WHITE ASS. That job had me in tears more than once. Taking me in was the biggest money losing proposition that corporation had taken on in it's entire history, and I was out of there before I had a chance to pay dividends.
Of course, I moved on from Ruby Tuesdays in short order (no pun intended), and three years later, I was the sous-chef for one of the Top Ten New Chefs in the Country in 2000 as reported by Food and Wine magazine. And I moved up from there. I came to Europe and I have worked for two of the most respected chefs in the world. To this day, I hold the majority of my black colleagues in the kitchen in the highest regard. Put that together with the fact that one of the most impressive men I have ever personally know was a black philosophy professor who is now the head of one of the most high powered philosophy departments in the country, and my experience in the can with 2/3 of Richmond Virginia's young black population, and my experience becomes credible. And I owe my start in the industry to racism in America.

As a side note, I had to quit the restaurant business last year, because it turns out I am allergic to fish. For two years I was in charge of the fish preparation for some truly great restaurants, and it turns out that all those fevers and skin problems I was having were a direct result of my chosen career. I had to come to Spain and a public health care system before I could finally get a proper diagnosis for a problem I had been consulting doctors in the US for for three years prior. For five years I worked seventy to eighty hours a week, always on my feet and running. While in the US I never received more than one week of vacation a year, and in that time period I only missed one day of work. (I was simultaneosly vomiting and with a very acute diarhea, and couldn't even walk to my front door, much less work another 13 hours shift. For most of that time I was payed a salary that, when computed hourly, arrived at $2.30 an hour. I am now teaching English here in Spain, and no, I am not competing with many black candidates for the job. (I guess the demand for ebonics just never caught on here.)

That was probably way more information than anyone here could ever have wanted to know about me, but I do not take kindly to racist remarks in general, nor specifically from white men in the US who were born by race and gender into one of the most priveleged birthrights the world has ever known, and still have the gall to complain.

-Bry

 

[jimnyc]

Originally posted by Bry
That was probably way more information than anyone here could ever have wanted to know about me, but I do not take kindly to racist remarks in general, nor specifically from white men in the US who were born by race and gender into one of the most priveleged birthrights the world has ever known, and still have the gall to complain.

-Bry

Sounds like you have great work ethics, and you should be applauded for working jobs that were less than desirable to make ends meet.

I'll admit that I am racist to an extent. I'll trash blacks sometimes, although some of the nicest people I've known have been black. Same goes for spanish, chinese... I guess living in the area I do you become jaded after awhile. It's become a little worse since I moved to NY 8 years ago (only moved across the river from NJ).

You have the lowest forms of life walking the streets here, and at the same time some of the smartest kindest people in the world. I guess the difficult part is keeping the 2 issues separate.

I recently lost a job because of a racist boss (yes he was black, and yes he was racist - it's all well documented). He was reported for making racist and threatening remarks and I was basically let go I'm sure to quiet the issue. It was kind of hard to fight back as it was a huge international law firm! I had 6 1/2 years with an outstanding resume and no blemishes to speak of. I'm sure Jackass can chime in and add his .02 cents about how the system works there when you are white.

This is obviously no reason to be racist, or to blame a single race because of one incident that happened to me. It was just one example of how someone can get jaded (by a member of the opposite race, or the system).

I'm just an angry person in general! I don't go out and picket or degrade any race at all. In fact, some of my closest friends at that very place I worked with were spanish and black.

I'm sure all the same can be said about whites, and then some. I'm just towing the line right now between disliking certain characters in society and not holding it against someone who's only link to the others is the same skin color.

 

[janeeng]

Never fear Jim, in my letter to my hero, I mentioned your situation - sorry, hope you don't get mad, but someone had to do something and I figure, what the hell do you have to lose!

Guess he won't come to the board, think? Will let you know if any replies though.

 

[MtnBiker]

Originally posted by Bry
For five years I worked seventy to eighty hours a week, always on my feet and running.....
For most of that time I was payed a salary that, when computed hourly, arrived at $2.30 an hour -Bry

You were earning 184 dollars a week?

 

[Bry]

Originally posted by MtnBiker
You were earning 184 dollars a week?

Actually it was a little more. 300 a week, so it was actually almost 4.00 and hour before taxes.

Thanks for keeping my math straight.

B

 

[Jackass]

Originally posted by Bry
LOL! but I do not take kindly to racist remarks in general, nor specifically from white men in the US who were born by race and gender into one of the most priveleged birthrights the world has ever known, and still have the gall to complain.

-Bry

And what racist remark was it that you took offense to?

How can you possibly sit behind that monitor and even think you have the slightest clue to my or any of our situations? You nknow nothing about how I was raised..where I lived or what my "priveleged birthrights" are. Just because I am white makes me priveleged?? Yeah?? Where is it?? Where's my birthright? Oh..thats right..Im WHITE!! Let the world come and worship at my feet! Hold on..theres someone at the door. Oh nevermind...just some guy to give me money and a new car...just because I am white! Wow..this country is great! Sure glad I am white. I get first pick of the jobs in the country..even though there is affirmative action here. I guess I am SOOO white that they dont even bother looking for anyone else.

Oh yeah...let me tell you ALL about the "priveleged birthrights" my 2 white parents have. They both have WORKED as long as I can remember. My mom worked as a cleaning lady while I was young and then switched to retail at TJMaxx. My dad did construction till I was about 16. By the time I was 19 I was making more than both of them combined. They then decided to build a better life for all of us and moved out to PA. Well things didnt work out very well. My dad had to quit construction (which he is unbelievable at). He then also took a retail job. They now live in a 2 bedroom apt with my brother. They struggle every month for rent, food and to send my brother for college. I told them to try the United White Man Callege fund and see if they could get help from them but...well...you know about that. They have no savings and have no chance of ever owning a home themselves. When things got tight and my dad wasnt working..they went to get public assistance. Get this..they made too much money to qualify. Thats right. On my moms retail job they made oo much money. Maybe it was from all of the people who kept giving them money all the time because of their "priveleged birthrights".
If you read my other post..well then you know my current situation already so I wont go into that again. Its funny..even though I am the white and born into such privileges...I cant seem to get ahead. Maybe I should ditch a few Rols Royces and try and save money? Nahh..Im white..some more people will come by and shower me with money anytime soon!
Its people like you that give growth to this ass backwards approach to our current culture. The black man has it so bad. Lets give them anything that we can possibly think of. After all they have it so tough here in America.

If I were a black man and wanted equal opportunity in this country...I would shoot the asshole who came up with affirmative action. What kind a shit is that? Take 2 equally qualified candidates, one white the other black applying for the same job and give it to the blackguy becaus eof his color??? Where is the equality in that? That is NOT what made this country great and it is one of the things currently destorying our country. If you think you are helping a black person by thinking this way you are dead wrong. You only hurt them more by not giving them the chance to succeed in this world on their own.

Now please take your idiotic statements about the white birthright priveleges and your assanine views on equal oppurtunity and spread it somewhere else!

 

[jimnyc]

I hear ya, Jackass!

I don't think Bry was speaking of you specifically, but to whites in general. I think the whole thing is generally bullshit myself!

Here are the ONLY extra rights they should be extended, IMO:

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to be speak to an attorney, and to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you at government expense."

 

[Bry]

How can you possibly sit behind that monitor and even think you have the slightest clue to my or any of our situations? You nknow nothing about how I was raised..where I lived or what my "priveleged birthrights" are. Just because I am white makes me priveleged?? Yeah?? Where is it?? Where's my birthright? Oh..thats right..Im WHITE!! Let the world come and worship at my feet! Hold on..theres someone at the door. Oh nevermind...just some guy to give me money and a new car...just because I am white! Wow..this country is great! Sure glad I am white. I get first pick of the jobs in the country..even though there is affirmative action here. I guess I am SOOO white that they dont even bother looking for anyone else.

I don't pretend to know anything about your situation, nor did anything i wrote in my post suggest i did. It is true, however, that on average Blacks are disadvantaged, and the statistics show: the school districts in predominantly black neighborhoods are very sub-standard; in hospitals, treatments offered to white people are significantly more extensive than those offered to blacks; that in loan applications blacks are more often refused given equal qualifications; that for employment, the same is also true compounded by the fact that once they do get their foot in the door, their possibilities for advancement are significantly less; they are frequently treated as criminals on sight, especially when found in the nicer parts of town; they are subjected to unjustified police searches, greater frequency of traffic charges, longer prison sentences for equal crimes (Blacks are 8.2 times more likely to be incarcerated for an offense than a white person.)

BTW, as I mentioned earlier, I think in this thread, I am not in favor of racial quotas, and I do think a more sensitive methodology for distribution of aid should be sought. What I meant by that is that benefits should be given to people with demonstrable disadvantages, as in poverty, primarily. But frankly, I think the affirmative action that we do have in this country has very little impact outside of the Universities. It certainly isn't having any impact on the statistics I just mentioned. In short, the systemic practice of racism throughout the country has a far more dramatic effect day by day, case by case, than any of the affirmative action programs that have been instituted to combat the inequality.

Apart from that, you put up alot of false arguments that I never made in order to make it all the more easy to tear them down, and I am not impressed by that. They weren't even arguments so much as wild assertions and insults. No one said anything about free rides to white people (though many white people do live with that kind of privelege, just look at George Bush and his education) and noone is proposing that we shower the blacks with money to rectify inequality. I simply said that white people in our country enjoy an incredible statistical advantage, and you have offered nothing to contradict that.

As for the hypothetical situation of two otherwise equal candidates, it is my continuing opinion that the black man should be chosen. There is no contradiction here with concepts of equality. The only other option, aside from chosing the white guy based on his skin color (which is the rule, not the exception) is that they flip a coin. Well, I guess we disagree, invitations to take my idiotic statements somewhere else not withstanding.

Respectfully,
Bry

 

[MtnBiker]

Originally posted by Bry
I was the sous-chef for one of the Top Ten New Chefs in the Country in 2000 as reported by Food and Wine magazine. And I moved up from there...

For five years I worked seventy to eighty hours a week, always on my feet and running ...

For most of that time I was payed a salary that, when computed hourly, arrived at $2.30 an hour .

-Bry

There probably is a time table there that I do not quite understand. But I'm still having a hard time believing working in such restaurants would pay such a low wage. 300 bucks a week is only 15600 a year.

 

[Bry]

That's true, it is difficult to understand. There are, of course, many cooks that make much more money. If I had stayed for five years at Ruby Tuesdays, I'd probably be up to close to 15$ an hour by now. The fact is, though, that the better the restaurant you work in, the worse the money is, unless you're the chef or the sous-chef. When I was working for the chef that one the top ten award, there were only three of us in the kitchen, which hardly makes the title of sous-chef mean anything. Every plate passed through the hands of the chef, and the responsibilities that usually come with being a sous-chef are minimal in such a small team. I worked for one chef for three months without getting paid at all, which is a standard arrangement of questionable legality. The truly big names consider the value of their name on your future resume as payment enough. Here in Spain, just before I quit cooking, I was making 1200 a month. I was working from 10 AM to 12 PM and I had Sunday afternoon (after 4 PM) and one day a week between Mon and Thurs. off. On the other hand, they game me a full month of paid vacation, one of the perks of working in Europe. But there were a couple guys in the kitchen from the Dominican Republic with the same responsibilities as myself, and they were bringing in 800 a month. Racism isn't a problem exclusive to the US.

So, like I said, if you want to make as much money as possible as soon as possible, a cook can do all right, though I know very few that break the threshold of 25,000 a year unless they are the chef. I chose a more difficult route because it was more important for me to perfect my skills with masters than maximize my earning potential as quickly as possible.

 

[jimnyc]

Blacks may be disadvantaged statistically (and I disagree with most), but is that not mostly their own fault? And they deserve preferential treatment and eliminating whites as a result? (equal qualifications in mind of course).

1)The school districts in black neighborhoods are sub-standard. - It's not as if the buildings are falling apart or there is a lack of schools in general. They are sub-standard because of the interest given to education by blacks, and the overall disrespect for humanity. There are more guns in most black schools than can be found at the local armory. There are more drugs in these schools than the local pharmacy. Black people have to realize that you get back what you put into the system. I'm assuming we are speaking of the public school system. You do realize that in a very large part these schools are funded by taxes, don't you? How much tax money is being funneled into the "white" area schools as opposed to the blacks? If they are so interested in increasing the quality of schools in their areas, why not develop a new tax solely used to fund schools in their area? Why not drive or walk to a school that is further away that has more to offer?

2)Treatment in hospitals to white people are significantly more extensive than those offered to blacks. - I'd really like to see some facts to back this one up! Where I grew up we had 3-4 major hospitals within a short drive. You hit the emergency room and you'll find they are mostly staffed by black women. You'll find that the doctors are almost all either Indian or Chinese. You'll find that 90% of the patients waiting for assistance are black. I've never been taken ahead of someone there before me, nor did I ever once witness a black person complain about the service on the way out. Now, could it be that you are speaking of patients that have been admitted with serious ailments or disease? Why is it that some of these blacks didn't receive equal treatment? Probably lack of money or insurance! Either have cash on hand to pay, or have verifiable insurance. Most hospitals are not in the business of treating for free. If they are indigent, there are plenty of resources available at community hospitals that will work things out with the patients.

3)That in loan applications blacks are more often refused given equal qualifications. - Again, I'd love to see facts to back this up. There are lots of things to factor in; criminal history, work history, total household income, previous bankruptcy... Not to mention loans can now be done over the phone or by filling out a form and mailing it in - neither of which require race.

4) For employment, the same is also true compounded by the fact that once they do get their foot in the door, their possibilities for advancement are significantly less. - Sure, there are cases where this is true. But I think mostly they don't get in the door or advance because the competition they are up against are far superior.

The I.Q.'s of American blacks are from 15 to 20 points, on average, below those of American Whites.

The U.S. government's PACE examination, given to 100,000 university graduates who are prospective professional or administrative civil-service employees each year, is passed with a score of 70 or above by 58% of the whites who take it but by only 12% of the blacks. Among top scorers the difference between black and White performance is even more striking: 16% of the white applicants make scores of 90 or above, while only one-fifth of one percent of a black applicants score as high as 90--a White/Black success ration of 80/1.

White/Black I.Q. differences are constantly excused as results of environmental variations. but at least five studies that have attempted to equate socio-economic backgrounds of the two races indicate no significant change in relative results. As environment improves, the black does better but so does the White. The gap is not decreased. In fact, extensive research by DR. G.J. McGurk, associate Professor of Psychology at Villanova University, reveals that the gap in intelligence between Blacks and Whites INCREASES where socio-economic levels of both races are raised to the middle classes.

Equalitarian ideologists often discount I.Q. test results with the excuse that they are culturally biased. Nonetheless, NO ONE, not the NAACP nor the United Negro College Fund, nor NEA had been able to develop an intelligence test which shows Blacks and Whites scoring equally.

5)They are frequently treated as criminals on sight, especially when found in the nicer parts of town; they are subjected to unjustified police searches, greater frequency of traffic charges, longer prison sentences for equal crimes (Blacks are 8.2 times more likely to be incarcerated for an offense than a white person.) Yes, sadly this type of police activity still exists. Lets not discount all of it entirely though. Here are a few more statistics to lay some background as to why they are often looked at differently or treated differently:

The rate at which Blacks commit murder is thirteen times that of Whites; Rape and assault, ten times. These figures, as given by the F.B.I. reports, vary somewhat from year to year but fairly represent the trend for the past decade.

Though only 12% of the U.S. population, Blacks commit more than half of all rapes and robberies and 60% of all murders in the U.S.

Black rapists choose White victims over half (54.9%) of the time, 30X as often as Whites choose Blacks.

The annual report from the Department of justice shows that when Whites commit violence they do it to Blacks 2.4% of the time. Blacks, on the other hand, choose White victims MORE THAN HALF the time.

Many people argue that high Black incarceration rates show that police center enforcement at Black crimes and ignore white-collar crimes. However, Blacks commit a disproportionate number of white-collar offenses as well. In 1990, Blacks were nearly 3 times as likely to be arrested for forgery, counterfeiting, and embezzlement as Whites.

Many people believe that crime is a product of poverty and lack of "advantages." However, the District of Columbia, which enjoys the highest average annual salaries and is second only to Alaska in personal income per capita, leads the nation in just about every category of crime including murder, robbery, aggravated assault, and vehicle theft. D.C. also has the country's strictest gun control, highest police costs per capita, highest ration of police and correctional officers per citizen, and highest rate of incarceration. Its permanent population is over 80% Black. West Virginia, which has the nation's lowest crime rate, suffers from chronic poverty and has the highest unemployment in the U.S. It also has the fewest police per capita. West Virginia is over 96% White.

 

[MtnBiker]

Bry-

They took me for one reason and one reason only. Because I'm white.

I worked for one chef for three months without getting paid at all

Maybe they took you because you were cheap.

I chose a more difficult route because it was more important for me to perfect my skills with masters than maximize my earning potential as quickly as possible.

Ever tried to get a job with a degree in philosophy?

O.k. Bry I know I'm busting your balls here, but with all due respect it is a quite puzzling,you went to school to earn a degree in philosophy, then choose a career in the restaurant industry. You say you wanted to perfect your skills with masters, would culinary school have been a better choice? Rather than working for little or nothing for many years?

 

[Bry]

Blacks may be disadvantaged statistically (and I disagree with most), but is that not mostly their own fault? And they deserve preferential treatment and eliminating whites as a result? (equal qualifications in mind of course).

I'm not sure what you mean by "eliminating whites", jim.

Of course i am aware that schools are funded by local tax money, and I think that is a racist system. Maybe its crazy, but I think all children should have easy access to the same quality schools, and I think that quality should be high. But as it is, the quality of a school is directly related to the tax bracket of the area, which is why, in Chicago for example, the schools in the near suburbs are among the best in the country and the schools in the city are among the worst. A ten mile difference is a difference of planets. So tell me, have you ever heard the phrase "social justice"? Do you really think that it is acceptable that the quality of the education you receive in a public school should be dependent on the neighborhood your parents can afford to live in? And yes, in many cases it is a matter of the schools falling apart and over crowding. They should drive or walk to the schools in the other neighborhoods? You might as well ask them to fly, there, jim. You suppose their parents or parent, as the case may be, doesn't have to hold two or three McJobs just to pay the rent, buy the food, and buy the bus ticket to get back and forth to work? You really think a seven year old black kid is going to take the responsibility of getting himself over to the school where the rich kids go so that he can be harrassed by them in the hallways, and harrassed by the police walking home? Are you for real?


Here is some information from a report published by the Institue of Medicine in 2002.

The odds of not having necessary angiography are 49% higher among African-American patients, compared with white ones.
African-American and Hispanic children with asthma are 31% and 42% less likely, respectively, than their white peers to be using inhaled anti-inflammatory medication, even when they share similar insurance and sociodemographic characteristics.
Only 46% of elderly African-Americans receive flu shots, compared with 68% of whites.
http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/amn_03/edsa0414.htm

And here is some information on loan discrimination from your home town.

Even blacks with incomes above $60,000 were rejected more often than whites with incomes under $40,000, with 20 percent of the blacks turned down compared with 17 percent of the whites.

http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~jbex/ny-lend.html
(the number of articles with regard to this issue was astounding.)

For the job discrimination, you conceded to me with the caveat that it's probably just because they're inferior candidates. For one, that blatantly ignores the whole scenario which was agreed upon, that the candidates are otherwise equal, unless you're willing to assume that they couldn't be equal because one is black and one is white, in which case you've proven my point.

And as for the IQ argument, it's shit. If my IQ is 40 points above the average white american's IQ, should I put it on my job or loan application? Should I have explained it to the cop that maced me and beat the shit out of me and CHARGED ME WITH ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER just because I was walking home drunk to my apartment in a predominantly black neighborhood? The cop swore up and down I was on crack, and when the test results came back that mother fucker was eating more than crow. Or how about when they pulled me over driving to work at least once a month? Funny, I drive the same in a white neighborhood as in a black neighborhood, but I've never been pulled over driving in a white neighborhood. If my IQ is 20 above the average white american's, should I discriminate against white americans? Should all white americans with only an average IQ be ghetoized and sent to plainly inferior shools? I happen to know that the difference between my own IQ and the average white American's is double the difference between the average white American and a certified retard. Does that give me the right to assume that every time I see a white person I'm probably looking at a very inferior dolt? I'd like to know what our President's IQ is. That mother fucker can barely speak.
IQ is something that changes with culture. Have you taken an IQ test lately? I have. I was surprised to see that they gave me a higher IQ score because I knew the Pythagorian theorem and was familiar with one of Socrates's most famous quotes. You think that kind of information is something you might just learn at school? Does it mean you're less intelligent if you haven't read Socrates? Which is more different from the rest, Jim, a coconut, a grape, a banana, an apple, or a pear? Do you really want to say that someone who doesn't answer this correctly is less intelligent, and that it explains why so many black people are in the clink?
On the other hand, there is evidence that "intelligence" is a genetically linked trait. So if black people, like horses and cows, were being selectively bred in this country to produce bigger and stronger slaves for a hundred and fifty years, do you think that should permit us to discriminate against them 'cause we weren't selecting for intelligence? You think its unreasonable to chose the black man, all other cualifications being equal, when this country was created in part on the backs of free black labor? If IQ scores can increase with education (and I know they can) and IQ is also a genetically linked trait, doesn't that suggest that over time, given the same access to education and jobs, that their average IQ would probably improve? And don't you think it might even be cheaper than keeping 5% of them behind bars?

And finally, regarding national crime statistics, yes. I do believe that the propensity to resort to violent crime has alot to do with the life opportunities that life presents you with. I think it has a lot to do with your environment. I think it has a lot to do with being angry and I can tell you right now, the average black man in the United States has a lot more to be angry about than you. On the other hand, I haven't seen too many black people flush the retirement packages of thousands of people down the toilets lately. I haven't seen many black people manipulating markets or brutally eliminating competition. There aren't many black people that get to carry home salaries of ten million a year and cut 40,000 jobs in the same year. Blacks are not to blame for the destruction of the ozone layer and the subsequent ignoring of the consequences. Blacks don't spend my tax money on useless billion dollar a pop defence items when there are people who can't even get decent medical care. They never stole from me but some of my best friends have. John Coltrane kicks Kenny Gs ass all over the fucking place, and that's a fact. A black man befriended and saved the life of my grand father in WWII, but my grandfather never invited him to his house after the war. My grand father has West Virginia coal miner in him from both sides. What's your excuse?

 

[Joan]

I applied for a job with the company that I still work for back in the early '80's. I was given a standardized test given to anyone applying for an adminstrative position. I was told that I did "remarkably well". I was called in for an interview the following week. It wasn't until 6 months later that a job offer was made. After starting at this job, I found out that 2 people had been hired before me. One was black and the other was still using her ex-husband's name (hispanic). The black girl was hired within one week of applying, the "hispanic" within 2 months, and me not until 6 months after. Better qualified? I think not. The black girl was about as smart as the average rock, and was fired within the first year for falsifying her time records and collecting overtime wages for hours she never worked. The "hispanic" girl said she knew that name would come in handy! In my years with this same company, I have become very friendly with 2 black women. So close, that I consider them part of my "extended" family. Both of these women came from poor, but hard working families, and overcame a lot of obstacles to get where they are today. And here is where the word "worked for" comes in. These people were not content to sit back and think the world owed them something, they saw what it took to get ahead, and worked their butts off to get there! One's mom and dad worked 2 jobs each to put her through college, and the other only had a high school diploma when I met her. She is now working toward her master's degree. I truly admire these women and what they have done with their lives.

I only wish I could say that for some of the others I have had to deal with. In my early years with this same company, one of my jobs was updating the "Quota sheets". Although we were told at every opportunity that no quota system was in use, the proof was in the report I typed on a monthly basis. For an internal job opening 6 candidates had to be interviewed. Of these 6, only 2 could be caucasian, 2 had to be black, and the other 2 another minority. If all qualifications were met, the black got the job! If the white person was better qualified, the manager that hired her would automatically be labeled as "racist".

On another note, I recently moved into a garden apartment complex. I never knew until I moved in, that this complex accepts Section 8 housing. It really galls me to go to work on a daily basis in my 1999 Hyundai, to see the single mothers in the other two apartments in my building stay home all day with their 2002 Jeep Cherokee's parked out front. Both of these women each have 4 children (no father on the scene). I can only believe that they are living off of welfare, food stamps, and child support. I guess somehow I just never learned to play "the system".