Can Somebody Please Explain to Me What Go Back to The Projects Mean?

[IM2]

And so here we have another white race bait thread. Now whatexactly is the civil discussion that can come from this?

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

I think it has something to do about black funded programs but even after I looked it up I still don't fully understand it. Is this actually racist or just being labeled as racist?

The projects were where white society stowed Black people so that they didn't have to look at them, be anywhere near them or even acknowledge their existence in America unless so desired (lynching parties, cross burnings, white citizen councils, etc.)

Think of them sort of like what they did to the Native Americans when they designated reservations for them to live, but without being given the sovereignty that the Native Americans were given to hold on to their lands, the ability to set up their own system of government and live by those rules and laws - Black people didn't get that, we were still living under the boot of Jim Crow and all that entailed:
American ghettos - Wikipedia

The Jewish ghettos could also be referenced as an example even though they're called by a name other than "projects". As we all know, many of the Jews fared no better in these areas in which they were segregated from society sometimes by walling off the ghettos but that's not something they had to deal with once they arrived in America. While there are of course Jewish communities throughout American for the most part they are created voluntarily as opposed to being relegated to designated areas. And here is the reason why:

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

In NYC they are typically 5-10 story apartment complexes, with a name followed by "Houses"

Pomonok Houses, Ravenshead Houses, Colden Houses, etc.

Think Compton in LA, but concentrated and in high rises.

Compton was not a ghetto, in fact it was predominantly white when my parents moved in and it's certainly NOT the projects. Projects are government housing and they have their own set of rules for living there some of which basically means you leave your U.S. Constitutional rights behind upon entry, almost like you do when you enter a military base.

 

[The Duke]

"Racist Alabama fans tell BLK Texas players "to go back to the projects"".
I'm curious as to why the Alabama fans think that the Texas black players are different from their black players?

Because they like their black players, duh!

Alabama blacks are alright in my book, anyhow.

 

[The Duke]

Compton was not a ghetto, in fact it was predominantly white when my parents moved in and it's certainly NOT the projects. Projects are government housing and they have their own set of rules for living there some of which basically means you leave your U.S. Constitutional rights behind upon entry, almost like you do when you enter a military base.

So you're a Californian.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

In this context "The Projects" means large scale low income housing projects built decades ago that were/are predominantly for poor Black people living in cities. Cabrini Green in Chicago is an example.

It's also the equivalent of a white person being told to "go back to your trailer park". Apparently nothing hurts a white person's feelings more than it being implied that s/he is "poor", thus the term "poor white trash".

We know being poor is not a reflection of the person who finds themselves living in poverty. It takes a lot of things coming together to be able to climb out unless one is particularly talented in some way, shielded, becomes better or well connected and or fortunate.

It happens everyday. My mom sent me this photo and story the other day.

Airline pilot father, son recreate cockpit photo 30 years later

 

[MarathonMike]

It's also the equivalent of a white person being told to "go back to your trailer park". Apparently nothing hurts a white person's feelings more than it being implied that s/he is "poor", thus the term "poor white trash".

We know being poor is not a reflection of the person who finds themselves living in poverty. It takes a lot of things coming together to be able to climb out unless one is particularly talented in some way, shielded, becomes better or well connected and or fortunate.

It happens everyday. My mom sent me this photo and story the other day.
View attachment 829525
Airline pilot father, son recreate cockpit photo 30 years later

She asked a question about "The Projects" and I answered it. However I don't disagree with anything you wrote, it is difficult to pull oneself out of poverty, regardless of your skin color. Fortunately for Americans, there is at least that opportunity not so for most of the world.

 

[braalian]

No I didn't because I never heard that term being used before.

Really?

Do you not live in the USA?

 

[Road Runner]

Really?

Do you not live in the USA?

I live in the US, but do you know everything?

 

[braalian]

I live in the US, but do you know everything?

No but I thought everyone knew what the projects were

 

[Road Runner]

No but I thought everyone knew what the projects were

Nope! If I was taught about them in school that was a long time ago and I didn't remember it.

 

[NewsVine_Mariyam]

She asked a question about "The Projects" and I answered it. However I don't disagree with anything you wrote, it is difficult to pull oneself out of poverty, regardless of your skin color. Fortunately for Americans, there is at least that opportunity not so for most of the world.

My response was race neutral intentionally because the impact of poverty is race neutral, but does beg the question. If certain white members of society know how difficult it is/was for them to have risen above and pulled themselves out of poverty, how can it escape their reasoning about how much more difficult it must be for the average Black person to do so as well?

When we're explaining certain things that Black people experience that white people don't it's for the purpose of clarification, not an attempt to minimize the struggles of non-Blacks and an attempt to show how they differ.

 

[MarathonMike]

My response was race neutral intentionally because the impact of poverty is race neutral, but does beg the question. If certain white members of society know how difficult it is/was for them to have risen above and pulled themselves out of poverty, how can it escape their reasoning about how much more difficult it must be for the average Black person to do so as well?

When we're explaining certain things that Black people experience that white people don't it's for the purpose of clarification, not an attempt to minimize the struggles of non-Blacks and an attempt to show how they differ.

I agree that the impact of poverty is race neutral. And statistically it is more difficult for the average Black person to "break the cycle" of poverty. All that I would add is that there are more factors involved in those statistics than skin color. Higher percentage of single parent or no parent homes is the biggest factor imo. Lower quality schools is another. If those two factors were more on a par with poor White kids, then I don't believe there would be much statistical difference in outcomes.