You said you are black right? Did you miss the 50s and 60s? Lynchings, firebombings, beatings, attack dogs, fire hoses, riots, war protests, assassinations
And you call today a tinder box?
I absolutely do. No, I did NOT miss the 50s and 60s. I remember, quite well, the looks that we got from white people. That was fear. I was somewhat fortunate in that my Father was an Officer in the Air Force and we were fairly well shielded from a lot of the strife that occurred then. However, I also remember my Father telling my Brother and I that this was "necessary" for ALL Americans to be free. I also, remember, unfortunately, that my Dad was NOT a fan of Dr King.
Again, those times were hard, no doubt. Laws were changed and they were changed BECAUSE Americans understood that we are either all created equal or we are not. Blacks stood up for what was right and refused to sit down and America prevailed for the good of the nation. However, pie in the sky theories of "getting along" just don't happen because a law tells us that it should. America has been slowly plodding along for years, trying to come full circle.
In my opinion, laws such as "equal opportunity" have merely helped stagnate progress over the years. Blacks can not have it both ways. If we are "equal", we don't need to be considered in place of someone more qualified. We don't need LBJs "Great Society" nonsense which did little more than make slaves (once again) of black people. A people can NOT give up one form of slavery for another. And THIS is where I part company completely with "liberal" thought.
Today, I see liberals seeking to tear down - not build up. My view of liberals is that liberals are the folks who planted trees along the Champs Elysees in Paris so the Nazis could march in the shade. And, until liberals begin doing something, ANYTHING, to prove me wrong, that will remain my view.
After the civil rights act was passed, affirmative action and equal rights laws were a necessary followup. The natural reaction of racists was....Well you can pass all the laws you want but you cannot make me hire one of those negroes. Well, government could. If you did business with either the state or federal government you had better show you had a representative workforce and not just point to the colored guy sweeping floors
If your dad was in the military, he benefitted from affirmative action. In the 40s and 50s blacks in the military served as cooks and menial labor. High skilled MOSs were reserved for whites. The military was one of the first to implement affirmative action. And it worked
Affirmative action worked. Not just for blacks but women, Hispanics and the disabled. Up until affirmative action certain jobs were reserved for women, blacks and Hispanics. Management positions were for white males only. Now, nobody looks twice at a female or black executive. We even have one in the White House
How about some affirmative action for white people at the post office. Or the DMV. Or the NBA the NFL.
And since we now have a black pres we should end all affirmative action right?
In a lot of cases blacks have become their own worst enemy. To many of them embrace the gangster attitude and then complain when they cant get a job.
Obviously this can be a problem with whites as well. The sixties were a good example.........long haired freaky people need not apply.
When you try to buck the system and get fucked,you only have yourself to blame these days.