It has to do with single motherhood. I've been poor. Poor doesn't make you a criminal. A poor family with a good structure/environment, is a fine place to grow up.
I don’t think it is that alone, as there are many single mothers who overcame a lot and did a good job (my mother was for all intents and purposes, a single mother). When you listen to parents who are trying to raise their kids in some of these neighborhoods, it isn’t single parenting that comes. It is lack safety and security, crime, drugs, aka “the streets”, lack of access to safe recreational and social alternatives such as community centers and recreational facilities That are available to kids in more affluent areas.
I've noticed that when one side starts shouting about various isms and phobes, that real discussion ends. What have you seen from the other side, that has a similar effect?
Depends on the topic. If it is abortion or Islam, the other side starts yelling terrorist supporter, muzzle lover, baby killer etc.
All issues we could deal with. But we choose not to, and instead just shut down any serious discussion. Well, except for history. NOthing we can do about the past. Other than forgive and move on.
I tend to think that when comes to serious social issues, we’ve already picked the low hanging fruit. What is left is complex, more difficult to holistically understand and therefor more contentious. There are also no easy solutions, and solving them would require a deeper understanding of the multiple sides, suspending judgement, and finding areas of common interest to move forward on. That requires the kind of leadership and consensus building skills we haven’t seen in a while. Actually, it is worse than that…those skills are now viewed as “appeasing the enemy”. We are in a bad place.
That happened as they assimilated and left behind the culture that encouraged the problems. That now is fought against by the ideas of diversity and multiculturalism. So, that once powerful force for good in our society, has been defeated.
Perhaps. But here is a thought.
At one end we have those who believed in total assimilation. That is the mindset that took Native American children from their families, stripped them of their culture, language and religion, and made them “proper Americans”. Is that right? In the immigrant experience, many many immigrant groups clung to their language, traditions, and old world values. The big urban destinations for immigrants such as SF and NYC contained and still contain foreign language signage, newspapers and book stores, ethnic grocery stores, heritage societies, etc. And many of their traditions, cuisine, even words were adopted into the American culture.
So maybe that is the melting pot instead of assimilation, there is something gained at both ends.
While I support diversity in the sense celebrating a d respecting all cultures that make us American and getting rid of harmful stereotypes, I do see a problem in that we now seem to identify first as (insert ethnic group)-American and second as American.
Good ideas can come from anywhere, and solutions can have a position impact from any direction. I am excited by the way that the labor shortage is causing rising wages. IMO, that would be a great thing to continue and encourage.
But, that would come up against the Sacred Cows of Immigration and Diversity.
Agree with the first, but since this is also an issue of crime I would add guns to the sacred cow list.
How is it you see immigration and diversity as being a sacred cow in what you are saying?
There is no way to have a productive discussion, on a serious scale, if race is part of it. INcluding that, at this time, is choosing to fail.
I am suspicious. Most time these days when people ask me to "listen" what ends up is that I end up getting lectured like I am an ill mannered and stupid child. And if I dare voice anything other than craven agreement, I am cancelled.
I think often it depends how you choose to handle it. I admit I have a hard time time being polite when blatantly racist tropes things come into tbe discussion (such racial IQ or one race being more inherently violent than another). Ignoring things is a powerful tool. Hard to do sometimes.
