"Your argument falls apart when you look at what happens when other people of color get in this country without the hindrance of crippling crutches and excuses of mistreatment from the past and do exceedingly well. But thinking about those examples only makes the "institutionally helpless" look that much worse"
This hits the nail right on the head. How is it that people of color, whether that be Hispanic, Korean, Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani, black Africans, what have you, can come to this country with as little as $50 in their pockets, and within two generations they are in the middle class? Overcoming barriers of language, custom, and access to capital, no less. Why, being natives of this country, do African Americans fare so poorly? Is it racist discrimination? Why do black immigrants do so much better than their native blacks overall then? Why do poor Mexicans, which are nearly just as universally reviled in border states, do so much tremendously better? In the absence of any other explanation, I continue to argue its the belief system which is the culprit.
There is no excuse for a failure to at least attempt success in this country, especially if you are a minority. Have you ever seen a catalog of federal and state grants? The government GIVES away money for business development, debt relief, home ownership, and education. Look at the West Coast Korean phenomenon of the 80's. Korean immigrants developed coops that pooled their limited resources together to help fellow immigrants. If you were a Korean immigrant family, you could get breaks on rent from Korean owned rental units, car pooling, job referal, starting capital to start a business. The Korean community jump-started themselves into the middle class within a single generation. All without government aid. Now why, with the highly vocal, highly organized black lobby being what it is, why is the black leadership not attempting similiar projects instead of lobbying for government handouts and special privelages?
I think Malcolm X had it right in the waning months of his life before being murdered by the Nation of Islam. The only way for blacks to be successful in America, is to help themselves. Its too bad they murdered him.
Derek |
