I'm not the problem. I'm a lifetime observer. Do you really believed she helped the black community. Think about it. There are more poor blacks in this country since the 60's. There are more incarcerated blacks in this country since the 60's. The are more single black women with childrens and most of their kids have different daddies since the 60's. There are more young black men and women in gangs killing one another since the 60's. There are more dysfunctional black families in this country since the 60's. And, their more black children since the 60's in this country who don't understand the hardships they are about to face when they become legal adults and venture out into this world on their own. They have no survival skills which makes them venerable. I am 58 years old. I'm an educated women. I'm also a veteran. I am proud to be Black. One thing I do know is this, black folks today are worst off then they ever have been. Our faith and belief is in shambles. Our self worth is in turmoil. Our true identity is gone because we are so disliked not only by our own people based on color (dark skin, vs light skin, vs want to be white skin) but by other groups as well. Unemployment among us is high. Educational opportunities is low. And, our voting rights, privilege and opportunity is in question. When Dr. Martin Luther King died, his dreams died with him. If Dr. King dreams where still alive; racism, discrimination and hatred would not be the main focus in this country. Everybody including blacks and whites would love one another. But, this definitely is not the case. People like Dolezal and the NAACP have done quite well behind the misfortune of black people. But, have their own achievements improve you or your entire family livelihood. I guess not. Whatever tragedy, broken dreams and denials that has befallen on us as people, they have reap the financial benefits. That's why after all these years of, we shall overcome some day; young, promising, smart, and strong black decendants of slaves are asking themselves, does Black Lives Matter. Ask yourself that. Why in 2015 with a Black man in the white house as the President of the United States, we are asking ourselves, does Black Lives Matter?
Publishers Notes: WOW! Thank you so much for what is probably the best comment of the year.
Why is it ok for you to proclaim your pride in being black, but when I proclaim my pride for being white I am a racist?
ReplyDeleteIm not implying that YOU said I was racist...Im simply asking your opinion because you are black and I am white, and because your comment was posted for everyone to see.
I am Black and proud of that. Nobody is going to tell me otherwise. You are White and proud of that. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Racism is a belief in the superiority of a particular race. I love my blackness and it's superiority. You love your whiteness and it's superiority. I guess we are both racist. You and I have shown the masses how we can communicate to each other in a respectful manner. We had concerns and where able to express those concerns. This is how the healing begans. My friend, be white and proud.
DeletePropaganda trying to divide us. I don't believe it's working.
DeleteI'm a Caucasian retired female. It's amazing after almost 8 years of the first African American President of the United States, the racial divide is the worst ever. Very, very sad.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. We will all learn to love and respect one another one day. Just keep the faith.
DeleteI have high hopes that Ms April Jackson is going to show real leadership unlike Shanie who bowed to whatever the mayor told her to do. The first thing that needs to be addressed is this comment from the new mayor-"Is crime one of them? Absolutely not, and that will never be the message. So let’s eliminate that, and not talk about that, and talk about the good things." Copied from an interview in the MD Coast Dispatch.
ReplyDeleteCrime is affecting the black families, community and their neighborhoods more than anywhere else and it needs to be addressed and not swept under the rug like this mayor wants to do and at least the 2 previous mayors.
The answers do not lie with the kids having nothing to do and throw more money at the problem with things like rec centers and after school programs. The root of the problem is the breakdown of the black traditional family and I hope Ms April Jackson focuses on this and not a feel good action that has proven does not work.
I totally agree. Ms. April Jackson will be the beacon light of hope for the black community. She will also need the community help and support. I have faith in her. Hailing from the State of North Carolina, I know she will do well. And, I truly wish her well.
DeleteSadly, even if Ms. Jackson shows true leadership, ethics and a dedication to her constituents, the deck has been loaded. She will be as ineffective as Campbell, Cohen and Spies. Everyone else on the council is owned and operated by SAPOA.
ReplyDelete12:13 and 12:28 you are both part of the problem.
ReplyDeleteTo the person who wrote what has been called "probably the best comment of the year:" Some black people are incredibly successful and some are not, the same as white people. This is not to suggest that special circumstances do not stand in the way of Black success and especially Black acceptance.
I would suggest all of you read "Wisdom of the Elders" by Robert Fleming. You might begin to understand better the problem. You might become more compassionate. There are many penny copies on amazon.
I am very compassionate about what I wrote. I have read this book. But, it does not change my opinion about the plight of Blacks in America after all these years
DeleteWhy are black people constantly killing each other? It makes me sad!
DeleteThis was a wonderful comment! Who was she talking about , Hillary or Shanie? Maybe both!
ReplyDeleteNeither. They are both insignificant to me.
DeleteObama is half white!! Why doesn't anyone ever refer to this fact??
ReplyDeleteYes, Obama is half white. And, he was raised to hate whites. Speaks candidly about it in his book. IOW, he was indoctrinated to hate himself and half of who he is. It is exactly this kind of programming that creates sociopaths and other socially dysfunctional people. Any questions on why race relations are worse now than at any other time in our lifetimes?
ReplyDeleteTo funny... Keep cheering people.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI am black but I pass for white.I see nothing wrong with white power or black power.If you want a confeddy flag have it ,If black people like rap have it .But one thing must be realized, at no point in the future of the EARTH is one color going to live alone here.It is always going to be some difference in people and beliefs,always.People who are in America should be Americans ,then and only then can the nation begin to heal.
281 murders in Baltimore alone black on black and your saying black people are held back because of slavery? Your comment isn't going to flush.
ReplyDeleteThat's not what the writer is saying.
DeleteThere is one thing missing in the comments with this post. " Mam, thank you for your service to our Country".
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteRight 1:38. If someone's proud to be black or white then that's their business. I'm white and personally I don't really find that anything to be proud of. It is what I am. I am proud of things like the responsible life decisions I made in my life which weren't always what I really wanted to do but did because I knew it would led to better things. It has paid off in that my life is very good, stress and drama free.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why some are proud of being of a particular race or ethnicity. This reduces the real reasons to be proud. You should be proud of your accomplishments no matter how small. You should be proud that you became a responsible self sufficient adult who has raised like minded children. You should be proud that your child was raised so that no police come knocking on your door ever. That's what you should be proud of and not because of the way you were born.
ReplyDeleteSoooo youre saying it is of no importance being proud of who you are and where you come from?
DeleteIm proud to be American. I was born here, and I am white,,as well as successful in life.
If you are proud and love yourself first, this behavior will be past on to your children.
DeleteI'm so glad that this comment was posted , I couldn't agree more.
ReplyDeleteAt least she recognizes that the NAACP has changed their focus and
the civil rights movement has taken a turn for the worse .
It's just so sad that other blacks can't and won't see the same.
They will some day.
DeleteHer comment is hard to top and spot on.I hope it somehow is seen nationally.
ReplyDeleteExplain why this is such a great comment? I'm not getting it.
DeleteThe comment was written because of an article on Rachel Dolezal. If Rachel and the NAACP had did so much on behalf on the Black community, maybe the conditions mentioned above would not be a factor. Rachel's race was not the issue. It was her lies, deceit and how she perpetuated herself as another race. She took advantage of a system and reap the benefits from it. Meanwhile, others were not able to take advantage of the opportunities and are still struggling today.
DeleteWhy can't she call herself another race? Would she have gotten the job as a white girl?
DeleteSo glad that Mac D. Shields, reign is finally over. Congrad. Ms. Jackson.
ReplyDeleteThere are many good productive comments here. I am age 67 and white, I have a lot of black friends, as a child growing up our father worked away 10 months of every year. The man that was there for myself when I needed someone was a black man who did work in the neighborhood he even took myself and my dog to the vet when it was hit. We called him Doc he listened and cared as so many do. We need to look at each one of us as individuals and not pre judge. Everyone should have a right to advancement we just need to apply ourselves and do our best. God bless us all the best to April Jackson and Von Siggers that I met campaigning for Ms Jackson.
ReplyDeleteConsidering what Cohen, Campbell and Spies were up against - a temper-tantrum throwing mayor who made their lives miserable at every turn, the Scheme Team, slumlords, a wretched excuse for a newspaper and biased tv ambushers, I am amazed at what they were able to get done. Documents stopped getting shredded, stuff got posted online, not one single person was thrown out of chambers for anything (like clapping), developer reimbursements got stopped, and the murder rate dropped (thank you, Mrs. Cohen!)
ReplyDeleteGood luck to Mrs. Jackson. We are glad to see Mrs. Shields go, who did nothing, absolutely nothing for our district or our neighborhood.
Getting to anything good will be real hard, though, because all the new mayor and the old mayor now councilman care about is downtown. Rome burns while these guys fiddle.
"Racism is a belief in the superiority of a particular race. I love my blackness and it's superiority. You love your whiteness and it's superiority. I guess we are both racist. "
ReplyDeleteWow. Honesty on a racial perspective. Don't often see that.
Don't get me wrong, I respect your candor and willingness to look both inwards and out, and call it like you see it. I do the same thing.
But here's where my upbringing differs from yours.
I was born in the mid 60's, when true "civil rights" were being rightfully fought for by both black and white. At home and school, us "lower middle class white kids" were being firmly taught about EQUALITY and what that meant. That we are all the same, we are not different species, but part of the same humanity.
That we all want the same part of the American Dream, and that we all deserve the opportunity, as well as the same obligation to be part of it. That we are equal and therefore equally capable, all things being more or less equal, of providing for ourselves and our families.
I was not taught to regret or despise my whiteness, unlike the current generation. I was taught not to revere it above others. That "whiteness" did not confer special privileges, nor did "blackness" mean some kind of racial disability.
For that reason, I do not care for the assertion of "superiority" of any race.
There are differences, we can no longer deny, in the cultural choices any race can adopt as their own. Some are not conducive to the "American Dream", as we define it, as is our right.
And those "cultural choices" come with their own results, and consequences. None of those natural consequences, constitute any obligation on the part of taxpayers, to subsidize people who are not willing to put any effort of their own.
"Your" struggle is apparently for "superiority".
Mine is for EQUALITY.
I totally agree with you. I was born in the fifties. I know all about civil right. I agree with equality because that's how l was raised by both of my parents. The sixties was an era were people of all nationalities came together to fight against injustice towards Blacks in America who did not deserve such injustice. Young people fought for freedom, equality, justice and the right to vote back then. Fifty years later, we have gotten away from the struggle. Unfortunately, "racsim", prejudices and hate is in the hearts of all Americans. Majority of Blacks in America are worst off in 2015 then they were in the sixties. What has Rachel Dolezel and the NAACP been doing for the past fifty years? We are all so much worst off today then Yesterday.
ReplyDeleteBabies are not born racist. We allow racism to flourish in our society. We should all respect and care about one another. The kids today are being taught by racist in the class rooms. Teachers with political agendas. Any teacher that does not refrain from racial and politcal views of their own in the class room should be fired period.
ReplyDeleteAmericans come in all shapes and colors. We all bleed the same red blood trust me I have seen it first hand. The sad fact is politicians are stirring the racial divide in this country. I love all Americans. I love our freedom to voice our opinions. The issue is there is a place and time. Respect all fear none.