NJ Lawmakers Consider Slavery Apology

[reb]

<They are held back by stereo-types as evident in some of these posts.>

And I'll say it again: They are MORE TO BLAME THAN ANYONE for perpetuating those negative stereotypes.. every day, everywhere you look. If you want to talk stereotypes,, you can start with them. So, no one's 'holding them back'-- they are holding their OWN selves back.

 

[hipmamajen]

I have to disagree. This is not politically correct and I am certain I will offend many of you. I work at a community college and every year I meet black students from Africa and black students from Miami. Guess who speaks better English? The student from Africa.

You have a unique perspective on this, thank you for sharing it.

 

[Cheetah]

<They are held back by stereo-types as evident in some of these posts.>

And I'll say it again: They are MORE TO BLAME THAN ANYONE for perpetuating those negative stereotypes.. every day, everywhere you look. If you want to talk stereotypes,, you can start with them. So, no one's 'holding them back'-- they are holding their OWN selves back.

Not true. As a white person, I'm not looked down upon for all of the crimes committed by my race. Yet, let a black teen walk down the street with dreadlocks and gold teeth and it is automatically assumed he is a . Every African American in this country carries the burden of what others in their race choose to do. Maybe when we get rid of the us vs. them mentality, things will change for the better.....

 

[Cheetah]

Do you mean there would not be mass starvation if slavery never happened? Of course slavery was wrong - no one disagrees with that. But I don't agree with apologizing for a wrong that NO ONE LIVING TODAY committed.



I have to disagree. This is not politically correct and I am certain I will offend many of you. I work at a community college and every year I meet black students from Africa and black students from Miami. Guess who speaks better English? The student from Africa. Blacks are creating their own standard of living. Each child in this country has access to a high school education. Beyond that college is the individual's choice and responsibility. I could not afford to go to college and my house is small but that is not the fault of anyone other than myself. How many generations are going to ride on the back of this thing?

I truly believe that Africa would have more power than America had the estimated 3 million+ slaves been left in their homeland. And no...I don't think they would be suffering from mass starvation.

As far as black students in Miami not speaking proper English, my guess is you are referring to slang. It's an accepted language used in inner-city communities, often used by teachers in the schools, police officers, etc. Florida's inner city schools are a mess and are losing more government funding every year due to low test scores. Change can only come when everyone realizes that it's not the fault of the black students. I don't believe that they are riding on the back of anything. It's a cycle that never gets broken.

 

[blue_the_puppy]

:clap: ita, cheetah.

 

[miimaa]

As far as black students in Miami not speaking proper English, my guess is you are referring to slang. It's an accepted language used in inner-city communities, often used by teachers in the schools, police officers, etc. Florida's inner city schools are a mess and are losing more government funding every year due to low test scores. Change can only come when everyone realizes that it's not the fault of the black students. I don't believe that they are riding on the back of anything. It's a cycle that never gets broken.

I call bu!!! The cycle can be broken.

Interview for a job using slang - think you'll get it? Meet with a loan officer to apply for a mortgage using slang - think you'll get it? Consistently use slang - think you'll get respect?

Accepted language in inner-city communities? Keep using it and you'll never get out of the projects. There are fabulous role models in the black commuity - Colin Powel, Halle Berry, Oprah, Maya Angelou, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, and the many lawyers, doctors, judges, engineers who got an education. Have you heard them use slang? Think their kids will? Think they wrote their college papers using slang? Doubt they dressed like a gangsta rapper for job interviews or public appearances. Would M. Jordan have gotten the endorsement deals he did?

I watch House Hunters and Flip This House all the time and have seen many African Americans on those shows. NONE of them used slang. It's all in how you WANT to be perceived. I could pull the dumb blond or redneck act but why? I know that will not improve my opportunities in any area of life and why would I WANT to portray myself in any manner that I know is a negative stereotype? Change starts with the individual.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Thank you guys for discussing this with a level head and without drowning in PC syrup.
And I agree with all who said that NATIVE AMERICANS deserve a sincere apology more than ANYONE!!! Blacks can go back to the 'motherland' if they want. (And strangely, VERY few of them do.) Whereas Native Americans have no place to go 'back' to!!! And as for making reparations to them,, it's pretty much way too late for that. Or, I should say, too little too late. This is why it's so unbearably sad to see the alcohol & drug problems in Native communities. I wish they could pull it together and be strong,, rise above. AND without anger, bitterness, hatred, violence, bloodshed, arrogance, brutishness, blatant hypocrisy (so called 'reverse' discrimination), destructive sociopathic/criminal behavior, (including self-destructive behavior), superficial materialistic greed, and endless blame for their failures (.......like some other people).
Easy for me to say, I didn't grow up on a reservation. However like many Americans I do have some native blood in me, so I'm somewhat 'flame-proof'!

--Why do Indians need an apology?? That was forever ago also--Anyway, Indians hated their own tribes sometimes more than the white man--Infighting and their nomadic lifestyle doomed them--What did the Indians ever do to advance civilization?/--If anybody should apologize, it should be the Spanish, who destroyed great Indian civilizations in Mexico and Peru, and who not only murdered them with abandon, they also forced them to work in gold and silver mines until they dropped dead--Also untold numbers died of the Spanish diseases, for which the Indians had no immunity

 

[Cheetah]

I call bu!!! The cycle can be broken.

Interview for a job using slang - think you'll get it? Meet with a loan officer to apply for a mortgage using slang - think you'll get it? Consistently use slang - think you'll get respect?

Accepted language in inner-city communities? Keep using it and you'll never get out of the projects. There are fabulous role models in the black commuity - Colin Powel, Halle Berry, Oprah, Maya Angelou, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Bill Cosby, Michael Jordan, and the many lawyers, doctors, judges, engineers who got an education. Have you heard them use slang? Think their kids will? Think they wrote their college papers using slang? Doubt they dressed like a gangsta rapper for job interviews or public appearances. Would M. Jordan have gotten the endorsement deals he did?

I never said slang was acceptable, it's just the way it is. Inner-City schools should stop allowing it and people of authority should stop using it. That is a major factor in determining a future for a lot of these students, yet nothing is done to stop it. The cycle that never breaks. Instead the people are blamed for their own problems, labeled from youth, and are told to look up to the handful of people who have made it. Are we showing them how to make it? Are we implementing programs and giving them the resources to make it? No!

Because Miami was used as an example I should also bring up the fact that Florida prisons are built based on estimates from 3rd grade test scores. Guess who gets the lowest test scores...inner city children. This is not a coincidence...prison is big business.

 

[Peter Hamilton]

and also let us not forget what the Australians did to their "native people", the Aborigines--The Australians murdered thousands of them

 

[Paladin]

Not true. As a white person, I'm not looked down upon for all of the crimes committed by my race. Yet, let a black teen walk down the street with dreadlocks and gold teeth and it is automatically assumed he is a . Every African American in this country carries the burden of what others in their race choose to do. Maybe when we get rid of the us vs. them mentality, things will change for the better.....

To be fair, I think a white person walking down the street with dreadlocks and gold teeth would be regarded in the same fashion. At the very least, that style of clothing and dental-wear is most likely an emulation of someone who is a rapper, most of which openly advertise themselves as thugs. In this case, I think it's a fair assumption. Show me a black man walking down the street with nicely cropped hair and a cardigan sweater with a book under his arm, and people will automatically assume he is an intellectual.

 

[BarnGoddess]

How about issuing a simple statement acknowledging slavery as being a dark time in our history. It was shameful, but definitely not the responsibility of those alive today. Through time and education, we should all know it was a period in our history that wasn't particularly proud. The same goes for the slaughter of Native Americans.

I have no perception of what life would have been in both situations. I do know many blacks and Native Americans. I've never felt compelled to apologize for any action my ancestors took to harm their ancestors. After extensive research into my family history, I can't find any record of slave ownership, even though they were all living in the very deep South of Georgia, North and South Carolina and Kentucky. Not one will ever mentioned passing on slaves. In the same vein, my forebearers never fought in any war or action with Native Americans. Only once was I ever confronted about my heritage in a negative way. I was told in a casual conversation about this issue when it first surfaced that I should be ashamed to admit my ancestors fought for the South in the Civil War.

We study history hopefully to understand and not repeat the actions of those before us. If we don't learn, then shame on us.

 

[BarnGoddess]

It would be great if history could be rewritten in all aspect and everything could have worked out differently.. and no wars or land grabs would've happened.. everyone would have been nice to each other and respectful and it all would be hunky-dory now.. but it's easy to say that now when we're all comfortable sitting in front of our computers. But back then it was dog eat dog, every man for himself (and still is in many ways!)... a fight for survival, man conquering nature and everything else around him (notice I say MAN here)-- and 'political correctness' hadn't been invented yet!

Well, we could do what Stalin did and just erase it from the History books. Ergo, it didn't happen.

 

[Indy Gal]

I think it is a good thing and will not post more on this topic as it seems as if it will be a heated one.

 

[Jeana (DP)]

I think it is a good thing and will not post more on this topic as it seems as if it will be a heated one.

We can handle "heated," so long as its not "FLAMING." LOL

 

[Indy Gal]

We can handle "heated," so long as its not "FLAMING." LOL

I get scared sometimes...LOL

 

[Linda7NJ]

I truly believe that Africa would have more power than America had the estimated 3 million+ slaves been left in their homeland. And no...I don't think they would be suffering from mass starvation.

As far as black students in Miami not speaking proper English, my guess is you are referring to slang. It's an accepted language used in inner-city communities, often used by teachers in the schools, police officers, etc. Florida's inner city schools are a mess and are losing more government funding every year due to low test scores. Change can only come when everyone realizes that it's not the fault of the black students. I don't believe that they are riding on the back of anything. It's a cycle that never gets broken.

I remember when my son was 4 years old, I had wanted to place him in a good quality daycare/school environment for 3 half days a week. I went to Head Start in Glassboro New Jersey to check it out, I had an appointment with the director. I walked in and was greeted by a teacher ...I informed her I had an appointment with Mrs. Whatshername and the teacher replied, "SHE BE DOWN THE HALL".

I left...practically running!

 

[Cheetah]

To be fair, I think a white person walking down the street with dreadlocks and gold teeth would be regarded in the same fashion. At the very least, that style of clothing and dental-wear is most likely an emulation of someone who is a rapper, most of which openly advertise themselves as thugs. In this case, I think it's a fair assumption. Show me a black man walking down the street with nicely cropped hair and a cardigan sweater with a book under his arm, and people will automatically assume he is an intellectual.

LOL....why does a black man have to have nicely cropped hair and a cardigan sweater, with a book under his arm to be assumed an intellectual?

 

[Jeana (DP)]

First impressions mean everything. When my son walks into school with his letter jacket with all of his academic, football and band patches on it, that sends one message. When he's out with his skateboard and his bandana around his head, that sends an entirely different message. If he were to have a shaved head, tattoos and a few teeth missing, that would send yet another message. Anyone that thinks that our appearance doesn't send messages, albeit sometimes mixed messages, is kidding themselves.

 

[Paladin]

LOL....why does a black man have to have nicely cropped hair and a cardigan sweater, with a book under his arm to be assumed an intellectual?

Because that's the way the world works.

A guy sporting a dreadlocks and gold teeth may be the smartest, safest, nicest guy on the planet, but he's outnumbered by the rest of the people who are sporting a similar look who are thugs.

How many gangsters do you know of who wear cardigans and carry books on quantum physics under their arms? Comic book villains don't count.

 

[Linda7NJ]

First impressions mean everything. When my son walks into school with his letter jacket with all of his academic, football and band patches on it, that sends one message. When he's out with his skateboard and his bandana around his head, that sends an entirely different message. If he were to have a shaved head, tattoos and a few teeth missing, that would send yet another message. Anyone that thinks that our appearance doesn't send messages, albeit sometimes mixed messages, is kidding themselves.

:clap: :clap: