Archibald: This is on us, White America

[Mims44 1,864]

6 hours ago, cole256 said:

It is absolutely so....the sooner everybody realize that just shut up and take it isn't going to ever be the easier it will be. This country exist now because white people were tired of not being treated fair and decided they would shed blood until they were. Now why would anybody think that other human beings wouldn't do the same is crazy to me

"If the justice system will not provide justice, then it is on the citizens to secure justice for themselves."

[Mims44 1,864]

On 6/3/2020 at 12:20 AM, Mikey said:

It pissed a lot of people off. Many of us see the knee thing as insulting to America. If I want to better understand you and you to better understand me, I won't start the process by insulting you.

only because you were told to be pissy about it.

 

How many times have you yelled at people in church for kneeling at the cross? Not insulting then eh?

How about seeing renditions of knights kneeling before their king, were you amazed at the audacity they had?

When you see a man kneel before the woman he loves in proposal, of course we all think "wow, such a disrespectful way to start a relationship".

 

Kneeling is a sign of respect, if not outright subjugation. Of the near infinite ways Americans are allowed to protest, kneeling is one of the most respectful I've ever witnessed.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 hour ago, Mikey said:

I hired and worked closely with a number of fine black people, back when I was working. Mostly females due to the nature of the administrative positions they filled but there were two males as well. I didn't hire crybabies or wimps, the people I hired, black and white, were smart, dedicated and tough. I suppose I could provide you with a double handful of references from former minority employees, if the spirit moved me. They'd laugh at you for saying we'd never had a real conversation, but that's where the chips would fall.

 

Cool.  Now how many of them were real friends?  I'm talking people you hung out with in a non-work setting that you could have actual conversations with.  Because I'm 100% willing to bet they held back their true thoughts with you being their employer. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

Omg. "I'm not racist b/c I let black people work for me. And there was no power dynamic influencing the candor of our conversations."

It really does mirror this presidency. Every day, a new depth identified. 

[ArgoEagle 1,767]

On 5/31/2020 at 11:24 PM, Mikey said:

I spoke up. I said this looting and rioting is the responsibility of the hoodlums that are performing the criminal acts. It's their responsibility and nobody else's.

 

The article in the OP was indeed all about assigning guilt. From the heading: "This is on us, White America".

People trying to understand aren't out stealing from their neighbor's stores and setting them on fire. People trying to understand are calmly talking to each other.

You are correct Mikey. 

Each individual person is responsible for his/her sins; IT'S IN THE BIBLE!

We white people do not need to apologize for being white. We need to apologize for whatever sins and transgressions we commit against God and man, but we do not have to accept responsibility for what our ancestors did before us. I don't know if any of my ancestors owned slaves or not, but if they did and they were standing here now, I would tell them how wrong they are and how misguided their actions are, and how ashamed I am of them.

We choose our own actions and are accountable for them to God!

This cop who killed this black man, and any other cop who killed any man unjustly is despicable, and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law and made an example of so that other police officers in the future are deterred from committing such a crime because of the repercussions they will face for doing so.

Also there is a distinct difference in peaceful protesting and looting and rioting and arson! These people who participated in these crimes are not heroes, protesters, or any type of human being to be put on a pedestal and admired. They are criminals, just like the police officer, and should be punished!!!!

We are all Americans and not above the law, how about we act like it, and take accountability for own actions, while at the same time trying to sympathize with races other than our own.

[Mikey 16,550]

8 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Cool.  Now how many of them were real friends?  I'm talking people you hung out with in a non-work setting that you could have actual conversations with.  Because I'm 100% willing to bet they held back their true thoughts with you being their employer. 

Friends enough that they put on two different retirement parties for me in two different private homes and many still call from time to time. How many minorities have you hired? How many have you written solid recommendations for so that they could advance up the ladder and leave you searching for a replacement from the general public? 

I think what we have here on the internet is a bunch of people beating their chests about being liberals but who have never done a single solid thing to help an individual minority person. No, carrying a sign in some hokey march doesn't count. Give some minority a job. Co-sign a loan for them. Let them crash at your house while they get some domestic issue straightened out. Those things make a difference. Whining on a keyboard doesn't do squat.

[Mikey 16,550]

9 hours ago, Mims44 said:

only because you were told to be pissy about it.

 

How many times have you yelled at people in church for kneeling at the cross? Not insulting then eh?

How about seeing renditions of knights kneeling before their king, were you amazed at the audacity they had?

When you see a man kneel before the woman he loves in proposal, of course we all think "wow, such a disrespectful way to start a relationship".

 

Kneeling is a sign of respect, if not outright subjugation. Of the near infinite ways Americans are allowed to protest, kneeling is one of the most respectful I've ever witnessed.

It's all about context. "I'm refusing to stand for the anthem because America doesn't suit me" and "Will you marry me?" are vastly different things.

[homersapien 11,354]

54 minutes ago, Mikey said:

It's all about context. "I'm refusing to stand for the anthem because America doesn't suit me" and "Will you marry me?" are vastly different things.

That's a totally false characterization.

He was kneeling during the anthem to demonstrate that America is not living up to its promise to all it's citizens - particularly those of color such as himself.

It was a courageous effort on his part. 

And obviously, it was a very effective statement from a publicity standpoint, even if many people didn't understand why he was doing it and what it meant.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

2 hours ago, Mikey said:

Friends enough that they put on two different retirement parties for me in two different private homes and many still call from time to time. How many minorities have you hired? How many have you written solid recommendations for so that they could advance up the ladder and leave you searching for a replacement from the general public? 

I think what we have here on the internet is a bunch of people beating their chests about being liberals but who have never done a single solid thing to help an individual minority person. No, carrying a sign in some hokey march doesn't count. Give some minority a job. Co-sign a loan for them. Let them crash at your house while they get some domestic issue straightened out. Those things make a difference. Whining on a keyboard doesn't do squat.

Ohj, a retirement party.  I'm sure hard conversations were had there.

As for "what have I done", when I go to our NYC office that I co-manage, I'm the only White guy there.  In my time, we've had people of African, Asian, Central American, and South American decent.  Many of them are first generation immigrants.  And I fight every damn day to promote them and give raises, most of the time at my own financial detriment.

Prior to that, I travelled every day of the baseball season with a team filled with multiple races.  You think we didn't have some candid conversations over the course of 9 hour bus rides?

Not that I feel it's really worth the mention, but I also dated a Black woman for a year when I was younger.  I've sat in her home and had those hard conversations.  I've received the looks and comments from racist a**holes for dating her.  I don't even pretend to say that I know what life is like for a Black man in this country, but that little bit of vitriol I personally felt and dealt with sucked.  I can only imagine what they deal with on a day-to-day basis.

I've also gone into inner-city, underserved Black schools and taught.  Would spend extra time after school doing things like playing basketball and building relationships.  This school in particular was one no one wanted to go to.  I spent six months there before moving working every day to try and help foster a better environment.

I truly believe you have your head in the sand on this.  Part of that is probably based on your surroundings.  I doubt you've traveled much or experienced places around this country over the last decade.  I've been fortunate in that I do travel a lot.  That opportunity has opened my eyes even more to a world that is struggling in many areas which I normally wouldn't see.  And the people of those areas are economically and educationally ignored while being targeted for harsher judicial punishment.

[Brad_ATX 13,654]

1 hour ago, homersapien said:

That's a totally false characterization.

He was kneeling during the anthem to demonstrate that America is not living up to its promise to all it's citizens - particularly those of color such as himself.

It was a courageous effort on his part. 

And obviously, it was a very effective statement from a publicity standpoint, even if many people didn't understand why he was doing it and what it meant.

Oh I believe they understood.  But by changing the narrative, they didn't have to face what he was protesting.

[wdefromtx 3,159]

1 minute ago, Brad_ATX said:

Oh I believe they understood.  But by changing the narrative, they didn't have to face what he was protesting.

It is easier to bury your head in the sand.

[SaltyTiger 7,764]

19 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Cool.  Now how many of them were real friends?  I'm talking people you hung out with in a non-work setting that you could have actual conversations with.  Because I'm 100% willing to bet they held back their true thoughts with you being their employer. 

I bet if most people count "real friends", outside of immediate family, they could not fill up the fingers on half a hand. JMO Brad but that was crap question.

[SaltyTiger 7,764]

11 hours ago, Mikey said:

beating their chests about being liberals

" Moral Supremacist " ? 

[Mikey 16,550]

20 hours ago, Brad_ATX said:

Ohj, a retirement party.  I'm sure hard conversations were had there.

No there were no such conversations there. A number of them pitched in on the second one, in a barn set up for such events behind someone's house. There was BBQ, drinks, a band with (gasp) interracial dancing, a stripper who was funny but not at all sexy and a few roastings. You probably wouldn't have been comfortable in such a relaxed atmosphere, but we had fun.

There were several roastings but the one comment that stuck with me was when one long-time employee took a short turn at the podium and she said only one thing: "Mike's not a boss, he's been a real family member, a brother".

[Auburn85 432]

Hopefully, as he was on the ground bleeding, he was thinking how much more privileged he was than the most successful African Americans in this country. Plus, he was able to breathe. He doesn't have to fear that the police declare open season on elderly white people.