Are White people the reason black people are in poverty?

Question

And the answer is HELLLL NO! I did not enslave you, you were never a slave, your parents were never slaves, your grand parents were never slaves. You have never been to Africa, hence you are NOT african-american, just american. Shanequa, and LeBron, are NOT african names! There are more opportunities for black people nowadays than white people, and STILL, they are way behind the curve. It is not society, the government or anyone but yourselves keeping you down. Read Bill Cosbys comments on blacks.... And again this is for a select few, not All black people. You claim that "You have been here for 400 yrs bc you were dragged from Africa" Just stop making excuses, get educated and better yourself. How come Asian people as a whole have been here for 1-2 generations and they own a store or business, yet some blacks claim they have been here 400yrs and they have nothing but welfare and living in the projects? Again, this is only targeted to black people who have it "out" for white people.

Answer 1

No, the black people choose to be poor just like any white, asian, middle eastern person would. Everyone has a chance to make a good life for themselves here. The black people complain and whine yet thousands of black americans are very very sucessfull every year. They go to college, get jobs, and provide for their family.

What the white people did a long time ago is over, and there is no more need for compesation or any more lawsuits.
Many people would call me a racist but its how it is. I would say this to white people, asian people, people of any race. The whites have problems too, and so do the hispanics and so on

Answer 2

NO person should make up any excuses for some thing that goes on in their life that they are able to have control over. but yes i feel you on what you are saying a little .but some people take opportunities that are given an some don't but it's not just blacks that make up excuses oh there are many nationalities that do it and I'd like to also say that racism still exist whether you what to see that or not.and you need to start thinking about what you say and how you say it!!! .

Answer 3

You should take a course in Sociology.
There is a thing called tradition, and it is not always positive. Most people's educational level mirrors there parents, the same with their income. This lack of emphasis on academics may be passed down since the days of slavery. (ie How could my mother teach me how to swim if she wasn't allowed in the pool?)
I'm not sure what your argument against the names African-Americans choose for their children, it seems to have no basis for anything.
More opportunities? You must be referring to Affirmative Action. Affirmative Action helps, there are many Blacks who have gotten an education with its help. In reality, there is still much racism--even Black people discriminate against Black people.
The relationship of Blacks and America is drastically different than that of Asians.
My advice to you-- Although I understand your point, you are misinformed. Blacks should take more responsibility for their situation, but so should everyone else. In a society like America, we are all to blame.

Answer 4

Typical racist comments. We know names like that aren't African,but away to separate from the boring names like John,Edward,etc.I can't comment on opportunity because i really can't see how you would know and don't say stuff like Black colleges.Bill Cosby got lucky and we all love him as a successful black entertainer.Are white ppl the reason y black ppl are in poverty?Some say yes,but i agree not "every" white person's fault.Sometimes being hit so hard its hard to climb back up.um...... i think that's it.

Answer 5

OK I have the answer. The white man gave all of these special interest programs. The is no longer a need for the black family, when you got Pa welfare, aunt lo income housing, and good WIC.
All the black community has to do is start to take responsibility for themselves. You get a girl pregnant, then support the kid.

Answer 6

Back a couple generations the suburbs were invented. Thus, people began to move out of the cities to better homes. Homes were affordable but not cheap, so only the upper middle class was able to move out of the city, leaving behind the poorer folk. Many of these communities had covenants which prohibited anyone of color from owning or living in the houses. Add to that, most banks would not finance loans to people of color and there you go. People of color were forced to stay in the cities, with the poor folk, they couldn't get loans so they couldn't buy homes, or start businesses. Thus they were kept at the mercy of their employers. Then Dr. King came along, and things changed. Unfortunately the mentality didn't.

Answer 7

NO! The poorest people in the US, white or black, are richer than 75% of the rest of the world. It's all a matter of self-reliance, self-esteem, and drive. It doesn't matter what color anyone is. That's like asking if black people are the reason why white people are rich? Not all blacks or whites are poor. Not all blacks or whites are rich. It's all a matter of choice.

Answer 8

Good point and i'm glad u did not generalize either because not all black people are like that. They just want to feel sorry for themselves and have no one else to blame and don't want to blame themselves (not all). Exactly right about the whole not being african-american thing. I'm sorry i don't ask people to call me caucasion-american , just american that i'm proud to be.

Answer 9

Dude, if any person every accuses you of being a slaveowner, you are, indeed, innocent. But you *cannot* say that black people have somehow failed to succeed. That's simply incorrect, and the reality of the matter is that, yes, personal and structural racism against black people, for the benefit of white people, has continued to keep black people down.

This is how:

Racism comes in at least two flavors. Personal racism is when someone feels that it is okay to give differential treatment based on race. Structural racism is when opportunity is limited thru impersonal means such as law, governance, cultural separations, and so on.

Back in the day, blacks in the US were subject to harsh structural racism. When the structural racism was lessened, black people were still worse off than white people. After slavery, people with logic just like yours - "There are more opportunities for black people nowadays than white people, and STILL, they are way behind the curve," you write - saw the ex-slaves and figured that they were still failing. Of course, this attitude just allowed the continuance of racism.

It's a vicious circle. Black are kept down thanks to deep-rooted, but invisible, structural - economic, governmental - inequalities. Since the mechanisms of oppression are invisible, many white people assume that black people are at fault for their own situation. This is wrong. Truthfully, I should just say that the mechanisms that keep black people down are only invisible to the people in power - that's you and me, white boy.

If you're black and poor, the lack of opportunity remains painfully obvious. Believe it!

PS: Bill Cosby is a spokesman for the middle class, not impoverished black people. There's something to trying to make something of yourself, but that doesn't address the bigger, systemic problems facing minorities in the US.

PPS: Sandcatsle (below) is completely right.

Answer 10

I understand what you're saying but you're ranting for nothing. All YOU people love getting on here and comparing white people to black people when there are people of all races and ethnicities "behind the curve" and uneducated. So you can turn your target away from black people and on to some of your neighbors.

My aunt used to work for social services the main people abusing the welfare people were WHITE JUST LIKE YOU!

***steps down off her soapbox***