America is still obsessed with racial segregation

[Ceallaigh]

Complaints about the way the article was written and how it prompts people to feelings of outrage. And poor journalism in general. Who on earth said all journalism is bad?

Are you actually reading what I'm writing?

I probably misunderstood what you said regarding all around bad journalism or whatever.

 

[A2SG]

Then you may have heard the same argument put forth. I did in the Deep South in the 1960s. The sticking point with me then was that since in Christ we are all God's children, how can we justify Segregation? It's still a sticking point with me now.

Basically, by arguing it was private, it sidesteps the issue of racial bias. But the same issue remains: If someone has a private party and choses to exclude some based on race, it may be legal, but it's still bigoted.

Then the same can be said if you had a birthday party and only invited members of your family. Does that make you bigoted against non-family members?

I don't think it's an issue of bigotry, not really. It was intended as a private, social gathering of people who had something in common, in this case that they were elected officials of color. They probably wanted to discuss issues that would pertain to that. The same thing happens lots of times in lots of other settings, and no one raises an eyebrow. This wasn't an official meeting, it was a private gathering. As Mayor Wu said in one of the stories cited, she would be attending other private, social gatherings with a different mix of people, so she clearly doesn't mix exclusively with people of color.

If this had been an office party, would the Telegraph then be calling Mayor Wu bigoted against people who don't work with her?

And, let's also keep in mind, of the four stories cited on this incident, only the Telegraph made an issue of the racial aspect. The other stories simply mentioned that Mayor Wu's staffer bungled the email.

-- A2SG, maybe that's all it was.....

 

[MrMoe]

I thought about using that as the starting point, but that was only when the city was officially chartered. It existed (and had leaders) for ~200 years prior to that.

Yes but you specifically stated that "the fact that Boston took nearly 400 years to elect a non-white person as mayor". Which gives the false impression that the office of mayor has existed for nearly 400 years in Boston, when in reality it has only existed for half that time.

Also, how do you know there weren't any non-white leaders during the ~200 years prior?

That's a fair point, but still, non-hispanic whites have been less than 60% of the population since at least 1990, or 33 years ago.

And Thomas Menino was mayor for the majority of those 33 years, which didn't give much opportunity for many others to become mayor.

Given that non-whites have been a small minority for the majority of Boston's existence up until recently, and also add to that the fact that non-whites have been elected in other positions, for example Lewis Hayden, who was elected in 1873 as a Republican representative from Boston to the Massachusetts state legislature. Lewis Hayden - Wikipedia I see no reason to show concern why it took this long to elect a non-white mayor.

It's quite different for a group of folks from historically-ostracized minorities to make a group for themselves than it is for a group of folks from a historically-ostracizing majority to make a group for themselves that further the ostracizing in which their group has historically engaged.

Which isn't the case anymore. It's the exact opposite now. Minorities are pandered to by the majority, to the point of being infantilized.

Present discrimination is not the solution to past discrimination.

Do you object to the women's groups having events for women?

Depends on the event. If it was only a holiday party, which is the case in this story, and only women were invited, I would question if sexism was involved. If a male employer invited only his male employees to a holiday party would you object?

 

[Laodicean60]

That's my opinion of anyone who thinks that. See my post above about whether we should teach kids about racism. I think we should. But anyone who wants to teach my grandkid that he is racist and no-one else is will get my opinion in no uncertain terms.

Or a victim because she is black. And my opinion of bless and do not curse, bless and do not curse, bless and do not curse!

 

[Laodicean60]

Being color blind can also lead to being culture blind. The United States, although a couple of hundred years old, is a country of immigrants. So all US citizens have a root in another country. Being a country of immigrants we all have another country's culture in our blood and history.

You misunderstood I think. Not to see color or the slanting of eyes. I judge people by their actions. If they are lazy, mean, or racist, I'll have my prejudice against them no matter what color they are.

 

[Laodicean60]

That is the very thing that will keep the "white man" in power even if they are in the minority example apartied in South Africa. A fraction of the population in control of the majority population. It will be that way in the USA. People will covet the white man's power and "toys" even though their culture rejects materialism. The USA will always be run by white men.

Really? We had a black President. I get the impression you think all "white men" are bad. I agree with the coveting because there were black men who sold black men back in the day. I know one color that most are not blind to is green.

 

[Laodicean60]

"we're all racists"

I agree with Brad that 99% of people do tend to be racist or maybe prejudiced against others. Maybe it's ingrained in our genetics from the ancient days of living in groups for survival. Being racist to me is a choice or our ability to control our tribal instincts.

 

[Larniavc]

Stay elected.

So what? People are elected all the time. I’m really getting the message here that there are these people ‘they/them’ who are ‘up to no good’ trying to divide people, to get ‘into power’.

But so what? What is point of doing all that? I ask than and I get crickets.

I can’t help but arrive at the conclusion that ‘they’ are imaginary.

 

[Larniavc]

we are all racist ... the lower on the table the more so ... thing is we look to media to determine the narative which is in the interest of the controlers to keep the divide ... division being how they control ... respect gets lost with this agenda for reason ... look to the reason not the racial divide and you will find the motive ...

What do ‘they’ do with that control?

 

[Laodicean60]

So what? People are elected all the time. I’m really getting the message here that there are these people ‘they/them’ who are ‘up to no good’ trying to divide people, to get ‘into power’.

It's true once in power. A lot become drunk with it or drunk for the color green. Look into healthcare you don't see the FDA locking us or corporations down from the food we eat. Europe has better laws than we have in what we ingest. You do know corporations are in control of the government and the media. Look how many pharmaceutical commercials there are. Who is going to bite the hand that feeds them?

 

[Larniavc]

Last time I checked I was one too, but apparently I was mistaken.

My apologies. Ceallaigh is a feminine name. I did not deliberately misgender you.

 

[Larniavc]

It's true once in power. A lot become drunk with it or drunk for the color green. Look into healthcare you don't see the FDA locking us or corporations down from the food we eat. Europe has better laws than we have in what we ingest. You do know corporations are in control of the government and the media. Look how many pharmaceutical commercials there are. Who is going to bite the hand that feeds them?

This is what I don’t understand. The people who do all these nefarious deeds are ALREADY in power. They don’t need to do all these complicated circular societal engineering because they are already the ones in charge. Corporations, crooked politicians etc.

They don’t need to do all that nonsense. That’s why conspiracy theories are all nonsense. ‘They’ they don’t need to sedatives in the drinking water because people will happily buy them from a shop.

 

[Laodicean60]

This is what I don’t understand. The people who do all these nefarious deeds are ALREADY in power. They don’t need to do all these complicated circular societal engineering because they are already the ones in charge. Corporations, crooked politicians etc.

I'm lost in this conversation. What do you think should happen to better heal the divide?

They don’t need to do all that nonsense.

I know but they do.

That’s why conspiracy theories are all nonsense

It's nonsense until it comes true. We easily dismiss what someone else labels as conspiracy without investigating the possibilities. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then. Have you read the Enquirer?

 

[Larniavc]

I'm lost in this conversation. What do you think should happen to better heal the divide?

I’m ask what is the purpose of the divide. If it’s being done on purpose by ‘them’, why for?

 

[Tuur]

Then the same can be said if you had a birthday party and only invited members of your family. Does that make you bigoted against non-family members?

You can throw up all the dust you like, but when it settles, what remains is that the mayor of Boston excluded whites from a gathering of elected officials - and you are fine with that.

 

[A2SG]

You can throw up all the dust you like, but when it settles, what remains is that the mayor of Boston excluded whites from a gathering of elected officials - and you are fine with that.

A private, social gathering.

I guess I have to ask: who did she invite to dinner with her family last night? Did she include a white person, a black person, a native american, a pacific islander, an eastern european.....

Who did she exclude?

-- A2SG, let's just hope her staffer didn't mess up the e-vites....

 

[Laodicean60]

I’m ask what is the purpose of the divide. If it’s being done on purpose by ‘them’, why for?

I think people tried to answer these questions but ultimately you need to find out for yourself. But if you think everything is fine, that's ok too. Have a good day and be in health.

 

[Tuur]

Who did she exclude?

The ones the invitation wasn't suppose to go out to.

 

[RDKirk]

So what? People are elected all the time. I’m really getting the message here that there are these people ‘they/them’ who are ‘up to no good’ trying to divide people, to get ‘into power’.

But so what? What is point of doing all that? I ask than and I get crickets.

I can’t help but arrive at the conclusion that ‘they’ are imaginary.

I've given you the answer a couple of times. You just don't want to hear it.

They're only after it for their own benefit. They're looking after themselves.

They're not some part of a grand conspiracy, they're not members of some sinister cabal.

They're just feathering their own nests.

 

[Ceallaigh]

My apologies. Ceallaigh is a feminine name. I did not deliberately misgender you.

Don't know where you got that from. A search on Ceallaigh should have brought up O'Kelley an Irish surname.