Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Problems in Black America: Who's To Blame?


I know I haven't been maintaining this blog on a very consistent basis, which I'm sure you're also aware of. Between work and other hobbies, I have let this site diminish to nothing more than an avenue through which I rant about random topics that come to mind and require more writing than Facebook or Twitter will allow. I'm fine with that, because the other day I had another conversation that inspired me to revisit this website. 

Black people in America are generally undereducated, underprivileged, and underpaid when compared to the majority (read: white) race in this country. This isn't news, so I'll spare the statistics. However, there are various differences of opinion when we think about why things are this way. 

Some black people feel that White America actively tries to keep us down in every possible aspect because they all secretly wish we were still slaves. Other black folks feel that black people's position in this country is due to their own failure to better themselves. These are usually blacks who are either upper- or middle-class and feel that no other black person should be given an excuse because, after all, if they made something of themselves, then why can't we all?

I look at both of these viewpoints as skewed and ignorant.