Black People

[tolbiny]

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During this All Star weekend, I noticed that about 40% of the customers were black. Normally its about 15%. But in spite of the fact that the crowds were a lot younger and blacker than usual, I never detected a hint of prejudice. No incidents, or even subtle actions or aloofness. I understand that it is easier to be polite when you are a millionaire, but I'm old enough to remember when there was always at least some signs of discomfort in situations like these.

So does that mean that this country has become basically colorblind? Possibly. But I have another theory. I believe that the acceptance of black people has been accelerated by the fact that white people's prejudice are now focused on Middle Easterners (because of terrorism) and Hispanics (because of illegal aliens). Add that to the fact that whites have noticed how many black people have died, along with white people, both at the World Trade Center, and fighting in Iraq, and you have a situation where mild bigots look elsewhere. If so this is one small silver lining regarding the otherwise unpleasant events of the last few years. Agree or disagree?

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David,
If you want to see racism still kicking in America go to a prison. Incarceration rates of blacks are 10-20x higher than whites and 3-5x higher than latinos (numbers from memory). They also get longer/harsher sentences when similar crimes/backgrounds are taken into account.

[andywend]

Incarceration rates among blacks are 10-20X higher than whites because they commit 10-20X more crime than whites.

If O.J. was white and he killed a black man and woman, do you really think he would have gotten away with the crime he so obviously committed?

Also, one can only imagine the riots that would have occurred in the above scenario. It would have made the Rodney King riots look tame by comparison.

Your comment that blacks get longer/harsher sentences for the same crime is absolute hogwash.

I suppose that affirmative action programs aren't racist either.

Unfortunately, all races are biased against each other and the same could be said about religion.

It boils down to people not accepting differences from one another.

[Richas]

Here in the UK we can see a similar phenomenon with increased prejudice towards Muslims and a continuing decline in anti Black racism.

I don't think it is just terrorism but is related to the level of mixing and integration. Here we have very high intermarriage rates and high levels of social mixing with blacks but greater levels of ghettoisation for those from Pakistan. People's experience of meeting and working with Black people has undermined some of the previous prejudices. From a distance I suspect the growing Black middle class will have had a similar effect in the US. Familiarity has to some extent overcome prejudice.

I agree that prejudice is not finite but I suspect that people's fear is finite otherwise we would also spend our time in a blind panic. Recently the Muslim has seemed scarier than the black and this fear feeds the prejudice. The Black man now seems less scary than the Muslim woman in a Burkha.

[Darryl_P]

A couple of key points you are missing that probably relate to your observation...

1) In pro basketball, the rich black athletes know that their riches come in large part from whites who enjoy watching them. Whites also know that the quality and entertainment value of the game depends largely on blacks. So it's no wonder each race has some respect and appreciation for the other going in.

2) Over 95% of the people you saw were visitors to the area, so it's neutral turf to everyone. Race tensions tend to be strongest when both sides claim ownership of the same turf.

And I think you underestimate the effect of them all being millionaires. Money is obviously much more important to such people than to random members of the general population. And it doesn't take a superhuman IQ to figure out that money is maximized when your market is as large as possible, ie. includes all races.

I think the post vs. pre 9-11 environment accounts for less than 2% of the explanation.

[ALLEN CONRAD]

I am going to ramble off a few random things I am to tired to actually think about.

Racism is a symptom of a different disease. This is the intrinsic nature of people to distrust and dislike people who are different from them selves. And while that may make you feel guilty. It also seems to be quite helpful in years past when you would be competing for limited resources. This delves into a lot of evolutionary theory I am to lazy to type, and you are to lazy to read. But you get the idea. Disliking people who are different is natural and at one point benificial.

Now lets move onto whether racism against blacks has decreased. The answer is yes and no. Hate as of late has changed. It is less dependent on your skin color and has more to do with your socio-economic class. It is no longer people who are of a different race than us who are hated, but those who do not lead a similar lifestyle. A muslim in middle managment at a wal-mart who drives their 2 kids to soccer practice in a SUV are not going to be met with the racism that someone who carries around their prayer rug and talks with a thick accent. It is less their skin color that people hate but how different the person's values are from their own.

[Chump Change]

[ QUOTE ]
1) In pro basketball, the rich black athletes know that their riches come in large part from whites who enjoy watching them. Whites also know that the quality and entertainment value of the game depends largely on blacks. So it's no wonder each race has some respect and appreciation for the other going in.

2) Over 95% of the people you saw were visitors to the area, so it's neutral turf to everyone. Race tensions tend to be strongest when both sides claim ownership of the same turf.

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Yes, David, what exactly are you referring to when you 'say customers at all-star weekend'? Do you mean attendees at the actual game and festivities? I'm not sure how much bearing it has on your point, but all-star weekend and the demographic of people that attend, race aside, is not exactly a 'real' environment in which to make accurate observations. This still stands even when factoring your comparison to festivities of the past.

[Brocktoon]

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David, what exactly are you referring to when you 'say customers at all-star weekend'?

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Yeah, I thought the exact same thing. Customers of what? And why are they all millionaires? I'm confused.

[Darryl_P]

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Yeah, I thought the exact same thing. Customers of what? And why are they all millionaires? I'm confused.

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I think he's referring to the people who attended the game in Las Vegas. They are probably mostly millionaires because the prices of those tickets were absurd. Some seats were selling for over $20,000 a pop.

[tsearcher]

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"The fact that David even noticed the percentage of Blacks in town, tells you something. It was obviously an issue with him."

This forum does not allow stupid statements. I would also notice if 40% percent of the Bellagio was redheads. And I'm quite sure that all the black regulars at the Bellagio noticed the same thing I did.

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That's exactly my point. Human beings, make distinctions based on race, ethnicity, subculture etc. Black people make the same distinctions. If it wasn't an issue, why did you bring it up?

[Gobias Ind.]

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I think he's referring to the people who attended the game in Las Vegas. They are probably mostly millionaires because the prices of those tickets were absurd. Some seats were selling for over $20,000 a pop.

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Maybe on the black market they were!

Completely kidding. Do we have any proof that any tix were listed for $20k/each? Super Bowl tickets don't even go that high.


As for the topic of discussion, I don't agree with the OP (yes, even Sklansky gets referred to as "the OP"). I think people on the whole are less likely to expose thier beliefs in public. Maybe we are aiming to become a more accomodating people, but the beliefs are still within us.