My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black folks

[(0_0)..l.. finger]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

It only goes to show how ineffective we have been at educating people about the true effects of slavery on Blacks brought to this country. Immigrants that come to this countyr for a better life don't have their language stripped from them...their families aren't broken apart and sold...they aren't forced to assimilate with a culture at the expense of losing their own. So I chalk this up to sheer ignorance as to how absolutely devastating slavery was and still is on people of African ancestry in this country.

Are you talking about black Immigrants or non black immigrants

 

[BRUHA]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Are you talking about black Immigrants or non black immigrants

I'm talking about people of European descent comparing their grandparents "struggle" with that of slaves that were brought to this country...and saying shit like "my grandfather came here with 3 dollars in his pocket and pulled himself up by his boot straps".

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

I'm talking about people of European descent comparing their grandparents "struggle" with that of slaves that were brought to this country...and saying shit like "my grandfather came here with 3 dollars in his pocket and pulled himself up by his boot straps".

Dos the African American have an alternative?

What systems exist that would allow the African American to rise up out of poverty?


How effectively are we using these?

Are we taking sufficient advantage of all the programs that exist?

In a competitively structured society, why should someone else assist you?

African American dominate the culture in America and successfully market that to the world so there is really no excuse why it can be don't in other fields.

The issue today is OWNERSHIP.

OWNING the fruits of our hard labor.

e.g. in 2012 we are begging white men in Hollywood to make more black movies.



Just some questions.

 

[(0_0)..l.. finger]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

I'm talking about people of European descent comparing their grandparents "struggle" with that of slaves that were brought to this country...and saying shit like "my grandfather came here with 3 dollars in his pocket and pulled himself up by his boot straps".

c/s100. I was just checking..

Dos the African American have an alternative?

What systems exist that would allow the African American to rise up out of poverty?


How effectively are we using these?

Are we taking sufficient advantage of all the programs that exist?

In a competitively structured society, why should someone else assist you?

African American dominate the culture in America and successfully market that to the world so there is really no excuse why it can be don't in other fields.

The issue today is OWNERSHIP.

OWNING the fruits of our hard labor.

e.g. in 2012 we are begging white men in Hollywood to make more black movies.


Just some questions.

c/s

Entrepreneurship is the only way I see Blacks in America making the unemployment rate drop. Start a business and hire your own people or more of your people that is qualified for the job. Why is this so hard understand

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

c/s100. I was just checking..






c/s

Entrepreneurship is the only way I see Blacks in America making the unemployment rate drop. Start a business and hire your own people or more of your people that is qualified for the job. Why is this so hard understand

I would even go as far as saying start your own business to write off shit you are paying for anyway e.g. car pymt

At least slow the flow of money out of your pocket

 

[hanginbals]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Excellent post. A lot of knowledge being spilled in here!

 

[The Jamaican]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Bump

 

[big pimp]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Couple of ideas:

1. Under-estimating the value of culture.
Immigrants come here with their culture intact, most times that culture emphasizes family and hard work in the face of adversity.

2. Expectation levels
Expectation levels for kids are much higher than expectations levels for AA. AA takes a sense of pride to achieve goals the white man has set for him e.g. college degree vs business ownership

3. Controlling you own destiny
AA keep begging the white man for mercy and sympathy.
If a man has his foot on your neck, why are you asking him to take it off? Why are you pleading with him?
Throw the fucking thing off your neck and mobilize.

4. The family unit
This is an American thing.
Capitalism doesn't work for poor people, there needs to be an element of socialism i.e. looking out for each other.
It's inherent in cultures that migrate here.
AA feel a sense of unbridled pride to leave their past behind based on a "job".


5. The value of sacrifice
This is an American problem not just an AA problem.
The fact that immigrants came here means that they have already made one of the greatest sacrifices and as a result they are relentless in their pursuit of their goals no matter what the white man may do.


Now to correct some mis-conceptions in this thread:

1. African and caribbean immigrants have been at the forefront of the Civil Rights struggle
Examples are
a. Marcus Garvey who African Americans REFUSE to honor because he was Jamaican.
This man grew the largest collection of Africans in Africa, the UNIA and the diaspora and we were about to throw off the shackle of white supremacy worldwide.

b. Malcolm X's parents were immigrants from Grenada and met at a UNIA (Marcus Garvey) meeting.

c. Stokely Carmichael who coined the phrase "Black Power" was from Trinidad


I could keep going all day with this shit but you get the point.

We are all in this together so for AA to say black immigrants benefit from "their" struggle is not the whole truth.

Mentalities like these is why some immigrants skip over the bullshit.

Some African Americans willingly portray themselves as gangstas, drug dealing, rapping, video vixen etc.... but have a problem with black immigrants not identifying with that?

You have a minority African American defining the majority and that is cool?



Malcolm X said "niggas scared to bleed, you bleed when the white man says bleed".

You join his army, put your life at risk but when it comes to your own community, you scared?



2. Immigrants coming to these country are poor.
Poor is a state of mind.
Poor doesn't mean shit.
Black Immigrants are the most educated group in this country.
Some come with degrees and advanced degrees from their country, some come here and graduate from american universities and stay.
To paint all black immigrants as poor and not being able to make it in their own country is false.
In any case poverty is not an excuse for hard work and focus.
I grew up poor but lacked nothing, intelligence, dedication, resilience and a mentality that refuses to rely on the white man to create my future.

In return I'm labelled militant but African Americans. really?

We are in a fucking war and you have a soldier going hard at the other side and you call him militant.
That shit is fucked up.
There should be building in larger numbers. I have met BGOL members who are builders and we build, no excuses.

3. Africans are more aware and immigrant Europeans are also more aware of how the system is set wrt discrimination.
They set up alternate systems for their prosperity.
Asians use Subway, gas stations, Quiznos etc.. to get their family here via immigration. Once the family gets here they go to community college and eventually go to college.
The others that passed before hook these fresh of the boat ones up with corporate jobs etc....

There is shit set aside to take advantage of, we as black people have to get it in larger numbers and stop relying on the approval and mercy of the fucking white man.

Stand the fuck up, die on your feet!

They commemorate the death of your heroes not the life and sacrifice they made.

Think about that for a second.

Raising scared fucking black men by constantly reminding them of a certain death if you buck the system.

White-washing MLK Jr and we stand by.

End of fucking rant.

/Thread

 

[big pimp]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

i would even go as far as saying start your own business to write off shit you are paying for anyway e.g. Car pymt

at least slow the flow of money out of your pocket

c/s.

 

[JCAL1705]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Couple of ideas:

3. Controlling you own destiny
AA keep begging the white man for mercy and sympathy.
If a man has his foot on your neck, why are you asking him to take it off? Why are you pleading with him?
Throw the fucking thing off your neck and mobilize.

I agree that people should be self-reliant, however America owes AA a debt for three centuries of unpaid labor. Listen to the segment below when a caller ask Hugh a similar question.. In the second clip he gives more inside into government programs that were specifically designed to benefit white Americans.

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Couple of ideas:

3. Controlling you own destiny
AA keep begging the white man for mercy and sympathy.
If a man has his foot on your neck, why are you asking him to take it off? Why are you pleading with him?
Throw the fucking thing off your neck and mobilize.

I agree that people should be self-reliant, however America owes AA a debt for three centuries of unpaid labor. Listen to the segment below when a caller ask Hugh a similar question.. In the second clip he gives more inside into government programs that were specifically designed to benefit white Americans.

I understand but to wait and wait and wait and wait for a country that killed, enslaved, lynched, targeted my family for 400 years?


Really?


Fuck that, while holding that IOU go get the rest of stuff back right now!

Go out and benefit from what is there right now on the table.

 

[JCAL1705]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

I understand but to wait and wait and wait and wait for a country that killed, enslaved, lynched, targeted my family for 400 years?


Really?


Fuck that, while holding that IOU go get the rest of stuff back right now!

Go out and benefit from what is there right now on the table.

You are right Kayanation, it doesn't sound like something that is likely to happen. But than neither was a black man becoming president. Though he admittedly did so by completely avoiding the issue of race and if he speaks about it he usually plays into black stereotypes.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

This thread is funny now.
Yea please teach these African Americans how to succeed cuz you know they are all poor and all immigrant families are successful.

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

This thread is funny now.
Yea please teach these African Americans how to succeed cuz you know they are all poor and all immigrant families are successful.

No one is doing such, stop the sarcasm

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

No one is doing such, stop the sarcasm

Bro the system has its foot on black peoples collective neck across the globe.
This isn't just about African Americans nor is it just about the minority of families from other African/ Caribbean countries that come here and succeed.

So some of this "This is what AA need to do" stuff...

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Bro the system has its foot on black peoples collective neck across the globe.
This isn't just about African Americans nor is it just about the minority of families from other African/ Caribbean countries that come here and succeed.

So some of this "This is what AA need to do" stuff...

Stop acting hurt and understand the thread.

You are saying the same shit we are all saying, our collective neck is under the boot of white supremacy.

If under one system victims are doing things that work, then share that shit whether we are AA, Caribbean, African.

Sharing that shit shouldn't be perceived as condescending.

Nuff AA helped me and are still helping me navigate this shit and in turn I contribute to the collective.

Full circle baby so stop acting hurt and focus on the message not the messenger.

 

[dailysmoka]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

i will listen later but the title of the thread alone angered me.

thnx anyway OP

yep

 

[Camille]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

I haven't read through all the replies or watched the videos, (tho I will), so I apologize if I'm repeating anything that has already been said.

I think the mindset of U.S. blacks vs blacks from other countries are different. "Outside" blacks have what I call an "entitlement" mindset where they believe they are entitled and expected to have ownership(as they should), while American blacks tend to have a "permissive" mindset where we seek permission to take ownership.

They are coming from another country where they are surrounded and served by other blacks who own businesses and with knowledge of building wealth. In America's past, we often were not allowed to have ownership, except that which whites allowed. Blacks did not have their own wealth coming out of slavery. 40 acres and a mule didn't apply to us. In later times we couldn't get loans for homes or businesses. When we could get loans they were at higher rates than everyone else. We often couldn't get hired for anything other than domestic work, let alone go to college, which is why we have the historically black colleges in the first place. We had to create our own schools. Play the stock market? Yeah right. Only in recent years (past 30 or so) are blacks learning to invest, while white kids grow up learning about that stuff since birth.

There were blacks who went off on their own and built successful communities only to be burned to the ground. Whites were the land owners, the job creators. They had the power, the guns, the law on their side, regardless of whether or not were being lawful. At first it was a crime to teach blacks to read. Later, if you were smart and well read you were "uppity", and needed to be reminded to "know your place." Russians and others with white skin can lose the accent and be welcomed with open arms. Regardless of how well we speak, our skin still separates us, so we are seen as "other". Eventually some stop trying and it became collective wisdom that we can only go so far.

A lot of things have changed structurally, but not mentally. Knowledge is more available than ever before but there is a collective mindset that everyone black and white feeds from/into. Whites (and some blacks) see successful blacks as the "exception to the rule", assuming they believe that they obtained what they have legally. We don't have "success" as a normalized image for us collectively, even though we may actually be surrounded by successes and not just one or two exceptions. What's sad is that when blacks gain power in media, they often perpetuate those same dysfunctional hood images instead of putting out a counter image that shows the truth. This is why the Michelle Obama/French Elle article was so off base: the only image of blacks that reaches outside of America is the hip hop/video strippa/hood image, instead of normal day to day images. One reason I'm so glad that Obama is in the whitehouse is because it will help normalize an image of a successful, loving, BLACK family. That's also why they are so hated: they can't be ignored for the time being and their image is counter to the stereotypes whites want to use to justify their behavior and thinking patterns toward us.

Anyway, WE need to get on the entitlement bandwagon. I sometimes catch myself "waiting" for permission to do something. I have to stop and ask myself who I'm waiting on. Our cultural self esteem has long taken a hit where we don't feel we DESERVE wealth, so we only seek after the fast buck, or are content just getting by, or spend it as soon as we get it.

 

[Cock Head Jones]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Stop acting hurt and understand the thread.

You are saying the same shit we are all saying, our collective neck is under the boot of white supremacy.

If under one system victims are doing things that work, then share that shit whether we are AA, Caribbean, African.

Sharing that shit shouldn't be perceived as condescending.

Nuff AA helped me and are still helping me navigate this shit and in turn I contribute to the collective.

Full circle baby so stop acting hurt and focus on the message not the messenger.

Not hurt man stop that foolishness. I'm pointing out one of the reasons why this (much needed) type talk usually breaks down in face to face situations. Missing my point completely. Anyway it's a good thread and loke i said a much needed discussion.

 

[biggboye5000]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Not hurt man stop that foolishness. I'm pointing out one of the reasons why this (much needed) type talk usually breaks down in face to face situations. Missing my point completely. Anyway it's a good thread and loke i said a much needed discussion.

We are all on the same page we are just focusing on different parts of that same page. You are right. Unity of purpose, sharing, contribution and mutual support and initiative have historically been a big problem in the AA community in the post civil rights era.

That is an acknowledgement of the problem and the challenge but Kaya is going a step further. Acknowledgement and awareness focuses on what we can't don't or won't do. It's time to focus on what we can do or will do or better yet what we MUST do.

The black immigrants have a foot on their necks too but apparently due to their cultural work ethic and attitudes choose to be proactive and productive despite the inherent limitations of that foot on their necks.

I think we native AA's can learn from that even if said immigrants may harbor some resentments toward us or we have issues with them.

 

[The Jamaican]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

I haven't read through all the replies or watched the videos, (tho I will), so I apologize if I'm repeating anything that has already been said.

I think the mindset of U.S. blacks vs blacks from other countries are different. "Outside" blacks have what I call an "entitlement" mindset where they believe they are entitled and expected to have ownership(as they should), while American blacks tend to have a "permissive" mindset where we seek permission to take ownership.

They are coming from another country where they are surrounded and served by other blacks who own businesses and with knowledge of building wealth. In America's past, we often were not allowed to have ownership, except that which whites allowed. Blacks did not have their own wealth coming out of slavery. 40 acres and a mule didn't apply to us. In later times we couldn't get loans for homes or businesses. When we could get loans they were at higher rates than everyone else. We often couldn't get hired for anything other than domestic work, let alone go to college, which is why we have the historically black colleges in the first place. We had to create our own schools. Play the stock market? Yeah right. Only in recent years (past 30 or so) are blacks learning to invest, while white kids grow up learning about that stuff since birth.

There were blacks who went off on their own and built successful communities only to be burned to the ground. Whites were the land owners, the job creators. They had the power, the guns, the law on their side, regardless of whether or not were being lawful. At first it was a crime to teach blacks to read. Later, if you were smart and well read you were "uppity", and needed to be reminded to "know your place." Russians and others with white skin can lose the accent and be welcomed with open arms. Regardless of how well we speak, our skin still separates us, so we are seen as "other". Eventually some stop trying and it became collective wisdom that we can only go so far.

A lot of things have changed structurally, but not mentally. Knowledge is more available than ever before but there is a collective mindset that everyone black and white feeds from/into. Whites (and some blacks) see successful blacks as the "exception to the rule", assuming they believe that they obtained what they have legally. We don't have "success" as a normalized image for us collectively, even though we may actually be surrounded by successes and not just one or two exceptions. What's sad is that when blacks gain power in media, they often perpetuate those same dysfunctional hood images instead of putting out a counter image that shows the truth. This is why the Michelle Obama/French Elle article was so off base: the only image of blacks that reaches outside of America is the hip hop/video strippa/hood image, instead of normal day to day images. One reason I'm so glad that Obama is in the whitehouse is because it will help normalize an image of a successful, loving, BLACK family. That's also why they are so hated: they can't be ignored for the time being and their image is counter to the stereotypes whites want to use to justify their behavior and thinking patterns toward us.

Anyway, WE need to get on the entitlement bandwagon. I sometimes catch myself "waiting" for permission to do something. I have to stop and ask myself who I'm waiting on. Our cultural self esteem has long taken a hit where we don't feel we DESERVE wealth, so we only seek after the fast buck, or are content just getting by, or spend it as soon as we get it.

Good Post Camille

 

[water]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

We are all on the same page we are just focusing on different parts of that same page. You are right. Unity of purpose, sharing, contribution and mutual support and initiative have historically been a big problem in the AA community in the post civil rights era.

That is an acknowledgement of the problem and the challenge but Kaya is going a step further. Acknowledgement and awareness focuses on what we can't don't or won't do. It's time to focus on what we can do or will do or better yet what we MUST do.

The black immigrants have a foot on their necks too but apparently due to their cultural work ethic and attitudes choose to be proactive and productive despite the inherent limitations of that foot on their necks.

I think we native AA's can learn from that even if said immigrants may harbor some resentments toward us or we have issues with them.

Thanks for understanding where I'm coming from Bro.

I too have learnt a lot from all groups, no one has this shit on lock YET


We'll get there though

 

[Count23]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

Shut the fuck up. I should punch you in your lip you faggot.

shut your cryin ass up. why don't you actually look up the non-u.s black influences on the civil rights movement before you catch a stroke?

Couple of ideas:

1. Under-estimating the value of culture.
Immigrants come here with their culture intact, most times that culture emphasizes family and hard work in the face of adversity.

2. Expectation levels
Expectation levels for kids are much higher than expectations levels for AA. AA takes a sense of pride to achieve goals the white man has set for him e.g. college degree vs business ownership

3. Controlling you own destiny
AA keep begging the white man for mercy and sympathy.
If a man has his foot on your neck, why are you asking him to take it off? Why are you pleading with him?
Throw the fucking thing off your neck and mobilize.

4. The family unit
This is an American thing.
Capitalism doesn't work for poor people, there needs to be an element of socialism i.e. looking out for each other.
It's inherent in cultures that migrate here.
AA feel a sense of unbridled pride to leave their past behind based on a "job".


5. The value of sacrifice
This is an American problem not just an AA problem.
The fact that immigrants came here means that they have already made one of the greatest sacrifices and as a result they are relentless in their pursuit of their goals no matter what the white man may do.


Now to correct some mis-conceptions in this thread:

1. African and caribbean immigrants have been at the forefront of the Civil Rights struggle
Examples are
a. Marcus Garvey who African Americans REFUSE to honor because he was Jamaican.
This man grew the largest collection of Africans in Africa, the UNIA and the diaspora and we were about to throw off the shackle of white supremacy worldwide.

b. Malcolm X's parents were immigrants from Grenada and met at a UNIA (Marcus Garvey) meeting.

c. Stokely Carmichael who coined the phrase "Black Power" was from Trinidad


I could keep going all day with this shit but you get the point.

We are all in this together so for AA to say black immigrants benefit from "their" struggle is not the whole truth.

Mentalities like these is why some immigrants skip over the bullshit.

Some African Americans willingly portray themselves as gangstas, drug dealing, rapping, video vixen etc.... but have a problem with black immigrants not identifying with that?

You have a minority African American defining the majority and that is cool?



Malcolm X said "niggas scared to bleed, you bleed when the white man says bleed".

You join his army, put your life at risk but when it comes to your own community, you scared?



2. Immigrants coming to these country are poor.
Poor is a state of mind.
Poor doesn't mean shit.
Black Immigrants are the most educated group in this country.
Some come with degrees and advanced degrees from their country, some come here and graduate from american universities and stay.
To paint all black immigrants as poor and not being able to make it in their own country is false.
In any case poverty is not an excuse for hard work and focus.
I grew up poor but lacked nothing, intelligence, dedication, resilience and a mentality that refuses to rely on the white man to create my future.

In return I'm labelled militant but African Americans. really?

We are in a fucking war and you have a soldier going hard at the other side and you call him militant.
That shit is fucked up.
There should be building in larger numbers. I have met BGOL members who are builders and we build, no excuses.

3. Africans are more aware and immigrant Europeans are also more aware of how the system is set wrt discrimination.
They set up alternate systems for their prosperity.
Asians use Subway, gas stations, Quiznos etc.. to get their family here via immigration. Once the family gets here they go to community college and eventually go to college.
The others that passed before hook these fresh of the boat ones up with corporate jobs etc....

There is shit set aside to take advantage of, we as black people have to get it in larger numbers and stop relying on the approval and mercy of the fucking white man.

Stand the fuck up, die on your feet!

They commemorate the death of your heroes not the life and sacrifice they made.

Think about that for a second.

Raising scared fucking black men by constantly reminding them of a certain death if you buck the system.

White-washing MLK Jr and we stand by.

End of fucking rant.

I haven't read through all the replies or watched the videos, (tho I will), so I apologize if I'm repeating anything that has already been said.

I think the mindset of U.S. blacks vs blacks from other countries are different. "Outside" blacks have what I call an "entitlement" mindset where they believe they are entitled and expected to have ownership(as they should), while American blacks tend to have a "permissive" mindset where we seek permission to take ownership.

They are coming from another country where they are surrounded and served by other blacks who own businesses and with knowledge of building wealth. In America's past, we often were not allowed to have ownership, except that which whites allowed. Blacks did not have their own wealth coming out of slavery. 40 acres and a mule didn't apply to us. In later times we couldn't get loans for homes or businesses. When we could get loans they were at higher rates than everyone else. We often couldn't get hired for anything other than domestic work, let alone go to college, which is why we have the historically black colleges in the first place. We had to create our own schools. Play the stock market? Yeah right. Only in recent years (past 30 or so) are blacks learning to invest, while white kids grow up learning about that stuff since birth.

There were blacks who went off on their own and built successful communities only to be burned to the ground. Whites were the land owners, the job creators. They had the power, the guns, the law on their side, regardless of whether or not were being lawful. At first it was a crime to teach blacks to read. Later, if you were smart and well read you were "uppity", and needed to be reminded to "know your place." Russians and others with white skin can lose the accent and be welcomed with open arms. Regardless of how well we speak, our skin still separates us, so we are seen as "other". Eventually some stop trying and it became collective wisdom that we can only go so far.

A lot of things have changed structurally, but not mentally. Knowledge is more available than ever before but there is a collective mindset that everyone black and white feeds from/into. Whites (and some blacks) see successful blacks as the "exception to the rule", assuming they believe that they obtained what they have legally. We don't have "success" as a normalized image for us collectively, even though we may actually be surrounded by successes and not just one or two exceptions. What's sad is that when blacks gain power in media, they often perpetuate those same dysfunctional hood images instead of putting out a counter image that shows the truth. This is why the Michelle Obama/French Elle article was so off base: the only image of blacks that reaches outside of America is the hip hop/video strippa/hood image, instead of normal day to day images. One reason I'm so glad that Obama is in the whitehouse is because it will help normalize an image of a successful, loving, BLACK family. That's also why they are so hated: they can't be ignored for the time being and their image is counter to the stereotypes whites want to use to justify their behavior and thinking patterns toward us.

Anyway, WE need to get on the entitlement bandwagon. I sometimes catch myself "waiting" for permission to do something. I have to stop and ask myself who I'm waiting on. Our cultural self esteem has long taken a hit where we don't feel we DESERVE wealth, so we only seek after the fast buck, or are content just getting by, or spend it as soon as we get it.

this "beef" between u.s. and non-u.s. black people is counterproductive tho.

 

[Camille]

Re: My poor grandparents came from Russia and made it in America so why can't black f

One more thought about this. The systemic economic oppression of black folx isn't just something from a bygone civil rights era. Remember recently the government agreed to a settlement for THOUSANDS of black farmers who were discriminated against when it came to loans etc.? http://articles.cnn.com/2011-10-28/...lack-farmers-association-racial-bias?_s=PM:US This was in the 80's and 90's, not some distant era no one can relate to. AND it was by the US GOVERNMENT. Not some private corporation. Even after the settlement was won, congress still took their sweet time appropriating the funds for the payout, and all sorts of right wing wackos were trying to equate this to reparations for slavery.

Then there is this story:


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/...ed-Sterilization-of-Women-of-Color?via=search

The women in this claim were awarded 50,000 because of sterilization's forced upon them, and I wonder how soon they will see the money.

This is just some of the stuff we KNOW about. I'm not saying we can't be successful, but some folx like to act like all this negative stuff is just made up or exaggerated. The collective passive behavior that we run into is the effect of very real causes. It can be overcome, but the awareness/ability to recognize it has to be there first.