What is "Black Lives Matter"?

[Kutnupe14]

so, in the Modern Context... why can't it just be "American"? Why not an American Heritage? I get the past of how and why most ancestors came or were brought here, but why not be proud in achieving equal rights, etc and have an American Heritage?

You're asking something that, in my opinion, can only be achieved in only the most homogeneous societies. In a country like America, it is quite difficult to rise above the hyphen.

 

[BugI02]

You should be aware that I consider you German. And because of that, I am watching you. Carefully. Your people are prone to some less than pleasant shenanigans.

If I interpret through my Brit heritage, that emoji isn't ... err ... quite signing what you think it is

 

[Cerberus]

You're asking something that, in my opinion, can only be achieved in only the most homogeneous societies. In a country like America, it is quite difficult to rise above the hyphen.

And it's the "hyphens" that are putting the hyphens there. I've not once in all my living years ever, ever, ever referred to myself as a Anglo-Norman-Germen-Scandinavian-Irish-American. I am just plain American. My immigrant wife, who also has a skin tone close to your avatar has also dropped the hyphen, and our daughter refuses to use it, and my wife decided to not teach her native language to her. It's the hypenators that wish to divi us up.

 

[Kutnupe14]

And it's the "hyphens" that are putting the hyphens there. I've not once in all my living years ever, ever, ever referred to myself as a Anglo-Norman-Germen-Scandinavian-Irish-American. I am just plain American. My immigrant wife, who also has a skin tone close to your avatar has also dropped the hyphen, and our daughter refuses to use it, and my wife decided to not teach her native language to her. It's the hypenators that wish to divi us up.

You may be right. I see nothing to disagree with. But I will point out, that the term African, Afro, of Black American is a fairly recent convention. I believe it was around the 70s that it started coming into widespread use. Conversely other groups, Irish, Italian, German "hyphen American," has existed for far longer. It does seem hypocritical to point to the uses of Black or African-American and say it's divisive to do so, and that they should simple refer to themselves as "American," when our history has shown that this type of thing has been, historically, extremely common. To a Black American, its easy to be dismissive of the suggestion.

 

[Dead Duck]

#AmericansMatter

 

[jbombelli]

[video=youtube_share;q6N4zKM2cZs]http://youtu.be/q6N4zKM2cZs[/video]

 

[terrehautian]

This is what annoys me, people like this that don't want to have a civil conversation. I honestly tried to have one without race being mentioned. I was called a racist.


I did censor names.

 

[RobbyMaQ]

...If black people wanted to have a chip on their shoulders, lol, they don't need to spotlight slavery.... they could point to their living, breathing, "ancestors," who could cite countless oppressions the endured under other people's "living, breathing ancestors." So how about you guys take the boulder of slavery off of YOUR shoulders and move on. Despite what you may wish to believe, slavery seems to be more your problem than ours.

Point taken. It wasn't until my interest in firearms that I discovered common gun control measures running parallel with the civil rights movement.
Hell, even more recently I discovered gay couples had no rights to one another (in medical knowledge/info, estate, etc).

It's difficult to put up with the BS surrounding gunowners daily (and I am sure you are putting up with a lot more in today's environment, being a LEO). To hear Huffpo spout how the NRA premeditated the entire attack by endorsing blacks to own firearms, creating an unsafe environment for police, is just beyond ridiculous.

But I also can't forget soldiers coming home from Vietnam, being spat on and called baby killers by a bunch of 'freedom loving hippies' either.
I don't discount the sentiments of either party? But I'm not quite ready to jump on the bandwagon just yet, given many stats out there that keep getting twisted to fit the reporter's agenda.

 

[Kutnupe14]

This is what annoys me, people like this that don't want to have a civil conversation. I honestly tried to have one without race being mentioned. I was called a racist.
View attachment 48403

I did censor names.

Some people simply don't know how to remain civil in disagreements. I'm sorry you have to deal with those types of people?

 

[thunderchicken]

Ok so I just saw an interview with Charles Krauthammer who brought up some new study released today that suggests that the reality is more white people are shot by police than black people. Also that statistically only 2% of all police -citizen result in any kind of confrontation thats 2% regardless of race

 

[terrehautian]

What was funny was that I only mentioned the MN shooting and what should have been proper procedure for informing officer that you have a gun (aka, not while reaching for ID in pocket like the girlfriend in the car said). I said the cop might have been a little hasty, but that there was some procedures that could've been done on the guy in the cars side to. I was accused of trying to make excuses for the officer shooting him. I haven't seen much fact in the Baton Rouge case to make any post on the case other then the 911 call mentioned being threatened with a gun by the person and a very terrible cell phone videos of the incident. I even said if it is proven that the officer didn't need ot use force (aka justified) they should be charged. Again, I never mentioned race, but it went back to race. When the race card was played, I deleted posts and left the conversation. Those who use the race card have their mind made up. I always try to keep an open mind about things that way if evidence proves otherwise, I can change my mind.

 

[phylodog]

You may be right. I see nothing to disagree with. But I will point out, that the term African, Afro, of Black American is a fairly recent convention. I believe it was around the 70s that it started coming into widespread use. Conversely other groups, Irish, Italian, German "hyphen American," has existed for far longer. It does seem hypocritical to point to the uses of Black or African-American and say it's divisive to do so, and that they should simple refer to themselves as "American," when our history has shown that this type of thing has been, historically, extremely common. To a Black American, its easy to be dismissive of the suggestion.

What is the advantage of hanging on to the hyphen? Legit question.

This is a free country and people are obviously free to do whatever they wish (within reason). As an individual in this country who happens to have a skin tone which categorizes them as black, what advantage is there to that individual to call themselves African-American or Black? Anyone who isn't blind can see it with out it being declared. It's much more difficult to identify a German-American, Italian-American, Irish-American etc. by their appearance.

There must be some advantage in refusing to drop the hyphen and simply melding in with the rest of his/her country.

 

[thunderchicken]

As it relates to police interaction I haven't seen anything to sway me to believe that black people are treated differently than white or any other race. But from people being interviewed that seems to be a large part of BLM.

 

[Kutnupe14]

What is the advantage of hanging on to the hyphen? Legit question.

This is a free country and people are obviously free to do whatever they wish (within reason). As an individual in this country who happens to have a skin tone which categorizes them as black, what advantage is there to that individual to call themselves African-American or Black? Anyone who isn't blind can see it with out it being declared. It's much more difficult to identify a German-American, Italian-American, Irish-American etc. by their appearance.

There must be some advantage in refusing to drop the hyphen and simply melding in with the rest of his/her country.

My own personal views may have prevented me from seeing something you think is obvious, but what do you mean? I'm honestly not understanding your point about about dropping the hyphen. Are you saying everybody should, or just blacks, because you can look at them and tell that they obviously are "African-American." Which, for the record is a word I dislike, as it is widely incorrect. I pefer "black-American."

 

[Kutnupe14]

As it relates to police interaction I haven't seen anything to sway me to believe that black people are treated differently than white or any other race. But from people being interviewed that seems to be a large part of BLM.

Have you seen anything that has swayed you believe that anybody is treated differently by police than other groups?

 

[phylodog]

My point is, what is the advantage of calling yourself a black-American? I could start calling myself a white-American tomorrow but I cannot think of any advantage to doing so. Anyone who looks at me can tell I'm white, I'm guessing anyone who looks at you can tell that you're black. What is the advantage in announcing it? If no advantage then why bother?

 

[Kutnupe14]

My point is, what is the advantage of calling yourself a black-American? I could start calling myself a white-American tomorrow but I cannot think of any advantage to doing so. Anyone who looks at me can tell I'm white, I'm guessing anyone who looks at you can tell that you're black. What is the advantage in announcing it? If no advantage then why bother?

Is there an advantage in calling someone "black-American?" I don't see the advantage that you are talking about.

 

[Blackhawk2001]

You're asking something that, in my opinion, can only be achieved in only the most homogeneous societies. In a country like America, it is quite difficult to rise above the hyphen.

Yeah, but do you realize that that "hyphen" has only existed as something important for about 60 or 70 years? Yeah, there were Irish-Americans, Polish-Americans, Italian-Americans, et. al. (but, surprisingly, no Jewish-Americans or Muslim-Americans that I can remember) but that was only talking about family descent - they considered themselves "Americans" first. The more strongly we cling to our "hyphens" the less likely we are to find that mythical "acceptance" that we all claim to want in our society. How do you ever get to be "equal" to me (generically speaking) if you insist upon being as different from me as possible?

This ethnic balkanizing is a far cry from what "Negroes" were searching for in the 1950s and 1960s, and it has spread itself to other ethnic groups as well. It's all very well to grasp for political power - everyone does it to some extent - but when you do it with tactics that are polar opposite from what you claim you want, how will you ever be satisfied?

 

[phylodog]

I'm asking you if there is an advantage to it. I don't see it as being necessary due to it being obvious.

 

[Kutnupe14]

I'm asking you if there is an advantage to it. I don't see it as being necessary due to it being obvious.

Oh, well I don't see it as being an advantage. To me it's neutral. Its simply clarification. It indicates the groups particular history... which isn't shared by Jamaican-Americans, Ethiopian-Americans, Cuban-Americans, Nigerian-Americans, Kenyan-Americans, Haitian-Americans etc, etc, etc.... none of the groups which I listed, btw typically identify as being "Black-Americans." So no, you can not simply "look" a person, and automatically assume that they are "Black-Americans," as many in the groups previously mentioned would take offense to that label.