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FWB · 08-22-2002, 05:22 AM

GreatWhiteDisappointer.

Some very fine reading, all of which I find hard to disagree with. The only thing I'd like to add is that I feel too much emphasis in many a society is placed on the individual taking responsibility. While there is no doubt that a person cannot blame everything on his/her surroundings, there is a strong lack of understanding of the social and political constraints, derived and still in place due to past suppressive instituions, on many minorities. I think it should be also made clear that this isn't just a black issue, but one that spans many social divisions: gender, sexuality, ethnicity and class, to name a few. I think people need to stop and think at times why it is that certain groups suffer more than others. Blaming it on laziness is just an easy way to relieve our burden of guilt.

In regards to this thread, the question is rather general. As GreatWhiteDisappointer points out, there is corruption [within the system] which results in inefficient, to put it mildly, disturbtion of aid (money isn't the only form of support required). This has to be dealt with. However, it isn't a question of repaying people for the slavery issue, but helping them to get out of a low socio-economic position and acknowledging that life can be very difficult for people because of structures some of us have in place.

	(#16)
FWB is Offline Senior Member Posts: 342 Join Date: Apr 2002	08-22-2002, 05:22 AM GreatWhiteDisappointer. Some very fine reading, all of which I find hard to disagree with. The only thing I'd like to add is that I feel too much emphasis in many a society is placed on the individual taking responsibility. While there is no doubt that a person cannot blame everything on his/her surroundings, there is a strong lack of understanding of the social and political constraints, derived and still in place due to past suppressive instituions, on many minorities. I think it should be also made clear that this isn't just a black issue, but one that spans many social divisions: gender, sexuality, ethnicity and class, to name a few. I think people need to stop and think at times why it is that certain groups suffer more than others. Blaming it on laziness is just an easy way to relieve our burden of guilt. In regards to this thread, the question is rather general. As GreatWhiteDisappointer points out, there is corruption [within the system] which results in inefficient, to put it mildly, disturbtion of aid (money isn't the only form of support required). This has to be dealt with. However, it isn't a question of repaying people for the slavery issue, but helping them to get out of a low socio-economic position and acknowledging that life can be very difficult for people because of structures some of us have in place.