They took us to church. They made us work hard. I was doing concrete work when I was sixteen. Concrete is heavy, dirty and unrelenting. If the concrete isn't where it should be, or isn't properly finished on a hot day, then, the next day you are busting it out with jackhammers. There are no breaks when you unload a ready mix truck.
They taught me and my brother to take responsibility for our deeds as well as our misdeeds. There were no handouts or breaks. They paid their taxes and signed up for conscription when asked.
They maintained the family through thick and thin. They played by the rules. They suffered hardships.
I was privileged to grow up in the greatest country ever conceived. I was privileged to have an outstanding family. But it had nothing to do with race. Anybody can do it. It just takes hard work and discipline.
Yep. The only thing I’ll say in defense of those who won’t is that if they were raised by a single mother who didn’t teach them any values, they are unlikely to even know HOW to work hard, or be careful with their money. These are values that are passed down within the family, and if they didn’t grow up learning them... it will be very difficult for them to figure it out on their own. Most don’t seem to.