I noted that, and it's important. In modern America, our inner city poverty is not limited to blacks but includes large parts of the Hispanic community.
Bracken described the issues of tri-racial rather than bi-racial cities, with important parallels to the collapse of Yugoslavia and Beirut. He also drew parallels to Northern Ireland where both sides are white but are divided primarily by religion rather than race. He also pointed out the very important differences between urban, suburban, and rural residents, and between rich and poor income levels, which transcend racial lines.
I do not see Bracken attacking blacks or other minorities. There is a big difference between attacking a racial group for its alleged deficiencies and saying that if the economy falls apart, pre-existing racial tensions are likely to explode. Bracken is doing the latter, not the former.
The bottom line is that regardless of whether we think Bracken is right or wrong, our economy cannot sustain the current welfare state much longer, and we need to figure out what will happen when (not if, but when) it falls apart.
I have a longer post. After spending a lot of time reading this thread (and reading prior discussions of Bracken's books for a long time) I'm still debating whether to hit “send.”
Regardless of whether I hit “send” or not, when I say Bracken has a point about what could happen in a worst-case scenario — and I believe he does — I won't tolerate an accusation that I'm racist. I have an interracial marriage and have lived in inner-city communities, both black and Hispanic. That dog won't hunt with me.
Let's just say I share a lot more of Louis Foxwell’s optimism about the possibility of repairing the collapse of the black family, and hopefully preventing the impending collapse of the Hispanic family, much of which is due to federal welfare policies.
The question is what will happen if we run out of time and the welfare system falls apart along with a general economic collapse. Something like what happened with the Weimar Republic is unlikely today, but not impossible if we don't turn things around soon. Germany had no significant black population, but demagogues sure figured out how to exploit ethnic tensions against a different group of people. That specific example, which has little to do with the American racial experience and almost certainly will not be repeated here, does show us that pre-existing racial and ethnic tensions can be and often are exploited in times of keen competition for scarce jobs. Bracken is not doing that -- I think he'd love to see more black residents get jobs -- but it's pretty obvious that some inner-city thugs make a point of trying to stoke resentment against the perceived evils of "rich white people."
We ignore history at our peril.
If we can not get the government out of the compassion business we will be destroyed. Destruction comes primarily in the form of resentment about receiving compassionate assistance as an entitlement. No one should ever have a right to another person’s property or wealth. Most especially the government has absolutely no business providing any level of support to anyone other than military personnell. Corruption, depravity, destruction of family and community ensue from government welfare entitlement.
What will happen when food stamps stop? The private sector with its service agencies, churches and generous citizens will provide genuine help that does not perpetuate dependency.