That’s why I have always said I am not a racist, but I am a pretty hard core culturalist. I have traveled to 32 countries, most in the third world. In fact, I just literally walked in the door from two months in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. I have seen real poverty, but even in the poorest of poor places I have been in deepest Africa, I have never seen the festering cultural rot of american inner cities.
That’s why I have always said I am not a racist, but I am a pretty hard core culturalist.
Ditto that. I think people often underistimate the importance of culture. Culture is what allows modern man to build jets, rockets, computers and skyscrapers instead of sitting in caves looking for their next meal.
But more to the point--People who live in cultures or subcultures that do not prepare them well for the world (cultures where for example--working for a living, or getting good grades in school is eschewed) they will probably not do very well.
Right on the money....was just thinking the same thing. In my travels and living around the world in my military career, I also saw poverty but never the arrogant, lazy, belligerent, hate-filled, gimme-gimme residents that I see here in the US. And I am talking all races and ethnicities. IMHO, the breakdown of the family unit and a strong father figure in the home is the main cause of this culture rot.
Could it be that they truly don’t belong here? They don’t thrive, they aren’t happy instead they are angry a lot of the time with chips on their shoulders and unless talented and/or have the right connections have no real way to dig themselves out of the poorhouse it seems. It does seem as though they are misplaced, fish out of water. I’ve heard it said that black folk in Africa are different and even they do not like the way certain black cultures/attitudes are in the States.
In America, due to the civil war and slavery, our politicians have been afraid of addressing the real problems in the inner cities. They have thrown money at the problem in the form of welfare, food stamps, free medical care, and housing....all the basics that everyone else has to work for.
The ‘ENTITLEMENT’ attitude was born through generations receiving that same care from cradle to grave, and when they sit around with nothing to do but drugs, alcohol, tv, video gamres it gives them time to find an enemy in their minds...so they bite the hand that feeds them, the taxpayer, especially the white ones.
Entitlement mentality breeds discontent, it is never enough, and when they see new cars and nice houses, well...why don’t you give us that too. Of course, no one ever realizes somethings have to be earned. ...worked for.
A few intelligent ones can see the overall picture and seek an education and move beyond the ghetto. We have not taught them that a hand up is not a hand out, we have done too much. Children who get to much, no matter the race, are prone to taking advantage of their parents, grandparents, and are likely to believe they deserve it no matter what the truth is...that’s the defect in human nature.
My grandmother used to say “an idle mind is the devils workshop.” A job would take up that empty space in young minds....welfare should require some volunteer work not just giving out taxppayer money.
Excellent insight.
In my days as a travel writer, I saw the awful poverty stricken slums of Manila, and also beautiful downtown Havana. Tho the Filipinos were in deeper poverty, they at least had hope -- if they sold two cans of beans today, maybe tomorrow they'd sell three and eventually have a little store. But in Havana, if you sold a can of beans you would be arrested. The hideous frustration of that is soul killing.
And now, we're killing hope here.