African Americans Need to Stop Shopping Where They're Disrespected

[Johnnny5]

Good question, if politically incorrect. There is an important problem here. The churches are proof that the capital exists in the city. But its not available for business it seems.

Why?

I don't think it would be very appropriate for churches to get into the business of financially backing stores that make most of their profits selling cigarettes, booze and lottery tickets.


EDIT.. My apologies for misreading your post. When I first read it I thought that it was suggesting that the churches finance the stores. I see now that was not the intent.

[iheartthed]

That's one of the biggest issues. In depressed urban areas it's just about impossible to get reasonably priced credit to purchase, operate or expand a store. The risks involved for the banks are huge, and they are not eager to get involved in businesses that deal mainly in cash. Most immigrant families make heavy use of backing from family members until they have enough equity and credit to get funding on their own. They then return the favor by loaning money and vouching for other family members so that they can do the same.

Yeah, I can't remember the textbook name for it but some particular immigrant communities set up community-funding to finance new businesses for people of their community when they come here. This works well in areas that are redlined by banks and insurance companies [[which tend to be areas with large minority populations) because the bar to entry is much lower due to the lack of competing capital -- everything is cheap.

[iheartthed]

I don't think it would be very appropriate for churches to get into the business of financially backing stores that make most of their profits selling cigarettes, booze and lottery tickets.

Not to mention that churches are tax free entities. If they started becoming lenders they'd have to give up their tax free status.

[Honky Tonk]

There are only three basic races involved in this discussion; blacks, whites and one asshole.

And the 3rd one seems to be the majority!

[aj3647]

Middle-Eastern people are white. You did know that, didn't you?

The clerk could also have been of Asian descent, but you still assumed he was white.

And I find it odd that you posted a photo of the KKK, a group consisting of whites of European descent [[and who were also racist against people from the Middle East), and not a photo of a group of Middle Eastern men to illustrate your racism point. Odd, if it's the case that the clerk was not of European descent, that you would feel the need to do that.

It's almost as if you have some reflexive dislike of white people, specifically those of European descent... You never seem to miss an opportunity to stereotype, generalize, and just in general say negative things about white people.

I abhor racism in all its forms, regardless of which group of people it is directed at. ALL people of ALL colors deserve to be judged on their individual merits and not on the color of their skin, but YOU judge white people by the color of their skin.

You are a racist.

[Islandman]

Hmmm, they almost always bag my stuff, and I've had the pleasure of visiting many of these stores. Sometimes they have put the bag in the carousel with my items, but not often enough for me to write an essay about it.

[EastsideAl]

It's almost as if you have some reflexive dislike of white people, specifically those of European descent... You never seem to miss an opportunity to stereotype, generalize, and just in general say negative things about white people.

...

YOU judge white people by the color of their skin.

You are a racist.

OK, now I'm just amused...

[Danny]

After the incident involving an Arab store owner's son posted inapropiate coments on Big Brother net, Black folks don't need to shop in that store or any ghetto mart.

[Shollin]

I was the victim of racism today. I was standing at the counter of the cafeteria where there was a black cook. He made visual contact with me but didn't say anything or take my order. There was a group of people who already ordered, mostly black, waiting for their food. I figured he was busy and waited for him to get to me. After 5 minutes of waiting he acknowledges me and says they are all out of food. This was not true. The cafetaria closes at 2 and I got there at 1:45. He didn't want to cook anything because he wanted to be out of there at 2 and because I was white.

[Zacha341]

^^^ Complain to management. Speak up!!! Was there someone there you could report this too? IMO sometimes some white people will take abuse and or conceal criticism for fear of being called racist for speaking up...

I am black and speak up whenever I am mistreated, talked down to or receive poor service in a restaurant, business, store etc. -- I don't care what color you are. On the other hand I give glowing compliments for great customer service as I know it's bad on both ends.

[Islandman]

I was the victim of racism today. I was standing at the counter of the cafeteria where there was a black cook. He made visual contact with me but didn't say anything or take my order. There was a group of people who already ordered, mostly black, waiting for their food. I figured he was busy and waited for him to get to me. After 5 minutes of waiting he acknowledges me and says they are all out of food. This was not true. The cafetaria closes at 2 and I got there at 1:45. He didn't want to cook anything because he wanted to be out of there at 2 and because I was white.

Did you demand respect? Did you inform what time it was or did you slink out of there with your tail between your legs to post this bullshit?


No need to answer; those were all rhetorical questions.

[Detroitnerd]

The clerk could also have been of Asian descent, but you still assumed he was white.

Yeah, right. I haven't seen an Asian behind a counter since I lived in New York 12 years ago.

[Detroitnerd]

OK, now I'm just amused...

Haha. Yeah. I wonder if AJ's mom knows he's using the Internet.

[Shollin]

I had to get back to work so I moved on to the next station. Some things in life just aren't worth the time. Being denied lunch because I'm white is not one of them. It was a blessing in disguise because I got a mean buffalo chicken wrap. That's going to be my new lunch spot now.

[Zacha341]

Yep, some of the merchants clearly have contempt for us as group, and feel it is their just rewards to ply social media outlets to promote that which they feel represents black people as a whole.

After the incident involving an Arab store owner's son posted inapropiate coments on Big Brother net, Black folks don't need to shop in that store or any ghetto mart.

[iheartthed]

IMO sometimes white people will take abuse in fear of being called racist for speaking up...

Or sometimes they could be belittling your legitimate experiences with racism by telling bullshit satirical stories.

[Detroitnerd]

I always learn so much when we talk about race on this board:

White racism doesn't exist. Blacks racism is everywhere.

Whites can talk about race in a way that's dispassionate. Black people get all excited and upset about race.

In order to be a racist, white people have to do something dramatic, like wear a swastika or a white hood. In order to be a racist, all blacks have to do is concede that white racism is not extinct.

When black people talk about racism, it usually means white-on-black racism, the kind that has kept their people down for centuries. When white people talk about racism, it could be ANY racism. For instance, the anti-human racism of elves, or the hypothetical racism of residents of the planet Mars for Jovians from beyond the asteroid belt. But whites will be very coy talking about even these "racisms" because ...

Only experts, such as Toni Morrison or Thomas Sugrue, may discuss racism. Because to admit there is racism is to admit that some races have had the upper hand in the struggle, and since all people of the upper hand would belong to one race, then it would be RACIST to say that racism existed among that race! That's RACIST!

White people don't flee majority black neighborhoods because they're racist. But if black people come to town to work out a better deal for black people, it's not because they want to make the world a better place, but because they really, really hate white people and want to drag them down with them.

[Zacha341]

I think I have encountered both cases!

Or sometimes they could be belittling your legitimate experiences with racism by telling bullshit satirical stories.

[rex]

it has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the bag recession and the economy of motion. Times is hard for bags & the older someone gets the less movements they have. Why burn a move bagging someones snacks when you could do something more memorable with it? Its why I remain near catatonic for large parts of my day.

[canuck]

it has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the bag recession and the economy of motion. Times is hard for bags & the older someone gets the less movements they have. Why burn a move bagging someones snacks when you could do something more memorable with it? Its why I remain near catatonic for large parts of my day.

Your catatonism is contagious, careful. Bagging for mercy equals temperamental speed up to a certain point, I guess.

[canuck]

I always learn so much when we talk about race on this board:

White racism doesn't exist. Blacks racism is everywhere.

Whites can talk about race in a way that's dispassionate. Black people get all excited and upset about race.

In order to be a racist, white people have to do something dramatic, like wear a swastika or a white hood. In order to be a racist, all blacks have to do is concede that white racism is not extinct.

When black people talk about racism, it usually means white-on-black racism, the kind that has kept their people down for centuries. When white people talk about racism, it could be ANY racism. For instance, the anti-human racism of elves, or the hypothetical racism of residents of the planet Mars for Jovians from beyond the asteroid belt. But whites will be very coy talking about even these "racisms" because ...

Only experts, such as Toni Morrison or Thomas Sugrue, may discuss racism. Because to admit there is racism is to admit that some races have had the upper hand in the struggle, and since all people of the upper hand would belong to one race, then it would be RACIST to say that racism existed among that race! That's RACIST!

White people don't flee majority black neighborhoods because they're racist. But if black people come to town to work out a better deal for black people, it's not because they want to make the world a better place, but because they really, really hate white people and want to drag them down with them.

Well said.

[Downtown Lady]

Detroitnerd -- no offense intended, but you are really showing your ass on this thread. NO ONE is denying that white-on-black racism exists. NO ONE is downplaying it or denying that this could have been the motive.

However, reasonable adults who dare suggest the very real possibility that in this exact instance the merchant could have been rude or lazy or cheap with providing bags are met with implications that they belong to the KKK. Honky Tonk, who to that point had said nothing but a harmless quip about YouTube was accused of wearing a hood. Oh, that was a joke? My, that's hilarious.

NO ONE is denying that white-on-black racism exists. This could be exactly why that merchant refused to provide a bag. Or it could not be. But reasonable adults trying to reasonably discuss motives are lumped in with "Holocaust deniers, segregation apologists and homophobes who know all about why gay sex is bad for you."

Your posts are incendiary and histrionical. Anyone trying to have intellectual discourse is shut down.

It reminds me very much of this underground literary group in New York -- a group of allegedly bright guys, who became known not for their intellect, but for their style of debate, which was often aggressive and disruptive, including crashing book readings with outbursts and arguments. A lot of drama and commotion, but what is accomplished?

[Detroitnerd]

Detroitnerd -- no offense intended, but you are really showing your ass on this thread. NO ONE is denying that white-on-black racism exists. NO ONE is downplaying it or denying that this could have been the motive.

However, reasonable adults who dare suggest the very real possibility that in this exact instance the merchant could have been rude or lazy or cheap with providing bags are met with implications that they belong to the KKK. Honky Tonk, who to that point had said nothing but a harmless quip about YouTube was accused of wearing a hood. Oh, that was a joke? My, that's hilarious.

NO ONE is denying that white-on-black racism exists. This could be exactly why that merchant refused to provide a bag. Or it could not be. But reasonable adults trying to reasonably discuss motives are lumped in with "Holocaust deniers, segregation apologists and homophobes who know all about why gay sex is bad for you."

Your posts are incendiary and histrionical. Anyone trying to have intellectual discourse is shut down.

It reminds me very much of this underground literary group in New York -- a group of allegedly bright guys, who became known not for their intellect, but for their style of debate, which was often aggressive and disruptive, including crashing book readings with outbursts and arguments. A lot of drama and commotion, but what is accomplished?

Aw, go soak your head, lady. If people are gonna be a drag and twist my words, I'm gonna have some fun fucking with their heads too. You wanna be a moderator? Go to a group that's moderated and spend all day slack-jawed talking about things properly. Go write a term paper. I'd rather have some fun shaking things up.

[Detroitnerd]

it has nothing to do with racism and everything to do with the bag recession and the economy of motion. Times is hard for bags & the older someone gets the less movements they have. Why burn a move bagging someones snacks when you could do something more memorable with it? Its why I remain near catatonic for large parts of my day.

Rex, thank you for that cogent explanation. Perhaps I've been wrong all along!

[Downtown Lady]

Aw, go soak your head, lady. If people are gonna be a drag and twist my words, I'm gonna have some fun fucking with their heads too. You wanna be a moderator? Go to a group that's moderated and spend all day slack-jawed talking about things properly. Go write a term paper. I'd rather have some fun shaking things up.

Glad to know that disrupting what could be a productive debate is your idea of how to "have some fun shaking things up." And that if anybody disagrees with the bullshit KKK accusations you so easily toss around, they're "a drag" and they're "twisting your words". No, your words are right there plain as day, no twisting needed.

I'm not trying to moderate anything or demand that people discuss things "properly" [[although this semi-attempt at an ad hominem attack is precious). I am merely trying to stop the bullshit and the drama from disrupting what could be an intellectual discussion. Maybe another board somewhere will appreciate your KKK-slander thrown around at innocent people but I find it to be incredibly ridiculous and lazy thinking.