Crime stats and race

[dolfan]

I have explained my views on this the best I know how. We all have honest convictions about these issues, and we differ markedly. For me, all of these issues are connected in an inextricable web. The sheriffs who don't care what color you are but who do care how much grant money and government money gets funneled to their departments, so they follow the conditions for getting that money which means they do 'x' amount of patroling, man-hours, arrests, etc. in black neighborhoods; the prevalence of arrests in black culture to an extent that it is not surprising that they find some measure of honor and glory in it; our unwillingness to look at race as a motivating factor. These are all connections to the hard-to-pin-down problem of black hopelessness. They are not all causes of that hopelessness. There are countless and absolutely critical contributing, causal factors that squarely lie only (morally and logically) in the decisions of individual black people and their institutions. Why isn't the black church, for example, more adamant about providing educational opportunities itself than it is about being a certain style and harping about the lack of government money pushed into their neighborhoods? That's an institutional failure and a personal failure and no one is responsible but black people. Lack of education is, indeed, a huge factor in their own malaise. The black church, with all of its influence among them, has failed even in that secondary cause, let alone its primary mission.

You folks have seen me go to bat for something here that I've never, ever expressed in this manner or in this depth. I think about it, brood even, a lot. But, I'm unwilling to make myself a pest and just trying to make you all my sounding board. That's not fair to you. You've given as fair a hearing to my heart on this as I think I could ask for about anywhere, and I appreciate that. That's one reason I like it here.

[Pastor Gary]

Why isn't the black church, for example, more adamant ... The black church, with all of its influence among them, has failed even in that secondary cause, let alone its primary mission.

There's a term I wish we could eradicate: the "black" church. As the pastor of a multi-racial, multi-ethnic congregation, is my church a "black church?"

[Shellie]

Can't we all just get along?

[Dr. Ron]

The "black church" is just what it is.

We have a huge black church here in Nashville....now with over 25,000 members. It was begun by a man who has a dr. from Princeton in economics. His "theology " degree isn't accredited. It was "confered". I have no problem with that as a rule, but this man came here and started this church.

He began by having "bible studies" all over town.....3 and 4 a day...but only with the black business men and women. Then it began to filter down and when the truth was found out......the "bible studies" were nothing more than seminars on how to cash in on "entitlements" . To join this church you go through a very detailed course on "entitlements" and you must promise to give 20% in order to remain a member. He has about 2 % of poor whites who also qualify for the "entitlements".

One of my black families went there and one day the son (at that time he was 7) said , "Dad, why are white people not good enough to attend our church"? They left that church and came here the next week.

dolfan, you are a wonderful man......but you have bought into the "liberal" Obamic view of a racism that is actually more the reverse than what you see. Right now, the door of our church just opened and a black family has come to do work on this church (he is an elder). We (people like pg and I ) do not view the world any longer in prohibitive colors.
We don't allow ANYONE to use those excuses ANY longer.

The great coach Tony Dungy, said "I tell my players......don't bring that trash into my locker room." "YOu want to be winners...........no excuses and no blame."