Senator Lankford's speach on current events.

Jeremiah

I swore I'd never bring news, current events, or other political crap here as this is my/ our refuge from that stuff; instead arguing about charcoal, coolers, and other completely unimportant topics. But this guy's speech today seems post worthy. I'm not by any means trying to start a debate, but just to say, that we are all part of the solution. https://youtu.be/dB7mD-KLyRc

jabam

The man makes sense!

bud812

Very well put.

nolaegghead

Solve our race relation problems by having dinner with other races.  That sounds like a winner.  Except for one minor caveat: racists aren't having any other race over for dinner. 

Jeremiah

@nolaegghead then the rest of us must out number them. After watching the video, I couldn't remember the last time we (my) family sat down with a family of another race, and had a real conversation on the issues. 

jabam

Not understanding another races point of view or their concerns about race doesn't make any one a racist. My wife is Mexican and we saw plenty of racism during the six years we lived in Idaho back in the 80's. Looking back on it, I think it was more ignorance than racism. 

nolaegghead

If you have some guests over to your house for dinner for the first time, generally speaking, controversial topics such as religion and politics aren't the best topics for discussion as "ice breakers". 

Maybe I'm just being disillusion, but I would put "race relations" into a similar category.  Sounds like a sexy as hell solution, but I think actually having better relations would work better. 

Whatever that takes, actually, we know what it takes, but people fight it every. step. of. the. way.   I don't know what you call those people.   Obstinate?

jabam

Not sure what you are saying "actually having better relations would work better". How do we do that without talking?  

RRP

I'm cool with the "have a family or just couple" over, BUT don't you kinda believe those are not the folks who go to bed hating and planning to kill as many "others"? Do you know/plan to invite those others into your home to break bread, shoot the sh*t, whatever?  

jabam

I think what Lankford was talking about, is getting the conversation started. How many times have we heard Obama, Clinton, and the rest of the politicos say " we need to have a conversation". When does it start?

Jeremiah

jabam said:

I think what Lankford was talking about, is getting the conversation started. How many times have we heard Obama, Clinton, and the rest of the politicos say " we need to have a conversation". When does it start?

^^This. It's starts with us. That's what he's saying, no more no less. 

nolaegghead

jabam said:

Not sure what you are saying "actually having better relations would work better". How do we do that without talking?  

Good question.  There are several vectors which we control.  One - through policy and training in institutions.  Actually, the Dallas PD is a leader in this relative to many other police departments.  This is all over the news.  Two - through legislation - lots of pushback on anything progressive here.  Three - corporate entities promoting integration.  Most large successful companies are already progressing here.

I'm not saying we don't need to talk, we do.  Tell me if you think the most viable, realistic solution is to literally invite someone over for dinner and talk.  I understand where the guy is coming from - we need grassroots solutions.  But suggesting elective solutions are more talking points than reality.

You're not going to change someone with talking points.  You need to go above the individual with policy.  Eventually all the old sourpuss racist buggers will die off, and hopefully newer generations will be more tolerant, more empathetic.  This has been happening for hundreds of years, but it is a slow process.

Jeremiah

Nola for once I couldn't agree more
with you. Like I said originally the guy is simply stating that it begins with us, one on one,  and proceeds from there. We're all different, so rather than ignore it until it rears an ugly head, discuss it, move on, and coexist. 

jabam

nolaegghead said:

jabam said:

Not sure what you are saying "actually having better relations would work better". How do we do that without talking?  

Good question.  There are several vectors which we control.  One - through policy and training in institutions.  Actually, the Dallas PD is a leader in this relative to many other police departments.  This is all over the news.  Two - through legislation - lots of pushback on anything progressive here.  Three - corporate entities promoting integration.  Most large successful companies are already progressing here.

I'm not saying we don't need to talk, we do.  Tell me if you think the most viable, realistic solution is to literally invite someone over for dinner and talk.  I understand where the guy is coming from - we need grassroots solutions.  But suggesting elective solutions are more talking points than reality.

You're not going to change someone with talking points.  You need to go above the individual with policy.  Eventually all the old sourpuss racist buggers will die off, and hopefully newer generations will be more tolerant, more empathetic.  This has been happening for hundreds of years, but it is a slow process.

Couldn't agree more! Except I do think people can change with conversation and talking points as long as people have an open mind. 

victor1

Lankford makes sense, we do have to talk.  We also have to listen.  Honestly listen.  There is only one race, the human race and we all share in the universal brotherhood of man. Racism, Bigotry are not genitic or heridiatory

nolaegghead

Good point @victor1 - it's like we need an alien invasion to get people to stop this "us vs them for some bs reason" thing.

Catholics were at war with protestants in Ireland for decades.  wtf - right?!  I don't even know the difference between the two.  Magic works in magical ways.    (disclaimer - I am not disrespecting anyone's right to believe in anything they want to as long as said beliefs don't trickle down in to legislation that make me have to do stuff that I should be free to do because it doesn't hurt anyone).

cheeaa

Problem is theres just too many stupid people. Everywhere. 

nolaegghead

i think ignorant is more accurate (benefit of the doubt and all that), but i agree with the sentiment.

Darby_Crenshaw

I have no problem with anyone's religion

but i have a monster issue when their religion has a problem with me

dopey

I won't get started on how many friends of whatever color and / or sexuality I have, but we are all on the same playing field as far as $$ goes.  I can't see myself inviting someone from the north end of Hartford to dinner at my house and expect we're going to have something in common.

gamason

On of the main things I notice is how people get hung up on terminology, and use the words they use because they don't know any better. Im not a racist. I don't believe my race is superior to anyone elses. The correct term to use in most of these situations is bigot. But there is no shock value in using that word.  I think all of us could fall in to that category from time to time. The only way to solve todays issues is to stop all the name calling. What we have wrong in this country is a "cultural" issue. I could care less if your pink with purple polka dots, if you act like a junior grade thug with an entitlement mentality, and that everyone owes you something and that your not responsible for your own actions, you are no longer part of a normally functioning society. I usually don't say this much on this or any site and I hope I have made a coherent point in my ramblings. BTW Im cooking a steak tonight on the BGE.

Legume

Thanks for posting @Jeremiah, I like how he brought this down to a personal responsibility from the broad 'we' that generally means "I agree, someone (else) should do something"

I would like to add, we see racism and bigotry in our daily lives.  We need to more actively not tolerate it - and I mean within our own tribe.  When I see or hear someone in my race express bigotry or hate, I need to call them out on it, make it clear that's not ok with me, not in my presence.  I can't make someone stop hating or stop being a bigot, but I can certainly let them know it's not ok to express that around me, or in public.  Saying nothing sure looks like I'm ok with it.

fishlessman

ive had the conversations, my neighborhood is pretty much international. been asked the questions, sometimes its hard to come up with answers. black neighbor next door asked me what i thought about obama about 8 years ago, yikes , i told her what i thought. told her it will set back race relations 30 years. now it looks like this happened, but its more than that, theres been no talking, the silence between the sides has festered too much hatred in some, not all, but some. it doesnt take many. talking seems better than white supremists and black panthers bringing guns to the republican convention coming up, but those two groups are neer going to talk. my neighbor hood is all blue collar, all camp owners.. black, white, chinese, canadian....we all hate the canadians joking bustin out handles of crown saturday, the town lights the fireworks up over the camp. gotta get the steamer pot out for the lobsters.  seeing what i wrote and see whats in common, its the crown apple crown for the ladies. now how do i get these people to stay off my lawn

jabam

HeavyG

fishlessman said:

...black neighbor next door asked me what i thought about obama about 8 years ago, yikes , i told her what i thought. told her it will set back race relations 30 years. now it looks like this happened,...

How has Obama set back race relations 30 years (were race relations really better thirty years ago?)???? 

Is it just because a partially black man resides in the White House and that has upset a lot of pre-existent bigotry from some angry white people?

fishlessman

HeavyG said:

fishlessman said:

...black neighbor next door asked me what i thought about obama about 8 years ago, yikes , i told her what i thought. told her it will set back race relations 30 years. now it looks like this happened,...

How has Obama set back race relations 30 years (were race relations really better thirty years ago?)???? 

Is it just because a partially black man resides in the White House and that has upset a lot of pre-existent bigotry from some angry white people?

yep, they were not ready, neither side is really ready. i do appreciate how you cut my statement in half though, nothing a bout a quiet bubble of hate with the few on both sides that is busting open with violence, it was just a matter of time. im not blaming obama. hatred is on the rise despite how the graphs look, everybodys pouncing on everybody. the bigotry comes from both sides just that cant be said, funny way to have a conversation if one side cant say what they feel, its worse than dems and rep trying to have a conversation in congress.

gamason

HeavyG said:

fishlessman said:

...black neighbor next door asked me what i thought about obama about 8 years ago, yikes , i told her what i thought. told her it will set back race relations 30 years. now it looks like this happened,...

How has Obama set back race relations 30 years (were race relations really better thirty years ago?)???? 

Is it just because a partially black man resides in the White House and that has upset a lot of pre-existent bigotry from some angry white people?

I could answer that question, but I do not want to banned from this site. Lets just say that the entitlement expectations went up exponentially when he was elected, and now we are seeing the results of that mind set.

tonyled

entitlement expectation?  along with every generation before us we are falling right in line with the idiom that the generation behind us is doomed

sctdg

As a kid in the 50's and early 60's I lived in the South Bronx ,was chased and shot at because I am white .Called all kinds of names because my father was Jewish .Went to War for this country as a 19 year old and saw a lot of the same there . I don't particularly like what is going down these days in regard to what race is persecuted (especially what comes out of the White House) . I think it is written somewhere that when right is wrong and wrong is right the end is near .If you look at what is going down we got maybe a couple minutes left . My family came from Hungary and Italy in the 1900's ,they had nothing to do with anything concerning slavery and such ,hell the Jews were one of the original slaves . You don't hear much said about persecution of Jews or the stereotyping of Italians .All I know is what I experienced in my 67 years and for me the Guess Who's Coming to Dinner thing is meaningless .I'm not a racist I'm a realist .