Are people guilty for the sins of their ancestors?

[prezbucky]

"Do you really think that the majority of poor US black people can reach the highest heights that you yourself seem to live in?"

I know this wasn't addressed to me, but it oozes Communist/liberal defeatism, which I cannot allow to go unscathed:

Yes, Molly, anyone in this country -- African-Americans included -- can succeed. There are things like handicaps that might impede someone's progress toward greatness, but even handicaps can be overcome (look at Hawking).

Even if a person is dumb and unable to take advantage of all the economic and social liberties that are offered here, it profits him nothing to be pessimistic.

Ninety-six percent (or some such lofty figure) of all American millionaires are self-made -- IE, they made their fortunes on their own.

But to be successful, most people have to WANT TO BE successful, believe that they can be successful, and take (sometimes risky, time-consuming and/or difficult) steps toward becoming successful. Not many people become successful by being lazy.

Everyone here has an opportunity to try. Those who don't try, but who whine about not being rich, cannot bitch about it. Those who try and fail -- hey, there are no guarantees. When there is economic liberty, there cannot be economic equality. The two cannot exist together, because some are simply better at making money (and whatever goes into that -- endless list of attributes) than others. But are the rich villains? Mostly not, imo. We rely on our captains of industry to create jobs for the rest of us -- I can stomach people being obscenely rich because I believe in free enterprise and because those people generally create a lot of opportunities for others.

But there are degrees of success, and a person doesn't have to be a millionaire to consider himself successful. Compared to what their lot would be back in Africa, most African-Americans are indeed pretty lucky to be here. They at least have opportunity to try to succeed here. They're gernerally not dodging bullets at the local polling station or UN grain drop-off station.

[Jamie (K)]

[prezbucky]

hehe, ahhh, NO

Can you imagine the issues with figuring out

a) How much each white person owes, and
b) How much each black person gets

?

What would A and B be based on? Would white people pay based on whether or not their ancestors had slaves? Would black people collect based on how many of their ancestors were slaves?

How could either be proved -- how good was the record-keeping back then, and have those records been saved? Are they reliable, and how could that be proven?

It would just be a mess. And that's just the practical side of it.

[prezbucky]

I think the best we can do is treat each other with respect now, teach our kids to do the same, and pray that they continue to improve mankind in that capacity. We can't move forward if we're constantly looking back. We can't end racism by dwelling on race-based policy.

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]

[prezbucky]

yep -- good points/questions all, imo.

It would be a quagmire, and not help us -- at all -- to become less racist than we are right now. (And hey, we've made great strides over the last 140ish years... and we need to keep that going, look at each other as people and not colors)

Somehow I doubt it would be only $25 per person though. Wouldn't such a negligible amount only infuriate the fire-stokers to a greater degree?

[prezbucky]

[Jamie (K)]

[prezbucky]

A day-job buddy of mine (writer/director) and I (biz director) are part of a group of four people formed to produce and sell motion pictures.

We have multiple contacts and some things look promising currently -- the point of that last emission was to say that I can understand how it takes hard work and failed attempts to make an idea profitable. I feel that pain, as our friend Mr. Clinton might have said.

hehe

[Molly]

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]

[Molly]

[Jamie (K)]