Comments on: Recessions and black America

By: EdK

EdK — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:35:13 +0000

Suggestion, get and watch the entire HBO series "WIRE". Very true example of urban youth, Especially the classroom scenes. It is unfrotunate that we watch this culture destroy itself, but it is multi generational and will take time to turn around and more time to build trust.

I for one am more concerned with capability and ability than skin color. Make me look good, show you are trying, speak well and be a good representative of my company. You won't be laid off and if for some reason you must be, you won't be the first and you will be first to return. No magic and no color issue, just simple work ethic.

This is America, we're all mutts, we're all from somewhere else, if you make an effort to fit in and do a good job, you will find work.

By: matt

matt — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:25:04 +0000

AHH...finally the slavery issue. Umm...what were slave buyers and thus slave traders looking for:Healthy strong negroes or brainiacs??? Logically the rate of higher education among blacks now is quite low compared to others. BTW, i do not intend to be racist here, just simply trying to rationalize why blacks, after 200 almost 200 year free from slavery, are still lagging behind other races in this country.

By: Rippleyaliens

Rippleyaliens — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:23:02 +0000

AHH, The anger is in the air. Blacks this, blacks that.. Well, once again, this is Generation Y.. Both Whites and Blacks, TODAY, know not true racism. BUT the feelings are still here. Just read the statements. 98% of blacks, blah, blah, blah.. Dude, i am black, and i dont know 100 Blacks..myself. So how can you know 100 blacks, and 2 are good to go???
It is very easy for white america, TODAY, 2008.. To say i'm not racist.. etc... TheFacts speak for themselves. Why are all these blacks messed up? well if you had -0- choice on where to go to school, where to grow up... You speak as if Every Black should be able to be like a typical white. It just doesnt happen over night.

Today, Whites wonder themselves , why does black america have the attitudes we have? 10-12 Generations ago, Whites were in the same shoes, but was a different Country.. Great Britian. Whites evolved, to form the Great USA. Blacks, well we have came a LONG!!! way, in relative short amount of time. 50 years ago, blacks couldnt even ride the bus, without getting arrested. You must admit, things were like that. In the past? you say?? STILL Creating wealth takes generations... Pushing for education takes WEALTH.. Raising your Kids take Time and Money. Something that Blacks are just now getting. Yes recession hits Blacks hard. DUH.. But LIKE other people have said, it hits all races.
Why so serious

By: JUSITN

JUSITN — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:23:00 +0000

Congrats to CNN, on a topic thats only purpose is to bring people to watch thier lowsy programming.... wonder how much the commercials segments cost and whos pocket the money goes into.... bet its the WHITE man.....

By: JUSITN

JUSITN — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:19:59 +0000

Waaaaa.....Waaaa....Waaaaa....

Stop crying.... get a job....

Its tough on all people, but you have to fight to get ahead in life. Stop relying on the government to feed you, and get you job. Its hard on everyone except the few born into money. You make your own choices in life so live with them, its no one elses fault.

I'm tired of the "i couldn't help that I got addicted to drugs and forced into a life of crime to get by".... please

By: Annie Kate

Annie Kate — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:18:15 +0000

With jobs being off-shored employment chances get worse for everyone here in America especially in some job sectors. I'm sure blacks have a tough time finding a job but older workers no matter what their color have trouble as well – if you are an experienced worker over 50 you are usually passed up for someone out of college with only a few years of experience because they can be paid so much cheaper – or at least that is the perception. I know several older workers who would work for the same wages as the young just to have some work. We need to look at our job market and our employment practices for everyone – there is lots of discrimination in it and its not just racial discrimination.

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

By: Earl

Earl — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:39:29 +0000

What my fellow Americans are failing to realize is that regardless of the job situation, black people are always the first to be fired from a job regardless of education. So for all you folks out there talking about black men having babies and not being responsible; you need to look in your own back yard before you pass judgment. I don’t see white men taking care of their responsibilities. So lets stick to the facts, which are black people are the last to be hired and the first to be fired.

By: Loretta from California

Loretta from California — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:36:38 +0000

1% of black males have successfully obtained a place in cooperate America and 60% of white Americans believe that this is a great improvement since the 1960’s.
_____________________________________________________
It is tough to obtain a place in corporate America when you don’t have 2 parents taking care of you as a family. The truth of the matter is that their is competition for these jobs, and an individual who has two parents making sure that they are doing their hw is going to have an advantage over someone whose family is not encouraging them. If blacks do not want a family that is their own choice, but please do not act like the repurcussions are due to racism or descrimination
_____________________________________________________
@Dan
So this answers the question as to why 60% of white Americans believe that there has been much improvement

Let's say you are correct (as insane as this sounds) and there is no racism. That we African Americans are completely responsible for the condition in which we live today, Why, when only 1% of African American males are successfully employed by cooperate America, would anyone believe that "this is a GREAT improvement" since the 1960's

By: Allan

Allan — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:16:16 +0000

Three things are Important in finding and keeping a good job for the Average Working Class American. Note: Statements Below Do Not Apply to Blue-Bloods and Trust Fund Babies.

1) Ability to communicate in the workplace in English =Proper English.
2) Discipline to tough out ugly starting wage jobs for chance at a promotion to a decent family wage job: (paying your dues to climb up).
3) Desire to learn new skills continuously throughout your working career. (Or loose your job to an Asian making $1.00 per day).

Find a young Black (Or White or Red) American who is doing all of these three things, and you will find a person who has gainful employment. Trouble is Gen X and GenY are the "entitlement" generations who want a 100K job without any means of attaining a 20K job, now that Walmart has helped export every last family wage manufacturing job to asia.

By: johann

johann — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:16:00 +0000

Currently, there are more african american men in prison than there are in college.

Education is how to get ahead in this world.

Figure it out!

By: michael

michael — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:42:47 +0000

The Koreans, Asians and other minorities dont have Reverend Jackson or others railing against the system. Insteady, their two parent families makes sure they succeed in school and they end up doing well in college.

Until the black community looks within and gets control of the social ills that plague them at a much higher level than other cultures – high % single parent homes, lack of male parent, unwed teenage mothers, etc. the problems will continue. With fewer manufacturing jobs unless you speak Chinese or Indian, best to stay in school, stay off drugs and out of the bedroom.

By: Andre

Andre — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:32:01 +0000

WOW...good to see the country coming together in unity LOL

By: EdK

EdK — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:26:07 +0000

During the time you mention, I was renovating brownstones in DC. My experience: Many job applicants with no experience, not really a problem. Showing up late, showing up only 3 days a week, Showing up drunk, showing late and drunk, retuning from lunch drunk or high, going out to lunch and notcoming back, these are the problems. Unfortunatley,this was the rule rather than the exception. It is very hard to retain an employee with such a lack of discipline.

By: H P

H P — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:19:26 +0000

Nicho, just chill. Watch your blood pressure!!
The recession doesn't discriminate. It affects us all.
Personally, I think this program and blog only tarnish the black image. It gives me the impression that the black people are weak and just like to complaint for everything including their own messes. However, all my black co-workers are none of that. They are strong-minded, logical and smart individuals, who would face any hardship / obstacle head-on with a smile. So in a nut shell, this is not helping the black communities and certainly our current black Preditial Candidate.
FYI, our line of work is white-male dominant, but I (asian & female) and my black co-worker are still shine.

By: sdickey

sdickey — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 22:04:44 +0000

The reasons why they are effected is look at the drop out rate from school. Do not put the race card in this issue. There are also other factors that make them more effected by a recession. Living in Metro areas. that are impacted the hardest.

By: Lawrence

Lawrence — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:55:00 +0000

*Points to vince* if your going to look for everlasting pity, that's not going to work.......

Slavery, segregation, discrimination, yes it did happen.
But blacks can't move forward if their culture consistently lives in the past. A past that was cruel and unforgettable but must be left behind.
Those people fought back then to win our (yes, I'm black too) freedom.
Yet, some of our fellow black people tarnish their legacy by resorting to violence, drugs and in other cases acquiescence.

Yes, we are disadvantaged (like I said in my last post), always have been. But doesn’t mean we have to act helpless, desperate or stupid in the event of this crisis. Instead, we should strive to make our mark in society, breakthrough the invisible ceiling.

By: In DC

In DC — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:53:22 +0000

re: Vince – Phoenix *clap clap clap*

By: Racists_R_Stupid

Racists_R_Stupid — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:22:27 +0000

Wow.. all it takes is a column reporting about the hard economic condition facing the Black community – and voila all the racists started crawling out under their bigoted rocks to mount an attack of a simple reporting facts. The writer did not even mention anything about "racism" or "what government hand out needed to be given to the Black community" – all they said was the statistics bear the fact that THESE people lose their jobs fast in a recession, and the fact that they don't get their jobs back as quick during the recover.
And here we have – everyone spouting "I hate this . I hate that" .. Well look in the mirror – you are your hate , you idiotic mindless neanderthals.. no wonder the world is eating your lunch !!!

By: NoWay

NoWay — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:14:29 +0000

But how is the recession affecting Obama? Why isn't this article focused on Obama? Isn't all the press supposed to be writing about Obama right now?

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 21:13:02 +0000

There are a lot of people who are hurting because of the 'recession', regardless of colour, nationality, and culture. We all agree with this, but the main point here is that blacks suffer the most when there is a recession, and after the recession has subsided. We still do not live in an equal society, and when times get tough, it becomes even tougher for blacks on a whole. So are we equal?