Some people ask, 'Ro, why do believe these things about white Americans?'

And my answer is I believe what people tell me.

Despite the fact of the economy being healthier under Democrats, https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2012/10/10/want-a-better-economy-history-says-vote-democrat/#6f6f14ccb449 white people continuously vote for GOP candidates that harm their communities. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/jun/05/why-working-class-people-vote-conservative

Get upset with me all you want, but what I say about what people is pure fact.

Let's stick with crime.

According the last census, Black Americans represent about 14% of the overall population [PDF link] https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-06.pdf but are constantly blamed for being responsible for most crime in the US, which is a straight up lie. http://racisminamerica.org/truth-fbi-crime-statistics-race/

To believe 14% of the population is responsible for most crime in a country of 300+ million people is simply irrational.

And we all know that's where racism lives.

Let's make a point about social programs.

One of the main pillars of racist dogma is that everyone other than the largest social group in American benefits from social programs.

The data, however, clearly shows that this is a lie with Black and white folks being pretty much even. https://www.reference.com/government-politics/race-percentage-welfare-recipients-fb9188762a3fe221#

Yet despite this reality, Blacks on welfare continues to be one of the most pernicious beliefs white people carry and is constantly being exploited for votes.

We talked about the economy already, but let's focus on jobs.

White Americans complain a lot about not having enough employment opportunities, which is understandable. What is not understandable is why they continue to support candidates that create policy that reward companies for outsourcing employment. https://aflcio.org/2017/11/7/giant-tax-cut-corporations-outsource-jobs

That doesn't make much sense, does it?

I could go on, but you get the idea.

I don't speak about white Americans in a frank manner because I have some weird dislike for non-melinated people. Hating people based on their level of melanin is absurd to me.

However, when I talk about white people I am talking about the culture of people that subscribe to this ideology and who view the world through this prism.

We see this culture reaffirm itself again and again in the US. And I'm going to honest about that.

The US is not going to get any better until we start having honest conversations about why we are constantly in crisis and why solutions to those problems are not only not being implemented, but ignored.

Based on the data, I believe the core of the problem is white America's intransigence to logic and reason and their refusal to be reasonable even as their decisions kill them.

It just is what it is. If talking about that reality hurts your feelings, oh well.

@Are0h I think you're right. Largely people are ignorant and blind to privilege. Without that basic understanding, or willingness to engage at all, it's... The clincher (I think you thought of this a month or so ago) is when it impacts their way of life, *then* they will listen. Until then, people enable themselves to stay blind.

There will be a way. My children don't think like my parents did (and neither do I). One person at a time, change can and will happen.

@lauraritchie I argue the point that white folks will change when it starts affecting their way of life. It doesn't appear that they are.

I say this because white people voting against themselves is a very well documented occurrence in the States. I dropped some links talking about this earlier in the thread.

I think the country will change, but we still gotta deal with the damage white people are causing b/c they don't want to be reasonable concerning reality.

@gamehawk @lauraritchie And from where I stand, that's a choice. It is a decision to remain that ignorant.

There are plenty of resources and places to get information about whatever.

A lot of white people are simply refusing to look at anything that doesn't validate their feelings.

And that stubbornness is the core of every national issue we have.

I understand it's hard, but imagine being at the receiving end of all of that hate.

@Are0h @lauraritchie I think it started out that way, and now it's become very cult-like. Fox, I think is literally brainwashing people. And, like cultists, they'll get angry and cut off communication with family members rather than admit they're wrong. All those other resources are clearly just part of the Grand Conspiracy against them.

It would be easiest to just write them off except, as you say, the damage they're doing is far from limited to themselves.

@gamehawk @lauraritchie It's always been cult like. And I hear people say it's brainwashing, but at the same time other social groups in America have realized what is happening and have, for the most part resisted it. So I am less inclined to believe white Americans are more susceptible to coercion that other people in the country.

And it's not about writing anyone off. They are making that decision for themselves by clinging their bigotry.

@Are0h @lauraritchie True, but white Americans are the ones with a vested interest in maintaining the status quo. It's a whole lot easier to just keep your eyes closed and hope things work themselves out when you're more-or-less on top.

I'm not saying it's okay (it's not okay) but... it's understandable.

@gamehawk @lauraritchie To a certain extent I understand that, but the 'status quo' as you say is really hurting white people as well. Check this out: https://newrepublic.com/article/120370/five-graphics-show-why-post-white-america-already-here

And with the opioid crisis that gutting white Americans in rural areas, I would argue the status quo isn't working out too well for them as well.

White people keeping their eyes closed is really hurting them right now.

That might be understandable for you, but not so much for everyone else

@Are0h @lauraritchie Oh, you're not wrong. I'm just pessimistic about people's ability to make intelligent decisions. Given half an excuse they'll plug their ears and go LALALALALA. And the average R voter has half an excuse.

(Gonna keep yelling at them anyway, because as you say the status quo is hurting EVERYBODY and just because it hurts white folks less, especially Old Straight White Dudes, is no excuse.)