Reply #44: Racism is the core of every problem that we have in this country.

[Kingstree]

the only thing that has changed over hundreds of years are the laws, which starting with the Constitution, govern race and control the way race relations is viewed. From the outset of this country, laws and policy have been the key factor in how race has been affected. "A'' Men Are Created Equal" The Constitution was not intended to include black people as equal because slaves were intentionally captured, enslaved and brought to America to work the cotton and tobacco fields for economic reasons and were viewed and identified by law, as inventory, the same as farm animals or the plow used to till the soil. Even some of the writers of the Constitution owned slaves. The whites of this nation created and embraced that philosophy and saw no problem with it, so as this country's economy grew on the backs of slave labor, whites, without conscious, used slave labor as their means livelihood and success because the law deemed it necessary. This was political correctness at the time.

The economic benefits of slavery in the South benefited the entire nation, not just the South. The laws ensured for whites a life of fulfillment and prosperity while slaves faced a life of isolation, illiteracy, disease punishment, justified violence, rape, family separation (selling of slaves) degradation and warranted/justified death. This intent created a life long atmosphere of pain and suffering for the economic growth of this country and kept whites safe and sound. Did any slave owner, businessman or politician have any remorse or an attack of conscious to change this system when economically this country prospered? No. Slavery could have been stopped at any time prior to Lincoln. Move forward just after slavery. After the Emancipation Proclamation, did any laws really change? Did any attitudes really change? Not really, just a new set of rules to continue this horrid process. Were free blacks given the opportunity to improve their current situation? No. The same standards were "tweaked". Blacks were "free" but what exactly did that mean? Some who could, moved North but the majority became "share croppers" or slave- lite. No real social, economic or educational progress equal or close to whites, only terror, manipulation (the KKK, hanging, cross burning etc) by whites to continue their philosophy ans superiority. If you forward to the Civil Rights era and the "Jim Crow" laws, this standard softened and remained but in each case, whites followed the rule of law and embraced it. This same attitude toward blacks (and other minorities) has not really changed for millions of whites in this country today and even the ones who came here from other nations embraced it, only the laws restricts, mandate and limit behavior.

So to me, it's no surprise that many whites, who can trace their ancestry back to slave owners and administrators, will justify their non support of reparations. Why would their attitude change or stance be any different? This is your legacy that was created and supported.. This does not include all whites since millions cames from other countries well after slavery and yes how do you identify who's at fault and who receives? Difficult. In this country, racism has and is an institutionally created mental process passed down by generations to oppress and it is the only thing that can't be discussed among black and whites as a nation freely without discomfort. WE NEED TO GET GET PASS THIS. Many whites today still feel the same way be it "redneck" or corporate suit, but the laws still guide outward actions for many but mentally some are no different.