[rainmaker]

Originally posted by M&M Guy

This is where I disagree; not with the general idea, but with the implication that our current society is set up that way. It seems as though the argument starts to to depend on "leap of faith" logic to make the point.

What leap of faith would that be? I don't understand your point.

Originally posted by rainmaker
Instead of blaming the folks over there, let's just get the darn thing demolished! Then it will be easier to see how much is caused by the victim mentality, and how much really is true victimization.

This is a great idea, in theory. How can anyone with any rational thought process disagree?[/QUOTE]

C'mon, MM, you know people that disagree. "It's not my problem." "I'm not gonna hire 'em" "As long as they stay away from my daughter." There are lots and lots of people out there who just don't care, and who actually profit from having the wall in place.

But what if the "non-victim" victims don't want it torn down? If it is, they would have to take personal reponsibilty for their position in life, rather than being able to blame someone else, or society.

The whole point is that it's not something individuals have any choice about. The "non-victim" victims can't decide they want the wall to be still there for themselves, just like the power elite can't choose to knock it down or keep it up by themselves, individually. That's part of the definition of racism -- it's built into the institutions, and the cultural expectations of the larger society and it can't be managed one person at a time.

Many of the bricks have indeed disappeared over time; that is why things like slavery have disappeared in this country. And, as more people become enlightened, more bricks will disappear.

Enlightening individuals won't do it. People have to actively seek to understand and be accountable for the ways that racism is built into the very fabric of this country. We need to address the structure, not just our own individual opinions.

But making the entire wall vanish will be the hardest, because human nature dictates that some people don't want the wall gone.

The trick isn't to convince everyone, but to see the structure clearly, and address issues that way. When you can focus on the "infra-structure", you'll see a lot more what can be done and how to go about it.