Comments on: Dyson’s theory of random fate

By: Juan Garner

Juan Garner — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:02:26 +0000

Great points were made. THANK YOU for pointing out the fact that the statistic that there are more black males in jail than there are in college. What they don’t tell you is that the sample group (the people they choose to look for for their info) they use are people from college age (18) up through at least age 40, so yes if you look at it that way there will be more in jail than in college but if you look at it from the perspective of the age group that’s typically in college these days (18-26, somtimes a littole odler depending on what’s being pursued), then the statistic reflects the reality that for those that should be in college, there are more in college than in jail. I’m so sick of hearing that bullshit! I’ve taken a statistics class so I know how statisitics can be manipulated to show whatever it is you want them to show. Statisitcs are not a representation of truth or lies, but are information that can represent either or depending on what side you’re on. If you’ve already done an article on why that statistic is false, I say post it again, send it to radio stations that African Americans listen to, do whatever you can to get that info out because so many people ignorantly rely on that stupid so-called information.

By: valentine ameli

valentine ameli — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:55:35 +0000

Interesting exchange.
I must say all of you may just be right. As the legal maxim goes, every case turns around its facts-no fast and quick rules. Some light skin kids may be favored, others may be treated more severely so as not to allow them develop a self-defeating superiority complex (Malcolm X’s case). In some African ethnic groups (ex. the bamileke of W.Africa),light skinned women are more ‘costly’ to marry in terms of the bride price.

By: Zack

Zack — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 16:36:44 +0000

Give It A Rest,
Stop by my blog for an example of how LOOKS don’t have a DAMN thing to do with how my siblings and I were raised. In fact, I omitted that my fair-skinned Mom and her deep-chocolate sister squabble about this from time to time. My Mom was slightly neglected, despite her having light skin. On the other hand, my aunt- who feels that my grandparents disliked her dark skin- was given preferential treatment (music lessons, speech classes, the whole 9).

I understand your viewpoint, but try listening to other people sometimes. You might learn something, rather than trying to “school” Duane on his own blog.

By: Give it a rest

Give it a rest — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:43:05 +0000

Duane,

You are taking a very complicated issue and trying to simplify it.
My grandmother used to tell me the story about how she and her sister were paraded around her Catholic elementary school because the Nuns could not believe that these two girls, one dark, one light-skinned could possible be sisters! While this PARTICULAR incident did happen over 60 years ago incidents such as this are NOT uncommon today. Maybe they will not be done in such an overt fashion but stuff like this is still done to our children everyday and have profound effects on them that will affect them for the rest of their lives.

Duane, the reason you will find a great deal of middle-class blacks that are NOT afraid to admit that racism DOES have a different effect on different memebers of the same family is simply because they know it to be the truth. They have seen it with their own eyes!

Duane you can have identical black twins and one night one might get accused of a crime and beat up on by some racist cops. This incident might leave a level of fear and self-hate in that twin that the other will NEVER understand at any point in their life. Needless to say one twin will go on though life with a damaged self-esteem that will prevent him from achiving what the other twin can attian with ease.

Duane, now going back to sibling of different skin tones. The first thing we need to be consious of is how the parents of these children respond to them. It is common for the black child to have his/her spirit broken within their own home because their parents are treating the lighter (or darker) skinned child(ren) with preference.
Children are self-forefilling prophacies if you make them believe they are good they will be good, on the otherhand if you make them believe they are bad or worthless they WILL behave accordingly.

To believe that just because people come from the same family they should all be equally successful is silly and childish. You appear to be attempting to turn a psycological problem into a socialological one. The first question you need to ask yourself about Dyson is how truthful is he being with himself and to any readers of his letters? Maybe a great deal of his continued support for his brother stems out of the fact that he knows his brother really did get a raw deal at the hands of the parents that were instamental in Dyson’s own success (AND HE LOVES).
Duane are you considering the fact that maybe Dyson brings up the issue of color because he was the FAVORED light-skinned son, and in his heart he knows it.

By: Zack

Zack — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:37:28 +0000

Duane, this is an excellent post! I have similar views about this matter. And you “sealed the deal” with your comments about black juries in black cities. BRAVO!

And you’re a better radio commentator than I am. But don’t tell Mo’Kelly.

By: captkidney

captkidney — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:57:40 +0000

Excellant post! Race issues aside, we have become a nation of irresponsible whiners. It’s good to see you call Dyson out on it.

By: WBMT

WBMT — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 08:43:11 +0000

once again, well said, I will be posting something via youtube over the next day or so addressing specifically some of the statistical “claims” made in the piece. Keep doing the good and necessary work!