My reference to your lineage was simply one made on statistics; I don't know your precise family tree. But the facts are African Americans are more likely to be linked to slave owners than whites. And as you note, African Americans are more likely to be linked to slaves than whites, both are true.
Obama being an unusual example, in the fact, that his mother was descended from slaveowners, and his father was an African immigrant, but from Obama forward all his descendants will have "slaveowner blood". His story is not unusual and that does not make him responsible for the actions of his ancestors.
Anyone coming from the South is more likely to have "slaveowners" in their family tree regardless of skin color.
But no black person who has slaveowner blood should feel responsible for slavery and neither should any white child by virtue of their skin color feel responsible for slavery. We do not inherit the sins of the past. What we should all feel is that slavery is wrong and try to end it everywhere.
Exactly what are you doing to "fight" for your rights in this country. How are those rights being denied? Your experience is very different from my black daughter-in-law and my ex black son-in-law. I have not heard my teenage black grandchildren speak about fighting for their rights. So, which of your civil rights are being infringed on. I oppose anyone having their rights infringed upon. But can you be specific?
I don't doubt racism exists in this country. We need to promote integration and walk away from the many separatist movements in this country. Any group whether black or white that promotes special rights and privileges based on skin color is promoting systemic racism and it needs ot end.
Can you sight any special attempts these days for special "white" rights? I know of fringe white supremacist groups that exist and I condemn them for their beliefs, do you do the same of black groups that hold separatist's beliefs?
My grandchildren
Great question.
Four of my five black grandchildren were visiting last week over spring break, and we had a great time, they range from 11-16. We talked some on the subject of growing up and preparing for life.
I teach my grandchildren that they will encounter racism in their lives just as I have. I was assaulted as teenager by a black gang during the 67 race riots walking home from school. No matter who you are racism is a threat... so be aware of your surroundings. I was innocent at the time and got hurt (and educated). But I never associated that attack with blacks being racist, just that some were.
As a side note, two of the youngest black children that attacked me were my age (the others were older). The two youngest went on to become my friends through sports (and apologized for attacking me. The 67 riots were bad, and people did stupid things.
Sports are amazing. It teaches you that your team is not about the color of someone's skin, but whether you are on the same side. My best friend on the football team was one of the kids that beat the crap out of me a few years earlier... go figure. We remain friends to this day. People change.
I think my son had a similar experience playing basketball. He started out playing basketball with black athletes, found their sisters attractive and started dating black girls. Eventually, he met his wife in Church (a black immigrant from Africa).
I think sports broke down the racial barrier and his love of basketball brought him into constant contact with blacks. Even today, at 48, he drives to a basketball court in a black neighborhood in Philly to play basketball because the competition is better. I laugh when he says that young blacks see him as white until they realize he can "play", then they see him as a basketball player they respect. So, yes, for many people including blacks, skin color is the first thing they see. But people change... those who can't are the ones to worry about.
One of my grandsons is the only black player on his elite club soccer team. He bears my father's name, "Otto". Can you imagine the surprise, when people see a black kid with a name that sounds like he just got off the boat from Germany? But talent is the great equalizer. His teammates don't care about his skin color, because he can play.
Like me and his father, sports has bridged the racial gap.
And that is my message to my grandchildren. They may encounter racism, but the country is not racist. However, if they want to succeed, they have to show they can "play". Whether in sports, business, or academics, everyone has to prove themselves and if you can "play" you will have plenty of people that see you for who you really are and not for the color of your skin.
Corporations and academic institutions have embraced diversity (even if some reject any form of discrimination including affirmative action). I ran a company with 42,000 employees, was an executive for Blue Cross, Merrill Lynch, and several other major corporations during my career and every one of them were attempting to achieve greater diversity.
For my black grandchildren, this is a huge opportunity, but they need to "punch their tickets". That "ticket" is they must complete high school and then go on to earn a valuable skill or degree. Combining that "ticket" with the ability to work well with others (learned in activities involving people from different walks of life), the world will be theirs.
As CEO of a company with 42,000 employees, the vast majority of workers were not "white men", if you can lead people of all genders, races, religions, etc. there is no future for you in management. White men are far too small a demographic to build a big around today.
I encourage my grandchildren to seek out friends who have "success" values not who share their skin color. My second youngest daughter took IB in school (a very rigorous track in public school comprised of the top students in a school of 3000 children, those children came from all walks of life but were committed to education as their "ticket" to a successful life. Today this daughter is in medical school and most of her high school friends have gone on to amazing futures. Less than half the group was "white".
My black granddaughter is on the same track. She has a 3.9 GPA in school and is first seed on her high school tennis team as a sophomore. She started taking college courses over the summer at age 13 and so far, has a 4.0 college GPA. Her boyfriend's family is from South America. I don't doubt he notices she is "black", but it does not seem to bother him... and why should it... she is an amazing young lady.
I am a religious person and I point out to my grandchildren that God created man and woman in his image... that image is not black, white, or any other shade. And if they encounter racism, they should apply Matthew 10:14 "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet as you leave.
The word is just so full of good people, we should not let the bad people shape our views. We can't be oblivious to racism, or you could get hurt like I did, but don't likewise judge others by the color of their skin or like me and their dad, they might miss out on meeting people that may become their spouse or best friends in life. For my black grandchildren, this is a huge advantage they can use, for my Asian daughters it is not. That is reality.
Being black can be an advantage and being Asian a disadvantage simply because companies pursuing diversity will lean in towards groups that are underrepresented, but skin color goes not guarantee success, at best it can give you a better chance to prove yourself.
But at the end of the days, "the starters" will be determined based on their skills. We were watching an NBA game on TV and asked my grandson did he think the black players were starting because they were black, he said, "no", they were better. I said "exactly" and then I told him to "be better" at whatever he chooses to make "his sport" (in his case, he loves computer programming and has already built a game online at age 11, that has been played by over 2000 people. Now if he would only stop "pranking" his teachers, he can have a great future.
