Examining Racial and Ethnic Reality Part 1: Introduction, Home and Hearth, and Education

 

Growing up in the United States in the 1960’s and 1970's, we were often told that “polite society” doesn’t publicly discuss religious, political, or sexual preferences.  Race was another such topic. Today, things have changed and it seems that everything is on the table.  There are those who seem to expect some sort of positive reinforcement for wearing their political, religious, racial, or sexual allegiance on their sleeve.

They feel entitled to an obligatory pat on the back, a celebratory ice cream cone, or handout, and when that reward isn’t forthcoming, they become offended, indignant, or defensive. They become upset that their life choices or fluke of genetics aren’t being rewarded or as impressive as they think they should be to others. 

You’re expected to embrace their world view or face being ostracized (aka “cancelled”), shouted down, physically attacked, or worse yet, being called a name and incredibly, they become indignant when they are the ones called out.  Race and ethnicity are such topics, and ones which warrant critical examination.  

Introduction

For example, when we examine race, we find something similar in the reaction. Individuals, almost two centuries removed, want not just sympathy for what some ancestor may or may not have endured, but they want to be compensated for what they never experienced. Those who look beyond color and (to quote Dr. Martin Luther King), judge people by the “content of their character” are often considered the worst offenders.

They behave as if this was a one off historical phenomena. Just one group--- white Europeans---were somehow solely responsible for the institution of slavery, forgetting that the most prolific dealers of human flesh weren’t Europeans, but the Arabs of Northern Africa (who put a premium on white flesh).

They give no thought to the historical fact that forced servitude has existed since Mankind existed. Every people and every race has at one time or another been slave and master. It’s a chain we all wear. They have also conveniently ignored the fact that it was these same white Europeans who all but put an end to this hateful institution or that they implemented legislation and taxpayer supported programs balance the scale that has existed since we roamed the African savannahs.

Equally, they’ve chosen to disavow the historical fact that it was their brethren who betrayed them and sold them into slavery, which sadly still continues to this day in Africa as well as parts of Asia. Perhaps the ancestors of the person on the street they randomly call “brother” or “sister” may been responsible for the plight of their ancestor, only to have later been caught up in the net? Such twists of fate aren’t as uncommon as one might think. It’s well documented that blacks owned black slaves in the U.S. or that native Americans had slaves of all races.

Nevertheless, for some reason, they “demand” to be compensated for what they aren’t entitled to (and arguably have already been given). They “demand” that the people who freed their distant ancestors from bondage must also assume some form of self-imposed “guilt” for doing so. Why is that? Is this anger at the people who delivered them from slavery justified or is it anger at themselves for not taking the initiative to free themselves and their refusal to place the blame where it truly belongs?

Shouldn’t their anger be more accurately directed to those who ensured their bondage in the first place, or is that just a little too close to home? If there is some sort of guilt to be had, perhaps it should be their failure to take responsibility for their own future, trading a “master” on a plantation for a politician or bureaucrat? What of the millions of immigrants who’ve come here from a different culture and customs, not speaking the language, and with next to nothing in their pockets, but have adapted very quickly?

They took advantage of the opportunities available, and as a people, kept their independence, and succeeded while the so-called “freed” people who’ve had the advantage of time, language and integration remain in a state of self-imposed bondage, blaming others for their poverty, broken homes, crime, high unemployment, alcoholism and drug abuse. If it was systematic, there should be few or no exceptions, but there are many.

In their anger at themselves, they lash out at others, such as in Cincinnati a few weeks ago, violently attacking individuals who were of no threat to them or looting the businesses of immigrants who’ve succeeded. Is this self-loathing, reversed racialism, opportunism or a combination? Let’s set aside emotions, pre-conceived ideas, and bias in order to examine the data and see what it can tell us.

Home and Hearth

According to the U.S Census Bureau, Whites have 50.5% of all live births while Blacks have 13.9%. Asians and Pacific Islanders are responsible for 6.2%. Native Americans have 0.7% of all live births, and Hispanics make up 25%. Nevertheless, the overall percentage of White and Black fertility rates have been in decline over the past several decades as has Native Americans.

 However, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Islanders on the other hand have seen their fertility rates increase, meaning that Asian and Hispanic populations are growing relatively faster than that of whites and blacks. By 2050, the U.S. is expected to reach a near racial parity with no dominate race. How that will work out remains a guess but often cited as a key factor for an eventual (and likely) balkanization of the United States.

A key factor in predicting the eventual success of a child is whether or not they are born in a dual or single parent homes. According to the Center for Equal Opportunity, Black Americans have the highest rate of illegitimate children. According to the Center, nearly 70% of Black children---69.3%-- are born out of wedlock. Compare that to 41.6% of Hispanics and 21.9% of Whites. It’s 59.3% for Native Americans. For Asians of Chinese origin, that number is 6.4% while Japanese Americans it’s 9.7%.

Two interesting asides worth mentioning are these. 45% of Black professionals (including managers) have had at least one illegitimate child compared to just 3% of White professionals.73% of Black high school students admit to having sex. That compares to 52% of Hispanic students and 44% of White students. Also, Black adults have the highest divorce rates while Asians have the lowest. Native Americans have the second highest and Hispanics have the second lowest.

When it comes to preschool care, Hispanic children are most likely to receive home centered care from a parent.  Black children are most likely to receive some form of home based care from a non-parent relative (like grandparent, aunt, uncle, etc.). White kids are most likely to receive home based care from a non-parent or relative such as a nanny or babysitter. Children of mixed race were most likely to receive preschool care from some sort of center (such as a daycare). When it came to subsidized care, Hispanic and black children were most often the beneficiaries.

The National Library of Medicine reported that Black infants tended to have lower birth weights than other groups. They also reported than less than 1/3 of children living at or under the national poverty rate took advantage of programs such as Head Start, and while Head Start tends to provide higher quality care than other centers, Black children receive poorer quality care compared to children of other races. The reasons cited were the birth weight (including high nutritional foods, as well a poor educational levels Black as well as Hispanic ethnicity, especially in family care centers.

 Interestingly, a 2013 study by the Centers for Disease and Prevention reported that 70% of Black fathers who live with their kids were active in their lives compared to 60% of Whites and 45% of Hispanics. 78% of Black fathers tended to have dinner with their children every day while 74% of White fathers and 64% of Hispanic fathers did. Additionally, 27% of Black fathers took their children to and from activities. By contrast, just 20% of White fathers did.  When it came to the all important homework and childcare, 41% of Black fathers stepped up. Meanwhile, only 29% of Hispanic fathers and 28% of White fathers helped out.  

Education

When it comes to graduation, Asian and White students have the highest rates with Asians leading the way. Among Asians and Pacific Islanders, the graduation rate is 94%. For Whites it’s 90%. Hispanic graduation rates are 83% while for Black students it’s 81% and 74% for Native Americans.  

Some additional statistics along the same lines that I found was that 68% of Asians have a bachelor’s degree or higher. That compares to just 25% of Hispanics and 44% of Whites.  On the other side of spectrum, just 4% of Asian had less than a high school diploma. Only 5% of Blacks didn’t have a high school degree along just 7% of whites. However, just over 20% of Hispanics lacked a high school diploma.

It bears mentioning the Black females graduate at a higher percentage than Black males. 64.1% go on to college and graduate. Of those, 71.5% earn a master’s degree, and out of those, an impressive 65.9% obtain a doctorate although more Black males  overall have a doctorate or professional degrees such as a law  or medical degree. It bears mentioning that Black female students face a unique hurdle their counterparts don’t.

For those that tend to be “overachievers”, they are often harassed or treated as social outcasts for their academic performance, often being accused as “acting White”, coming most often from their Black male peers. There have been instances reported where Black students have asked that they not be singled out publicly for some achievement or award to avoid being bullied.

 Some actively try to downplay their academic performance, and even join in with the “bad crowd” in order to blend in. Some have reported being coerced into skipping assignments or school, drinking, drugs, violence, crime, and sex in order no to stand out. The result is that they usually end up holding the proverbial  “bag” and sidetracking their lives.

Finally, it bears mentioning that there are 180 “Black Only” academic scholarships and over 25 “Hispanic Only” scholarships and about 12 scholarship programs directed toward Asian-Americans. Native Americans can apply for approximately 150 “Native American Only” scholarships plus individual tribal scholarships. As for Whites, there are none. The reason, it's argued, is that Whites aren't a minority (the U.S. Census Bureau would disagree. White males are in fact a minority). 

Nevertheless, as the counter argument runs, scholarships should not be based on racial or other quotas, but rather on financial need based on their social-economic situation. It’s also worth noting that prior to 2023, ranked racial quotas were used by many colleges and universities in order to increase  on campus “diversity”, even bypassing higher qualified candidates.

In part two of our look at race, we'll take a look at employment and unemployment, Affirmative Action and quotas, racial equality in politics, crime  and prison sentencing. Finally, we’ll address the issues of reparations, the future of race relations, and what does all this mean, if anything?

Thank you for reading "Another Opinion", the Op/Ed blog page for the "militant middle".  Here at "A/O" we truly value our readers. At A/O we seek the facts as they exist, not partisan talking points.  We hope you find our articles informative and engaging. Comments are welcome, provided they are not vulgar, insulting or demeaning.  Another Opinion is offered without charge and is directed toward all independent and free-thinking individuals. We ask, however, that you "like" us on whatever platform you found us on in order to keep our articles available for free to others. Lastly, in order to keep costs down, we depend on passive marketing, and therefore, depend on our readers to please forward our posts along. Below you will find links to the sources we used in writing this article. Thank you. 

Trans-Saharan slave trade

Barbary slave trade

Barbary Pirates and English Slaves

Percentage of Births to Unmarried Women

Study: Black dads more involved in activities with theirchildren than other groups

Quality Disparities in Child Care for At-Risk Children:Comparing Head Start and Non-Head Start Settings

Fast Facts: Women of Color in Higher Ed

Race and Intelligence

First Divorce Rate by Age and Race/Ethnicity  

Red (White and Blue) Baiting

It appears the new tag word these days is "racist". If you don't agree with the official line, you're a racist. If you question what you're being told, then you're a racist.   If you're white (or Asian for that matter) and haven't publicly acknowledged and apologized your racial "privilege", then you're not just a racist, but one who supports a hidden racist system which has held others back while giving you all the breaks.

If you're white or Asian, did well in school, stayed out of trouble, and were generally successful in life, it was because of your racist privilege within a systematically racist system. Your success was the result of someone else being held down. It had nothing to do with your hard work in school or getting a job.

If you happen to be Hispanic or black, and you worked hard, overcame any of life's obstacles, got a good job (or even better, started your own business), then you betrayed your race. If you studied hard and did well in school, then you're guilty of "acting white". You did all this by adopting the mentality of the "oppressor class" (ie: whites or successful Asians). You were a "Uncle Tom" or whatever. 

 It had nothing to do with your desire to better your life, and by extension, your family's or even your community's. It had nothing to do with your determination, just as it had nothing to do with all those hours spent studying, working part time jobs, and effort to put yourself through college. Therefore, you have a obligation to renounce your success and use your influence and wealth to support those who wish to bring down the inherent racist system of the oppressors which made all your accomplishments possible.

Now, we have athletes refusing to stand for the national anthem. Instead, they turn their back or take a knee (long symbolic of submission). They make a fist and thrust it into the air as a sign of rebellion. We have Olympic hopefuls tell us they aren't interested in going to Tokyo to represent America, but, instead, to represent the all the "oppressed" of this nation because they "overcame" oppression. What has this nation done for them after all except send them to the Olympics?

 It seems to me that the very fact they were willing to put in the work that was required for their sport and now have the opportunity (and financial sponsorship) with the potential of making millions more through endorsements kinda defeats their argument don't you think?

No one is giving these athletes anything but the opportunity to prove themselves, and with effort and dedication, some made it. Yet, some of these sports entertainers (which, in truth, is what they are), who make millions, choose to kneel in disrespect during the playing of the National Anthem or turn their back on the flag and then complain when they are booed. Seems like they're talking out of both sides of their piggy bank. Poor me with all the endorsements, but it gets better.

Now we are starting to see individuals and a few groups like Black Lives Matter, calling for our flag to be changed. They claim that, somehow, the design and colors are "racist" (there's that button they keep pushing again). The flag, they maintain, represents white superiority.  According to the American Legion, the colors were chosen based on heraldic symbolism. The white stands for purity while the red represents hardiness and valor. The blue represents justice.

The 13 stripes stand for the original 13 colonies, while the stars represent each state. Officially, when the flag and its colors were adopted by the Marine Committee of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia back on July 4, 1776 and adopted in 1777, the colors had no specific meaning. I guess they just liked the way it looked. But, as I said earlier, that's not all.

In addition to changing the flag for (as Coke executives infamously said) being "too white", the same folks want to change the National Anthem for the same reasons. In fact, some sporting venues have started playing "Lift Every Voice", which is the so-called "Black National Anthem" in lieu of the National Anthem. So, we're now expected to stand for this new "anthem" while taking a knee or turning our backs for our official National Anthem?  Not gonna happen as far as I'm concerned.  

There's nothing "racist" about the "Star-Spangled Banner", which was written by Francis Scott Key during the siege of Fort McHenry and the Battle of Baltimore, which was part of the War of 1812. In fact, if you read the lyrics, there's about our willingness to stand and fight for freedom; to defend, what was then a new nation. While the National Anthem is admittedly a difficult song to sing, and that may be reason enough to change it, there isn't anything "racist" about it.

Finally, to make matters worse, we are starting to see attempts to introduce something called "Critical Race Theory" (aka "CRT") which is supposed to replace the current academic curriculum  (which should be changed thanks to years of "dumbing down") and replace it with lessons allegedly designed to allegedly promote diversity, be it racial, religious, or gender, but at the expense of others.

 In short, CRT, which began as a academic theory about 40 years ago, claims that race and racism is part of an implied social contract which is biased towards whites (and Christians), and thus shapes not just the academics (especially in grades K-12), but also shapes the public's perception and conversation. As a result, non-whites are left out of the discussion.

The problem with CRT is that its sole purpose appears to be creating a false or distorted image of whites, society and, ultimately, the nation. However, this nation was created with the help of people from nearly every race, creed, religion, and gender on this planet. The building of America was, in the truest sense, a collaborative undertaking, and it still is.  We are still growing and evolving as a nation and society. That's something CRT and those who promote it fail to take into account.

Balance in academia, as in everything, is important. CRT does not offer balance. It lays out the same type of foundation that the Nazis and other authoritarian systems created in order to persecute a segment of the population. It reinforces the same mentality which alleges  "white superiority" and demands the need for whites to publicly acknowledge their "white guilt". And while you're at it, go ahead and denounce everything America has ever done and stood for. Being anti-American seems to be popular these days. 

There is no "white guilt" to acknowledge, just as there is no "white superiority". Each individual needs to take advantage of the opportunities available to them.  Slavery ended close to 200 years ago. Although Jim Crow laws (where they existed) ended in 1964, people of color managed to succeed before then, and they more than succeed nowadays. Look at any industry as proof.

The only racism I've seen of late has come from those accusing others of being racist. We see it in their message and by their actions, including defacing and destroying historical statues. Unfortunately, this form of racism also happens in schools as mentioned above, in the workplace, and now in politics. The media promotes it, albeit subtlety, and so do some churches or other organizations in high minority neighborhoods.

But that doesn't excuse the Tamir Rice or Andre Hill's of America. Their deaths (and those like them) are totally inexcusable. However, it wasn't racism which was at fault. It was poor policing skills and perhaps even incompetence. The same could be said of George Floyd. He was no saint and certainly not someone deserving a statue or mural, but that doesn't excuse his death. Breaona Taylor is in a similar boat. She didn't deserve to die, but she wasn't an innocent bystander either.

Bad behavior has results. Ignoring or not following instructions by a police officer is never a good idea, neither is running from them or thinking you're big and bad enough to take them on. Claims that fearing or refusing to do what an authority figure tells you is not a part of someone's "racial culture". That's an excuse, and a bad one at that.  Teach your children to respect authority figures at least enough to do as they're told. They might have a better outcome and live longer.

When it comes to sexual orientation, I don't think anyone really cares, especially people who are straight. The only ones who seem to have a chip on their shoulder are in the LGBQT community. From those I've spoken with, the only issue straights have is someone trying to make their orientation a big deal and wave it in everyone's face. I doubt anyone really cares. Just do your own thing and leave everyone else alone. 

America doesn't need more division. It needs to acknowledge the worth of each individual based on their actions and contribution to society. By the same token, society doesn't owe you anything because of any other factor than your willingness to work for what you want. Everyone should have the same opportunity, but no one should be guaranteed of the same outcome. There are those who are trying to divide America in as many ways as possible. A divided nation is a nation which is easy to manipulate and control.

Of course, America isn't perfect. We've faced some very serious issues in the past, but for the most part we've overcome most of them by working together. We still have some very serious problems, but many of those problems stem from the very people trying to divide us.  We have more in common than not. Where there are differences, we need to find ways to bridge them. Lastly, we need to restore America's Republic, and that means ending the Corporatocracy created by the Oligarchs. 

 

What is critical race theory?

Now is the time to stop playing the national anthem atsporting events

Macy Gray defends call for new flag: 'I love my country'