Let's Talk About Race In The Twin Tiers

[Ann 358]

3 hours ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Ask yourselves a question when was the last time white people were oppressed?

According to history, during the mid 1800’s during Irish immigration.  Businesses, especially in large cities, when hiring, openly posted signs stating “ Irish need not apply”.    

[command_prompt 242]

15 minutes ago, Hal said:

You all will need to excuse me from this thread as I have heard all this before, it leads nowhere but to a monologue of white guilt . 

.... a slippery slope. 

[Pvt Snowball 21]

6 hours ago, MsKreed said:

This topic began with thoughtful, reflective questions of how to get more black people involved in their community:

It's unfortunate that, in two weeks’ time, it’s transformed into declarations that white privilege is so entrenched in the Twin Tiers (and presumably the entire country according to Rev Jim Wallis)....that black people are helpless in any attempt to elevate themselves.

I’m hearing that you believe that white privilege is an immutable condition.  That it’s the cause of all problems for all black people?  And for someone not to judge others based on race, to not see color as a factor... is a “white trash answer”?

It makes me curious why you’d try to brainstorm ideas to improve black communities (or even join an all-white church) looking for solutions, if the problem is insurmountably baked into everyone’s skin color (which none of us have the power to change).

Let’s just rewind the whole conversation.....

Unless the systemic racism you assert is the root cause of black struggles is somehow escalating over time (rather than being alleviated by the 14th Amendment, the Civil Rights Act, Affirmative Action etc), it doesn’t explain your observation how/why the sense of “community” among blacks has declined.  

If we want to revisit that discussion of comparing and contrasting various “communities” (past and present --because as I said before, white "communities" have suffered significant decline over the years as well) to identify helpful ideas, then I’ll be happy to weigh in.

I really would like to talk about ways to revive lost sense of "community.....but I don't see how a white woman like me in the rural outskirts of the county simply "accepting" the idea that whites are bad will make much progress in getting black people in Elmira more engaged in their communities. 

I admit I got off topic for a bit but I'm still under impression nobody listening but In order to get more black people involved in the community the barriers got to come down agreed?

Edited June 10 by Pvt Snowball

[Chris 2,774]

14 minutes ago, Pvt Snowball said:

I'm still under impression nobody listening

The about one’s impression is that it’s often heavily weighed with one’s own biases. We’ve been listening, but we’ve also been responding. Perhaps not how you’d like, but that’s how a conversation goes. Otherwise it’s a lecture, and no one wants to listen to a lecture.

This needs to get brought back on track. So we’ll start over using the following quote:

35 minutes ago, Pvt Snowball said:

In order to get more black people involved in the community the barriers got to come down agreed?

What barriers to community involvement for blacks, here in Chemung County, are you referring to? 

[Pvt Snowball 21]

19 minutes ago, Chris said:

The about one’s impression is that it’s often heavily weighed with one’s own biases. We’ve been listening, but we’ve also been responding. Perhaps not how you’d like, but that’s how a conversation goes. Otherwise it’s a lecture, and no one wants to listen to a lecture.

This needs to get brought back on track. So we’ll start over using the following quote:

What barriers to community involvement for blacks, here in Chemung County, are you referring to? 

I would like to see more outreach in these communities and more positive engagements 

[Pvt Snowball 21]

Start a community garden for example get everyone involved,help feed your block like we use to back in the day.

[command_prompt 242]

1 hour ago, Pvt Snowball said:

I admit I got off topic for a bit but I'm still under impression nobody listening but In order to get more black people involved in the community the barriers got to come down agreed?

Could you please give us examples of the barriers you were referring to? I am genuinely interested. 

[MsKreed 1,435]

30 minutes ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Start a community garden for example get everyone involved,help feed your block like we use to back in the day.

That's a very good idea. 

Learning to understand the principles of Mother Nature is a great exercise that creates bonds. Organized cooperation in producing food back in Biblical times...was the very definition of humans developing as societies, cultures and communities.  Adapting to the forces of nature (even on a controlled micro scale of a community garden) requires reliance on the community.

Nature is also a great “equalizer”...teaching everyone to gain an understanding of our own responsibility to adapt to the environment. Because the environments created by God/nature do not adapt to “our” wants or needs.  Things like rain, frost or drought strike with with zero sense of ‘fairness’. Regardless of who may deserve an easier row to hoe.  

[Pvt Snowball 21]

2 minutes ago, MsKreed said:

That's a very good idea. 

Learning to understand the principles of Mother Nature is a great exercise that creates bonds. Organized cooperation in producing food back in Biblical times...was the very definition of humans developing as societies, cultures and communities.  Adapting to the forces of nature (even on a controlled micro scale of a community garden) requires reliance on the community.

Nature is also a great “equalizer”...teaching everyone to gain an understanding of our own responsibility to adapt to the environment. Because the environments created by God/nature do not adapt to “our” wants or needs.  Things like rain, frost or drought strike with with zero sense of ‘fairness’. Regardless of who may deserve an easier row to hoe.  

I believe in each one teach one

[Chris 2,774]

2 hours ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Start a community garden for example get everyone involved,help feed your block like we use to back in the day.

I love this idea!

Some of the shows I watch like “Growing A Greener World” and such on PBS sometimes feature people who create and encourage people to participate in community garden efforts in inner city areas like Detroit.

Seeing people who have never tasted fresh from the garden produce, especially children, puts a smile on my face.

It would benefit people in so many ways while at the same time create a renewed or new sense of community that @Pvt Snowball asked about in his original post. I could definitely get behind that idea.

[Pvt Snowball 21]

I've got a few community boxes I'm growing in and there a lot unsed boxes if anyone interested.

Edited June 11 by Pvt Snowball

[Chris 2,774]

5 hours ago, Pvt Snowball said:

I've got a few community boxes I'm growing in and there a lot unsed boxes if anyone interested.

I'm talking about something like this.

[Pvt Snowball 21]

23 hours ago, Chris said:

I'm talking about something like this.

I would like to see these in the forgotten neighborhoods community leaders 

[Chris 2,774]

It all starts with one person, my friend.

 

[Adam 458]

On 6/10/2024 at 4:31 PM, Pvt Snowball said:

Start a community garden for example get everyone involved,help feed your block like we use to back in the day.

excellent idea, good start for that would be to get some logistics put together, potential plots, supplies needed, cost of supplies as well as tools/ materials. a list of folks willing to participate as well as gauging interest of the community surrounding the proposed area.

take this information to your city/Town official and sometimes including your County Legislator in the process opens up not only potential financial opportunities but also it tends to make the "lower" officials pay more attention to the cause. to really drive home the need for support, include stats( if available) showing how community gardens improve/affect things such as urban blight, food desert, healthy eating opportunities, etc.

the amount of work put into the proposal, in my experience, has a direct effect on how serious officials take it, as well as how much support they are willing to provide to a given project.

Edited June 12 by Adam

[Adam 458]

another issue that actually transcends race is City of Elmira codes. ive chatted with plenty who have attempted to start, or run businesses, and codes apparently is a huge deterrent. not that safety should be ignored, but if small businesses had more guidance, support and perhaps some temporary leeway, opportunities would improve/increase for all involved

[Branden 2]

I really think it would be best for ALL Americans and humanity in general to stop this constant focusing on Race as a topic of discussion. Unless you want to talk about the Human Race. Let us try to remember that.

[Pvt Snowball 21]

3 hours ago, Branden said:

I really think it would be best for ALL Americans and humanity in general to stop this constant focusing on Race as a topic of discussion. Unless you want to talk about the Human Race. Let us try to remember that.

I would love to move beyond race. Just as soon as we are no longer penalized for our skin tone.

[command_prompt 242]

1 hour ago, Pvt Snowball said:

I would love to move beyond race. Just as soon as we are no longer penalized for our skin tone.

Could you please give us examples where YOU were penalized for YOUR skin tone?

[Chris 2,774]

And can we make it pertinent to here, locally, in the Twin Tiers please. We need to keep this topical and not painting with a broad, national brush.

[MsKreed 1,435]

37 minutes ago, Chris said:

And can we make it pertinent to here, locally, in the Twin Tiers please. We need to keep this topical and not painting with a broad, national brush.

Say whatt??

You mean that vague reports of 'systemic' roots to racial inequity by NPR (claiming everything from math to climate effects are "oppressive") aren't pertinent talking points?

[command_prompt 242]

1 minute ago, MsKreed said:

Say whatt??

You mean that vague reports of 'systemic' roots to racial inequity by NPR (claiming everything from math to climate effects are "oppressive") aren't pertinent talking points?

If everything is oppressive, then nothing is. 

[Pvt Snowball 21]

On 6/21/2024 at 4:04 PM, command_prompt said:

If everything is oppressive, then nothing is. 

Tear down the system that are in place.

[MsKreed 1,435]

55 minutes ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Tear down the system that are in place.

You’ve made several suggestions like this, but I can’t see anyplace that you’ve answered when people ask for clarification of what systems you’re referring to.

The corrupt two party system that’s taken over all levels of government? I couldn’t agree more....that should be torn down for sure.

But if the “system”  you’re suggesting should be torn down refers to our governmental system (Constitutional Representative Republic made up of Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches).....then you might want to share some specifics so people know what the topic is about.

What system(s) should replace the current system(s)?  And do you have any successful examples of where whatever “system” you support has produced results you think are better than the current system in the US?

Authoritarian communism? Pure, direct democracy?  Whatever “democratic socialism” is supposed to mean?

[command_prompt 242]

2 hours ago, Pvt Snowball said:

Tear down the system that are in place.

Again, please give us examples of how "the system" has opressed YOU in OUR AREA.