You're voicing the heart of the miscommunication.
I really don't think I am. Although, I will say this, I'm sure most of those players will rally behind the flag when--and whenever--a Democrat is in office and says we
have to go bomb the hell out of some relatively poor, developing country, because we need to bring "freedom," "democracy," and "love" by murder and mayhem. Like the Devil trying to sucker Jesus in the desert quoting scripture and trying to appeal to man's ego that desires to be the ruler of all of planet earth.
I'm Black and you have to understand that from the beginning of this nation Blacks heard about American freedom and equality and were baffled by why none of that applied to them.
I hear what you are trying to say, SonofD. I don't really disagree. Well I do but just in a different sense. For one, America has screwed ethnic Black-Americans over many generations. I think most Black-Americans know why though in a certain sense at least: racism. And I'm not saying that word in a superficial sense. I'm speaking to a more, to a deeper emotional and psychological sense of racism, as both to how it impacts developing white kids and developing black kids. Any kids of any race actually. In whatever conflicting ways mulattoes don't escape it either.
I'm a big believer in that you have to catch, and begin, a child's (of any race, hue, ethnicity, religion etc.)
character development, morally and in self esteem, very early and their is often only a short window of time to work in. However, later traumatic or super positive events can radically alter even some traits developed in early childhood.
Anyways... I'm saying this because while I do think
institutional racism exists on many police forces, I think the more urgent and vastly larger problem is the wide spread familial and community problems in Black-America. No, it's not all black families. And no, I'm not saying their is never any good, never any smiles, never and kindness, never any peace or good times in Black-American communities. There are. Just as they exist in the far more dilapidated Brazilian favelas or Colombian slums. But I'm talking about a matter of great social pathologies and greater scales of moral break downs, sheer
hatreds, rage, and for some many despair, flooding into those homes and communities.
This is why I am
fiscally *liberal* even though I acknowledge nearly anyone can (meaning it is possible--possible does not mean easy or quickly) become rich in the United States. The fact of that matter is few will. Because the American story as popularly given is damn lie. To become competitively great (like these NFL players are, but in business or anything) is significantly a psychological, emotional, effort that also requires competent and stable support systems such as mentors (be they wise parents or other coaches). And it requires from some person or organization or institution some money or resources poured into the development of that kid. You can even look at gangs or the mafia as being these kinds of things for young people on a criminal career path.
Most Americans of any race or ethnicity will never get any of this. I suppose, the American Jews and American East Indians are some exceptions to this. Way down at the bottom of the list you will find ethnic groups like Black-Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Amerindians of certain "tribes." There are a few Amerindian tribes that are exceptions and in terms of money their tribes (from successful casinos) are up there with the Jews. But overall most Amerindians do even worse than Black-Americans (see who has more doctoral degrees, more members in Congress and Government, more wealth entrepreneurs etc.) And I'm going to hazard a guess Puerto Ricans have not statistically been as successful rising upward as Black-Americans. At least the non-white Puerto Ricans.
