Racism again at Lost Heads

[Imalawman]

To top that off I was going to work the other day(6AM) and stopped to get a coffee as usual. In front of me in the store was some African American with his do rag on tryin to be cool, buying a boatload of lottery tickets. He leaves right ion [sic] front of me driving away in his brand new 60k mercedes and the SOB has probably made all his money from drugs and has probably not paid 1 penny into the system. In fact he is probably on the system so he can get free health care and possibly free education but if he takes the latter it is only to sell his drugs to the college kids whose parents have struggled to put them there.

Not that he's stereotyping or anything. Just goes to show how many TP's are really racist, white trash that want a free ride through life.

[AFTP]

Part of their racism stems from a far right view of Christianity.
But in this example he’s probably right.

[webhick]

Maybe he bought the nice car using proceeds from his lottery winnings. After all, he was buying a mess of tickets.

Besides, I doubt drug dealers buy lottery tickets. If you win over x amount you get 1099'd and then your name shows up in the system and then the IRS starts to wonder how you got that nice car and then you're screwed. Face it, drug dealers are smart in a lot of ways (and stupid in many others - but that's another discussion).

[Randall]

Since when are they concerned about whether people pay into the system?

[The Observer]

Most drug dealers don't make the "big" time. In the book, "Freakanomics" a study was done on a drug dealer network in a metropolitan city and it was discovered that economically, the dealers in the network were making less than some of the normal employed people in the neighborhood. Factor in some of the non-monetary complications (like dying in a gang war or being arrested) and the glamor of drug dealing rally dropped. Even the leader of the network, for the time and effort he spent in operating the network, was not getting ahead. If I remember correctly, he gave it all up and went back to college to get his degree.

[Disilloosianed]

I think the trick is to get out early enough and not go for the big score. I can't say I know dozens, but I know a decent number of former dealers who quit and put their money into apartment complexes or construction companies and are doing better than I am now. (Which really helps my mood.)

[Nikki]

Part of their racism stems from a far right view of Christianity.
But in this example he’s probably right.

Actually, it sounds like a good description of my orthopedist.

Black, wealthy, hair wrap after golf, lottery tickets for his office staff's pool. Except Dr. Wood's Mercedes costs a good deal more than $60,000.

[Imalawman]

Part of their racism stems from a far right view of Christianity.
But in this example he’s probably right.

So you agree that the only reason a black person driving a Mercedes would go to college would be to sell drugs to the white kids? And when you see a black person in a nice car you assume they're drug dealers? I certainly hope not.

[wserra]

But in this example he’s probably right.

I'm sorry?

[webhick]

Looks like cigarlover took offense to your observations, Imalawman.

One thing has always struck me after reading cigarlovers posts is that he's obsessed with Cuba. Kinda like my lab partner in 8th grade. Little Miss "I only date black guys".

[LPC]

Part of their racism stems from a far right view of Christianity.
But in this example he’s probably right.

Sorry, but in the great essay exam of life, you just experienced a C-.

The really important part of racism is seeing it in yourself, and if you automatically assume that a person with dark skin driving a Mercedes and buying lottery tickets is a drug dealer, and don't wonder about your own judgments, then you have problems.

My own recent epiphany was when I was driving by a playground, seeing a bunch of young black men hanging around and thinking "thugs." But then realizing that, if they had been white, I would have assumed that they were young fathers waiting for their sons to finish their B-ball game.

There is a Sufi expression that, when you hear hoofbeats, think of zebras. There is also an expression in the medical profession that, when you hear hoofbeats, you should think of horses and not zebras. I think that, when we are confronted with racial stereotypes, we should think of zebras.

[AFTP]

"And when you see a black person in a nice car you assume they're drug dealers? I certainly hope not."

Context is everything.
If you go to a bad part of town that has a high poverty level and someone is in an expensive car, chances are they didn’t get it legitimately.

[wserra]

Context is everything.
If you go to a bad part of town that has a high poverty level and someone is in an expensive car, chances are they didn’t get it legitimately.

Even if true, will you act based on that shaky assumption? Does it do anything for you other than rationalize your not having "an expensive car" (or two, or five)?

And where did the pinhead whom imalawman quoted say anything about a "bad part of town" or a "high poverty level"?

[Burzmali]

He doesn't have to be a drug dealer to afford a $60k car. From a quick survey of the projects my "office" overlooks, all you really need to do is live in public housing.

[Disilloosianed]

One of our office's secretaries (who is white, by the way) just bought a Hummer....is she selling drugs?

[Weathervane]

One of our office's secretaries (who is white, by the way) just bought a Hummer....is she selling drugs?

No, she's probably a madam. In fact, next time you see her at the water cooler, ask her what she charges.

[Imalawman]

Looks like cigarlover took offense to your observations, Imalawman.

One thing has always struck me after reading cigarlovers posts is that he's obsessed with Cuba. Kinda like my lab partner in 8th grade. Little Miss "I only date black guys".

Wow, a hole thread named after me. Isn't there an award or something for that?

Maybe this should go on the "things that annoy me" thread, but I really despise someone making a racist comment and then saying, "My wife/husband/dog's previous owner is black". So what?! You still made a racist comment!! One of my best friends is black, that doesn't mean I haven't made a racist comment or have underlying racial stereotypes.

But the thread supports my theory when a poster later on says that everyone on LH agrees with his assessment of that young black man. Not all TPs are racist but there's no denying that there's a really ugly side the TP movement that tends to be rather racist.

[Evil Squirrel Overlord]

Cars are mobile, good cars can be found in bad neighborhoods for any number of reasons... I'm looking at you Idaho senator..(Sorry couldn't resist)

My social-worker-rollergirl girlfriend has a $30,000 car and could potentially buy a more expensive car if she did throw all of her money into fancy rollerskates and helmets with skulls on them.

But in the TP defense, we all stereotype based upon appearance, the mature thing is to take a step back and have enough self-awareness to realize that you are doing this and first impressions might be wrong. (That being said, I love dressing up in a suit and tie and having sales clerks and concierges fall all overthemselves trying to please me.) Mr. Squirrel Overlord we have a table for you right over here!

[Famspear]

This discussion reminds me of my first year tort law professor. I think he wore the exact same, old ugly orange sport coat every day of his life. If you were to see him somewhere on the street, he looked like the stereotypical used car salesman or something. You probably would not have given him a second glance. The guy had a J.D. and a Ph.D. from a major American university, however, and when I sat in class listening to him engage me and my fellow students in the Socratic method, it was a marvel to watch. The fact that he was absolutely brilliant was absolutely obvious to everyone. A tremendous intellect. All my first year professors were great, but if somebody asked me, what is the essence of the Socratic method and what's a first year law school class like, I would send them to one of his tort law classes. It's an old truism: you never really know for sure who a person really is and what that person can do merely by physical appearances.