Dear Pellius,
As always, I enjoy and appreciate your long, thought out responses.
This one appears to corroborate the public's perception that Mark is a racist. The idea that cops can treat "animals" differently is contrary to the laws
of this country. It violates the constitution to violate the rights of "an animal masquerading as a human being." The reason we hold cops to a higher level
is because they are supposed to act on a higher level, that very level that the constitution demands from them in order to ensure that EVERYONE'S rights
are protected equally.
If the cops didn't rely on snitches to do all their own work, they wouldn't have to violate the rights of others as much as they do now. The guys who gang rape
and burn a 13 year old girl will all eventually end up in prison but they should arrive there correctly and without the government cutting corners. It is possible, after all,
that a good guy could just be standing there or even walking by an "animal" when the cops drop down their net and make their multiple arrest.
The idea that some blacks are neehgars and others are not, is a fallacy. The word itself is just wrong. Those who are morally afoul are jus that, regardless of their color.
We can call them what they are, evil, morally bankrupt, criminal, etc. but we don't ever need to conjure up such a deplorable and heinous term which does nothing more
than create a racist divide that should've ended hundreds of years ago in this country. That same evil Mark saw in the inner city exists in white people, Mexicans, Dominicans
and EVERY OTHER minority group, color, ethnicity and religion. We can argue about how prevalent it may be in each but the fact is that evil and racism spare no skin color,
nationality or religion.
I just wouldn't want to be around Mark Fuhrman and I disagree that karma was good to him. Perhaps he got more than he deserved.
Harley
The idea of race and culture is one the subjects Mark and I would debate. I like the idea of just differentiating people just by their behavior. If you're a good guy, you're a good guy; and if you're a bad guy, you're a bad guy. It doesn't matter what the race. But often, given the circumstance you don't have that luxury. I do believe there are behaviors that are unique to certain races and cultures. Rap music and blasting it in your in car with your windows rolled down didn't start with Whites or Asians or Mexicans. Sure they do it now but gangsta culture has become more mainstream. But it started with Blacks. There is a reason that young adult males commit disproportionately commit the amount of violent crime in our society. It endemic in their culture. A culture that just happens to be Black. A culture that has arose because of their unique circumstances. It's not their skin color per se that causes their behavior anymore than being Asian makes you eat with chop sticks. But it is something that is encourage in the culture. Doing bad in school is not treated the same in a Japanese family then it is in a Black family. But it is their race that allows us to make this value judgement as it is associated with their culture. You can just look at a Black by the way they dress and the way they speak to determine what part of the Black culture they are from. Just like you can look at a White, Asian, Mexican... whatever and also make some very accurate value judgements.
When I was working with at risk kids I noticed that first and second generation Mexicans were great. Hard workers, very humble and polite. Always stays out of trouble. By the third generation they start to go bad. You can tell by the way they dress, talk and carry themselves.
When I moved from Hawaii to Cali I had no preconceived notions whatsoever of Blacks. I lived on the part of the island where there were no military bases so I had zero experience with Blacks. When I saw them in Cali I just associated them with Hawaiians, Tongans, Samoans. Just dark skinned people with kinky hair.
Being 18 and on my own I looked for the cheapest place I could find. I was told later that I was in a Black neighborhood. It was in Inglewood about 3 miles east of Crenshaw Bl. I was unaware how on the mainland people naturally segregated themselves by race. In Hawaii everyone is mixed so there was no Hawaiian, Oriental (as we called it), Filipino..., areas. The only real segregation (and racism) was with Whites (Haoles). They tended to live in the rich areas and are the ones that get beat up in school. There's actually a "Kill Haole" day just before Christmas vacation where Haoles are targeted.
So I had no preconceived notions of Blacks when I moved to Inglewood. I do now. With inner city Blacks all of life is seen through the prism of skin color and racism. Much like the Palestinians, they are taught from birth this idea of Victimology and entitlement. How society is against them and how White people are always keeping them down and the White man owes them for past transgressions. I was especially taken at the keep seated hostility and anger towards Whites in general. It's always about how they will one rise and destroy the White authoritarianism. It's how they justify a lot of their crime. Taking back what was taken from them.
Sometimes one does not have the luxury to make a detailed assessment of the situation at hand and only has to go by previous knowledge and personal experience as well as the experience of others. If having a choice between petting an Alaskan Malamute or a Timber Wolf the choice would be obvious. And I've never yet met a Timber Wolf.
We can't give special attention to everyone going through an airport check out so we have to, or should, discriminate. A six year old child or a Swedish grandmother should garner less suspicion than a young adult Muslim wh9o just bought his ticket an hour ago. During the Cold War we had an Iron curtain in which no one from the Soviet Union and other Communist countries were allowed free entry into the U.S. Maybe we should have an Iron Veil and a similar policy against Muslim from the Middle East.
I don't think these police had a bias towards Blacks because they were Blacks per se. Just like I had no bias towards Blacks because they were Blacks per se. But it was through first hand experience and the experience of others that developed this bias in me and a lot of police and a lot of everybody who they are too afraid to admit it. That's why when living in Inglewood I wouldn't go into a fast food place, or any place, that were filled with Blacks. Even if there was no trouble they were always loud, boisterous, profane and utterly, just utterly, oblivious to the effect they were having on people around them. Not to mention I was afraid. I had to drive to Torrance (White/Asian) or Rancho Palos Verdes (White/Asian/Jews) to watch a movie in a theatre in peace.
Same reason why a Taxi Driver, White or Black, won't pick up a Black passenger late at night. It is the behavior of the group or culture that developed the bias.
Right now I'm sitting in a food court in Kahaluu on the North East side of Oahu. It's a mostly local area on the other side of the more touristy Waikiki area so everybody here is pretty much dark/Black skin with kinky hair. I really have no feelings one way or the other. This is normal. I figure some are good and some are bad but everyone just pretty much behaves themselves. I feel in my element here. Two people here stand out like a full moon on a cloudless night. They are Mormons. Short cropped blonde hair and pale as a bleached white t-shirt. There they stand in line waiting for their order literally shinning in their white dress shirt, bow tie, and black dress pants. I know nothing about them but the economic cost of determining detailed information about them is not worth it. I just go by past experience and the preconceived notions and bias I have regarding Mormons. It is exceeding positive. They have just got their order and are heading my way. I will do what I always do when I cross paths with Mormons. I tip them a nod and greet them with a "How's it going Elders." Even though I think they're theology is a bit wacky seeing young Mormons on their mission always brings a smile to my face. Not many 18-19 years are willing to be sent all over the world to spread their faith. These are the lucky one. Drawing the Hawaii gig. Must suck seeing "Angola" on your plane ticket.
Here they come...... "How's it going, Elders?"
