re: Spinoff of White Guilt Thread- What happened to Black Wall Street?

Yeah, I learned about this a few years ago. Horrible. Absolutely horrible.

Do I feel personally guilty? No. Why would I?

But, do I recognize that there was systemic injustice and oppression here that affected a lot of people for a long time? Yes. That much is obvious.

I've heard of this before, but not from Woodlawn history classes (class of 93). Actually, think I first read about this on Tigerdroppings.

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 I am interested in opinions of my white southern peers b/c I'm pretty sure I was a minority when I felt some degree of shame reading that article my friend posted. 

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I think it sucks. I don't feel shame for what others did almost 100 years ago. Just like I'm sure innocent Africans don't feel shame for what is happening to white Africans now.

i'm curious to find out who he is as well.

I was obviously not there, and while I can't argue that the narrative is ultimately wrong in the article, that is very much an article written with a certain point of view

Quit getting your damn history from Wiki. There is a lawsuit attached to the events that tell the whole story. A white man who owned businesses in the black part of town sued his insurance co. for damages. His claims were denied.

Facts entered into evidence were as follows

1) black guy was roaming in downtown on a holiday, when he claimed to have been working

2) white elevator operated claimed to have been attacked

3) black guy arrested, reports of whites gathering to lynch him

4) black ministers met with sheriff and he told them about posting guards, deactivating elevators, etc, etc

5) ministers returned to their side of town to report, and were called liars

6) blacks began amassing with weapons to go free the inmate from jail

7) whites began amassing with weapons once the blacks road through the white part of town armed to the teeth

8) whites gathered at the railroad tracks to keep the blacks from returning, when . . .

9) a sniper from the black part of town killed a white man on the opposite side of the treacks


THEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE

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Posted by mikelbr quote: I've heard of this before, but not from Woodlawn history classes (class of 93). You still wont' tell me who you are, huh? frickin graduated with me and being anonymous? Yea I'm just seeing how others react to stuff like this when they first learn about it. I cringe to think of a young black kid reading all that for first time.

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As a guy with no living relatives from that area, I'll give you my perspective.

My mother told me about the first time I learned about slavery in school. I was 9 or 10. I can't remember, but she said I would come home and cry for hours because I couldn't believe or understand why they would treat us so badly, off something as simple as skin color... A harsh reality kicks in there when you start to realize you and your friends are inherently equal but the world may say otherwise.

When I moved to the south, my best friend at the time, who happen to be Asian told me that there were these men in white hoods that rode around the south and killed black people. Scared the shite out of me and I was scared to move here. I was 10 At the tjme. My parents obviously reassured me that it would be okay.

But countless historical stories like this are a dime a dozen...luckily I have been given an opportunity to do well in life and not let the past dampen or hinder my future. I can't say that's the same for those in less fortunate positions as myself or others I know.

But what shocks me more today is the sheer lack of Empathy or the denial of the truth by some people. We don't have the prettiest history as a country but we have the best ideals. We're far much better than other countries but not where we can and should be.

The lack of empathy is crushing our moral conscience.

Well you won't get much sympathy on this board. Hell, there are probably several people that are mad that the OP even posted this.

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Quit getting your damn history from Wiki. There is a lawsuit attached to the events that tell the whole story. A white man who owned businesses in the black part of town sued his insurance co. for damages. His claims were denied.

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This is the perspective I fear is shared by many white people. Not sure if it's psychology or what but they don't want to believe that our great grandfathers could be capable of such an act of terrorism against other Americans that history must be skewed to the point that this was a riot or a battle. Of course that would make white people sleep better at night if a black guy shot first. That's the sad bias of this type of tragedy almost 100 years later.

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People act as if empathy is a by product of guilt. That's not the case in every situation

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Very well put.
I felt guilt at first. Then I realize that was a WHOLE different era and I'm not feeling guilt. But then something else happened. I shifted to the young blacks of today and the empathy naturally sets in. That natural shift isn't so natural for many unfortunately.

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can tell you that the white man is a little tired of people acting like we still live in that era. For at least 40 years now, America has lived up to its promises for every race and every gender. There is no excuse for lack of success in today's America.

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Totally agree. There are so many programs and opportunities for success. Again, I'm in FAVOR of minority scholarships, business incubators, low interest business loans.
My background before I'm called a puss liberal:
I vote Republican nationally, will vote Democrat locally if I like the candidate(voted for Holden) and lean Libertarian in personal views.