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Sam known for criticizing people who believe in God just unloads on Trump. I actually found his rant very funny.

There isn't a 3 against 1, everyone has said that lead is a part of it. I even said I understand where you are coming from, but my primary focus is on the fact that there are more kids passing in school and doing well than there are failing. THIS IS FACT and Troy posted the evidence. While the evidence shows the disparity of success there are more passing than failing. Which led me to my next point that because everyone fixates on those failing, the kids in the middle are left behind. The top kids do great, the bottom kids get attention and the kids who are borderline are left to make a decision to be successful. Without parenting those kids choose to fit in and they can either be better or worse, but the bottom line is if the attention was given not to the squeaky wheel, but to the bulk of kids through diversified teaching then education would get better. The problem is everyone focuses on the worst of issues overlooking controllable issues that can be fixed. Lead is in the pipes, how can that be resolved quickly when the infrastructure of America is crumbling and can't be passed through congress? Now you say I'm focusing on the exception... but what you are focusing on is actually the exception. Please take a look at this chart: http://www.edweek.org/media/graduation-rate-pdf-download-education-week-diplomas-count.pdf Note the graduation rate for Blacks is 71% it is the worst in the country by race, but that is still 7 out of 10. You are FIXATED on 3 out of 10, and while that is needed because someone has to find the solution there, do you see how that actually can be considered counterproductive? Find out what the 7 are doing and you may be able to fix the 3. The American Indian is in worse shape than Blacks. What is also interesting is that Minnesota, Nevada and Oregon are lower performing than the states that you seem to be referencing when discussing lead, Michigan and New York or places with majority Black inner cities. What's even more interesting is that the states where Blacks are doing better are majority Southern States. Where there was and has been more oppression and mistreatment historically. You want to know why I think Southern states are doing so well? HBCU's and the reinforcement of education because of Black colleges. I am not knocking your discussion of lead, but I don't see anything happening to fix it.

No, Pioneer, I'm simply attempting to do what any objective person would do, which is to seek the truth and consider all options instead of falling in love with the one possibility that is compatible with my personal belief. CDBurns has suggested that too much attention is being paid to the best and the worst while neglecting the underachievers in the middle whose potential for rising is ignored. Troy has continued to blame the racist system, and I maintain that what they contend, along with your theory about lead poisoning, and mine about the deteriorating family unit, are all contributing to the problem. And, obviously, in the big picture, things are not as bad for some as they are for others. You, on the other hand, choose to ignore the possibility that lead poisoning is not the root of all black problems, brushing aside any evidence supporting this claim. I already gave my opinion to the question about the possibility of your being right. I said depending on black people to do what white people won't do, will just result in the problem remaining in limbo. And also since the effects of lead poisoning can't be reversed what is your remedy for this? Finally, what if you are wrong? Then what? You will have to find something else to become fixated on.

Cynique You're starting to do what CD has been doing which is focusing on the well performing exceptions to say that things aren't really "that bad". Which is like a person with stage 2 breast cancer focusing on how nice their teeth are or how good their digestive system is while ignoring a serious and GROWING problem that should be addressed before it's too late. I too believe in miracles and have had them in my life, and as long as I live on THIS planet I also believe in sitting down and trying to solve my problems as well. The Divine do their part and human beings must also do their part. Again, what if I'm right? Then what?

@Pioneer1You continue to claim that we don't agree with your point about lead poisoning as being a problem. Nobody has denied that it is undoubtedly a contributing factor to the many woes of inner city blacks. And you also continue to ignore those young people who achieve and transcend their environment and make it out of the ghetto, apparently having no debilitating effects from lead poisoning and, in all probability, have been inspired and encouraged by an adult role model, whether a parent or other family member or someone who just took an interest in them. You also relegate all black street niggas to being brutish and stupid when many of them are quite shrewd and cool, eschewing the loud aggressive behavior you attribute to those with brain damage. These cold-blooded dudes may have grown up drinking sugary, red Kool Aid stirred into lead-infested water, but they are not lacking in swag, cunning, or stamina. I'm sure you would agree that there a lot of smart black brothers in prison. And, as I've opined previously, you are at risk of making lead poisoning a scapegoat for everything that's wrong with young blacks, - falling into the same category as those who blame racism or the media for everything and, in the process, provide a ready made excuse for failure. And you talk about white people manipulating the figures on black life expectancy but you are in denial about how black people did and still do, capitalize on these figures, angrily citing them as the result of a racist system that denied blacks adequate health care. Let's deal with reality instead of rhetoric. Furthermore, you can be right as hell about the detrimental effects of lead poisoning, but when did being "right" melt the hearts of the white power structure? Unless it can benefit from eradicating the conditions that handicap black folks, it will not extend itself to uplift poor blacks or the poor of any other race, but will simply give lip-service while applying bandages to massive wounds. Me, I think only a miracle will enable the black race in America to acquire the widespread influence, authority, and wealth necessary for it to control its destiny; especially since its members are not of one mind, - or of one class. But who knows? Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, and if black people continue do what they do best, maybe they can pray themselves into a promise land here on Earth. Are you listening, Jesus?

Part of the problem is society in general is starting to become to complicated or too complex for the average person to navigate and it's frustating the hell out of so many people. Anytime you can't just throw a piece of garbage away.... You don't have just ONE garbage anymore. You have 3 or 4 containers and you have to stop and try to figure out which one the paper goes in and which one the plastic goes in and you have some asshole standing off to the side actually frowing at you if you put the wrong thing in the wrong container as if YOU (not Exxon) are responsible for polluting the planet....lol. A lot of people are just saying "fuck it" and throwing trash on the ground or out the window again. As if it wasn't stressful enough to drive (especially while Black) now they've added "bike lanes" all over the place so you have to constantly be on the look out for people on bikes and veer into the opposite lane just to provide a safe enough space not to hit them by accident. Yeah, people are frustrated as society becomes more complicated but they aren't seeing much benefit from the added worry....so this causes a lot of people to question is it all really worth it. As far as intelligent out spoken Black men being targeted. I can't say that you're wrong...but I don't want to say you're right either because to concede to that would almost make the situation seem hopeless.

Cynique I've already conceded several times that I wasn't around back then to "know" who lived longer than who. But neither the anecdotes from older Black folks from the South who've told me how much longer Black folks lived and how healthier they were NOR the "stats" and other forms of propaganda put out by Western medicine tooting their own horn about how much progress they've made PROVES it one way or the other as far as I'm concerned. My standards of proof are based on experience and observation so I guess I'll KNOW the truth as time goes by if God allows me to live long enough and keeps me mentally sharp enough to adequately compare time periods. All Well atleast Troy is entertaining the possibility that the problem could be more bio-chemical than behavioral or parental. Either that or he feels sorry for me in this 3 against one argument...lol. I just have one question for all of you.....what if I'm right? Suppose, just suppose the United Nations or some outside group came in and examined Black children from coast to coast and concluded that for the most part they contained much higher concentrations of lead and mercury in their systems than White children and this has been a major cause in hyper aggressiveness as well poor academic performance. Then what? After knowing without a doubt that they're suffering from a real physical/chemical problem that is affecting their thinking and behavior and most likely the behavior of their parents before them, what should the next step be? To continue to blame the parents and tell them to get off their ass and do their job? To blame rap music? Tell young people to get married and stay married for life, especially if they have children? Tell the children to "try harder" in school to make up for their mental deficiency? Or should we have a nation wide demand that the infrastructure be repaird and every child (and adult for that matter) be treated to rid their bodies of these toxins? IF I were right and we knew beyond doubt that most Black children suffered from various levels of heavy metal toxicity affecting thier intellectual and emotional development, which option would be the most generally effective in solving the problem of not only violence but broken homes and poor academic performance in light of such a major finding?

It's called Globalism..... It's not just New York, it's taking place in urban areas all over the United States. Wealthy people are trying to take back the urban core of American cities because they're running out of land. If you look at the "norm" that exists outside the United States....today as well as in the past it is the POOR who live outside of the inner city. They tend to live in the townships, villages, and rural communities. It's the wealthy who live in the inner cities where the amenities are. But the United States for the past 60 years or so became the opposite and the wealthy people started moving out into the suburbs after WWII. Partially to get away from Black people and partially because of the fear of nuclear war. I'm sure they figured that the further away they got form "ground zero" which would be the core of most urban areas....the better they'd fair during an attack. If you notice, most of the gentrification started AFTER the collapse of the Soviet Union when they felt that the threat of a nuclear attack was over. So now the wealthy want their cities back and they're tearing down the projects, patching up the ghettoes, and shipping the poor and working class...not too far out...but out into the boroughs and inner ring suburbs so that they're close enough to commute to the city and work for them but not close enough to socialize or send their children to the same schools. No more middle class or working class. Just the educated wealthy elite inhabiting the cosmopolitican cities, and the TRAINED (educated just enough to do the job) WORKING (not on welfare or any other type of benefit that may prevent them from having to slave to eat) poor that have been regulated to the outskirts and boondocks. In my opinion the social planners are making a huge mistake because this structure is typical of that of a third world country...and third world societies are notoriously unstable as the poor constantly get fed up and seek to overthrow the system. One of the reasons the United States HAS been so stable since the 60s was because the poor and working class were given some dignity. You take that away and force them to either bust their ass working 2 jobs just to afford to SHARE a roach infested apartment or end up out in the street begging...and you're asking for skyrocketing crime and revolutions every 20 years or so. As Troy alluded to, a much wiser plan would be to build affordable housin in the city for working class people so that people earning a modest salary can still afford to support themselves and their families. Most people don't ask for much anyway. It's not like everyone is demanding masions with guest houses or trying to keep up with what billionaires have and demanding the same. Most people just want a clean place free of roaches or bedbugs, make sure the plumbing and lighting is working, and some cable and wifi where they can sit down and relax at the end of the day of work. Over 90% of the population would be happy with that and could care less how much more the wealthy had.