vraiblonde said:
Well, yeah... but do you know
his pain?!
Vrai, you exposed a critical flaw in this argument: one does not have to grow up in the 'hood to know hardship. People like Thomas truly believe that, unless you've survived the streets of Compton (Los Angeles), Harlem or SE D.C. your point of view is not valid.
What if you and your 5 siblings were raised in a trailer in Appalachia? Still not enough. So what's the difference? People in the city should have
more opportunities than those in a forgotten mountain town. But perception is key, and I believe this phrase speaks volumes: "I’d take away their opportunities...". The rest of this article revolves around that assumption. Once the society has been indoctrinated with the victim's philosophy it is incredibly hard to wash it away.
So I guess Thomas's solution would involve giving the folks anything and everything they want. Can anybody say Ward 9? That's the lowest, poorest part of New Orleans and one of the most severely-damaged after Katrina and Rita. Look how well the program has worked down there for the past 40 years!
New Orleans is a microcosm of how they want all of America to be. "They" being people like John Kerry, who, by the way, grew up in upper-middle class neighborhoods and attended elite European schools. And let's not forget the Kennedy's.
Maybe once Thomas's federal tax rate hit ~60% he would feel differently. Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to be able to see that far ahead. It's all the
evil Republicans trying to make people
earn what they have.
He also appears to forget a basic desire of virtually every parent in this country: to lead your children into a better future than the past from which you have come. I know I would rather raise my children in an affluent, safe neighborhood than a delapidated, violent area... and I can't believe Thomas feels any different.
If he does -- if he truly believes what he speaks -- then I anticipate his relocation to a commune where he can have porridge with the rest of the zombies within short order.
on this one. I've heard a lot of professional athletes interviewed, and a lot of NBA types, and there's no way in hell that guy wrote that speech. No way!
