Post originally by Basher at 2004-12-10 19:54:47
Converted from Phorums BB System

I state clearly here that I am not an American and that I loathe political correctness. I can't claim the same knowledge of the US as you but despite that I find these comments wholly irresponsible, in particular:
'it seems to be the simple truth that when blacks are the majority in an area, it rapidly goes into a straight downward spiral from which there is no escape'.
You seem to be implying that when a blacks go into an area from outside it degenerates into violence and poverty and what else is there to explain it apart from their presence? However without either making any distinctions between cause and effect or presenting any evidence this IS a racist comment. The only evidence you present is the link between crime rates and black population. OK this is evidence but for what exactly? Equally it could be seen to be evidence of the prejeudice of a predominatly white police service and legal system who are willing to overlook crimes committed by whites and are eager to convict blacks. I am not saying this is the case. What I am saying is that statistics by themselves do not prove anything. They require intepretation and with no argument you have jumped to the one most detrimental to the black community.
The conclusion you draw implies two things. One, poverty and violence are 'inborn' in blacks. Black communities are poor and violent because the people in them are not capable of being anything else. Two, that an area is poor because blacks live in it. Have you even considered the idea that it may be the case that blacks live in an area because it is poor rather than it is poor because blacks live in it? That they have been excluded from living elsewhere? Unless you can give an intepretation of your comments that have more merit, than YOU ARE a racist.