Thursday, August 23, 2007

Racism - Classism by JS Columnist Pam Adams

Adam’s is correct when she says in her column today “Intro to Racism, Classism 101” that “Some of you are saying: Oh. My. God. Does she have to go there again? Haven’t we said/read enough about that already?

Yes, Pam, we have read enough of your bigoted columns in which you continue to promote the “great divide” between black and white in Peoria. Almost any tragedy involving a black person brings forth a racial discrimination column from you.

Adam’s is picking up on PJS column writer Luciano, when she writes about the two sad tragic cases (one where white kids in an act of stupidity kill a white friend and a black kid who allegedly beat up and robbed a jogger, set fire to one or more cars and threw a brick that killed an innocent driver) opened what was, for her, a fascinating public dialogue on race and class, mainly among white people. She continues, "Bradley would do a service promoting it. Merely comparing the intentions of two very different types of defendants and the criminal charges filed against them qualifies for a pass out of the introductory course, Race 101. If this continues, we’re heading toward the public version of a graduate seminar on the racial signals and symbols in everyday life, the hidden structure of racism.”

She continues writing that history tells us how Peoria reacts when the smallest questions of or race and racism, money and status collide and break through colorized comfort zones. She says, “There are a thousand ways to deny that race matters.”

If race does matter to a few; then I can say there are a thousand ways in which race doesn’t matter, but the culture of a hateful individual or groupings such as destructive gangs, does.

Adams is the black female version of Don Quixote. Her imagination runs rampant every time she gets an opportunity to tell this community how racist we white people are. Some of my friends of any color, the vast majority don’t care about people’s color, are as tired of Adam’s perpetual racist whine. In fact, many who are classed by our government as “minorities” are not only embarrassed by her ranting but also of the damage she is causing to the growth of the certain areas of the city; in fact, the entire City of Peoria.

Some accuse realtors of allegedly steering new residents to other communities in which to reside. If they are, it could be for many reasons including but not limited to the culture of the some or the residents; not because of the color of the community.

All new residents want to feel safe in their surroundings and most all want to separate themselves from those who have been told so many times that they are “victims of the white man” that some have come to believe it. (I refer you to my blog “Victimization” dated 9/19/05.)

Most potential new residents want to be part of a neighborhood where they feel reasonably safe. They also want to live in a neighborhood that challenges kids to accept the opportunity to get an education, to develop a work ethic and who keep their homes and yards looking neat. They want their neighbors to be responsible citizens.

The new owners of the Journal Star may think these constant accusations of white racism by far left leaning and bigoted writers makes for good copy and sells papers but they may misunderstand; promoting a racial divide in Peoria does not sell the entire community to outsiders considering the Peoria area as a place to start businesses and to reside.

8 comments:

AdamB said...

Of course that's really easy for an well-off elderly white male to say.

So are you saying Peoria is totally free of race problems?

Anonymous said...

No Adam Bee, son of Lori Bee Paton, try not to show your far left leaning bias. Peoria is no more racial problem free then the liberal college who pays your salary.

Stay in Indiania; we have enough of your ilk in Peoria now. Perhaps, as the the son of a divorcee, you feel like a "victim" too. Maybe you should be a liberal journalist. Maybe succeed Adams some day.

If I'm well off, I earned it. You aren't even dry "behind the ears" and with your apparent lack of intellect, you better hope for an inheritance when you are elderly.

Unfortunately, with people like you, Obama and the "tort" wealth attorney, Edwards, the United States will probably be a socialist country and the wealthy will support "intellects" like you.

Anonymous said...

Merle

You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You know that racism exist in this town like all over the country. Everyone has a right to their opinion on any issue. Pam Adams has a right to express her opinion just as you do on your blog. You have a problem excepting the fact that a problem of racism exist.

What does the fact that one is the "son of a divorcee" has to do with anything. And what does Obama has to do with anything that Adamb expresses in his reply to you. That in itself shows your biases. You are the one that needs to grow up. but we should not expect that to happen.

AdamB said...

We have a quite a few divorcees in the family, as I recall. And sons of divorcees as well.

I couldn't be prouder of them, though.

Anonymous said...

Right, Adam, Divorces often contribute or help formulate different outcomes for different people.

Sometimes a new "parent" can make significant successes or failures in everybody affected lives.

Many offspring may also have mental problems that do not have much to do with divorces or parenting. You are, as you say, familiar with the effects drugs have on a person's mental health. Can you stop drug distribution and useage? Exactly how?

Are you leading a crusade to give those with drug and mental health problems the help they need? Why not, you are young and "educated". You can be doing something useful rather than attacking me.

Iv'e served my time assisting those in need and still am serving. I spent 5 years on a homeless committe and the committee and disbanded in 1999 with disappointment and mixed results. I understand the problem. Few have come up with a cure. Maybe you have one.

You've surely read my blog dated 3/06/06 on the subject. I'm sure it was this blog and my blogs on poverty that have "riled" you up.

Maybe you could create a blog site on how to stop drug useage and it's affects on one's mental health Maybe stop and distribution in our city and country and on your campus.

The majority of young adults make lemonade out of what might appear to be lemons.

Some don't and they come from all cultures, middle class, poverty level or wealthy. From seeminglu "solid" families and others with no families. I'm sure you've read Elizabeth George.

You started out attacking me in degrading comments on my blog site. You hid your identity. Why?

You are no blood relation of mine but I believe you are influenced by a blood relative of mine. She is entitled to her own views and lifestyles as are you.

You call me a "well-off elderly white male". Do you have a problem with color, wealth or age? Do you believe I should give my money away so we are all equal?

If so, I'm sure you are already in the populist Obama's camp. If you're supporting John Edwards', I ask you to tell him to sell his $20,000,000.00 house before he asks for mine.

AdamB said...

I think there are only two actual questions there, so I'll answer them:

You started out attacking me in degrading comments on my blog site. You hid your identity. Why?

That's incorrect. I did not start out attacking you, nor have I hidden my identity. I have always logged in, and my account is clearly linked to my real name.

You call me a "well-off elderly white male". Do you have a problem with color, wealth or age? Do you believe I should give my money away so we are all equal?

No, I'm saying that it is easier for a privileged white man to deny or minimize the existence of racism than someone who has had first-hand experience, ceteris paribus. Giving your money away would not make us all equal, but losing money often adds some empathy and humility to one's worldview. Not all of our successes are our own making, nor are all our failures the outcomes of randomness.

mjgreytak said...

obviously my comment comes late, i've been behind in the technolgy times. as i scroll through blogs written by my dad, i am acutely aware of losing my own brother to drugs and mental illiness. i am sick to my stomach reading the hateful crap people like adam b (who claims to never have been "anonymous" on this blog site, BULL!). it's interesting to see how often people commenting on my dads blogs veer from the subject matter towards what seems to be their own adgendas. i live in st. louis now and i don't believe i fully knew racism before living here. my experience down here is often blacks embrace it tightly and hate hispanics as well as whites. as for drugs, that is an equal opportunity culture. as for the crime aspect, hell, if you can't do the time, well don't do the crime. obama, would i vote for him? not at this time, he is an unknown somehow dropped in to Chicago politics leaving behind almost unknowable history, but the more i learn of him, the more i distrust him.
oh, by the way, why don't the candidates only accept federal funds and direct the rest with their personal donations to contribute the monies to charitable works.

Merle Widmer said...

Thanks to you Mary Jo for speaking the truth as your dad attempts to do everytime he blogs.