How Does This Happen in America?

1. 81

   crankaliciousposted 6 years ago

   A black man was taking a phone call in the hotel lobby of a hotel where he was staying (he paid for the room and had his hotel room key). Somebody called the police. Security came and they made him leave the hotel without providing a refund because they said he was a threat.
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/28/us/portl … index.html

   replyreport
   1. 82

      Credence2posted 6 years agoin reply to this

      How does this happen in America? I think that you already know the answer.
      
      Crankalicious, The tabloid fashion in which this and so many similar stories have been presented confuses people and allow them to miss the "big picture".
      
      Out of over 350 millions living here, I doubt that these instances are common occurrences as one would think as these stories continue to resurface.
      
      As a well travelled Black male, such instances have occurred for me, but they have proven to have been exceedingly rare to the point that I don't recall in recent memory any specifically egregious case.
      
      But, the problems have not gone away but it is as much a part of the atmosphere as any of its component gases. While you see the blue sky and fluffy white clouds in the background, as the big picture, who can claim to see components of "the air" in their hand?
      
      Black people are feared in general as the giving the face to the penal system, i.e. (Willie Horton furloughed felon used by the late Presidential candidate GHW Bush  to outline the weak on crime stance of his opponent in 1988 (Dukakis). Perhaps, people associate Black people with the concept of welfare and abuse of the entitlement system as fomented by Ronald Reagan with comments of (Welfare Queen) and ('strapping young bucks')
      
      Again it may reduce itself to references to non-white countries as (shi*holes) courtesy of Donald Trump. Such references and comments coming from leaders? I would be hard pressed to think that that is not a foundation for the thinking of many Anglos?
      
      In spite of progress we have made since the lynch mobs, much of the angst between us remain. I am astounded that our electorate and our choices are so juxtaposed from where most Anglos find comfort when they go to the ballot box. This disparity can not be explained by differences in education, income, social status. Race is still the stronger determinant of the differences.  When all other variables between individuals, black and white are the same, you would think that they would share the same beliefs, obviously not.
      
      As we consider each other as "the other", it is the underlying truth behind much of the instances of disrespect and discourtesy where it is obvious that no one was doing anything wrong besides just using the facilities as others use them.
      
      The need to fire and demote such employees who use  poor judgement can be considered a warning and as well as remedy to those who engage in profiling behavior or consider same and that is that. The incidences does serve to remind others that behavior is being watched and recorded and could be made viral at any time. I am grateful for the invention of the cell phone and its camera component.

      replyreport
2. 71

   Live to Learnposted 6 years ago

   I'd need to hear all of the details prior to judgment.  Mainly, a clear picture of what realty transpired. Calling your mother while black is not a transgression. I suspect there is much more to the story.

   replyreport
   1. 81

      crankaliciousposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      So you don't believe the victim's side of the story? Why do you believe there's more to it? Here's a follow up.
      
      https://www.cnn.com/2018/12/28/us/portl … index.html

      replyreport
      1. 71

         Live to Learnposted 6 years agoin reply to this

         I didn't say I don't believe a victim's side of the story. Unlike virtue signalers, I want all of the fact first, prior to judgment.

         replyreport
         1. 81

            crankaliciousposted 6 years agoin reply to this

            Did you find out any additional information? You are right though, whenever the media jumps on something like this, it's best not to just assume that the first side of the story is the only side. It's one of the reasons I hate journalism, generally speaking.

            replyreport