The words, of course, from the Quiet Riot song - but we've got another quiet riot in politics these days, and it is courtesy of Barack Obama, as noted by Roland Martin:
...what he did try to do was give the 8,000 attendees, and anyone else watching, an understanding of what is a real problem in America's inner cities. And more importantly, his blueprint for fixing the problem.
"(Quiet riots) happen when a sense of disconnect settles in and hope dissipates," according to a written version of his speech. "Despair takes hold and young people all across this country look at the way the world is and believe that things are never going to get any better.
"You tell yourself, my school will always be second rate. You tell yourself, there will never be a good job waiting for me to excel at. You tell yourself, I will never be able to afford a place that I can be proud of and call my home.
"That despair quietly simmers and makes it impossible to build strong communities and neighborhoods. And then one afternoon a jury says, 'not guilty' -- or a hurricane hits New Orleans -- and that despair is revealed for the world to see."
We all saw what that looks like when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, and it was ugly and sad. Even worse was our government's response to the crisis.
But folks, this goes on every day. And we do a very good job of pretending that it doesn't matter.
Who is pretending it doesn't matter? I think we all do care - or, at least, any of us with an ounce of human decency care. I want very much for my fellow Americans who live in poor areas - regardless of their skin color - to be full participants in our society. But when I, or others like me, propose solutions, it is people like Obama and Martin who gear up to fight us every step of the way.
When we note the lack of family formation; when we note the glorification of violent gangsterism; when we note the corrupt politics of the inner city - when we note any of the actual problems plaguing America's underclass and propose solutions, we are denigrated as racists. The only thing an Obama wants is for us to shell out more tax dollars so that he, and we, can feel like we're doing something. You see, the dirty secret is that the political left survives in power via the votes of the distressed urban areas - make those areas middle class, and there won't be a place for the politics of envy and race-baiting. There won't be, in short, a need for Obama...or Sharpton, or Jackson or any of those, white and black, who claim to speak for poor black Americans. Keep 'em poor, keep 'em on the liberal plantation - that is what the political left really wants, and that is what the malefactors of social conscious work desperately to preserve.
We don't need more welfare programs, we don't need more "walking around money" for select rabble-rousers, we don't need liberalism in the inner cities - what we need is a strong dose of Judeo-Christian morality and firm law enforcement; send in the preachers and priests and police the areas properly (at least as well as Obama's swank neighborhood, right?) - that will do far more to fix the problem of the underclass than yet more socialistic transfer-payments via the federal government.
Posted by Mark Noonan at June 9, 2007 01:04 AM
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"...what we need is a strong dose of Judeo-Christian morality and firm law enforcement; send in the preachers and priests and police the areas properly..." -MN
Yes. It will work in America. It will work in Iraq and Europe and elsewhere. With God nothing is impossible.
BTW, I love Quiet Riot's "Come on, feel the noise!"
Posted by: Freedom1 at June 9, 2007 03:22 AM
So you are contending that the poor's condition would magically improved if only they believed in god more? Not improvement of inner city schools? Not reduction of burden on the poor? Not more social programs to support single parent families surviving off of mothers who work two jobs.
Just give them a bible tell them to pray and throw yet more of our inner city youths into jail. You know that of western countries - the US has by far the highest fraction of its population incarcerated? Throwing more people into jails where they become even harder criminals or throwing away the key is not the answer. Addressing the social , economic, and political inequalities and inequities will
Posted by: kblack77 at June 9, 2007 04:25 AM
K
AGAIN
YOU entirely miss the point.
If one has a true relationship with Jesus, the illigimate births for the most part - GO AWAY.
The same with the gangbanging, robberies etc etc.
Being poor monitarily does not relate to crime, being poor in spirit does.
The school angle is a SCAM....ever hear of bussing?
You may take one to the waters edge, but they can die of thirst if they refuse to drink.
The blacks have long been led by charlatin marxist pied pipers and unfortunately they have willingly followed.
Posted by: FmrMarine at June 9, 2007 09:20 AM
kblech,
Did you even read Mark's post? Your screed is so off center and wide of the mark it's ridiculous. Your blatant hatred of Christianity is sad. Why did you stop at ridiculing only the Bible? Mark mentioned Judeo-Christian morality (you know the kind that built this country and now affords you the luxury of acting like a complete ass?) and yet you seethe only at Christians? Are we the easy target? Is your antisemitism hidden under your robes and hood? Or are your views truly that distorted and inconsistent?
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of your lunatic bile is you never once mentioned that "Bush Lied and Millions Died". At least that was refreshing...
Posted by: GOP 4 ME at June 9, 2007 11:42 AM
kblack,
If people don't have their hearts right, then no amount of laws or welfare will ever make things better for them. A woman who has four children from three men doesn't need more welfare, she needs self respect, and that can only come from a knowledge of God and her place in the world. A young man who thinks that being a gangster is all he can be also needs self respect.
And then there's policing - the inner city is high crime not because poor people are inherent criminals (which, by the way, is de-facto what liberals believe) but because the poor areas of town have always been poorly policed. There has always been a "leave them be" attitude coupled with the powers that be shovelling cash at those who are perceived to be able to keep a lid on the discontent of the poor.
God and the law, that is what is needed.
Posted by: Mark Noonan at June 9, 2007 12:54 PM
Remember the good old days when there were tough sentences for criminals and everyone went to church? Those were the days, unfortunatly though all the same crimes still existed, the only difference is either we don't accept certain things now like domestic abuse or we accept other things like single mothers. Also the media loves a drama. We always have a moral panic about something, single mothers, teenagers etc.
Illegitimate births are not necessarily a problem just because a kid is born out of wedlock does not mean that it will be a burden to the state, that its parents will be bad parents or that it will suffer because it is illegitimate. The same can be said of divorce it doesn't always cause a huge social problem or huge problems for the kids.
Sure religion can help but it will not solve all the problems, faith based charities are fine but more long term help is needed and that has to come from the government. When everyone was religious crime still existed some of the most disgusting like paedophelia, murder, theft, etc. Poverty also existed during those religious times, look at Rowntree or Booths studies and the punishments for crimes commited were harsh. Therefore it suggests that religion and harsh law will not solve all the problems and that the government must also provide help to these people.
You assume that poverty is based solely on an underclass yet it cannot be. Sure to an extent it is but structural factors must be taken into account such as economic recessions, high unemployment and so on certain factors cannot be controlled by the impoverished individuals alone. You may wish to worship at the Bible of Charles Murray but other factors cannot be ignored. Sure you get lazy and foolish people but not all people who live in poverty do so through their own fault.
Posted by: weefee at June 9, 2007 01:08 PM
Mark: And then there's policing - the inner city is high crime not because poor people are inherent criminals (which, by the way, is de-facto what liberals believe) but because the poor areas of town have always been poorly policed.
Do you remember the COPS program? It was initiated in 1993, and over the next several years it served to put 100,000 additional beat cops on the streets all over the US. During that time violent crime dropped to historically low levels. But when Bush came into office he was apparently persuaded that the more cops/less crime correlation was specious, or at least that the program wasn't worth the price. And so over the next few years he, supported by the GOP congress, gutted the program.
As it turns out, violent crime is again on the rise. Go figure.
Anyway, the Dems are set to bring the COPS program back. How do you all feel about that? Personally, I'm for it. At this point it's hard to deny that the program had the desired effect despite its problems.
Posted by: Ricorun at June 9, 2007 01:52 PM
i'm anti-christian because i suggest that we should be handing out food the starving rather than bibles, improving education rather than sermons, providing more community programs rather than throwing more people away in jails..?
Yes - clearly I hate Christianity - thats what must be it. You guys are unreal - all I am suggesting is that it will take more than preaching to solve deep social inequalities.. Get over yourselves..
Posted by: kblack77 at June 10, 2007 06:12 AM
In a recent discussion in my inner city high school, I asked a few questions about church, as it was relevant to the book at hand. Out of about 50 students, two told me they never attended hurch, and maybe five more said they rarely attended. The rest attended on a fairly regular basis. None of my pregnant students or 15 year old mothers were in the non attending ccategories. My biggest discipline problems and the worst of the gangbangers all attend regularly. I don't think churchgoing causes the problem, but it clearly isn't preventing them.
As usual in that class, we were reading aloud, because we have 20 books and 25-30 students. I define words, since I can't tell them to look them up, as we have 2 dictionaries. I fidget a bit, since I'm breaking out in hives, since the windows don't open yet there's no money to fix the air conditioning.
I consider myself pretty devout, but do not feel that God should provide me with books or ac. it seems presumptuous to make such demands.
if we are supposed to install Christianity, what does that do for false churches such as Roman Catholicism? A fair portion of the country would not approve of promoting the false church witht heir tax dollars. is this really a road we should be taking in this century?
Posted by: someguy at June 10, 2007 01:19 PM
The united states government spends more money on weapons than the rest of the world combined. The United States government does not obey its own laws. The United States government is a merchant of distruction whose power evolves from domination through fear and violence. Hmmm...police, bibles, and preachers. Fear and violence. The highest incarceration rate in the world. Capital punishment - China and Iran, the only two countries to surpass the US in capital murder - a blight on your country. Laws designed to marginlize certain segments of society who some rich folks don't approve. Racism, violance and the military. God bless america.
Posted by: ramems at June 13, 2007 04:03 PM
Order Matt and Mark's book on Amazon or Barnes and Noble
"...what we need is a strong dose of Judeo-Christian morality and firm law enforcement; send in the preachers and priests and police the areas properly..." -MN
Yes. It will work in America. It will work in Iraq and Europe and elsewhere. With God nothing is impossible.
BTW, I love Quiet Riot's "Come on, feel the noise!"
So you are contending that the poor's condition would magically improved if only they believed in god more? Not improvement of inner city schools? Not reduction of burden on the poor? Not more social programs to support single parent families surviving off of mothers who work two jobs.
Just give them a bible tell them to pray and throw yet more of our inner city youths into jail. You know that of western countries - the US has by far the highest fraction of its population incarcerated? Throwing more people into jails where they become even harder criminals or throwing away the key is not the answer. Addressing the social , economic, and political inequalities and inequities will
K
AGAIN
YOU entirely miss the point.
If one has a true relationship with Jesus, the illigimate births for the most part - GO AWAY.
The same with the gangbanging, robberies etc etc.
Being poor monitarily does not relate to crime, being poor in spirit does.
The school angle is a SCAM....ever hear of bussing?
You may take one to the waters edge, but they can die of thirst if they refuse to drink.
The blacks have long been led by charlatin marxist pied pipers and unfortunately they have willingly followed.
kblech,
Did you even read Mark's post? Your screed is so off center and wide of the mark it's ridiculous. Your blatant hatred of Christianity is sad. Why did you stop at ridiculing only the Bible? Mark mentioned Judeo-Christian morality (you know the kind that built this country and now affords you the luxury of acting like a complete ass?) and yet you seethe only at Christians? Are we the easy target? Is your antisemitism hidden under your robes and hood? Or are your views truly that distorted and inconsistent?
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of your lunatic bile is you never once mentioned that "Bush Lied and Millions Died". At least that was refreshing...
kblack,
If people don't have their hearts right, then no amount of laws or welfare will ever make things better for them. A woman who has four children from three men doesn't need more welfare, she needs self respect, and that can only come from a knowledge of God and her place in the world. A young man who thinks that being a gangster is all he can be also needs self respect.
And then there's policing - the inner city is high crime not because poor people are inherent criminals (which, by the way, is de-facto what liberals believe) but because the poor areas of town have always been poorly policed. There has always been a "leave them be" attitude coupled with the powers that be shovelling cash at those who are perceived to be able to keep a lid on the discontent of the poor.
God and the law, that is what is needed.
Remember the good old days when there were tough sentences for criminals and everyone went to church? Those were the days, unfortunatly though all the same crimes still existed, the only difference is either we don't accept certain things now like domestic abuse or we accept other things like single mothers. Also the media loves a drama. We always have a moral panic about something, single mothers, teenagers etc.
Illegitimate births are not necessarily a problem just because a kid is born out of wedlock does not mean that it will be a burden to the state, that its parents will be bad parents or that it will suffer because it is illegitimate. The same can be said of divorce it doesn't always cause a huge social problem or huge problems for the kids.
Sure religion can help but it will not solve all the problems, faith based charities are fine but more long term help is needed and that has to come from the government. When everyone was religious crime still existed some of the most disgusting like paedophelia, murder, theft, etc. Poverty also existed during those religious times, look at Rowntree or Booths studies and the punishments for crimes commited were harsh. Therefore it suggests that religion and harsh law will not solve all the problems and that the government must also provide help to these people.
You assume that poverty is based solely on an underclass yet it cannot be. Sure to an extent it is but structural factors must be taken into account such as economic recessions, high unemployment and so on certain factors cannot be controlled by the impoverished individuals alone. You may wish to worship at the Bible of Charles Murray but other factors cannot be ignored. Sure you get lazy and foolish people but not all people who live in poverty do so through their own fault.
Mark: And then there's policing - the inner city is high crime not because poor people are inherent criminals (which, by the way, is de-facto what liberals believe) but because the poor areas of town have always been poorly policed.
Do you remember the COPS program? It was initiated in 1993, and over the next several years it served to put 100,000 additional beat cops on the streets all over the US. During that time violent crime dropped to historically low levels. But when Bush came into office he was apparently persuaded that the more cops/less crime correlation was specious, or at least that the program wasn't worth the price. And so over the next few years he, supported by the GOP congress, gutted the program.
As it turns out, violent crime is again on the rise. Go figure.
Anyway, the Dems are set to bring the COPS program back. How do you all feel about that? Personally, I'm for it. At this point it's hard to deny that the program had the desired effect despite its problems.
i'm anti-christian because i suggest that we should be handing out food the starving rather than bibles, improving education rather than sermons, providing more community programs rather than throwing more people away in jails..?
Yes - clearly I hate Christianity - thats what must be it. You guys are unreal - all I am suggesting is that it will take more than preaching to solve deep social inequalities.. Get over yourselves..
In a recent discussion in my inner city high school, I asked a few questions about church, as it was relevant to the book at hand. Out of about 50 students, two told me they never attended hurch, and maybe five more said they rarely attended. The rest attended on a fairly regular basis. None of my pregnant students or 15 year old mothers were in the non attending ccategories. My biggest discipline problems and the worst of the gangbangers all attend regularly. I don't think churchgoing causes the problem, but it clearly isn't preventing them.
As usual in that class, we were reading aloud, because we have 20 books and 25-30 students. I define words, since I can't tell them to look them up, as we have 2 dictionaries. I fidget a bit, since I'm breaking out in hives, since the windows don't open yet there's no money to fix the air conditioning.
I consider myself pretty devout, but do not feel that God should provide me with books or ac. it seems presumptuous to make such demands.
if we are supposed to install Christianity, what does that do for false churches such as Roman Catholicism? A fair portion of the country would not approve of promoting the false church witht heir tax dollars. is this really a road we should be taking in this century?
The united states government spends more money on weapons than the rest of the world combined. The United States government does not obey its own laws. The United States government is a merchant of distruction whose power evolves from domination through fear and violence. Hmmm...police, bibles, and preachers. Fear and violence. The highest incarceration rate in the world. Capital punishment - China and Iran, the only two countries to surpass the US in capital murder - a blight on your country. Laws designed to marginlize certain segments of society who some rich folks don't approve. Racism, violance and the military. God bless america.