# If you're white and all you can think about is how good blacks have it, you're an idiot **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 6, 2009, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048 "2009-07-06T04:26:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/181 "2009-07-10T14:16:04Z")
> [@LonesomePolecat](#): > > Aw, sweet cheeks, don’t be that way. I’m starting to think we can’t be fuck buddies any more. She’s been with a darkie. You wouldn’t want her. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/182 "2009-07-10T15:04:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > She’s been with a darkie. You wouldn’t want her. And, if the popular saying is correct, neither would she want him. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/183 "2009-07-10T15:32:27Z")
That’s probably true, but I doubt it has much to do with the popular saying. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/184 "2009-07-10T15:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=Really Not All That Bright] She’s been with a darkie. You wouldn’t want her. [/QUOTE] Probably going to come off sounding like a prig here, but calling someone a ‘darkie’, even if it was supposed to be tongue in cheek (even if you happen to be black) gives me a really hinky feeling. I HATE that term. It’s probably a generational thing, but it was a term that was used in my own youth. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/185 "2009-07-10T16:50:28Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > Hmm, I don’t agree. Look at factory workers today–are they able to leave large sums of money to their kids? The vast majority are not. On this topic, [here is a letter](http://radgeek.com/gt/2009/05/06/wednesday-lazy-linking/) from a freed slave, who was asked by his former master to go work for him again after the Civil War. The letter’s author is very polite, but quite reasonably makes the terms of his return hinge on the wages owed to him by his former master: > [@Jourdon Anderson](#): > > I served you faithfully for thirty-two years and Mandy twenty years. At $25 a month for me, and $2 a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to $11,680. Add to this the interest for the time our wages has been kept back and deduct what you paid for our clothing and three doctor’s visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are in justice entitled to. Please send the money by Adams Express, in care of V. Winters, esq, Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past we can have little faith in your promises in the future. This gives you some idea of how much money in in question here, considering this is just one man’s lost wages. Needless to say, the plantation owner in question did not remit the $11,680 minus deductions/plus interest (about $162,000 in today’s money according to the article). Now, think about all the people who labored, for so many generations, without pay. We are talking about a lot of money here, which I don’t think you can dismiss by saying that factory workers don’t leave their kids much money. NOTE: I do not write this to show that I am in favor of reparations. I am merely writing to indicate that slaves were in a very different position from factory workers, at the very least in terms of wages, which should go without saying, but apparently that’s not the case. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/186 "2009-07-10T16:55:41Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > On this topic, [here is a letter](http://radgeek.com/gt/2009/05/06/wednesday-lazy-linking/) from a freed slave, who was asked by his former master to go work for him again after the Civil War. The letter’s author is very polite, but quite reasonably makes the terms of his return hinge on the wages owed to him by his former master: I love the last sentence in the letter… > [@](#): > > Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/187 "2009-07-10T16:58:25Z")
> [@villa](#): > > I love the last sentence in the letter… I know, that letter made my day when someone sent me the link. The author’s sardonic politeness is brilliant. I plan to find a way to have my students read it next year in class. I think they will enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/188 "2009-07-10T17:03:55Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > Probably going to come off sounding like a prig here, but calling someone a ‘darkie’, even if it was supposed to be tongue in cheek (even if you happen to be black) gives me a really hinky feeling. I HATE that term. It’s probably a generational thing, but it was a term that was used in my own youth. So, I suppose, were “gardyloo” and “phlogiston”— getting a shiver up your back from those too, Pops? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/189 "2009-07-10T19:19:18Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > I’ll concede, it is more rewarding to be white. How would you know? Only Michael Jackson could say for sure. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/190 "2009-07-10T19:58:06Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > On this topic, [here is a letter](http://radgeek.com/gt/2009/05/06/wednesday-lazy-linking/) from a freed slave, who was asked by his former master to go work for him again after the Civil War. The letter’s author is very polite, but quite reasonably makes the terms of his return hinge on the wages owed to him by his former master: > > This gives you some idea of how much money in in question here, considering this is just one man’s lost wages. Needless to say, the plantation owner in question did not remit the $11,680 minus deductions/plus interest (about $162,000 in today’s money according to the article). Now, think about all the people who labored, for so many generations, without pay. We are talking about a lot of money here, which I don’t think you can dismiss by saying that factory workers don’t leave their kids much money. You are focused on the gross, but a person can only leave their kids the net. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/191 "2009-07-10T20:02:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > How would you know? Only Michael Jackson could say for sure. > > Regards, > Shodan Well, only [lil’](http://www.kalamu.com/bol/wp-content/content/images/lil%20kim%20album%20cover.jpg) [Kim](http://sicbeats.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/mugshot__lil-kim1.jpg), now. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/192 "2009-07-10T20:20:33Z")
She’s hotter in the mug shot. Tell me I’m wrong. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/193 "2009-07-10T20:27:53Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > She’s hotter in the mug shot. > > Tell me I’m wrong. > > Regards, > Shodan That goes without saying. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/194 "2009-07-10T20:38:29Z")
Obviously the Teaneck P.D. needs to upgrade their copy of Photoshop. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/195 "2009-07-10T21:40:18Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > You are focused on the gross, but a person can only leave their kids the net. What you’re ignoring is that it is impossible to leave your kids anything if both your gross and net are zero. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/196 "2009-07-10T23:30:43Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > What you’re ignoring is that it is impossible to leave your kids anything if both your gross and net are zero. What? How am I ignoring anything? I’m taking more factors into account than you, that’s the opposite of ignoring relevant info. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/197 "2009-07-10T23:40:22Z")
> [@Rand\_Rover](#): > > What? How am I ignoring anything? I’m taking more factors into account than you, that’s the opposite of ignoring relevant info. You’re comparing factory workers’ inability to leave their kids money to slaves’, because, you say, I’m forgetting the difference between gross and net salaries. Don’t you see how absurd that comparison is? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/198 "2009-07-11T00:06:09Z")
> [@Rubystreak](#): > > You’re comparing factory workers’ inability to leave their kids money to slaves’, because, you say, I’m forgetting the difference between gross and net salaries. Don’t you see how absurd that comparison is? You are looking at the total salary a slave could have earned and think that is solely determinative of how much they could have left their kids. That’s absurd. ---
**Author:** ![BugMeNot2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e5b9ba/32.png) [@BugMeNot2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BugMeNot2)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/199 "2009-07-11T00:08:33Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > So, I suppose, were “gardyloo” and “phlogiston”— getting a shiver up your back from those too, Pops? This made me laugh, which makes it the best post in this asinine thread. If you could see me now, you’d be watching me tattoo a giant W - T - F on my forehead, in honor of this pissant thread. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048/200 "2009-07-11T00:34:36Z")
**Zoe** , I don’t know how much time you’ve spent in central VA, but there Confederate flag is quite common around here. I worked a booth at the state fair last year, and just about 50% of the white folk who visited my booth had on a shirt of some type emblazened with the flag (with Palin/McCain sticker accompaniment). (When I worked at Six Flags over GA as a youngster, it was the same thing. Maybe they save those kind of shirts for special outtings.) I learned early on not to discuss the CW at work. Everyone is nicefolks, but something about that topic makes people overly defensive and stupid, because suddenly you’re talking about great-great-grand daddies who ain’t never had no slave and all’s they was doin’ was fightin’ for States’ Rahts and you people JUST DON’T GET IT. So I don’t bother, because I’d rather keep thinking that everyone is nicefolks. You don’t know what I’ve seen and heard living here. This state is more backwards-looking and backwards-behaving than most people think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-white-and-all-you-can-think-about-is-how-good-blacks-have-it-youre-an-idiot/502048.md?page=11)