# Questions for white people \[the U.S edition\] **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2014, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068 "2014-04-14T04:00:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![SirGalahad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/71c47a/32.png) [@SirGalahad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirGalahad)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/141 "2014-04-21T16:05:47Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > There is no link between potholes and racism that I know of. My point was (and still is) that white people should focus on fixing domestic problems (their roads, their bridges, their income inequality, their consumerist culture, etc etc) before trying to fix other country’s problems all the damn time. How can one help fix your neighbor’s house if your own house in disarray? IMO, white people should stop giving our tax dollars to white people in other countries (with better roads than us) and spend that money on America. Why this is controversial, I’ll never know. In the 1970’s, American public schools were some of the best in the world, now look at them,\*\* you guys\*\* suffocate them until they are forced to be privatized and your sons and daughters are still behind the world in STEM testing. I will freely admit that I am petrified that you’ll let the interstate highway system languish for a few more decades until it has to be privatized (like ya’ll did with primary and secondary education). > > - Honesty I’m only half White, so I’m only half responsible for the actions of every White person in the world. Do you think money is allocated by the Government based on anything other than Political agendas? Do you think greedy politicians care about the folks they’re sending money to? They want votes … and power. They don’t care about education … there will always be enough nerds to build computers, bombs, and Rolls-Royces. They care about power … that’s all. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/142 "2014-04-21T16:18:07Z")
So the roads are the responsibility of the government. And the roads aren’t being maintained. And the government is white people. I think I’ve just been called shiftless. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/143 "2014-04-21T16:23:30Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > You’re right and I agree with you here. If I could go back in time, I would slightly change the title to questions for conservatives/republicans, but it’s too late for that now. > > - Honesty As a conservative/republican this makes no sense. You rightly criticize the Los Angeles freeway system but liberals have been in charge of that. Democrats have a had a majority in both houses of the California legislature for 51 out of the last 55 years. In Illinois Democrats have had a majority in both houses and a democrat governor for 10 years. Conservatives/Republicans had have as much to do with the poor state of the roads in Los Angeles and Chicago as they have had with the roads in China. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/144 "2014-04-21T16:26:50Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > As a conservative/republican this makes no sense. You rightly criticize the Los Angeles freeway system but liberals have been in charge of that. Democrats have a had a majority in both houses of the California legislature for 51 out of the last 55 years. > In Illinois Democrats have had a majority in both houses and a democrat governor for 10 years. > Conservatives/Republicans had have as much to do with the poor state of the roads in Los Angeles and Chicago as they have had with the roads in China. But there were enough Republicans until very recently to stonewall any tax increase of any kind, so CALTRANS was effectively handcuffed for years. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/145 "2014-04-21T16:37:00Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > Then you must choose not to see the monthly “The blacks are dumb” threads that the SDMB features on Great Debates. Have you missed those? Serious question. Or do those threads don’t make the count in the “most racist threads on the Dope”? And YOU must choose not to see that the vast majority of those threads have been started by newly registered one-trick-pony posters that quickly flame out and get banned. And you must also choose not to see that every time one of those gets started, the vast majority of the SDMB membership, apart from one or two dipshits, joins together in gleefully chewing them and their arguments to pieces and showing them up for the racist dumbasses they obviously are. And, in case you weren’t sure, a lot of those defenders are in fact white. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/146 "2014-04-21T21:27:18Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > . . . There’s more red than a Christmas Tree. . . . Do you even comprehend the difference between rush-hour gridlock and “potholes?” The Los Angeles Freeway system is not riddled with potholes. It gets congested because of too many commuters, not because the road surface is defective. You need to do a little more basic research; you’re getting your facts wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/147 "2014-04-21T21:51:39Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > You’re right and I agree with you here. If I could go back in time, I would slightly change the title to questions for conservatives/republicans, but it’s too late for that now. > > - Honesty I was thinking today that it would have been accurate for most of the OP to have said “Why do like over 60% of US white people believe…” Provocative framing and it would have earned you demands for citation. But an interesting set of questions nonetheless. > [@zoid](#): > > Honestly, this is one of the most blatantly racist threads on the Dope. _::snort::_ I guess you missed scientific racism month. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/148 "2014-04-21T21:56:20Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Do you even comprehend the difference between rush-hour gridlock and “potholes?” The Los Angeles Freeway system is not riddled with potholes. It gets congested because of too many commuters, not because the road surface is defective. > > You need to do a little more basic research; you’re getting your facts wrong. Whatever. The Economist magazine agrees our roads are shiite: [QUOTE=The Economist] Last year a report from a civil-engineering group said that 32% of America’s major roads were in poor or mediocre condition. Main roads through cities were in worst shape: almost half the miles travelled over urban interstates in 2013 were a bumpy ride. Ray LaHood, a former transport secretary, thinks the roads are probably in the worst shape they have ever been. [/QUOTE] Our roads should be in tip-top condition now, if we had a rationalistic stimulus plan. Instead after a brief boost in spending, we’ve had declines in government spending and employment. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/149 "2014-04-21T23:04:56Z")
There’s a bit of difference between “in poor or mediocre condition” and “riddled with potholes.” Also, L.A. freeways were specified, and they’re in better condition than city streets, county highways, country roads, suburban streets, etc. Room for improvement? Hell yeah! But “Shiite?” No. That’s too strong. (Two i’s in Shiite? Since when? Is that a sneaky religious allusion?) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/150 "2014-04-21T23:29:12Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > But there were enough Republicans until very recently to stonewall any tax increase of any kind, so CALTRANS was effectively handcuffed for years. They are not doing a very good job since California has the highest sales tax in the country, the fourth highest gas taxes in the country and the fifth highest income tax in the country. California has plenty of money they just choose to spend it in other places. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/151 "2014-04-21T23:30:43Z")
They don’t. It gets sent to other states. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/152 "2014-04-21T23:49:24Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > They are not doing a very good job since California has the highest sales tax in the country, the fourth highest gas taxes in the country and the fifth highest income tax in the country. California has plenty of money they just choose to spend it in other places. I won’t comment on the other two, but not for sales tax. Maybe if you pretend that there is no local tax, but if you’re not completely rural it’ll be higher. State + average of local it is in the top ten but [definitely not #1](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/02/20/the-united-states-of-sales-tax-in-one-map/) (2-8 is the range I see). Such Democratic strongholds with higher rates are Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Alabama has high local taxes in some cities. (Alright, so some of these are more (D) than most of the south, and TN has barely any income tax instead). ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/153 "2014-04-22T00:59:20Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > From the tone of the OP it makes me think they are not white. Sorry, but the answers to those questions are a privelege for white people only. Now doesn’t that sound like an espionage thriller waiting to happen? _This summer, heroic secret agent James Blonde must uncover a vast conspiracy when supervillain Dr No-Darkies unveils his most fiendish plan yet in: “For White People’s Eyes Only.”_ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/154 "2014-04-22T01:12:28Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Now doesn’t that sound like an espionage thriller waiting to happen? > > _This summer, heroic secret agent James Blonde must uncover a vast conspiracy when supervillain Dr No-Darkies unveils his most fiendish plan yet in: “For White People’s Eyes Only.”_ “Vodka martini: shaken, not black.” ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/155 "2014-04-22T04:11:54Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > But “Shiite?” No. That’s too strong. > > (Two i’s in Shiite? Since when? Is that a sneaky religious allusion?) (No, that was simply mangled. I was trying to say, “[Shite](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shite)” which is a British presentation. But I am not British. Hence the mangling. ) Anyway our roads and infrastructure are lousy by first world standards but admittedly not by third world standards. You get what you’re willing to pay for. And we have and had a golden opportunity to rectify the situation when borrowing costs were at a 50 year low. Unfortunately, Republicans lack the sort of perspective taught in business school. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/156 "2014-04-22T05:52:37Z")
You want shitty roads, come to Pennsylvania. I swear, I think those potholes are created by PennDOT themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/157 "2014-04-22T09:01:02Z")
> [@Honesty](#): > > There is no link between potholes and racism that I know of. My point was (and still is) that white people should focus on fixing domestic problems (their roads, their bridges, their income inequality, their consumerist culture, etc etc) before meddling in other country’s problems all the damn time. How can one help fix your neighbor’s house if your own house in disarray? IMO, white people should stop giving our tax dollars to white people in other countries (with better roads than us) and spend that money on America. Why this is controversial, I’ll never know. In the 1970’s, American public schools were some of the best in the world, now look at them, you guys suffocate them until they are forced to be privatized and your sons and daughters are still behind the world in STEM testing. I will freely admit that I am petrified that you’ll let the interstate highway system languish for a few more decades until it has to be privatized (like ya’ll did with primary and secondary education). > > - Honesty Why shouldn’t the US do both (and the last time I checked its your country and mine too not just those of the white folk)? I think we can encourage our allies to spend more on the military and I much as I am pissed off by Prime Minister Abe’s revanchist nationalist rhetoric, his security policy has been solid in remilitarizing Japan in the face of the rising power of Red China. At the same time the US has certain built-in advantages (due to having been a major military power for so long) and the Democratic Party recognized this necessity of intervention at home and abroad. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2014, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/158 "2014-04-22T10:59:10Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > You want shitty roads, come to Pennsylvania. I swear, I think those potholes are created by PennDOT themselves. Goat paths. PA has goat paths. ---
**Author:** ![danthecan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/82dd89/32.png) [@danthecan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danthecan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/159 "2014-04-27T04:33:45Z")
As A POC I find this thread very racist. Why is this directed at whites? Are their opinions the only ones that matter? To combat this disgusting marginalization of minorities i have taken the liberty to reply (they means the govt in all cases): 1. a) redistribution of wealth by government via social programs has something to do with me insofar as I receive or give such wealth. b) no strong opinion but abortions are important insofar as they could be considered murder. Presumably a fetus is not a person and has no rights until x (where x is something like exiting the birth canal or the third trimester). I can’t speak intelligently for when that would be but I can say that interest in it stems from the same source that drives laws against violence. c) I don’t really care about gay marriage. I also don’t care about polygamy. Consent is cool. 1. Eh, show your work. Not convinced on the naive thing. 1. Yeah, roads could use some repair. Pretty bullshit really. 1. I don’t think you’re super up to date on the facts re: detroit but the basic idea is not wanting to encourage bad behavior (Detroit) by providing bailouts. It’s also not a white vs. black thing cause Detroit is not the only municipality to go bankrupt. They give $ to places like Ukraine or Bosnia not cause they give a shit about Ukrainians or Bosnians but because it makes sense to them from a geopolitics standpoint. 1. Yeah, giving away money sucks. I’d be cool with more isolationism but they’re basically trying to win friends/influence with cash. 1. Well, what are the interests i’m voting against? I’ll definitely stop voting against them asap. 1. Well I don’t. But to be honest I don’t think most people talk about race the right way. Unless you’re out there throwing haplogroups around you’ve probably fucked up (if you called a South American Mexican it’d be fucked up, but it’s also fucked up to lump in mestizos with indians or even to lump indians together). 1. Haha, I don’t consider white to be a thing unless I’m joking around. There was so much mixing between tribes in europe that I’m pretty sure Italian is not an ethnicity unless you’re using that turn of the century shit (mongoloid, nordic, etc). 1. Yeah, I’d be cool with stopping it but the main reason they do it is stability. We (populace) generally like buying and selling shit and want to do so with as little break as possible. They (govt) probably worry that other people do bad shit (start wars, run blockades, cut off resource supplies) when we don’t hold them down so they (our govt) try to fuck them (other people) up before they get a chance. 1. I’ve been silent because of disinterest. If Scotland voted to become the 51st state they’d still need congressional approval (because congress ostensibly represents the current US citizenry). They (congress) probably haven’t admitted PR because PR leans heavily Democratic and Republicans currently run the show. Shit if the CCCP had wanted to join the Union and voted to do so by election we wouldn’t have let them, and those fuckers are pretty “white.” I get that PR is a protectorate but I don’t believe that affords them special legal status regarding annexation (please correct if wrong). ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068/160 "2014-04-27T14:46:12Z")
People who want answers to questions don’t ask them in a disparaging manner. Every one of your questions is asked like what the position you ask about is wrong. Furthermore, you’ve posted here before, and you are pretty intelligent. We know you’re not so ignorant as to actually think that Republican talking points are the actual opinions of all white people in the United States. No one else is saying it, so I will. Your post is clearly racist, and I see no point in responding to any questions therein. People are saying a lot of insulting things, yet you aren’t feeling the need to defend yourself. And we know from your past posting history that you normally like to defend yourself. The fact that you aren’t responding is just more proof of your intent with this thread. And, on that, I will report this thread to be placed in the Pit where we can give it the response it deserves. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-for-white-people-the-u-s-edition/686068.md?page=7)