# Why so few black SF operators? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 17, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088 "2006-08-17T14:10:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/41 "2006-08-18T16:51:08Z")
My boyfriend was a Ranger when he was in the military (PLEASE don’t ask me which unit he was in, because I don’t rightly know). He was in charge of a ten-man squad; him and nine black guys. Apparently they all though it was hilarious and would be all like “yes, massah, don’t whip me now.” I guess they decided to put every black guy in the class in one squad or something. I don’t know anything about the swimming requirements, but I know that my boyfriend had to take a specialized test for his IQ; he sucks at reading and writing, but when it comes to maths and maps he’s top-grade. That man can navigate his way outta anything (He really never needs to stop and ask for directions). ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![shizaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@shizaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shizaru)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/42 "2006-08-18T19:00:43Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] No, I’ve never been in the military. It’s just a guess on my part. From my civilian work experience it seems to me that black guys tend to have a certain…I guess cynicism is close to what I mean. Not chicken, just not as likely to swallow propaganda as white guys are. Less willingness to believe that the boss is really a swell guy who has your best interests at heart when he asks you to do something spectacularly silly. [/QUOTE] I can understand that. I’ve said before that I was a recruiter for a long time. I put a lot of black guys in the army and to my memory only 2 of them wanted to be infantry…and yeah, it was because they had an inherent distrust of the man. I don’t blame them, either. Its hard to expalin, but i suppose if you ever see Dave Chappelle’s “Black Bush” skit, it might help you understand that black people see things at a different angle than a lot of white people do. I hate to make generalizations like that, but its kind of true. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/43 "2006-08-18T19:42:25Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] A greater cultural mystery to me is why there is a higher percentage of Mormons in SF than in big Army. [/QUOTE] WAG, due to mission duty, the average LDS recruit is a couple years older than the average recruit. This is often given as the reason BYU tends to kick ass in sports. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/44 "2006-08-18T19:42:38Z")
[QUOTE=Bear\_Nenno] Nice. What’s his MOS? [/QUOTE] He was doing counter-intel in Afghanistan. Now he’s in charge of training (yeah, he gets all the cherries) in a LRRS unit out here. Basically biding time in the Guard Reserve in between other activities… ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/45 "2006-08-18T22:41:26Z")
[hijack] [QUOTE=Operation Ripper] Does anyone have an actual cite that details how black people have problems with swimming moreso than whites, hispanics, etc.? I’ve heard this talk before, but I’ve never noticed it played out in real life, at the YMCA, out on the river, etc. [/QUOTE] Me neither. I hear the jokes all the time. As a Black person who can swim - pretty well - there are reasons why you might not see as many Black people with the opportunity to learn to swim or become good swimmers. My mom is West Indian, from an island, and swims really well. Everybody from her hometown swims - and it’s a mostly Black place. My dad is African American and swims as well. My parents wanted us to swim at an early age and encouraged it - Red Cross classes, the works. I grew up a military brat and every base I lived on had at least two pools, one for officers and one for NCOs. At the NCO pool it was always a pretty diverse group. When my dad retired and we lived in Southeast Austin… well, I can’t even think of a pool in my neighborhood. Second, there weren’t any pools at any of the local schools. My best friend (all-state swimmer, Black guy) is from suburban Houston and had a pool in his school. I’m just saying, if I grew up in Southeast Austin, there wasn’t a local pool, and there were no pools at the schools we attended. Last point - constant swimming is hell on Black folks’ skin and hair. Chlorinated water really dries out the skin, and for Black women who style their hair with chemicals - it’s the worst thing imaginable. Side note: when I was in middle school, a friend of mine was bombarded with water balloons on “initiation day.” This friend proceeded to beat the crap out of at least one of the boys who threw the balloons. The kid’s mom was all like, “I don’t understand why she beat my son, it was just a water balloon, etc.” My friend had just had a Jheri curl… cost a bunch of money, and the water in her hair fucked it up. (Free advice - don’t toss water at the heads of Black women unless you know them very, very, well. Hell, don’t do it to anybody.) [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![FormerMarineGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/65b543/32.png) [@FormerMarineGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FormerMarineGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2006, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088/46 "2006-08-18T22:49:38Z")
[QUOTE=Kevbo] WAG, due to mission duty, the average LDS recruit is a couple years older than the average recruit. This is often given as the reason BYU tends to kick ass in sports. [/QUOTE] When I was recruiting, there were always these two LDS’ doing their missionary work and would always stop in my office on their bicycles. They both said that when their duty was done, they planned on joining the Marines. The way they put it (no cite, no backup, just conversation), it was looked at it as their duty to serve their country. To serve two years on missionary duty, without what we consider necessities (TV, radio, etc.) takes a LOT of discipline considering a lot of the responsibility they take on. That discipline would probably serve well in any service, especially the more elite branches, and specialties. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-so-few-black-sf-operators/369088.md?page=2)