http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2002-2006 by the authors Tue, 3 Dec 2002 16:56:05 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/12/03/131314.php#comment-2327 We seem to be in conceptual agreement - my use of the term "victim" here is meant to convey those heretofore not held accountable for their own lives due to the victimology policies of the "poverty pimps" as you call them. My main point, perhaps not clearly made, is that the most important decision is not identify yourself as a "victim" in the first place. ]]> 2327@blogcritics.org Tue, 3 Dec 2002 16:56:05 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2002/12/03/131314.php#comment-2326 It would make the point clearer and more consistently to simply drop the word "victim." If you're doing it to yourself, you're not a victim. Holding someone accountable for their own actions is not "blaming the victim." Now, you could reasonably say that they are victims of the poverty pimps [eg Jesse Jackson, Kweisi Mfume] and the general culture that encourage bad attitudes and irresponsible behavior, but you'd still be hanging on to the unhelpful model of irresponsibility. The main point is that (in a free society at least) people are usually their own worst enemies. In this case, black folks are doing it to themselves. It's not whitey that tells blacks to disdain learning. It's not whitey that tells black folks they should have 70% of their children born out of wedlock. It's perhaps not "nice" to hold people to account. It's doesn't get the observer any credit for empathy or compassion. If your principle goal is to feel good about your own compassion, then accountability isn't the obvious strategy. If actually improving people's lives is your goal, however, truthful and honest input is key. ]]> 2326@blogcritics.org Tue, 3 Dec 2002 16:05:10 EST