Would you attribute that to hard work and attitude, random chance (e.g. possibly fortuitous location) or something else?
------ I would attribute that to all the above, yet to which degree each one of those things plays a factor varies according to each individual who is successful. I have seen many get lucky. I have seen some work hard to get there. I have also seen many who for most of their lives worked very hard but were knocked down because of their race and could never get ahead.
The difficulty many have getting their heads round things is why do African Americans seem to be so different? There are other groups have had serious persecution and also been victims of slavery but who have since prospered (e.g. Jews, Chinese, Irish as already mentioned).
------ This one for me is easy to understand. As I mentioned in my previous post, with African Americans they were told that they were apes. It was law that they were not complete humans. They were seperated from their families. Lost their language and were not allowed to read and write. When you have a system that for 300 years taught you and provided false "scientific proof" that you were merely one step up from an animal you will probably believe that. That feeling of infiriority can't be combatted because you can not read. You mother tells you the same thing because its what she is taught. There are no people of your skin color that are allowed to do these things. You have no history. Asians and Irish and Jews had a history that they carried with them. If they didn't have it then there was another IRISH guy who did. They all spoke the same language. Same with most Asians, they had a past. With Africans that was wiped away when they were seperated from their families. They lost languages and cultures and history and background. Without those things you are whatever others tell you that you are.
I read a comment somewhere that suggested the groups that had improved typically had no leaders that you could name whereas the black community has a lot of well know, infamous, leaders who don't seem to have done much to actually advance people's well-being.
--- Well I am no fan of Jesse or AL. More a fan of thier predecessors - but no need to elaborate on that. They tend to make huge deals out of things that are reminiscent of what was taking place in their error. Little are they aware that things have changed and so has the face of racism and inequality. In their era racism was out there and visible and it was accepted. Now it's not as accepted by the general population as MUCH. SO they think every crime committed against a minority is laced with prejudice because in thier era that was generally the case. Now the racism is in the board rooms more often then not, and in areas that the public light can not shine as easily.
Is it bad leadership? I have to say whenever I hear Sharpton or Crump talk I do not feel compelled to help or even hope that someone else helps.
------ Al and Crump are not the leaders of Black America. Black America no longer needs a leader like it once did. What it needs is for others to get rid of their stereotpes and let each individual AA prove who they are and not be lumped in with a group. The ones generally looking for a leader are the ones who are lost. Just like those in the White community who are looking for leaders are generally the weakest minded of that group. Blacks / AA's are now ready to do what is necessary to move ahead - they just do not need stereotypes of years past following them. Treat them as individuals.
Is the leadership irrelevant? I have a hard time believing that good or bad leadership of any group makes no difference.
---- see above
Is it the culture? Has crime and violence taken over and 'become' a way of life for a critical mass so that it's the norm?
--- Not specific to AA culture. The culture of America is one of violence / ignorance / and poverty. It is prominent in the lower class and urbanized areas because that is where the poor people are. That is the case anywhere. The problem is the pporest of America are the people of color due to things mentioned above. However strides to improve are there and many are getting on the bus.
Why do people live one life over another? Some obviously don't get much of a choice but I think many do and simply make poor choices.
Why?
--- This is one aspect where I have to say you are wrong (in my opinion), or maybe its a misunderstanding. There is still a very strong belief that AA's are worthless and they are not capable of achieving and not capable of anything positive by those with power. That ideology is passed on in the schools and in work environments as well so those ideas stick with many and never go away. When you are a kid of 6 to 10 and everyday all you see are poor people. All you get of your past is that you were a slave. People in authority tell you that you are less than others or that you can't achieve - you begin to believe that. Others hear these things and fight against it, but they are not able to achieve because others hold them back who have the ability to help them advance.
I once worked as a Software Engineer for one of the largest accounting firms in the US. I sat in this positiion for 6 years until I finally quit to start my own business because all those around me advanced and not me, when I knew I was smarter than those who were advancing. Well 3 years after leaving my ex-boss who was Irish contacted me on Facebook and wanted to meet up. He apologized and admitted that he didn't promote me because of the negative stereotypes of MY PEOPLE and that he thought if I was in that position I MAY NOT take it seriously... he apologized. I accepted it. Yet I also realized that this instance probably isn't very uncommon. I personally used that setback as a catalyust to improve however you can surely understand how others could be hindered by that, all the while thinking I will never get ahead because I am being held back. In some instances they are - in others they are not. So it is easy to see why some go the route they do while others keep pressing forward