Ok here is a question that some may consider flame bait but I thnk

[Toots]

it is curious. Are Blacks smarter than whites? Why do 90% of blacks vote against Republicans where only 35% of whites do? Republicans offer them the same honey sweet lies they offer the rest of the nation but blacks overwhelmingly reject the lies and easily see through them. Why?

[madeline_con]

1. My theory....

they've been bullshitted for so long, they can spot it a mile away.

Just a thought.

[zanne]

3. Yup.

Like you said.

[malta blue]

2. I think Al Sharpton said it best at the DNC

Something along the lines of "we didn't get no 40 acres, and we didn't get no mule, so we gonna ride this donkey to the white house" (probably not quoted verbatim, but you get the message).

[AuntieM1957]

9. as far as it will take us

that is what he said.

At the time, I felt it was a veiled reference to those in the party who refuse to take Sharpton and Jackson seriously.

"as far as it will take us".

doesn't mean forever.

[malta blue]

13. thanks for the clarification

In some ways you are correct in their feeling that the party may not take him and Jackson seriously, however, they have both worked very hard for the party regardless. (Now please, no Tawana Brawley talk).

[hlthe2b]

11. yes... I think the capacity to be bullshitted has long passed...

for most African Americans. Not necessarily so for many non-black Americans, who have yet to truly learn the "hard lessons."


As whether it is intelligence or a difference in gullibility quotient....:shrug:

(I'm sure as hell not feeling very willing to expound on American "intelligence" in general right now.... But so much is narcissism, ignorance (not stupidity--laziness in terms of intellectual curiosity, and a misstaken belief in eternal "superiority," that shields Americans from having to expose their "beautiful minds..."

[wakeme2008]

4. Not really

the white male Repugs in general are racist and the Repug party plays to that group.

[Swamp Rat]

5. .

:popcorn:

[Merlot]

6. Blacks have a long history of being lied to by white politicians?

I can see why someone may wonder why more black vote dem than whites, but I don't think bringing intelligence into the equation is revelant.

There are a lot of very intellegent people who vote repub. Voting is an emotional issue having to do with family, roots, and identity. I think intellegence is one of the last factors to consider in wondering why someone votes the way they do.

[Toots]

8. That is the saddest thing I have heard and probably quite true

:shrug:

[AuntieM1957]

10. WTF? Well, I hate to be a spelling Nazi - but it's intelligence

and it is an important factor in determining your vote.

The intelligence factor allows an individual to sift through the miles of data, and make a critical analysis of who is telling the truth, and who will be the best candidate.

Yes, I agree some people vote with emotion - as their families do.

They thereby discount or throw away their right to make a critical analysis.

And I certainly don't call that intelligent.

[Merlot]

23. If you hate to be a spelling nazi, then just don't...

I realize it may be ironic that I misspelled intelligence...but it actually has more to do with my inability to type well after an accident than it is a true reflection on my mental capacity.

As with voting. People vote with their heart more than their intellect. That doesn't disqualify their vote.

No one ever throws away their right to make a critical analysis. They may not exercise that right, but it is always theirs to call forth.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. A lot has to do with the fact that the Repubs have attained their current

position in America via the "Southern Strategy" starting from Nixon, which means the Republicans are aligned with the formerly segregationist, now anti-affirmative action segment of the South which used to be primarily Democratic.

Basically the political alignment of the country shifted I think when LBJ's support of Civil Rights legislation caused a lot of southern white Dems to leave the party, and caused an alignment of African Americans with the Democrats.

The Republicans have only been too happy to exploit racist sentiment, among other things, to adopt that portion of the formerly Democratic South. That is my understanding of why the formerly solidly Democratic South is now the solid Republican South. Although keep in mind that Carter did great in the South and Clinton won a number of southern states also.

It all boils down to race, really. The country has not really come that far.

[Cassandra]

12. I think it's being a member of a minority, as I am...

I'm Jewish. You just know the majority is never going to accept you fully so you're less likely to fool yourself into thinking that if you just twist yourself into just the right pretzel-like shape, you'll get to join the exclusive club. It's just not going to happen, so why give up your principles?
This doesn't mean you can't construct a fine life as a minority; you can get rich, study what you want, live in a fine house...it just may not be on Fifth or Park Avenues and the top country clubs may not want to bother with you. This is why I prefer to be a Democrat; to be a member of the party which believes in human rights and minority rights.

[1932]

14. Becuase when small changes in policy have a huge impact on life, you pay

close attention when you vote.

For many white people, small changes in policy don't have tremendous impacts on their material condition and so they can be distracted by values issues.

For people at the margin, you care more about the real difference between the parties.

Democrats represent people who make money only from their labor. Republicans represent people who make money from dividend and capital gains -- people who don't have only their labor to make a dollar.

[Cassandra]

17. Actually...

since my business is pretty sucky right now, I'm getting most of my income from interest and dividends. I'd still rather be a Democrat. If Dems were in control of the government, the middle class would be in better shape and my middle class customers would have the money to spend on my products. And I'd still have the interest and dividends as an extra.

[1932]

22. Not speaking in absolutes.

But I bet that most of that 90% of black democratic voters can't live except by their labor (even if they're small business people) -- they don't stand to inherit a great deal, don't use family connections to get jobs that don't produce wealth in proportion to how much time you give to your job, and can't live off investment income.

I'm not saying that a lot of people who aren't black don't have the same problem, but previous generations of people who amassed wealth, own homes, have extended relationships with friends and family who can help you find a job, make it easier for you to weather the economic storm.

[thereismore]

15. Real sad thing is that * is doing something about it.

Under the faith-based initiatives he is pumping federal money into black churches. Some pastors, I hear, have significantly softened or turned their preaching. They are quite pro-WH. * is trying to undermine the bedrock of the black community - the church. All of it with our money.

[kentuck]

16. Politically, blacks are smarter...

Mostly because of their experiences, in my opinion. But we see a lot of blacks, who have not experienced discrimination, Jim Crow, etc, are turning toward the "opportunity" of the Republican Party. Personally, I look to the black leaders in Congress and elsewhere for information and leadership.

[Stevepol]

18. Don't assume it's only 35% of whites. Who knows what the % is?

As long as the electronic voting machines count the votes, the actual numbers can never be known.

As somebody said in a recent post, and it bears repeating: The American people are not stupid; they're just disenfranchised.

Once we get a required audit for all elections, we will perhaps have a democracy again. Then, we can talk about voting percentages.

[Desertrose]

19. do you have any links to back up this 90%-35%?

Thought I heard somewhere that more blacks are turning repub?

I don't think its necessarily a matter of inteligence, but a lot of different factors.

If this is true...sure as hell hope more white folks wake up soon...the way * is screwing everyone...we should all be pretty wide awake by now.

[TahitiNut]

20. Critical thinking

People are fully able to rationalize their own predispositions based on their self-perceptions and cultural affiliations. Critical thinking is probably as much a predisposition, assisted by skepticism, as it is a component of "intelligence." (Whatever that is.)

That said, I have found myself, somewhat uncomfortably, looking towards the CBC and others as a reference point for my own moral compass ever since the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., helped put my conscience on steroids. Sometimes we need only to open our eyes ...

[Toots]

21. I have found myself somewhat uncomfortably

Why? From where does the discomfort arise

[TahitiNut]

24. I doubt I could adquately answer that.

Some component of unease or perplexity is in making any external reference at all, except in merely noticing. I eschew dogma and authoritarianism, but regard any perception as part perceiver and part perceived. As one who eschews dogma, I effectively do view the 'Ten Commandments' as the 'Ten Suggestions.' (It's a commentary on our culture's ethical infancy that someone could sneeringly dismiss such a notion without fear of opposition of any kind.) As a subscriber to deontological ethics, I hypothesize moral absolutes, but also regard those absolutes a self-chosen. (I.e. we're obliged to toe the line we draw ourselves - we are our own Buddha.)

Like I say, I doubt I can adequately answer that -- at least in an online forum. :shrug:

The short (seemingly dismissive) answer is: Inside myself.

[JaneGat]

25. Blacks understand that cause is worth personal risk

Blacks are willing to stick their necks out to provide good leadership. Others may want to go to Crawford, or hold hearings, but it seems (since they don't) they are unwilling to put themselves and their cause on the line. Blacks understand all too well what's at stake, they know the cause is worth the personal risk.

[Toots]

26. Very few blacks at Camp Casey and no "Freedom Marches" towards Bush*'s

Pig farm. Is this not a cause Blacks (as a group) can get behind?

[JaneGat]

30. The only Democratic leader to meet with Cindy was Maxine Waters

[Cocoa]

27. why blacks vote democratic is a good question

but concluding it's because they're "smarter" is a bad answer.

[Toots]

28. Since when is asking a question making a conclusion?

:shrug: sometimes people read more into things than are actually there.

[Cocoa]

29. it's a bad hypothesis

of all the avenues to go down in search of the answer, asking if one race is "smarter" than another will lead nowhere.

[unblock]

31. Locking

This post is flamebait.

There's probably an interesting question here that could be phrased so as not to be flamebait, but "Are blacks smarter than whites" is not it.

Unblock,
DU Moderator