I never knew of this thread's existence until today. I, as a Muslim would ask some of the other Muslims in this thread to sort of calm down with the remarks (You'd know if you should). Jumping the gun and reaching false conclusions is a terrible representation of what you believe in. <div class="quote_poster">Sasha Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Please explain to me with factual evidence the validity of religion. I'm dying to know.</div> Just out of curiosity, what to you would make religion valid? Science? Again, just curious, so don't take it the wrong way (Not that you would). <div class="quote_poster">Pakman Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/race.htm http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/glance/tables/racetab.htm 7) a. true: In 1992 there were 583,000 black men in prison compared to 537,000 in college. Since that date the margin has widened. ^^TELL ME THAT ISN'T RIDICULOUS. MORE MEN IN JAIL THAN IN COLLEGE... I GUESS I HAVE EDUCATED MYSELF SOMETHING DOING THIS LITTLE RESEARCH....AND WHATS CRAZY IS - THE GAP IS WIDENING. Source: http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~kastor/walk...rison-quiz.html</div> I think shape covered the race related rates of incarceration, it's really not a small excuse. But, to further it: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Blacks are prosecuted in federal courts more frequently than whites for crack cocaine offenses, and thus as a group have felt the effects of the longer sentences for crack versus powder cocaine mandated in federal law. Racial profiling and other forms of unequal treatment of minorities by the criminal justice system have further contributed to the overrepresentation of minorities in the incarcerated population. Minority youth are treated far more harshly compared to similarly situated white counterparts within the juvenile criminal justice system.</div> I left out your other parts because, in my opinion, they are numbers that back up shape's refutation to your statement. Sure, African-American males are the most likely, and fill our jails more than any other race, but who arrests them? As for your point 7, that: 1) Backs up race related incarceration, and 2) Furthers the obvious social and economic inequality argument brought up by shape, again. Education is not easy to come by in communities completely dominated by African Americans (not all, but many). African Americans are having trouble seeking a higher education, and that can easily be attributed to the terrible quality of education they receive. You might see that as ridiculous, and hell it may not even be true, but you can't always go by the numbers for entire spectrum of things. I hope you didn't take that as me scrutinizing you or anything, I just think religion and race cannot be compared in how they are treated. Do they overlap? Absolutely, but that doesn't make them comparable (Even in such a simple point as your original one, which, I fully understand). <div class="quote_poster">norespect Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Give me a break. How long can you give that excuse. Jews are probably the most persecuted race on the face of the earth....and for centuries. That dosen't give them the right to do whatever they want and blame society.</div> It's not an excuse, at all. It's a reason. Justification and reason are two very different things. No one is saying it is right, but it's a very good reason. A lot easier to say "suck it up and get over it" when it's not you. And, as for your comment about Jewish people, Israel sure does have the right to really do whatever they want and get away with it (And I don't want to throw that into the fray, because that's its own topic). That isn't to say all Jewish people do bad things, but it's a massive example of how things can get manipulated to meet political agendas. <div class="quote_poster">Chutney Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">And its not like this is some sort of contest. You can't generalize an entire race, entire generations, and entire communities, and then expect them to follow historical patterns. When has that ever happened?</div> I can't believe this post was overlooked, as I think it's one of the best posts made in this thread. This is going to come out jumbled and maybe not even make sense but here goes: So many of the Muslims in this thread accuse people of being ignorant, and use examples of how we AREN'T ignorant to back that up. But that doesn't make sense, because as Chutney so well put it: You can't just generalize an entire race (and I don't know if he meant this but it sounded like he did), and compare it with another and hope to have the same sort of outlook. That's not disproving ignorance, it's showing how the one making the comparison is ignorant about two completely different situations. As for Skip's original post, I am not sure what point you are trying to make. Many of your quoted things have controversy written over them, and if you have a question about it, I would be glad to answer it honestly and the best I possibly could. But, some of those quoted items are good things (At least to me), and I am wondering if you're just trying to wind people up (Which, I don't think anyone on JBB would do that), or just spark discussion? <div class="quote_poster">Legacy Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Well that's basically what I meant. Maybe 90-98 hate them. This song by Lupe Fiasco speaks greatly about Islam:</div> (Legacy, this is not directed at you, but this quote made me remember something) I also, don't think it's realistic to say that Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein don't represent our Religion, but then we quote a rapper who supposedly does. I am a huge fan of Lupe Fiasco, and applaud that he can draw inspiration from his religion. But, personally, all of these "crazies" as M Two One calls them () do in some way represent our religion. At the end of the day, religion is an interpretation of whatever a specific person chooses to believe. So if you're going to quote the positive side of things you have to quote the negative aspect. Of course, nearly all of this is my personal opinion, and I am always looking to widen my view of things. I hope I didn't offend anyone.
this thread has gotten out of hand...so many things to talk about...I don't want to even get into it........I'm going to pretend that this thread never happened.
but I couldn't help it <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">It boils down to this. Regardless of racial profiling or not, for someone to be in jail, that means they must have broken a law right? So, if they are in jail, that means, regardless of if they were pulled over cause they were black or brown, they still broke a law and should be accordingly punished.</div> key word here is "accordingly"...there are far too many people who aren't punished accorded to their crimes...you have people who are locked up for minor offenses in the same cells with convincted killers and rapists.... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Not really. The whole point of jail is to take the freedom that you have in society away, and I think jails do an adequate job of that. The reason people are in jail is because they can't follow the rules of society, so essentially, they can't act accordingly to society's rules and boundaries. If you can't follow the rules, you can't participate. It's quite simple. Stop breaking the damn rules and maybe you wouldn't be stuck in a cramped prison cell 23 hours a day. I don't buy the excuse of "I had no other choice". Everyone has a choice, regardless of the circumstance. You either falter to your environment, or you make something of yourself one step at a time. </div> I never said that they didn't "have a choice", but to have prisons set up as holding cells...and that's it, does nothing to actually improve the society, especially when the people coming out repeat the same offenses.....having actual facilities and systems set up to help individuals will not only benefit them, but also our community as a whole....your tax dollars and my tax dollars will continue to feed, clothe, etc. these prisoners at alarming rates as long as the prison system is set up the way it is....but yeah this thread isn't about the U.S. Prison system....but there is a good special coming on PBS tonight about Prisons making a profit off of Rural towns in the United States.
<div class="quote_poster">Mag Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">As for Skip's original post, I am not sure what point you are trying to make. Many of your quoted things have controversy written over them, and if you have a question about it, I would be glad to answer it honestly and the best I possibly could. But, some of those quoted items are good things (At least to me), and I am wondering if you're just trying to wind people up (Which, I don't think anyone on JBB would do that), or just spark discussion?</div>I'm not focusing on this thread anymore, I made the thread while I was studying Islam, I don't really have any questions or need this thread to continue. Thanks for the offer though Mag, May God bless you, Greg