At 3:05 AM 12/11/1996, drose@AZStarNet.com wrote:
Many people of good will find racial discrimination to be abhorrent.
Abhorrent? To the extent that stupidity is repugnant, I suppose you are right. However, I find it interesting that we are taught to see racism in terms of morals. The basic tone seems to be "Oh, we really shouldn't say such things ... even if they are true." What you don't hear very often is how racists miss out on friendships and valuable life experiences. Why not? Because typically the people condemning racism do not, in their hearts, believe it is worth knowing people in certain racial groups. Imagine a company which avoided hiring good people for dumb reasons. Why is this any different from any other foolish decision? Leave the abhorring to the company's poor stockholders. But, of course, many of the people who are doing the abhorring are unable to picture members of certain racial groups being great people to hire. (My comments are directed to the world at large and not drose@AZStarNet.com) Rather than promoting abhorrence for racism, it would be more constructive to discuss reality itself. This happens infrequently. Instead, we are encouraged to pretend reality is something other than what we believe. Topics of the African-American crime problem are considered to be inappropriate, yet it is a very real component of American urban life. Discouragement of thought and discussion is another hallmark of a totalitarian society. Thought and discussion are not conducive to blind obedience. Ironically, most African-Americans are better equipped to discuss their beliefs about racial groups than their "educated" "defenders". For example, check out the "Last Poets". You won't agree with everything these people have to say, but there is no question that they are speaking their minds, often brilliantly. (I consider the poem "Niggers Are Afraid of Revolution" to be their chef-d'oevre.) Another example can be found in the movie "Crumb". Much, if not all, of Crumb's work is unpopular amongst the "politically correct", often on the grounds that he is racially prejudiced. Crumb reports that African-Americans never object to his work and often give him positive feedback. Clearly, the people Crumb is talking to have the sophistication to recognize his advanced use of satire and courageous exploration of topics forbidden for discussion in American society. (Let me add that remailers are great. I would be reluctant to express these ideas in any other way for professional reasons.) African-Americans have clearly added a great deal to American culture. The great musical achievement of the 20th century is jazz and it was primarily developed by African-Americans. Jazz holds its own intellectually against any other genre of music from any time. Interestingly, jazz did not originate in an elite, like most great cultural achievements. It was developed by an oppressed minority which had only limited access to surplus resources. Jazz was developed in an astonishingly short time, really just a few decades. Most "cultured" Americans would give their eye teeth to go back in time and meet Mozart and his friends. Yet, a short time ago people capable of comparable achievements were available in the United States. Jazz has not received the recognition that it deserves in the United States. In Europe, jazz musicians are given something more like the respect they have earned. This is not to the credit of the United States. (Those who don't believe me should get "Love Supreme" by John Coltrane and listen to it carefully about 20 times. There are layers and layers of depth and meaning. Those who are accustomed to more organized forms of music will initially hear a sloppy performance. This is hard to understand because these are some of the most technically accomplished musicians who have ever lived. hat they are doing is stretching medium and extending the range of meaning which can be expressed. Particularly fascinating is how well the apparent sloppiness of each musician dovetails so well with what the others are doing. This is challenging, to say the least. The relationship with his God that Coltrane expresses is quite different from the one usually hears. Mozart, Bach, et al, have a tendency to fawn. Coltrane expresses a more intimate (dare I say "anarchistic"?) vision.) The canonical jazz musician spends hours and hours of work every day developing his technique, mostly through the love of the art, much like many of us do with computer programming. At any rate, those who wish to enlighten their fellows on the subject of racism can do better than "it's just wrong."
OTOH, I'm sure that as an attorney you are cognizant of the fact that financial institutions have a fiduciary responsibility to their shareholders.
I'm afraid this misses the points that Matt and I have been discussing. Matt believes that redlining betrays the fiduciary responsibility of the banks. I believe that it doesn't matter. That is, if you want to go to a bank which is riskier and pays lower interest because it avoids good business, that is your problem. Red Rackham