Speedwell

Strictly speaking they didn't call the slave men 3/5 of a person, they just arrived on a compromise figure between the North and the South as to whether the slaves should count at all. The South wanted them to count in full because then they would get much more representation. The North wanted them to not count at all because they didn't have voting rights, thus each Southern voter would have a disproportionately large vote. It's completely backwards from what most people think.

Ruth16

None of that is true at all

Speedwell

It's true that they have segregated proms. They just don't have officially segregated proms. But one will be sponsored by the school, and the other one will be paid for by parents and held elsewhere; they all know which event is the "white" prom and which is the "black" prom. Whether they like it or not I can't say, but the fact remains that even recently kids of the "wrong" color have gotten in trouble and even been physically attacked for going to the "wrong" prom.

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-bl...tegrated-prom/

Nutmegger

It is indeed. The good news is that I read a number of articles this spring in which it stated that the students themselves were trying to create integrated proms -- so one hopes that as generation succeeds generation such practices will die out.

Giantaxe

Therein lies the rub. The "American dream" was predicated on social mobility and now studies suggest that that mobility is lower than the UK's and a lot lower than many western European countries. The cost of education and healthcare are two big factors in this.

Yorkieabroad

I can remember being shocked/surprised to read an article last year about a High School in (I think) Arkansas holding its first ever integrated prom. I guess I was too naïve to realize that it was still possible or even legal to maintain such segregation.

Sally Redux

Fraternities/sororities also often seem to be for distinct groups.

scrubbedexpat099

and Churches

Ulsterman in Texas

It's very difficult to argue there isn't racism here, in this area I think it's more against the Hispanics than anything. That's not to say the blacks aren't targets too, I remember when I was doing some volunteer work for meals on wheels a certain elderly lady talked about how she went to watch her grandson play football against a team from the metroplex, and said how there wasn't one white face on the teem or among the opposition supporters. As far as work goes yeah I think in this area minorities in most places have a fair chance, The superintendent in the largest school district in the area is black for example. As for social mobility I think it is available in Texas more than many other places. I can't compare it much to Northern Ireland though because for most of my life Northern Ireland was very white. Boiler does make a fair point about the self segregation of churches, and there are historical reasons for that but churches are becoming more integrated thankfully. My church while majority white have a fair amount of Hispanics and native Americans and a black man, but that is in a bigger town, some of the rural Baptist churches locally wold freak out if a Black person walked in sadly.

DebzinUS

And you know this how? Look up Wilcox County High School GA.

hungryhorace

The thing I find so weird here is that it's not an arrestable offence to use racist language. First Amendment protections and all that of course, though this 'right' does allow racism to flourish (KKK / Westboro Baptish Church / Black Panthers spring immediately to mind).

Michael

Then who should be the "thought police" to enforce what is acceptable or not acceptable? If racist language or racism is defined to be a criminal offense, then the party in power could possibly have many of their opposition locked up on the pretense of racism.

hungryhorace

Oh indeed, which is why I strongly supported the First Amendment, even if 'hate speech' is made legal. It's for the greater good, for the very reasons you cite.

I *love* in the US that I am free to say what I want (I am aware of specific exceptions to the First Amendment, before anyone mentions that). That right doesn't exist in the UK anymore.

Michael

What I find a little strange about much of Europe is that there is almost a "politeness law" between politicians and if it isn't followed, one politician can sue another politician for slander or possibly even bring criminal charges.

Ulsterman in Texas

I have noticed some MEPs from some European countries mention how they aren't used to the aggressive way UKIP MEPs debate, and say that kind of aggression isn't present in there political culture. On the American side of things with the primaries coming up I believe that we will see some very intense internal party debate between Tea Party type candidates and more establishment figures, especially in very Republican areas like the area I currently reside. I think some of those battles will be even harsher in some places than the actual election as in some of those areas there will be no substantive Democratic challenge.