Does America treat Black People fairly?

[Dustlawyer]

88. There is much to be said for the old saying, "Walk a mile in my shoes!"

While not literally possible, it is possible to get a good sense of what it is like if you took more of an interest in black friends, co-workers etc. It would be truly eye opening! I am white, grew up and live here in S.E. Texas. I went to an all black Middle School and experienced racism from the other end. I was treated poorly to say the least, just due to the color of my skin. Our school was falling apart, books and equipment were hand-me-downs from the mostly white Middle School in the same District, and the teachers had given up, or at least didn't want to be there. No way was public education the same for whites and blacks.
My second wife is black and from long talks with her parents and her very sweet 93 year old "Auntee" I heard first hand accounts of Jim Crow that made me ashamed for my race. I am amazed that her family has accepted me with such open arms after what they have been through. I can't say that I could have let it go so completely. While many things are much better than they were, progress has seemed to have slowed dramatically.
Being white, I also hear pretty regularly how tired Whites are of hearing the cry of "racism" at every turn. The problem is, the people doing the complaining either have no clue, or are the ones perpetuating the problem. People assume that Blacks have the same opportunity as Whites, they just squander it. While there are some cultural issues that hold Blacks back, they are ones of institutionalized poverty, not of any inferiority to any other race. If you are "tired of hearing about race" then finally help to do something about it, or at least have a better understanding of the dynamics.