Black Conservatives Debate Black Liberals on American Politics

Came across this video on Youtube, and decided to watch it due to current events.

I wanted to watch it, because when I see people talking about the voice of of black people and other "people of color" it's usually coming from a panel comprised of mostly white people with a non-white guest speaking.

So, this is a video of black people debating on what they think. As far as I can tell, none of them are politicians, and the views they hold come from their own personal experiences.

Now, it is from Vice, and I know that a lot of people have a certain level of contention, but with this I think it was fair as the moderator did a decent job of letting both sides speak and have rebuttals.

If anyone else in interested here is the video.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

I wanted to sh** on this without watching it. The click bait style alongside Vice, I thought I knew what it was before seeing it. I hate when people decide so and so gets to speak for all ______ people.

But, I have to say after watching half... For the most part this was pretty cool. Open and civil discussion, airing of grievences, and honesty.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I took the time to watch it and at least it was a civil discussion with both sides represented that had valid points.

Something we all should strive for in political discourse, TBH.

Although I prefer this viewpoint....

Vice.. Did.. Good? Huh..

Well done discussion that balanced some spirited commentary and still allowed people to speak. A lot of those issues are much broader than any single community or demographic.. but tend to be perceived otherwise.

I couldnt help but notice it was very much like a discussion on ATS.

a reply to: Lumenari

I can't speak for everyone, but I have friends and family from different ideologies that I respect and can see where they're coming from. We talk about this kind of stuff all the time. We all can find common ground on certain things too, at least admitting on what glaring problems the system has while disagreeing on the solution.

And like ATS... A lot of them confuse me with a fence sitter, moderate, or a centrist 😂

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: Lumenari

I can't speak for everyone, but I have friends and family from different ideologies that I respect and can see where they're coming from. We talk about this kind of stuff all the time. We all can find common ground on certain things too, at least admitting on what glaring problems the system has while disagreeing on the solution.

And like ATS... A lot of them confuse me with a fence sitter, moderate, or a centrist 😂

I have for years hosted a lively bunch of people around a campfire once a month when the weather is good.

My family is mostly Liberal (actual Liberals), some Democrats, one Republican, an Anarchist and the rest of us are Independents.

Our friends are an odd mix too.

In person with a little (or a LOT) of wine in them, we can still agree to disagree at the end of the day.

I think the internet has taken personal responsibility out of the political discussion (here you can write a check your ass can't cash without repercussion) so it has devolved.

Actual human interaction was what this Republic was built on.

Let's hope that we can get back to that and not a Facebook Election.

It was a good civil discussion. Nothing was resolved, but I hope the individuals involved had some things they thought about from listening to each other.

Sadly this type of civil discourse is not prevalent right now. We will be a better society once it again returns to be normal for civil discussion.

I appreciate the commentary so far.

Like Serdgiam mentioned it did seem similar in some way aspects like the discussions we have here at ATS. It actually reminds me of discussions I have in my personal life as well. I can't tell you the amount of times when having a discussion the people that have an opposing viewpoint feel the need to get loud and shout. When I ask them why they feel the way they do, or ask them to go further in their explanations it becomes apparent that they haven't really thought much about why they think the way they do.

Heck, I've got a whole list of references bookmarked on my phone so that if someone wants me to provide sources I can.

And boy, the anger that arises when I do pull up references on my phone. Can't catch me off guard! Lol

It was civil for the most part, I just can't stand when people feel the need to shout and cut a person off when they are speaking.

I used to participate in debates in school, and that was the biggest thing I hated. When someone brings up a point of contention you write it down, or make a mental note of it, and when it's your turn you can bring it up then.

Overall though, I do wish they had more time to get into the specifics, because a lot of the things they brought up could have definitely taken a lot longer to delve into. I would have enjoyed listening to them discuss things in more depth.

And I do like Candace Owens. I like how she cares enough to voice an unpopular opinion. It shows she has some backbone. I enjoy listening to her voice her reasoning as well.

I've noticed a lot of people here, on various social media platforms, and in my offline life that many people are quick to have an opinion, but have a hard time explaining why they think the way they do.

Again like Serdgiam has said, a lot of those topics aren't confined to a single community or demographic. I've had the same discussions amongst people of all cultures and ethnicities, and they've all brought up the same points.

If we could have these conversations like what was documented in this Vice video, I believe that we could rise above our differences and really make a significant impact in our local communities and eventually, on a national level, see the light at the end of the tunnel.

In my opinion this really is more of a class thing than a race thing.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: Lumenari

I can't speak for everyone, but I have friends and family from different ideologies that I respect and can see where they're coming from. We talk about this kind of stuff all the time. We all can find common ground on certain things too, at least admitting on what glaring problems the system has while disagreeing on the solution.

And like ATS... A lot of them confuse me with a fence sitter, moderate, or a centrist 😂

That's pretty cool. Sadly my liberal friends and family and incapable of a political discussion that consists of anything other than Trump is Nazi and his supporters are racists.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: AutomateThis1

I wanted to sh** on this without watching it. The click bait style alongside Vice, I thought I knew what it was before seeing it. I hate when people decide so and so gets to speak for all ______ people.

But, I have to say after watching half... For the most part this was pretty cool. Open and civil discussion, airing of grievences, and honesty.

Thanks a lot, SPOILER ALERT!

Psh. I was about to make a comment without watching it but now you've set an example and I feel myself inclined to watch it before commenting now. Just gotta wait until the vacuum dude is finished in here.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: Lumenari

I can't speak for everyone, but I have friends and family from different ideologies that I respect and can see where they're coming from. We talk about this kind of stuff all the time. We all can find common ground on certain things too, at least admitting on what glaring problems the system has while disagreeing on the solution.

And like ATS... A lot of them confuse me with a fence sitter, moderate, or a centrist 😂

I have one member of the family who used to be Conservative until she met a guy with lots of money and started pushing extreme liberal views to be like him. She deleted all of us shortly thereafter but other than her, you could put my entire family, Aunts, Uncles, cousins, grandparents, etc. in the same room and the only disagreement you would see would be one cousin who is in college near Austin, when the conversation of late term abortion comes up. That may have changed by now, I don't know.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

This video seemed to put those issues in a condensed form. The participants, both sides mind, tended to frame them as issues specific to the "black community."

Its very interesting to me, and makes me wonder just how much they talk about these things outside the "black community." Simply put, it cant be that frequent.. Or they would have found out these problems are significantly more widespread.

Another interesting thing I noticed is that it seems that they would agree on the core of something, but think and act like they disagreed due to presentation.

Im not sure when exactly "the left" turned into such a monolith.. But I think that might be one of the biggest issues we are currently facing.

Theres no discussion there, and I have noticed a prevalence of the claim of "Oh, I dont discuss politics, religion, etc." But they do, *constantly*.. with people that agree.

I recently had my most longterm friend go on a rant about how Trump and "individualism" is the source of all the problems in the world. I tried to talk about how we keep looking to the political soap opera to solve everything, or as the source of all problems. Yet, we have everything we need at our fingertips to make a lot of these changes we want to see in our own lives (anyone who reads my posts here pretty much knows where I stand). Havent heard from him in weeks...

Being stuck in a room, with "no escape," might have actually precipitated a conversation lol

a reply to: AutomateThis1

The ignorance of some people.... The left.

They may have the numbers right but what the numbers mean are totally wrong.

Ok... For instance.

White people benefit more from welfare.

wow... really? I thought everyone on welfare benefited from welfare.

They don't take other statistics into consideration either.

US Pop - 72% white 12% black

Welfare statistics by race
41 percent of Medicaid recipients were white, 20 percent were African American and 30 percent were Hispanic in 2018. [Source: KFF]

In 2018 35.7 percent of SNAP program beneficiaries were white, 25.7 percent were African American, 17.2 percent were Hispanic, 3.1 percent were Asian. [Source: USDA]

Of TANF recipients in 2016, 27.9 percent of were white, 19.1 percent were African American 36.9 percent were Hispanic. [Source: Department of Health and Human Services]

41.6 percent of the African American population and 36. 4 percent of the Hispanic population participated in at least one government assistance program in a given month. [Source: United States Census Bureau]

One guy guy acts like the whole world is against him while another gay guy is thriving.

I think the problem is... One wants everything handed to him while blaming everyone else because more isn't enough while the other is making his own way.... Just like the conservative black girl. (she kinda sexy btw... maybe it's her conservatism.., right?)

I think liberals are just set in their ways and blame everyone else for their shortcomings or lack of motivation.

Sometimes I'm Lazy AF and I don't blame liberals for my actions or lack there of.

This video shows that I'm not wrong in my way of thinking and I'm absolutely right in how people need to get off their pity pot and make their own way like everyone else.

Can't wait till this 'Give Me' culture starts giving back. Yeah right...

a reply to: StallionDuck

The conservative people in the video actually refuted that by saying that there are more white people.

So, yeah Idk. You got people who value individualism and putting in some work to make their communities better.

And then you got people who want to be part of a collective and feel like they belong, and want everyone to pay for everything.

a reply to: StallionDuck

I have had that discussion with some of my black friends before. When I brought up that people of all skin colors have had it bad, they acknowledged it. They even agreed.

What they follow up with most of the time is that they are more concerned with the black community over anything else. They don't what a white person's opinion on anything, and they want to solve it themselves without any help from white people.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

The conservative people in the video actually refuted that by saying that there are more white people.

Yeah, that's what I mean.

All of these 'facts' out there but most of them are missing some vital information. There are more whites so you would have more whites in the system if all things are somewhat equal. If the population of whites are 71% while only 40% make up the system vs 12% black population while 20% are in the system.... I dunno... I'd say other than the obvious, everyone in the system benefits from the system but if he HAD to label it based on the numbers he's using.... We're talking double for blacks vs half for whites, if you're looking at it from a population standpoint.

Personally, I don't see that... I just see the obvious - Everyone in it is benefiting from it. They just want to pick and choose.



For me.. Honestly. It's not black and white for me. It's thug vs civility. There's no place in this world for "OGs". That crap died with Capone. Is it a separation of color or is it really a separation of attitude? Racism may exist but it's not at all dominant. I think people are just honestly fed up with thugs and the hard drug population - the sucker punches - the riots - the you owe me attitude...

If a white man was trying to carry a conversation who you could tell had zero education or even an attempt at one, I'll either feel sorry for him or I'll just stay the hell away because I seriously don't want to get involved with him. Depends on where they are on violence.

Face it... Most white people don't feel comfortable in a black neighborhood because it wreaks violence in the back of their minds. You get rid of that image and you'll have even more acceptance.

It just seems, as even shown in the vid, conservative minded people appear more educated, are more acceptable of the world around them and aren't layered under all of these holier than thou labels of total Bu!!$#!&.

Yeah, I know the world sucks but I don't pretend I have all the answers and I don't hate someone for having an opinion no matter how different. ....unless you're a thug. People who prey on the weak has no place in this world.

...or maybe they do and it's we that don't belong.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

It's really hard to have a conversation, least I haven't been able to have a real one, with black folk that I know. It always ends up with "But you don't know how 'we' feel so you can't possibly understand".

In truth, sometimes it's BS and sometimes it's real but you cant use that excuse either way because no matter what 'feelings' are involved, the outcome and/or the solution is always the same.

I understand being shunned - excluded - hated - bullied - made fun of... No I didn't get the horror stories about slavery around camp fires. But when your history is only about slavery, the fault is in the people beating that into heads because that's not at all, all of their history. That's a small, very small part of it.

Yes - It was a huge part and a scary as hell part but I don't lose sleep over my Cajun ancestors being prosecuted and killed, drowned while being on a ship that was deliberately sank to get rid of us... I could dwell on that crap all day but I don't care. I know it because it's history and it shows the kind of strength my people went through just to exist and just for me to be alive today.

I don't lose sleep over Irish children being the very first slaves to america. I'm most certain I have the same blood in my veins from somewhere but it's not my strife. It was theirs and they overcame. End of story. It's time to move on.



Certainly life gives you a really crappy hand. Sometimes I swear I'm cursed or have a monkey on my back that I just cant get rid of and life sucks for a long time. I have friends that go through the same so I'm sure the same happens to us all but I don't blame the man for not being able to make a bizzilion dollars. Yeah, it sucks to high hell and I wish I could leave the dream where I had a cool half billion to buy the best cars, sailboats, gold-digging dames.... and all that but I don't. Yeah, I envy people that make more than me.... Like a fat kid in a candy shop. But it is what it is. Guess I just have to suck it up and keep on living the only way I know how.

And that doesn't include burning down what other people own to make a point.

a reply to: AutomateThis1

Look how they all ended in agreement that they need to get on the same page and work together. White liberals and conservatives could learn from that. They really listened to one another. It only got loud when someone was excited to add their thoughts.

a reply to: StallionDuck

I had a really great twitter conversation with a black woman the other day. I won't go into everything we talked about, but at one point I told her that we share a lot of the same oppression, although our struggles to overcome are not the same. I didn't want to define her struggle, because I can't. But I told her that I believe black women when they speak their truth.

That's about all you can say when someone tells you that you don't understand their struggle.

a reply to: Serdgiam

Yes, they do constantly. If anyone needs proof, look at the way everything is suddenly a platform for politics. You can't get away from it anywhere. You can't watch sports without it. You can't play a video game without it. All the editors at publishing houses are looking for the "correct" books to publish.

Politics are everywhere; all the time.