Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Wait. WHAT???

Lots of folks have opined about the fracas in Cheeseland, the WI State Fair Park mob attack where folks were apparently attacked while leaving the fairgrounds. Well, apparently, some Milwaukee aldermen have gone and lost their damn minds and released this official statement:

We’re Reaping the Harvest We’ve Sown
As elected officials, we are shocked and concerned about the senseless violence displayed by the large mob outside State Fair Park last night. On behalf of our city, we apologize to the victims and good patrons who endured or witnessed such horrific behavior.

"Sadly, what transpired near State Fair Park last night is only the most recent mob riot spawned by a culture of violence that has been brewing in Milwaukee for some time.

And let’s face it, it also has much to do with a deteriorating African American culture in city.
They're going to be crucified for this. They've just committed their last act as public officials, more than likely, and will more than likely find themselves the target of threats and possibly even violence because of it. I don't know if I agree with the assessment, for one simple reason: It's not just the African American culture that's deteriorating.

It's the culture of "not my fault" that's at fault here. It's the culture that takes the blame away from violent criminals and places it on inanimate chunks of metal; the culture that blames violent video games rather than absent parents; the culture that says we can't have an honor roll because it will hurt the self esteem of those that don't make it. In short, what's wrong here is the culture that rewards conformity and compliance and ostracizes individuality and personal responsibility.

When there are no winners - because being a loser would be bad to their self-esteem - it makes playing the game pointless. Remove the incentive for playing and there are no more rules to follow. If someone is told from the moment they are born that nothing bad that happens to them is ever their fault, they start to believe it. Didn't make the team? They shouldn't have cuts! Didn't play your best? Everyone gets a trophy anyways!

When you replace the carrot-and-stick approach with carrot-and-carrot, it makes rewards meaningless - and punishments more necessary and frequent.

That is all.

Thanks to stretch for the story in e-mail.

13 comments:

Dave H said...

How's this for a coincidence? Today's Dilbert comic strip.

Unfortunately your "more necessary and frequent" punishments aren't received as corrections by people raised in the cult of self-esteem. Since obviously they can do no wrong, anyone who tries to correct them is obviously a hater.

Guffaw in AZ said...

"The beatings will continue until moral improves"
I got in trouble at work for having this sign in my cubical.

Tim Covington said...

Luckily, the State Fair of Texas allows concealed carry. Though, I still might be skipping it this year.

Matt said...

I find it odd that the MSM isn't really reporting the fact that it was black on white racist violence, but that this letter was published PDQ just to stir up trouble because he called it what it was.

Anonymous said...

I agree with you to a point.

Although our "unearned self-esteem" based society is, in my opinion, crippling generations of young people for life, I think the culture of violence is more centralized than that, at least in our society.

And the alderman, political suicide or not, hit the nail right on the head.

Bill Cosby said it years ago and was castigated for it. Society at large cannot solve the problems of the black community. Only the members of the black community can do that and, until they are willing to admit that there is even a problem, there is little chance of it happening any time soon.

Matt said...

Sailorcurt, here is a black mayor doing just what you said. And although it is a problem in all society not just the black population, it is perhaps the worst here in the U.S. This mayor is admitting that there is a major problem in the black race.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/youve-damaged-your-own-race-philly-mayor-blasts-teens-flash-mobs/

Braden Lynch said...

I don't carry (yet), but if this is not enough evidence to do so, I'm not sure what would be.

The lone robber is bad enough, but a rioting or attacking crowd?

I think this little gem should be shoved in the face of anti-rights gun control advocates as the final say on the absolute need for high capacity magazines.

Jester said...

That actually is a refreshing point of view from Milwaukee. It is quite a bit more refreshing considering its usually the white folks that get attacked for minority violence as the ones taking the blame. Now the context is a bit lost I think but only the local papers were covering that it was black on white violence. The reports on it outside of the Milwaukee area again curiously omit the race of the attackers. Now if it was a group of whites attacking blacks.. My my what would happen?

Mike W. said...

Holy shit, you mean they did something other than "Blame the White People!?"

Inconceivable!

Old NFO said...

We're on the downhill slide... rather than admit those folks are right, they will be pilloried by the NAACP/MSM and others.

Anonymous said...

"Sailorcurt, here is a black mayor doing just what you said. And although it is a problem in all society not just the black population, it is perhaps the worst here in the U.S. This mayor is admitting that there is a major problem in the black race."

Granted. And that's a very encouraging sign. We'll just have to wait and see whether his view prevails and real cultural changes begin to occur, or he's castigated and spurned by the community (as Bill Cosby was just a few short years ago) for daring to speak the truth.

Anonymous said...

I think I read that somebody from the NAACP also made a comment that was close to the same vein.
Not quite but close.

I was quite surprised.

Unknown said...

*It's the culture of "not my fault" that's at fault here. *

Amen.