Originally Posted by
calcapt
I am going to be completely open minded here and ask you to be specific. What would you propose that you and me do for someone of any race that steals, robs and kills with respect to their future? You suggest they don't know any better? Should we offer scholarships to those in prison for a free ride to flight school? law school? medical school? I am not being a smart a$$, I really would like to know what we as a society should do with this group of people you are so anxious to help. Perhaps you can enlighten those of us who have participated in this thread? Please be specific as to what we can and should do. By the way, my father worked in the coal mines and brought home $275 every two weeks. Would you like to compare your standard of living to mine growing up? Neither of my parents were high school graduates and I was the first and only in a large family to attend college despite being entitled to every excuse not to. Would you care to make any other incorrect generalizations about all the benefits and luxuries afforded to me as a youngster growing up? Would you be surprised to learn I am black? You have assumed all along that I am just a part of the big bad white man's repressive ways.
But back to the subject, please tell us specifically in your ideal world, what our society should do to solve this problem. How do we provide everybody with a reason to achieve other than the obvious one of bettering one's life?
First you have to realize that we are all children of God and all have good in us. Some of us stray and we need helo to get back onthe right track. As an example, when I was in High school, I wsnt the best student academically. I was in sepcial ed classes. My teachers told me that I couldnt make it in college. But Iknew I wanted to be a military pilot and to do that I needed a college degree. I could have given up and not went to college and got some minimum wage job, but I had mentors that taught me how to belive in myself. Now 20 years later this special ed student is a college grad, Army Officer, commercial pilot and police officer. If folks had just brushed me off and said "well he aint my problem" where would I be?
Of course you have ones that arent going to listen and they wil do the wrong thing. You cant help everybody, but we can try. When God gives us a gift,it is our responsibilty to share that gift with others. To encourage others. Not just lok at them ans "you stole, you will never amount to anything" I hope this answers your question.
As to your other point, I could care lessif you are black, green, purple or blue . But Iwill say this if you dont know your past you will never know your futue. DOug from jc.com is the same way. I met him inthe airport in ATL once and he was very snobbish to me when he saw me in my ramp agent uniform I told hom Iwanted to be an airline pilot but he just brushed me off. Had he seen me in my army LT uniform I am sure his reaction would have been differant, But thats ok. I dont need his mentorship. I have plenyt of ariline pilot mentors. But his would have been nice to have as well as anyone.
I'll cite another example.Ther arent many black female pilots. Why? Because they are not encouraged. We had a career fair once wher ein our booth we had airline pilots and FA's. These girls came over and automatically went over to the FA's they never even considered becomming pilots. Wyhy? Because that is what they have been brought oup to believe. From their parents to TV to their teachers. They were taught their limits were FA. That is why we dont have many seeking thefield of aviation. That kind of thinking needs to change.