This is why we talk about structural racism. For example, African Americans and other minorities were disproportionately affected by a practice called redlining, where they were relegated into certain neighborhoods based on lending law. This eventually became illegal and acknowledged as a form of discrimination, but what followed was a new discriminatory practice — Adjustable Rate Mortgages that were disproportionately given to minorities.

These mortgages rates kept increasing to the point that banks could no longer afford the risk, bundling them into securities and selling them for pennies on the dollar. This leads to the financial collapse of 2008.

Barack Obama becomes America’s first black president, and instead of letting banks fail, or at least prosecuting them for discriminatory lending and fiscal irresponsibility, he bailed them out. The result: the single greatest loss in minority wealth in American history. 60% of foreclosures during the recession were of minority owned homes, while they make up only 24% of the population. Economists predict that the average black family will be $100,000 poorer by 2031 than if the recession hadn’t happened.

Does this make Obama a racist? Attorney General Holder? The black guy who was running HUD? Maybe a little, but it speaks more to a system of institutionalized racism, and their class interests. They were more interested in not upsetting billionaires than upsetting minorities.

It’s not that black cops or Obama are racist, it’s that they participate in systems that uphold racism.

The first police in the US were used to round up run away slaves. After the civil war and the abolition of slavery, police were established in the south to enforce Jim Crow laws. Later, in the north, they would be established to control unionization efforts. Eventually Jim Crow is repealed, African Americans finally gain full citizenship, and a class of people who had been economically eviscerated for centuries see a brief opportunity to raise their station, only to be hit with the drug war and mass incarceration. Police disproportionately police black communities, disproportionately cite and arrest black people, disproportionately send black people to prison, disproportionately falsely arrest black people and, yes, disproportionately kill black people. They get into as many altercations with blacks as they do with whites, making the disproportion particularly damning. Most studies show that blacks and whites commit crimes at about the same rates.

It’s not that police themselves are racists (surely some, but certainly not all), it’s that policing is one of many institutions that uphold structural racism.

It doesn’t help that cops are trained to be in constant alert, monitoring everyone as threats, and spend on average only 8 hours of training on deescalation, particularly when more than half of the calls they receive would be better handled by counselors.

So, yeah, it’s a little more “local” then I think you are seeing.

P.S. To be sure, being a minority doesn’t prevent you from being a racist. I’ve heard all sorts of garbage come out of all colors of mouths, even my own parents. I’ve hear Latino cops use the N word, black cops use the S word... It is a great tool to keep people divided.

Part of the reason you are so correct about all of this being a living memory — people who watched their cities burn and their friends and neighbors hang from trees in the 50’s and 60’s are still very much alive.

But I think there is too much effort in "grabbing arguments that fits our story". About 2008 reason for fallout was pure greed imo, banks giving mortgages "for free" even to poor ppl they knew couldnt pay, because system was set on provisions and bonuses and banks made the money. US banks in their greed screwed whole world. Also for poor ppl paying higher interest rates, its nothing racist, banks do it everywhere (unless I misunderstood and black person was given higher rate than white person with same income). It happens here, but in our case its not racsist because poor folks are also white...Tbh it is something i never really understood, asking poorer person to pay more because he is risk of not paying up, it just puts more pressure on him and increase chance of indeed not being able to pay - and therefore bank increase interest even more. Weird logic.

We have saying here, "when someone wants to beat a dog he will find a stick". And thats how it looks today, ppl are desperately trying to "prove" that something is racistic, and when life sucks its cause others are racist. People always trying to compensate their lack of luck or good fortune on some external factor (for example here it could be "it sucks because imperialistic america" or "good old russia would make it better again" or "Goerge Soros" or Jews are behind it and other crap) Apparently at your side of ocean its "racism"
But what about poor white americans? They are frustrated with their lives but cant cry racism (cause white guy is on top of the so pyramid right?) , so they turn into MAGA crowd and Trump knows what to tell such masses. I dont know demographic of his voter neither saying thats real reason why he was able to build his cult, but it would be similar how populists rise to power, even across europe. Frustrated ppl abandoning their reason venting out their anger. In this case its BLM imo

What you said about Obama, its rather about power and greed of oligarchs rather than racism, isnt it?. Squeezing low and middle class for profits, i guess its same everywhere especially now in globalization era, but as US has such diverse population its probably looked at with race optic more often then not.
One more thought about that, I think with true racism black person would never be president*, even in case that ruling class would want to please masses (cause it would go against core ideology). While if it is just about power greed control they could install puppet of whatever minority to appease masses. Perhaps even current situation is of advantage to them, because when plebs is distracted and fighting each other nobody is focusing their attention to the overlord. Perhaps even what you call "institutional racism" could be mere measure of control, to deflect attention of ppl from real stuff.
*But at same time one would assume dumb person cant be president (of US), and apparently it can, so maybe my reasoning is not right :)

What was happening these days with that historical statues is insanity. There is no argument that can justify such lack of reason, surrender to lowest emotions of hate and fear. Columbus being torn down? Churchill in UK sprayed as racist? The man that led Britain against Nazi?? Even if he would have had personal plantation with slaves (which he hadnt afaik) he is positive historical figure and fought enemy that touted race superiority stuff. Cant ppl use brains today?
Frankly I would want to see what would that mob do to white guy standing in front of Columbus statue trying to talk them down not do it, probably would not fare better than the statue :)

So now history needs to be rewritten? That it doesnt offend somebody? This is BS and road to hell for whole society. Sadly this trend of "political correctness" is here for many years, its just getting worse.

I absolutely agree with you that being minority doesnt prevent you being racist, thats what i mentioned previously. Problem is that perhaps there is quite enough racists among black ppl (they probably dont even consider they could be racist, because only bad old white guy can be racist right?), which is fueling all this nonsense.
But then again, while it may be hard, the "living memory" shouldnt be excuse for clinging on hatred, because that chain will never break. Even if during 50/60's black ppl had it hard, as you mention, I think it is still nowhere close to what did happen to Jews around 30/35-45 in Germany/Poland/Europe , my point? Did we ever see any kind of demonstrations, rioting by Jews against and in the Germany? See? What happend to them was "structural racism" , the state agenda was to kill every single of them because they were deemed as total trash. The camps was just temporary station, slave labor was just temporary assignment till they could be killed/or died. But on other hand even at beginning of US the slavery of black ppl was means for cheap labor not extermination (while Im sure they were treated like crap, they would still be of value alive to owner rather than dead I guess). Stalin killed millions of Ukrainians, there is enough genocides to pick from...And also slavery wasnt exclusive to US, it was through whole our history with us.
So I agree it doesnt make much point arguing who had it worse, cause how far in to the history do we go? Because if we take it to the extreme, when we all came from Africa then black ppl are responsible for all the evil :) (pardon the small joke)
We should learn from the past, not cling to it. And at some point we have to move on.

Not trying to offend/insult anyone just venting, perhaps ignorant(?), my views on the matter.