Happy #BlackHistoryMonth !
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Happy #BlackHistoryMonth !
I'm still not ready to talk about Black history. I still want to talk about white US history.
Q: Why do Black people see racism in everything?
A: A few years ago, European tech entrepreneur Martin Varsavsky asked some very good questions in good faith. He asked why San Francisco and Madrid were different in so many confusing and awful ways. I answered each of his questions. Please verify each and every answer with a skeptic's keen eye.
Here we go...
1/N
Q: Why are homeless people so rare in Madrid and so common in San Francisco when here GDP per capita is half?
A: Racism.
Of the homeless folk in the USA, 45% have mental health challenges and 40% are Black, even though only 13% of the pop is Black. In SF, less than 5% of the population is Black, but 37% of the homeless population is Black.
In the 80s, when Reagan killed mental health facility funding and Black homelessness exploded, no one cared.
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Q: Why are homeless people so rare in Madrid and so common in San Francisco when here GDP per capita is half?
A: Racism.
Of the homeless folk in the USA, 45% have mental health challenges and 40% are Black, even though only 13% of the pop is Black. In SF, less than 5% of the population is Black, but 37% of the homeless population is Black.
In the 80s, when Reagan killed mental health facility funding and Black homelessness exploded, no one cared.
️But... most homeless US folk are still white? Facts. Unaffordable housing combined with a lack of social programs or safety net lead to homelessness in the US in general. Because in the US, most white people will oppose social safety nets if they believe that Black people will benefit, or if you remind them of "changing demographics." Because racism.
Convince a racist white US citizen that "Black people receive welfare!" and they'll oppose their own benefits
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But... most homeless US folk are still white? Facts. Unaffordable housing combined with a lack of social programs or safety net lead to homelessness in the US in general. Because in the US, most white people will oppose social safety nets if they believe that Black people will benefit, or if you remind them of "changing demographics." Because racism.
Convince a racist white US citizen that "Black people receive welfare!" and they'll oppose their own benefits
Q: Why is the murder rate 500% higher in California than Spain?
A: Racism.
Despite (and because of) racist over-policing, law enforcement in the USA is fantastically inept at catching killers that murder Black folk. Including Black folk.
Black citizens (wisely) don't call the cops. So murderers rack up astronomical body counts.
Less than 1 in 2 US murders is solved. That clearance rate is *lowest* in neighborhoods where cops brutalize innocent Black folk the most.
As Murders Spiked, Police Solved About Half in 2020
The U.S. homicide clearance rate is at a historic low. Here’s what that means.
The Marshall Project (www.themarshallproject.org)
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Q: Why is the murder rate 500% higher in California than Spain?
A: Racism.
Despite (and because of) racist over-policing, law enforcement in the USA is fantastically inept at catching killers that murder Black folk. Including Black folk.
Black citizens (wisely) don't call the cops. So murderers rack up astronomical body counts.
Less than 1 in 2 US murders is solved. That clearance rate is *lowest* in neighborhoods where cops brutalize innocent Black folk the most.
As Murders Spiked, Police Solved About Half in 2020
The U.S. homicide clearance rate is at a historic low. Here’s what that means.
The Marshall Project (www.themarshallproject.org)
But is this correlation or causation? It seems almost like Black folk are suggesting that police activity *causes* more murders to happen?
We can test this (and we have!) by seeing what happens if you go into a neighborhood with a lot of murders, and get police to stop brutalizing innocent Black people, and focus only on stopping murders.
Result: You can end a murder wave in a city by getting cops to focus on murders instead of being evil.
Operation Ceasefire works.
Interrupting Violence With The Message 'Don't Shoot'
Criminologist David M. Kennedy's strategy for reducing gang violence has dramatically reduced youth homicide rates nationwide. In his new memoir, Don't Shoot, Kennedy outlines how community meetings and interventions have worked to curb youth violence in more than 70 cities.
NPR (www.npr.org)
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But is this correlation or causation? It seems almost like Black folk are suggesting that police activity *causes* more murders to happen?
We can test this (and we have!) by seeing what happens if you go into a neighborhood with a lot of murders, and get police to stop brutalizing innocent Black people, and focus only on stopping murders.
Result: You can end a murder wave in a city by getting cops to focus on murders instead of being evil.
Operation Ceasefire works.
Interrupting Violence With The Message 'Don't Shoot'
Criminologist David M. Kennedy's strategy for reducing gang violence has dramatically reduced youth homicide rates nationwide. In his new memoir, Don't Shoot, Kennedy outlines how community meetings and interventions have worked to curb youth violence in more than 70 cities.
NPR (www.npr.org)
Q: Why is health care free even for tourists in Spain paid for by Spanish taxpayers as a human right and so incredibly expensive and cumbersome in California? Our son fell in the bathtub and we had a $12k bill for a few stitches at Stanford ER.
A: Racism.
People hate Obama's Blackness so much, that their opinion of whether universal healthcare is good or bad depends on if you call it Obamacare.
Racist folk with terminal diseases and no insurance, will vote against free healthcare. Cuz Obama.
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Q: Why is health care free even for tourists in Spain paid for by Spanish taxpayers as a human right and so incredibly expensive and cumbersome in California? Our son fell in the bathtub and we had a $12k bill for a few stitches at Stanford ER.
A: Racism.
People hate Obama's Blackness so much, that their opinion of whether universal healthcare is good or bad depends on if you call it Obamacare.
Racist folk with terminal diseases and no insurance, will vote against free healthcare. Cuz Obama.
People oppose "Affordable Care Act" more if you call it "Obamacare."
What's in a name? Lots when it comes to Obamacare/ACA
In CNBC's All-America Economic Survey, 30 percent of the public didn't know what ACA is, vs. only 12 percent when we ask about Obamacare.
CNBC (www.cnbc.com)
One-third of Americans don't appear to know Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing
Americans have different views on Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act, even though they are the same thing.
Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com)
Congress spent 8 years opposing Obama's plan, without any plan of their own. Their whole plan was "I hate you, and I hate your plan!"
The Affordable Care Act was Obama's big win. So they needed to destroy it. It really is that petty.
US opposing to clear public goods like affordable housing, public transportation, and affordable healthcare, is inextricably tied to racism.
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People oppose "Affordable Care Act" more if you call it "Obamacare."
What's in a name? Lots when it comes to Obamacare/ACA
In CNBC's All-America Economic Survey, 30 percent of the public didn't know what ACA is, vs. only 12 percent when we ask about Obamacare.
CNBC (www.cnbc.com)
One-third of Americans don't appear to know Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing
Americans have different views on Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act, even though they are the same thing.
Business Insider (www.businessinsider.com)
Congress spent 8 years opposing Obama's plan, without any plan of their own. Their whole plan was "I hate you, and I hate your plan!"
The Affordable Care Act was Obama's big win. So they needed to destroy it. It really is that petty.
US opposing to clear public goods like affordable housing, public transportation, and affordable healthcare, is inextricably tied to racism.
Q: Why are universities in Spain free* and there is no student debt while in the USA there is more student debt than the GDP of Spain?
A: Surprisingly, also racism!
College in the US is too expensive, so loans.
Black kids are on average, lower income than white kids. Most college drop outs leave not due to poor grades, but for financial hardship. Poor kids very often don't graduate.
Drop out without a degree, you still owe a huge debt.
(*Folks from Spain have clarified that Spanish universities are heavily subsidized and very affordable, but are not quite free. I'm leaving the above question unchanged, as that was what was originally asked.
️) -
Q: Why are universities in Spain free* and there is no student debt while in the USA there is more student debt than the GDP of Spain?
A: Surprisingly, also racism!
College in the US is too expensive, so loans.
Black kids are on average, lower income than white kids. Most college drop outs leave not due to poor grades, but for financial hardship. Poor kids very often don't graduate.
Drop out without a degree, you still owe a huge debt.
(*Folks from Spain have clarified that Spanish universities are heavily subsidized and very affordable, but are not quite free. I'm leaving the above question unchanged, as that was what was originally asked.
️)hi @mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io , your interviewer wasn't well informed on this. In Spain universities are not free. There are public unis (price is partially subsidized) and private ones (more expensive). Ypur point still holds for me in that student debt is not a thing here, but I think that the question being based on wrong info, erodes a bit the answer.
thanks for boosting the thread! I missed it first time. -
hi @mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io , your interviewer wasn't well informed on this. In Spain universities are not free. There are public unis (price is partially subsidized) and private ones (more expensive). Ypur point still holds for me in that student debt is not a thing here, but I think that the question being based on wrong info, erodes a bit the answer.
thanks for boosting the thread! I missed it first time.Though according to this website, tuition fees at public Spanish universities are still two orders of magnitude lower than in the USA.
Cost of Studying in Spain - Tuition Fees 2025
Compared to other famous study destinations like the UK or US, Spain has surprisingly affordable tuition fees, especially when you consider the international recognition of its degrees. So, whether you are planning to pursue a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in Spain, being well-informed about the cost of tuition is essential to planning your budget. […]
Study in Spain (studying-in-spain.com)
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Though according to this website, tuition fees at public Spanish universities are still two orders of magnitude lower than in the USA.
Cost of Studying in Spain - Tuition Fees 2025
Compared to other famous study destinations like the UK or US, Spain has surprisingly affordable tuition fees, especially when you consider the international recognition of its degrees. So, whether you are planning to pursue a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in Spain, being well-informed about the cost of tuition is essential to planning your budget. […]
Study in Spain (studying-in-spain.com)
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io @juergen_hubert@mementomori.social Yeah but that's not free, many people can't afford to study here. Also, minimum wage is around 1000€, and average rent in cities around 1000€. For IT, a 100k $ / year job in USA, can be paid here as 30-40 k € (before taxe), so do the math. And that's IT.
Once assuming that study loans are not popular, it's not easy to pay for your own studies each semester, and wages are not so high anyway once graduated, even if you can get a job that's not tourism related.
I'm aware that the USA is hell regarding to public services and wealth redistribution in general, there's no denial on that and I can't get to imagine how a matter of life or death it can be to get or lose a job there. I really hate that so may people have to live like this.
However, please don't imply that life is easy here. Specially with rich(er) americans moving here as expats and helping gentrify neighboorhoods, rising housing prices, promoting alienating startup and consumist culture, pretending we have to speak their language all the time, and that their new, super heavy, electric cars and their prepackaged organic food (4x expensive) are the way out of climate change and world unjustice.
Even if internal inequality is lower, and that of course we are part of the global north, this is also a south to another north. There are always many axis to look at, and usually we are blind to the ones we benefit the most. -
@mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io @juergen_hubert@mementomori.social Yeah but that's not free, many people can't afford to study here. Also, minimum wage is around 1000€, and average rent in cities around 1000€. For IT, a 100k $ / year job in USA, can be paid here as 30-40 k € (before taxe), so do the math. And that's IT.
Once assuming that study loans are not popular, it's not easy to pay for your own studies each semester, and wages are not so high anyway once graduated, even if you can get a job that's not tourism related.
I'm aware that the USA is hell regarding to public services and wealth redistribution in general, there's no denial on that and I can't get to imagine how a matter of life or death it can be to get or lose a job there. I really hate that so may people have to live like this.
However, please don't imply that life is easy here. Specially with rich(er) americans moving here as expats and helping gentrify neighboorhoods, rising housing prices, promoting alienating startup and consumist culture, pretending we have to speak their language all the time, and that their new, super heavy, electric cars and their prepackaged organic food (4x expensive) are the way out of climate change and world unjustice.
Even if internal inequality is lower, and that of course we are part of the global north, this is also a south to another north. There are always many axis to look at, and usually we are blind to the ones we benefit the most.I am not saying that the studying and cost of living situation in Europe (Spain or otherwise) is great.
I am saying that the studying and cost of living situation in the USA is a horrible shitshow on a level that is inconceivable to most Europeans.
