It does boil down to economics, but who has controlled the economic discussion in this country for 400 years, white people or black people?
This is a great article about the practice of “redlining”
Dividing Lines: Redlining in Louisville - Louisville
A process of systemically driving down the property values and loan and banking opportunities of black people in the city of Louisville.
I spent 15+ years in Louisville as a legal aid attorney, a criminal prosecutor, and a trial court judge. There are FACTUAL analyses of the racial populations being processed through our justice system.
Black people are arrested, convicted, and sentenced WAY disproportionately to their percentage of the population.
It starts with them getting arrested more. Why? Because there’s more cops in the “black” areas of town than in my affluent, predominantly white neighborhood. Why? Because there’s more crime happening there. Why? Because people there are poor and desperate. Why? It all goes back to economics...
My home value has risen consistently over the years. Many homes in the black area of town are plagued with stagnant or even declining home values. Try to get a loan to start a business in that scenario. What collateral you got? What school are you going to go to? What neighborhood mentors are you going to be exposed to as a child as you formulate either positive or negative life behaviors?
I’m sorry to contribute to this thread derailment, but there absolutely is a history in this country of systemic government, financial, and societal structures set up contrary to the well being and success of black people.
*Poor, struggling white people definitely exist. I grew up in East Tennessee. I know what that looks like. But the existence of one doesn’t nullify the other.