Will Your Kids Be Better Off Than You? Polls Shows African-Americans Particulary Optimistic (773 hits)
A new poll shows African-American parents are optimistic their children will be better off than they are. [Credit: Getty] Your grandparents were poor, but they worked hard so their children and their children's children could have better lives. Many -- maybe even most -- people dream of better lives for their posterity. But will they achieve it? African-Americans think so. Even in bleak economic times, a new Washington Post-Kaiser-Harvard poll reflects that black parents are among the most optimistic in the country in believing their children will meet or exceed their current standard of living.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 25 percent of African-Americans live in poverty. That's almost twice as high as the general population. Nonetheless, the poll indicates African-American parents are much more hopeful about the future than their gloomy white counterparts. Asked if their kids are going to have a better or worse standard of living at their age, 60 percent of black parents said better. Only 36 percent of white parents said their kids would have better lives. Republicans tends to drag those numbers down.
Maybe it's because they think the world is going to hell in a hand basket -- especially with a Democrat in the White House -- but conservative white Republicans tend to be a bunch of Debbie Downers, according to the poll. About 44 percent of them see a bad moon on the rise. Democrats are a lot peppier. Only 21 percent of them see a bleaker future for their kids. One thing most people agree on: It sucks being their parents.
It doesn't matter whether you are a Democratic, Republican or Independent. It doesn't matter if you are black, white or Hispanic. Majorities (albeit slim majorities) in all those groups said they are faring better than their mothers and fathers.
That's a testament of your good parenting and the home training you gave them Sister Irma!
Thursday, February 24th 2011 at 3:08PM
Jen Fad
Hello Jen,
A people such as Black Americans that were born out of the ashes of slavery could never say that from one generation to the next we have been doing better. The only good thing that could happen for Black Americans along the line of doing better is for us to become a sovereign people on a fertile portion of this continent that we could call our very own country. In other words, the only way that Black Americans could do better is for us to have the reign of our destiny in our own hands. We need the same blessing that God gave to Moses and the children of Israel when they were in bondage and slavery in Egypt. Is that a fair statement for me to make?
You know that what I am saying is true even though it gets you very angry and to the point that you delete what I say. No matter how good White America would treat us, White America's good treatment could never be better than the challenges we need to face as a sovereign people having our own country. Likewise, if Pharaoh had promised Moses and the children of Israel he would treat them better and give them anything they wanted if they would only give God offer, the Exodus and the opportunity of becoming a nation for the first time in their history of Hebrew people it would not have worth them staying in Egypt. Nothing could have been better than the sovereignty of the Hebrew people, am I right.
I asked last night my Bible school book class since it is Black History month that if I could erase their experience of White America how would they then see and judge themselves since our judgment of themselves is always based on our experiences and what we know about White America. The pastor said they would answer the question at the end of the month. Well, last night was the last night to answer my question and they didn't answer my question. Likewise, your view is based upon measuring Black Americans against what White America has published from White America's polls, am I right. Black Americans subliminally see ourselves as an invisible people since we cannot move forward on our own unless we bring something about White America along with us, am I right.
You know that everything that I am saying is true am I right.
Opps ((smiles))
Monday, February 28th 2011 at 9:56AM
Jen Fad
As for my children, that were taught that their lives was for them to make it what they wanted it to be. So far so good, they have made a great life for themselves and have passed this on to their children. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
@Jen, what you just said may have to be taken back about my children...
On my side of the family their grandmother and grand father were not married...on their father's side the grandmother was married but she is white.lol (smile)
those are no nos in America. (smile)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
