Why don’t more Blacks living in bad neighborhoods learn to behave like sober middle-class suburbanites?
One reason is the shortage of stable families, steady incomes, good schools and safe streets. If you grow up with those advantages, it’s relatively easy to do the right thing. If you don’t, it’s a lot harder. People trapped in a poor and dangerous slum can’t depend on the authorities to keep them safe. They face serious threats every time they leave home. But a young Black man who packs or uses a weapon to protect himself against gangs is committing a crime. Even motivated, well-intended kids can wind up in jail — something that happens all the time. Crime and poverty create a vicious cycle: A child raised in a chaotic environment is much less likely to learn the habits that foster success. Black children afflicted with these disadvantages often take the wrong path as teens or adults — and then white people act like the racist configurations of American society bear no responsibility. And when they turn out badly, people like former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani act as though whites bear no responsibility.
