Charles Barkley, was one of the great NBA players in the 1990’s. He is in the NBA Hall of Fame. For the last decade, he has been a basketball commentator. The reason that most people like Barkley is for his honesty. He provides his perspective on sports and sometimes on society as well. He is never afraid to tell the audience what he thinks, which sometimes means he is controversial. He has a famous line where he says, “Whenever you give your opinion, 50% of the people will line up to kick you in the rear.”
On this occasion, Barkley provides his opinion on race in America. He says, “I believe most white people and black people are great people. I believe that in my heart, but our system is set up, whether they are republicans or democrats, to make us not like each other, so they can keep their grasp on money and power. They divide and conquer.”
Joe’s Perspective: Here we are in week 10, focused on tolerance. And, here is a black man who says what I feel in my heart. Most people I know, regardless of their color, race, gender or sexual orientation, are good people. I know racism exists and racist exist, but most (almost all) are good people who look out for their neighbors and try to do the right thing. As Americans, we have so much more that unites us than divides us. However, and unfortunately, politicians and social media always seem to be dividing us. This makes me sad.
Your Turn: 1) Do you agree with Barkley when he says most people are good? 2) Do you agree with his point that politicians try to divide Americans by race and other ways?
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Yes I really do believe what he says because social media and other things are dividing all of us so basically having us be in different groups and kind of like making all of us not come together as one instead just making us turn on each other
Yes, I agree with the points he makes. I think social media plays a big part in dividing americans and separating us by our beliefs rather then being a way for us to come together
Yes i agree with his statement majority of people are good, but we hear things on social media that gets us upset. Then we feel the need to put our opinions out there that others don’t agree on and we become to divide and conquer.
Yes i agree with his statement majority of people are good, but we hear things on social media that gets us upset. Then we feel the need to put our opinions out there that others don’t agree on and we become to think what our politicians think.
yes i agree because, there’s good in everyone but our society is messed up
Yes I believe most people are good until they give you a reason not to trust them and yes I do agree that the government try’s their best to divide Americans in any possible way they can
I agree with what he has to say, everyone is equal. Also how he says that there will always be people who has something to say despite wether or not they are right or wrong.
I believe that most people are good until they do something to lose your trust. And I don’t really know what the government does.
I do agree that all people are great, some people just like to hide their greatness from others so fit in with society. I also agree that politics are a huge part of society’s division.
Yes I agree, the news and media is always trying to separate America rather than unite. Its sad seeing people hate each other and not even know anything about each other.
1. Most people are good people, if it were the other way around then there would be a lot more murderer’s in this world.
2. I’m not qualified enough to give a fully fleshed out opinion, but I do agree with him. You have to look no further than social media to find that people are constantly arguing and bickering over what’s right what’s wrong if your republican or if your a democrat. To much division in my opinion, just cause you don’t have the same political beliefs doesn’t mean you’re objectively evil.
Yes I agree with his statement, even though I am not too big on politics I feel like social media divides us Americans on our skin color and from past experiences that has happened in history and I feel like I should stay in the past.
People are a most of the time good people but social media says others wise a lot of the time.
There are going to be good and bad people in this world and the real division is the media. There’s a tend going on to “defund the police” but I don’t believe they are 100% of the problem instead I believe we should defund the politics, politicians and the media to have this world come together as 1 and not groups.
I think that all people are good it just doesn’t always show. I also do agree that politicians try and divide people based on beliefs and race.
I agree with with him. The media affects everyone and it divides us from one another. What happened in the past should stay there it’s not necessary to bring up now
Yes. I agree that the news is always trying to separate America instead of trying to unite America.
The news does not bring people together rather it separates. It does not unite America. But separate.
I agree with both of the thing Charles Barkley said. I believe politicians use racism as a tool, to twist people’s perspectives in order to get them to vote for their parties candidates. And of course I believe everyone is great no matter what race is.