Of course not everyone who is poor is poor because of racism. But I think the disproportionate amount of non-whites living below the poverty level is due to racism, past and present.
The substandard public services -- including public schools -- in most majority-minority neighborhoods help create an environment where many kids are discouraged from obtaining a decent education, which leads to fewer job prospects. Racism today is more subtle than "whites only" water fountains, or KKK members blocking access to schools, but the effects of that type of racism still exist. Additionally, a more subtle racism perpetuates our highly segregated neighborhoods, schools, and public life.
And I do think that the concentration of single parent families and a fascination with sports stars in majority-minority neighborhoods is related to the history of racism. My friend teaches at an inner city high school, and a suprising number of her students cite becoming a rapper as their main career goal. They honestly think they are more likely to suceed as a rapper than as a lawyer. This is due to short-sightedness, yes, but also cultural conditioning & role modeling, which are shaped by... yes, racism. The effects of racism are complex, and differ from person to person. Racism is not the only factor that shapes anyone's life. But it exists, especially visibly for people in majority-minority neighborhoods.
I'm surprised that we can't agree on that.
I agree that racism EXISTS, but I disagree that it is currently the primary source of the educational and economic issues facing many minority communities.
Also, I was not just referring to URM's when I talked about the cultural problem(s). Poor whites are also likely to have unrealistic dreams of being singers and/or sports stars along with a higher incidence of single parenthood. My point is that poverty strikes hard across all races resulting in similar problems. This is why I doubt that racism is a large part of the problem.
You bring up a good point regarding inferior schools in poor neighborhoods. I think that is largely true. This is typically caused by the best teachers and administrators obtaining positions in the best neighborhoods. However, that alone is not enough to discourage kids from trying to succeed. BTW, rural redneck schools in the South and elsewhere are equally deplorable.
The cultural conditioning and lack of decent role models is largely determined by the minority communities themselves. Rappers, ball players, performers, and others have millions of dollars and a chance to send the RIGHT message. Many choose not to do that. I keep hearing the excuse "It is a representation of our inner city communities ... A reflection of our current culture". Why do the youth need to mirror what they see every day? Shootings, drugs, domestic violence, etc.. Look out the freaking window! Why don't the rich performers use their millions to introduce more positive messages about overcoming such obstacles instead of reveling in them? It doesn't take a genius IQ to figure out that the messages being sent are harmful to their communities. The degradation of women is absolutely appalling in many of the music videos. The extreme focus on flashy cars and clothes is also damaging to their target audience which consists of many poor kids that will destroy their financial futures trying to "keep up with the Rappers".
A fresh approach is needed. The focus on racism is just not working.