Not to be read by Americans!!!! | 118 comments (118 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Not to be read by Americans!!!! (none / 1)

All sorts of people. From South Americans, who want an American citizenship over ghetto people, who think an army service will give them opportunities, to people like the sons of John McCain and Sarah Palin, who do it out of conviction, that fighting for their country is a great thing.

Urban blacks are actually very underrepresented in the military. The biggest overrepresentation is among small town and rural whites.

by MarekNYC on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 10:43:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not to be read by Americans!!!! (none / 1)

Can I see where you're getting that stat from?

I just read a report that says exactly the opposite. The military has far more blacks and hispanics than are in the general population by percentage. Whites are underrepresented.

by Upstate NY on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 10:52:51 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Not to be read by Americans!!!! (none / 0)

Blacks are currently roughly the same percentage they are in the general population, ditto for whites. But among blacks urban ones are underrepresented, non-urban ones (i.e. mainly rural, southern) are overrepresented. This sort of urban/non urban pattern is typical of whites as well. In general the last few years have seen a collapse in black enlistment in the Marines and Army.

by MarekNYC on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 11:11:06 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: correction (none / 0)

Oops, I'm wrong. I looked up the figures and at first didn't notice that they concerned new members rather than all existing members. Going to the DOD website, yup, blacks are still overrepresented as of two years ago, though that's declining courtesy of the shift in enlistment. Whites are basically at their population levels as far as I can make out (The stats are problematic since they don't break out non-Hispanic whites. Whites total is underrepresented, but so are hispanics)

by MarekNYC on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 11:39:52 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: correction (none / 1)

Get this. The DOD website measures how many high school graduates of each race join the Army.

But you don't have to be a high school grad to enlist.

In many American cities, only 50% of African-American students graduate High School.

I'm HIGHLY suspicious of that DOD website.

by Upstate NY on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 03:22:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: correction (none / 0)

They also have an annual report on the make up of the armed forces, which simply counts by race and compares to the 18-40 age group in the civilian population.

by MarekNYC on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 03:28:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: correction (none / 1)

I wonder though, given their other fooling, if there is some omission there.

by Upstate NY on Sat Sep 6th, 2008 at 07:28:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not to be read by Americans!!!! | 118 comments (118 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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