How Liberals Make It Harder for Blacks to Succeed

An excellent statement of the position that recent Government, Society, and Academic programs and policies are doing more to hurt the success of various ethnic groups rather than help them. A very easy read but packed with very valid points. Highly recommended.

This book needs to be read by both 'conservatives' and 'liberals'. The Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act of the 1960's, while leading to political 'equality' have not lead to educational and economic 'equality'. This book gives the statistics supporting my comments on equality and provides some rationale that should be considered by all. Also, extremely well-written!

It is a clear, scholarly presentation of how well meaning legislation has led to the social, intellectual and economic disabling of vast numbers of Black Americans over the last 3-4 decades, and the failure of Black and white leaders to address the tragic situation.

Fascinating book. Great if you like Malcolm Gladwell and/or Charles Murray Id say. Way more “meat” to it than I anticipated. Excellent combination of personal anecdotes, history, research and opinion. Will be checking out his other books.

This book opened my eyes to unintended consequences by well-meaning Liberals which has caused a culture shift in low income blacks and now we have a bigger problem than if we had done nothing. Jason Riley is well penned and presents factual information that is hard to dispute.

After reading a book by Booker T. Washington and thinking that while the African American people did so well while following what he taught them, I could never understand why they turned and completely left what seemed to work so well for their betterment. Mr Riley explained this to me in a way that helped me understand why. I feel so sad that many of them have followed leaders who seem to me to be leading them down a path to negative consequences. Thank you Mr. Riley. I enjoy seeing you on TV and hearing your views.

This thoughtful writer engages his reader in much needed internal dialogue. Until we truly listen and are willing to respond with true understanding, compassion, and positive action, we shall remain stuck in our culture of fear and blame. Must read, especially for those of us who identify ourselves as liberal.

excellent material with documentation about how helping the blacks did not help and how government/education unions are blocking agencies that are helping - reading this book is mandatory - to save America we the people need to act - let our voices beheard

still reading, but refreshing to here a voice that isn't looking for a handout...... Like parents who do their children's homework out of a mis-guided altruism (and a mistrust of their children's abilities), America's "do-gooders" ruin the lives of their love-objects.

This wonderfully written book goes in to much depth to explain why the lives of black people have only gotten radically worse since achieving many gains in the realm of civil rights in the 1960's. Chapter by chapter, Riley argues convincingly that affirmative action, welfare, endless social programs, self-esteem efforts and lowing of expectations in the public school system has simply hobbled generations of blacks to be less and less relevant to the current society, relegating million to impoverished sidelines. This book ought to be considered one of the best on human nature itself.

excellent material with documentation about how helping the blacks did not help and how government/education unions are blocking agencies that are helping - reading this book is mandatory - to save America we the people need to act - let our voices beheard

still reading, but refreshing to here a voice that isn't looking for a handout...... Like parents who do their children's homework out of a mis-guided altruism (and a mistrust of their children's abilities), America's "do-gooders" ruin the lives of their love-objects.

This wonderfully written book goes in to much depth to explain why the lives of black people have only gotten radically worse since achieving many gains in the realm of civil rights in the 1960's. Chapter by chapter, Riley argues convincingly that affirmative action, welfare, endless social programs, self-esteem efforts and lowing of expectations in the public school system has simply hobbled generations of blacks to be less and less relevant to the current society, relegating million to impoverished sidelines. This book ought to be considered one of the best on human nature itself.

A tour de force: well researched, brilliantly presented. Most notably it conveys an immense body of information yet keeps the reader engaged. But it also feeds my confirmation bias. Needed now is an enlightened liberal response that meets the same criteria, one that might sell me on staying the course that’s been set, at least in part. Alas, I’ve learned to expect only a din comprising the picking of nits, knee-jerk outrage, whimpering and the obligatory ad hominem attack that nowadays displaces enlightened liberal thought.

Yet, I have to hope, because I need to understand why it now is necessary to prove a negative to maintain innocence, as Mr Riley succinctly points out. Why are the roles of prosecutor, judge and jury, even of the appellate court system, vested in the accuser? Why does SCOTUS, insulated by the Constitution from the fray, seem only to be able to kick the can down the road, and only when it can’t ignore the can? Do these people even go home at night?

Steven Carter’s experience with Harvard Law School absolutely resonated, as it would with anyone who has ever been subjected to discrimination in any sense of the word (that’s all of us). But, having found itself in a hole of its own making, this bastion of liberal thought in its infinite wisdom promptly grabbed a shovel.

So did the mention of Elizabeth Warren’s “collateral damage”: to my dying day, she’ll be Fauxcahontas and I will have to deal with the immediate, unbidden thought: “Is this latest utterance of hers a lie, also?” That will be followed by another unbidden thought: “…OK. So what’s in it for her?” This is not the way I want to relate to those who would lead us.

Well over a hundred years ago, Frederick Douglass pointed the way, as Mr Riley notes. But we still don’t get it, don’t see it, willfully ignore it. Meantime, the current ever-growing malignancy demands ever more time and money. And now it has legitimacy, and worse, momentum, neither of which escapes Mr Riley’s scrutiny.

Yes, I very much need that reasoned, traditional liberal response. And I suspect Mr Riley would welcome it, also. Meantime, read this book; it will use your valuable time enjoyably and well.

This book exposes the lies told by politicians and race hustlers.These folk are not here to help you but to make you think they are helping you by telling you that you need them to make it in this world.Thanks to Jason Riley.He need our prayers to prepare him for the hell is going to get from the likes of those commentators at MSNBC.They are about as low down as you can get.Be Blessed brother Jason.MJ

Riley, who has spent his career at the Wall Street Journal makes an extremely well researched case that various "programs" supposed to help poor black people actually hurt them: minimum wage laws, affirmative action, welfare transfer payments, antipathy to school vouchers. His prescription is for the government to back off and let black people reform 'black, culture. Mr. Riley quotes extensively from scholarly studies yet the book remains very readable. Good job!

Mr. Riley is very intelligent. This book was Thoroughly researched and well documented. The black community needs to stop closing their ears to black republicans, and wake up to realize how liberal policies have damaged our communities.

Please, please people, read Please Stop Helping Us. It's written, not by some Liberal who believes that all blacks are stupid and need a nudge here, a place at the head of the line, a subsidy there, different laws than the rest of us. No it's written by Jason L. Riley, a black who has lived the life he writes about. His research and statistics are understandable, undeniable, and prove by anyone's standards,his premise that Liberal do gooders are hurting not helping blacks realize parity in personal enrichment and achievement. You will finish Please Stop Helping Us and have a new view and attitude towards minorities of all colors and their paths to success.

Excellent book. Everyone should read this book to have a better understanding of what is taking place in our nation. Riley and Bill Cosby seem to be correct in their assessment of the values of responsibility, education, and personal commitment. Success for each of us in this country will give us all a " home of the brave and free", not a socialist welfare state.

So impressed by the thoughtfulness of the author to illustrate criticism by facts and historical data as opposed to demeaning and insulting charges hurled at Blacks which is usually the tendency. This is a book that as a Moderate Republican that seeks to have civil political conversations acts as a great framework to do just that. Bravo.

A valuable contribution to this sensitive topic by a lucid African American journalist who can speak authoratatively on this subject from his own life's experience. It should be required reading as a counterpoint to conventional liberal orthodoxy.

A very informative read. It addresses some of problems with the results of today's social justice programs. At some point our community will have to address some of its moral failings, and stop the blame casting.

An excellent piece. It is hard to argue with empirical data; most notably data on California's improved college graduation rates after the elimination of race based admissions. He writes with the same fact based enthusiasm as his mentor, the great Thomas Sowell.

Goodbye emotion and knee jerk solutions to real problems. Very well written and loaded with facts, this very readable book should be read by every American. Just because ones heart is in the right place doesn't mean the resulting solutions are solutions at all.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. In these troubled times finding a clear voice has been very difficult. I am thankful for this work and the clarity it brings to the discussion of race relations.