Watts article

[jbor]

      While the white culture is concerned with various forms of
    systematized folly -- the economy of the area in fact depending
    on it -- the black culture is stuck pretty much with basic
    realities like disease, like failure, violence and death, which
    the whites have mostly chosen -- and can afford -- to ignore.

> The modifier applies to choice. There is no modifier on 'can afford.'
> 
> Whites have mostly chosen.
> 
> Whites can afford.

"Can" is also a modal; that blacks "can't" afford to ignore these things is
implicitly reiterated in the parenthesis.

White people, mostly (most of the time and/or most of the people), choose to
ignore life's "basic realities". They can afford to.

Black people can't afford to ignore them: they don't even have the choice
because they are impoverished; their levels of health and of educational and
vocational achievement are considerably lower than those of the whites and
their rates of involvement in violent incidents and of mortality are higher;
and, there is no parity -- let alone equity -- in the provision of health
services, educational and career opportunities, and public safety
legislation and regulation by the authorities.

best