Completely Distracted

I'm not here to demean Al Sharpton by any means, but let's face it; the rallies, the marches, the sit-ins and the pleadings must stop. At some point Americans, specifically Black Americans who achieve “leader” statuses must get to the root of the issues that they so feverishly argue and stop hacking away at the branches.

In the wake of the Don Imus debacle, there was a panel of Black women assembled to respond to the alleged denigration of their kind within their own community.

"ALLEGED"????

Yes, you read it correctly, alleged. No where on that panel were any young, Black females who aspire to appear in rap videos. No where on that panel were any young Black females who prefer the company of "street pharmacists" or thugs. However, there is a nation of such young Black women right here in our own communities. Young women who refer to themselves in such denigrating fashions!

Is New York City's $3 billion “hip hop” industry to blame for this? I say not. Understand something here. The language, the slang, the subculture that is now this media giant has existed in urban communities for decades. It is not up to the industry to "grow us up". As the old saying goes, it starts at home.

These young women and men are growing up in a world completely desensitized. Young men are left to learn how to be a man from other men who were never taught or shown. Many of these young women do not know how they should be treated because they have never seen their mothers being loved and adored by a man. And the cycle continues.

And in all fairness let me add that its not all of the men and women from the poor, split family environment that succumb to this treatment. Many of us went on to become responsible adults despite the environment in which we grew up in and the things we witnessed.

So I say this to the Black Leaders: Continue your rallies, marches, sit-ins and pleadings, just do it at your local high schools. Do it in your local neighborhoods. And while you are doing it, make sure you're ready to roll up your sleeves and commit to creating something positive in said neighborhood. Be prepared to talk some truth to the young men and women who are drawn to the allure of what "hip-hop" has grown to symbolize. Be a real world example so that they can see that what is now doesn’t always have to be.

Labels: Dig a little deeper.

// posted by Distracted @ 10:38 AM