Well I am taking a break from writing about my work, instead I want to talk about the status quo as it pertains to the black community and black accountability. As I peruse the 'net, tv news broadcasts, and the newspapers, I can't but help to see the backwards movement of "The American Black" as a people and a culture. I will not try to condone nor chastise nor agree with any instances that I may mention here, but I will delve into the underlying theme in the situations; "us."
In this new millennium, we do not really have any of the strong leaders that our parents or their parents. No Malcolm! No Martin! No William Edward Burghardt! No Rosa! No Stokely! I mean we have holdovers in Jesse and Rev. Al. But come on! They would rather show up afterwards and talk about how we can prevent the degradation and deterioration of our people then to enpower "us" long before we get to that point. Even the N.A.A.C.P. has its faults holding a mock funeral for the word "Nigger." Come on People we have bigger problems than attack and killing words. We need to reach out to the youth today, because that's where it starts. We need to be held accountable for our youth. We need to teach them that everything that they do in the public eye is reflective of us as a people. Its not right but that is how others in America and the world will view us. We need to let them know that no matter what someone says or does that violence against that person will not solve anything. Using racism against out ancestors and themselves is not an excuse to engage in violence. Sure what went on in Jena, LA was wrong and sure they were harsh in the prosecution of the young men. But I grew up learning that if you don't put yourself in situations like that you won't have to deal with it. I mean in some cases it is unavoidable but in the cases were it is, try to come to a more nonviolent approach to resolve the matter. Here in Baltimore yesterday a young white woman was assaulted by 9 black kids(6 boys and 3 girls) on a city bus apparently for no reason. She was trying to take a seat on a bus and they would not let sit down. She finally sat down and they proceeded to beat her and drag her off the bus and continue to beat her. She suffered deep lacerations on her neck and head not to mention to broken bones in her eye socket. Where was the accountability? One of the teens mothers said that the victim provoked the attack by spitting in one her attackers face. Where is a 9 on 1 assault excusable by someone spitting on you. Where is the Black Accountability? Today a 17 year old girl was sentenced to life in prison with all but 25 years suspended because she stabbed a girl and left her to die at one of our light rails stops. All she wanted was the girls cell phone. She wanted the girls cell phone so bad that she had murder in her heart. Where is the Black Accountability? Where are you Jesse? Where are you Rev. Al?
Somewhere we need to tell these kids that they are only breaking down the forward advancement that we as people have been trying to for so long further. We need to teach and mentor this kids in the ways of morals and scruples. We need to put it in their heads that this is not acceptable and that we will not stand for it. Our parents and their parents have fought to hard to crush the stereotype that comes with being an "American Black." We need to provide Black Accountability to our youth. We need to help them see that negativity and violence we only tear down our culture, history, and livelihood.
Until next week, stay strong...
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