WE'RE BEING LYNCHED AND WE DONT EVEN KNOW IT!

I recently attended a conference during which a speaker who addressed the issue of children and gang violence moved me. Soon after he began to speak, I thought about how gang culture is similar to many groups within our communities. I started to think about how gangs have a culture of their own, and that our Black children are often divided by the “colors” of their clothes rather than the “color” of their skin.

Just as I began to tell myself that our children must surely know that they are all Black, my mind flashed back to an incident that I witnessed a few days previously when I saw two children who were accompanying their mother as she shopped. One little boy (rather light-skinned) said to the other, “Nigga, you’re too Black.” The other little boy (who by now had begun to cry) quickly turned around and socked him! Their mother intervened, but by then it was clear that the children had internalized a message that would impact them for life--a message that had been intentionally implanted in our culture over 300 years ago.

Saggin..... Niggas in Reverse

This is a disgrace to our culture! To each and every black parent that allows their child to walk around looking like this; you need ur butts kicked! Seriously..... Black people, we have to stop allowing our children to walk around looking like they don't give a damn about themselves or life in general. This is why I personally believe that all rap music, and any other form of entertainment, or form of expression that condones this, should be banned! Take a moment to take a really good look at the picture, then grasp the first descriptive words that come to your mind. If "I don't give a fuck" does not cross your mind, then maybe I'm the one tripping.

How Long Can We Be Quiet?

I often ask myself, "Where is the voice of my people?" or better yet, "Who is the voice of my people?" Its seems as if we only have artificial leaders who step up in the time of controversy as opposed to being there all of the time. We have bowed down, to the point where we have to struggle to raise our heads. What has happened to "Black Pride?" No one is saying, "Go out there and hate America," but where is the voice for us. Why remain silent? We had more of a voice when there was a white president in office then we do now. Where has our respect gone to, when we idolized musicians, actors, and athletes, more then we do our leaders? Maybe it is because we no longer have our own leaders in America. Or when we do find power in a black voice it is not too long before they are silenced.

More Positivity, Less Negativity (An Introduction to Black Amerikkka Radio)

About a week ago, I found myself in a one way discussion with a young African American woman centered around entertainers and their influence on society. I’m calling it a one way discussion, because in all actuality, I was the only person trying to justify my outlook on the issue. She, on the other hand, didn’t have much dialog to add to the conversation, otherthan clearly stating, “Black folks need to stop blaming entertainers for OUR failures!!! It’s just ridiculous”!!! Personally, I don’t blame entertainers for our failures. However, I do hold entertainers responsible for the content that they present to our young children, young men and young women. People claim that music and television do not have that big of an impact when it comes to the real life decisions that people make. I beg to differ.