Jay-Z and Beyonce's Baby - Who Knew?!!!

Now that I've gotten your attention, let's talk about some real stuff. Stuff we, as a society, seem to be really comfortable sticking our heads in the sand and pretending it just didn't happen. Stuff that has plagued generations and won't change until we do. Stuff that is right in your homes and is killing your children. But Jay-Z and Beyonce led the news so you probably didn't see it.

You heard about the wedding of music artists Jay-Z and Beyonce. But did you hear about the rising cases of HIV/AIDS in the black and Hispanic communities throughout the United States.

Did you know less than half of adults ages 18 to 44 have ever been tested for an STD/STI other than HIV/AIDS.

Did you hear about the 12 year old girl stripping in an adult club in Dallas? How sad that the debate has turned to whether or not the club violated any laws.

Did you hear about ALCOPOPS and how they are being marketed in a way that makes them appealing to children under the age of 15?

Did you know there are crack pipes manufactured to look like DVD's, CD's, lipstick cases and pens; which would make it pretty hard for a parent to identify it if it were in their home. And no, the manufacturers (most of which are in China) do not specify these items as "crack pipes". Neither do the drug dealers!

Did you know depression amongst teens is growing and their main complaint is that they have no one to talk to (MOM . . . DAD?????)

Did you know that more elementary school kids are acting out sexually - - even those who have never been molested. CAN WE TURN THE TV'S OFF ALREADY!

Did you know more girls are joining gangs and are committing more violent felonious acts than ever before!

Did you know that the teen pregnancy rates are on the rise? And since the STD rates are high, those baby's being born to baby's are in jeopardy before they even enter the world.

Did you know the first "crack babies" were born over 20 years ago! Many are doing very well. Others . . . . not so much.

Did you know that most cities are trying to avoid gentrification because they realize sending the "problem" to the next city is not a solution?

Did you know that the welfare laws are changing to include FREE parenting classes, FREE entrepreneur classes, FREE education - - BUT FEW WILL SHOW UP FOR ANY OF IT BECAUSE DUE TO GENERATIONAL DEPENDENCY ON "gettin' a check" FEW ARE MENTALLY CAPABLE OF KNOWING HOW TO ACCEPT THESE RESOURSES (most of which are now being offered in an office directly in many housing complexes - - just a walk across the court).

So, I'm thinking I lost most people when they realized this had absolutely nothing to do with Jay-Z and Beyonce's baby. The saddest part is, really soon, you'll see a mother on TV crying hysterically about "Why did they have to shoot my baby! I don't know how I'm going to go on without D'Shuwaniikia" and the newscaster will interview many people who will talk of how that young man/woman "Didn't deserve to go out like that." This will be ignored by many because if Jay-Z and Beyonce are getting this much press for their wedding. You can only IMAGINE what's going to happen when a baby is announced!

But, just in case you pause on the channel reporting on the child being shot . . . What you won't see will be the 80 cops working overtime to make sure the rival gang doesn't show up and start shooting. You will not see a coffin decorated with tons of gang paraphernalia to include that young person's favorite Alcopop or pipe.

You will not see the video confiscated by the SWAT team showing that young person, who is now laying in that coffin, allowing 30 of his/her closest friends to beat/sex them into a loyal order that will only let them leave by way of the coffin.

Nope, you won't see that because no one noticed, long before the incident that took that child's life, that his/her mother was just 13 years older than him/her and had 5 children by the time she was 25 by 4 different men; not mentioning the countless miscarriages and abortions.

No one noticed that the child lying in the coffin never experienced the joys of being a son/daughter to a father because mom never got help for her issues (molestation, rape, learning disability . . .) therefore only seeing men as something to waste time with.

No one noticed that the grandparents to this young person lying in this coffin could not read beyond a 3^rd grade level.

No one noticed that the young person lying in this coffin was this family's way out of the hood; once a straight A student (in spite of the adversity) with hopes of being a basketball star. No one realized he/she had stopped showing up for his/her favorite classes and participating in sports, rather abruptly I might add.

No one attempted to talk to this young person now lying in their coffin because, where he/she lives, this is just something to be expected.

The sad fact is someone did see all of this play out. It may have been in your family, your church, your school, your neighborhood. But either you turned your head and silently made jokes about "those people". Or you exhausted yourself trying to help "those poor people" and lost hope in the process.

Those who are actively trying to help, I thank you for not turning your back on me - - I was once one of "those people"; already classified as a "hot little heifer" at the age of 10 because I was developing breasts. I was labeled because my mother had three children (one with her husband, two with my dad) by the time she was 23 which surely was going to damn me to hell.

I was one of "those people". Stamped as a ho because my father's child rearing skills included us being able to drink and (if we chose) get high because he had no structure as a child, joined gangs, stole and did some really horrible stuff that put all of his kids under scrutiny.

I may not have a funny name but I share the same name with an older sister due to us sharing the same blood with a man who, apparently, did not communicate this information to his second wife (my mother). Either that or my mother failed to tell the aunt she allowed to name me that the father of her child was 10 years older than her with children 10 to 14 years younger than her had a daughter named Gail (middle initial M) and that she still hadn't gotten the divorce papers signed by her ex-husband.

Please, do not give up on "those people". Many of our most influential were once "those people". Now you all but worship them.

But hey, Jay-Z and Beyonce had a lovely ceremony from what I heard. Not sure when they are planning to have kids. But it was a good hook, wasn't it? And guess what? Another child will fall prey to drugs, alcohol, gangs, sexual promiscuity and we will see them "briefly" in the news . . . in a coffin . . . forgotten because we were too consumed with fairytales; which are always far more pleasant than reality.

Congrats Jay and B. I'm sure the opening of the new casino in Vegas will be as spectacular as the wedding. And I'm sure a few of those reading this already have tickets for the grand opening.

Stay strong ya'll!