"The Black Community's Problems Under a Microscope"

Black People Help Yourselves

Deez, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Apr 17, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

As some of you might be aware, I work in an industry that puts me in contact with all sort of deviant individuals, people who exist outside of the social mores and norms. They have been placed in the care of the state because of their inability to live a conforming lifestyle. The words "Help Yourselves" applies to all races that I supervise in the state institution but something was said one day, at work, by an old black inmate that struck me as odd. Even tough I tend to lean to the left it really took me by surprise, that an old man (even if he is incarcerated) would say such a thing. I equated (erroneously I found out) his age with his wisdom. It goes to show how old and intrinsic his thinking is in the black community.

I walked by the TV room where he was sitting with a couple of younger black inmates watching some editorial program that dealt with issues in the black community. I stuck my head in the room just to see what was on the TV and to check on the inmates contained within. When I did the old man turned to the two younger black men in the room and said (and I'm paraphrasing here) something to the effect that, that's the problem with the black community we need a president and people in politics to help us with the social issues in the black communities. We need someone (in politics) to help the young black men become better. We need someone who understands the black community to help make a difference. I was stunned to say the least.

Now, I'm no expert on the black community in general or their problems but I do feel that I am in a unique position to speak on things that I have observed. I have observed young black men come into the institution in droves for all kinds of various offenses. I watch them day in and day out. I see how they talk, how they walk, how they carry themselves and I know by experience how they think. They would rather turn a buck by a good hustle than to work for a living or to educate themselves. They have no work ethic to say the least. They take no responsibility for their children. They treat their women like "Nappy Headed Hoe's." They have no respect for themselves much less anyone else and to make matters worse their "Thug Life" culture promotes this ideology and behavior. They are in effect prisoners of their own making.

To prove the above assertions, when I find out that an inmate is getting short (meaning they are going home soon), I ask them what they are going to do when they get out (are they going to get a job or go back to school). At least 2/3 will tell me they are going back to the streets and to the same old hustle. Then they proceed to tell me, the only reason they got caught was because they got greedy (never mind the fact that what they were doing was illegal). What kind of chance do they have with logic like this?

The old black man that started me thinking with his comment, well needless to say, he got an earful by me. I asked him, "What in the world does the government have to do with raising your children with a Mother and a Father in the house? What does it have to do with selling drugs instead of taking the hard, correct road of working, working towards an education, working a normal job in an effort to better yourself and you family? What does it have to do with raising your children to have respect for themselves and others? I'm not going to sugar coat anything, racism does exist in this country, it exists in all countries and cultures, but if you don't try you're never going to get anywhere. I understand the cycle of poverty, I came from the same streets as a lot of these kids come from and yes it was hard for me to make it by and yes I got in my fair share of trouble as a kid, but I struggled through and made something out of myself. I got my degree, have a good job, and have a great family and my children know who their father is. They are raised with respect instilled in them and I try day to day to demonstrate to them what a work ethic is. I raise them to believe they can accomplish anything. No government raises my kids and no government could or should be expected to."

There are so many opportunities out there for anyone to succeed in life but it takes a mother and father to provide appropriate direction to their children and it's up to the children to accept these challenges. Where our children and community, as a whole, are concerned the government has no place but to set the rules we all must play by. It's called the rule of law for a reason. With out it there can be no civil civilization.

In short don't blame government, the evil white man, or any other entity for your problems. Blame yourselves and work as a community for a solution. You as a people have never had such an even playing field as you do today, take advantage of it.

Published by Deez

Father, Husband, Brother, Corrections Officer. View profile