Open Letter to African-Americans. Where did we go wrong?
Last night, I did some thinking...(Dangerous I know) our ancestors went through so much so future generations can have a better chance. And many of us aren't appreciating that; myself included. Many were beaten, killed and tortured just so their kids could get an education or be treated like a human being. To be honest, some of us aren't utilizing the ground work that they laid out. Take me for instance. I was given the opportunity to go to college twice, and I flunked out both times. I was not being serious about it, or I went to class when I wanted or just stayed in the dorm watching television.
Many African-Americans were arrested for doing something as simple as riding the bus. Many were forced to give up their front seat and go to the back. In today’s time, nine times out of ten when we get on the bus, where do we go? We go to the back of it. Now let us be told to go to the back and we'll raise hell. Why?
It seems as though a lot of us glorifies negative things. Some of us men love the fact that we have five children by five different women out there that we are not raising or claiming. We revel in the fact that we hang on the corner with our pants sagging (which we all know started in prison, and we seem to be slaves of the prison mentality) slinging dope and call it our “grind” or successful means to make money. We are enticed by going out and instead of working for what we want, we rob people for it. We’re real men if we don’t settle our disputes with words, but rather settle them with bullets.
Some of our women think that it’s becoming to walk around with all of their body parts showing, and sleeping with every other man that they meet. It’s all right if they have a lot of children by different people with no means to take care of them or themselves. That is what welfare and food stamps is for. (Not saying that everyone who has it is abusing it, or doesn’t need it because some actually do, but let's not make it a permanent crutch)
Some of us think that it’s funny or a good thing to be loud and catch attitudes, and ready to fight for no apparent reason. We think that it’s all in good fun to go around and tease and bully others just because they are not us. We want to sit at home all day and play on the X-Box or Playstation because we “ain’t got nothing else better to do.” Some of us want our parents to take care of us for the rest of our lives because they and the world owe us something, if not everything.
What have some of us become? Why have we lost our way? Where did we go wrong? How come some of us are discouraging when one of our own is successful instead of encouraging? How come some of us are so jealous? Are we nothing more than what we negatively portray everyday? Do we not aspire to become more? Do we not want more? Trust me, I am just as guilty of many of the things of which I speak, but I’m making a promise to myself to change that mentality. I’m vowing to uplift myself and my people for our advancement.
One reason why we advanced in the past is because we realized that if we didn't have anything else, we had EACH OTHER! Let's try to go back to that. Let’s find the dedication and strive that our great-great grandmothers and grandfathers had. Let’s want more for ourselves and not fit the mold that others say we should. Remember where we came from, and look forward to where we NEED to be. Don’t let all of their hard work be in vain.
DeMarcus T. Moore
Many African-Americans were arrested for doing something as simple as riding the bus. Many were forced to give up their front seat and go to the back. In today’s time, nine times out of ten when we get on the bus, where do we go? We go to the back of it. Now let us be told to go to the back and we'll raise hell. Why?
It seems as though a lot of us glorifies negative things. Some of us men love the fact that we have five children by five different women out there that we are not raising or claiming. We revel in the fact that we hang on the corner with our pants sagging (which we all know started in prison, and we seem to be slaves of the prison mentality) slinging dope and call it our “grind” or successful means to make money. We are enticed by going out and instead of working for what we want, we rob people for it. We’re real men if we don’t settle our disputes with words, but rather settle them with bullets.
Some of our women think that it’s becoming to walk around with all of their body parts showing, and sleeping with every other man that they meet. It’s all right if they have a lot of children by different people with no means to take care of them or themselves. That is what welfare and food stamps is for. (Not saying that everyone who has it is abusing it, or doesn’t need it because some actually do, but let's not make it a permanent crutch)
Some of us think that it’s funny or a good thing to be loud and catch attitudes, and ready to fight for no apparent reason. We think that it’s all in good fun to go around and tease and bully others just because they are not us. We want to sit at home all day and play on the X-Box or Playstation because we “ain’t got nothing else better to do.” Some of us want our parents to take care of us for the rest of our lives because they and the world owe us something, if not everything.
What have some of us become? Why have we lost our way? Where did we go wrong? How come some of us are discouraging when one of our own is successful instead of encouraging? How come some of us are so jealous? Are we nothing more than what we negatively portray everyday? Do we not aspire to become more? Do we not want more? Trust me, I am just as guilty of many of the things of which I speak, but I’m making a promise to myself to change that mentality. I’m vowing to uplift myself and my people for our advancement.
One reason why we advanced in the past is because we realized that if we didn't have anything else, we had EACH OTHER! Let's try to go back to that. Let’s find the dedication and strive that our great-great grandmothers and grandfathers had. Let’s want more for ourselves and not fit the mold that others say we should. Remember where we came from, and look forward to where we NEED to be. Don’t let all of their hard work be in vain.
DeMarcus T. Moore
Comments
Post a Comment