Lately, the media and the African- American community have been ablaze with the focus on police officers shooting unarmed African-American citizens. I, for one, have been devastate in cases where the choice to use a firearm seemed excessive. Then, I realized that with all the media hype, we have completely forgotten about all the issues that our community faces on a daily basis. Some of us are so focused on what we consider "the enemy" killing us that we have completely lost sight of the insidious behaviors lurking within in our own communities and committed by our own people.
When I grew up in West Philadelphia, I always heard people speaking about "The Man" doing horrible things to our communities. Now, I knew what that terminology meant, but I was still confused. You want to know why? It wasn't "The Man" I saw hit my mother. It wasn't "The Man" I saw selling drugs two doors down from me. It wasn't "The Man" I saw writing graffiti on the walls. And it wasn't "The Man" I saw abandoning their families. Nope. The perpetrators of these crimes were people that looked and sounded like me. My people.
As I sit here reflecting on us as people, anger and shame feel my soul. Some of us have gotten so lost along the way. We have forgotten the struggle, the bodies beaten, and the blood shed which gave us an opportunity to be free, Our ancestors were ripped from their land, shackled to the bottom of ships, shipped across the Middle Passage and sold as inanimate objects. We've forgotten how our women were repeatedly raped by their owners. How our children were ripped away from their parents and sold in slavery. We've forgotten about lynchings, beatings, crosses burning, attack dogs, and fire hoses. Too many of us have let our ancestors die in vain.
Where are you black people? When our urban cities like Chicago and Philadelphia are racking up the bodies of black teens by other black teens. What are you doing about it? Where is your outrage? Where are your picket signs? Where are your strategy meetings? How are you teaching our people the value of life? If you won't start the revolution, who will?
Where are you black people? When our communities are being ravished by crack, cocaine, and heroin? Are you guarding the blocks? Are you stepping up to protect your own? Where is your plan? How are you improving the community?
Where are you black people? When gangs are stealing our sons and daughters because they "offer" the young people something they feel is lacking...a family. How in the world can our youth be willing to get "jumped in" or have a "train" performed on them to be adopted into a family? Where is your soul-searching and war cry?
Where are you black people? When grown men stand on street corners all day in jeans sagging down to their knees smoking weed to relieve their stress. Are you educating the brothers on the real meaning of sagging jeans? Do you let them continue to look like fools when they can't even properly walk down the street because the waist of their pants is near their own ankles? Are you letting them know that it started in prison culture? Are you letting them know that pants sagged because the prisoners weren't allowed to have belts to prevent them from hanging themselves? Have you told them that it morphed into a sign that men were available to have sex with other men, or do you let them think that it brings swag?
Where are you black people? When our young women are popping out babies by seven different men? Have you taught them their value? Have you invested time to get our women back on track or do you simply stare and point as their butt cheeks and breasts try to make an escape from their clothing? Where are you when men are having so many children by so many women that it's possible half-siblings could marry? Why aren't you marching about that?
Where are you black people? When too many of our people choose crime to support themselves instead of getting an academic or vocational education? Are you stepping in and becoming their mentors? Or are you waiting for someone else to do it?
Where are you black people? When our children are failing in school. Are you pointing to the teachers? Or do you see the numerous parents who, when they do come to school, are high, drunk, or violently spewing profanity? Where are you when children are raising themselves because their parents are in the clubs?
Where are you black people? When reality shows get rich off of making us look ignorant by selecting African-Americans who clearly hold no real value for themselves. They curse, fight, get drunk, and hop from bed to bed with absolutely anyone.
Why do you simply want to march when it comes to police officers? Why are you not as passionate about the way our culture is imploding? Why are you only concerned about the percentage of African-Americans in prison instead of what the individuals did to get in prison. We are destroying our own selves faster than any other group could ever do, Change starts from within our own community. We can't expect anyone else to value us if we don't value ourselves. Where are you black people?
