Monday, August 15, 2011

"What Is Wrong With US?"

From a NJ.com piece on the string of homicides in Essex County:
"They had 30,000 people out looking for that kid," he says. "The whole community, out for one kid. And here we are burying our kids left and right. What’s wrong with us?"


This is the magic question. When I have so-called conscious people from said communities threaten me due to differences over translation of religious texts, then the answer is simply that we do not value and honor ourselves. I remember when the Kings of Comedy came out and Cedric the Entertainer had a set about the differences between white folk and black folk. He used the example of someone sitting in a seat that did not belong to them. He said the white folks "hoped" that no one was sitting in their seats whereas the black folk said "There betta not be" anyone sitting in the seat. This encapsulates the problem. The willingness to go directly to confrontation and almost culturally bred, yes I said it, willingness to 'Step to" someone who has disrespected us in the silliest way is what is fueling this crisis. Combine that with fear of reprisal from those who commit these crimes and you have a perfect storm.