I’m going to say this and leave it here and move on with
my life. Right now I am on a media
blackout. Everyone is sitting around on
fb, twitter, etc lamenting the fact that George Zimmerman got away with murder. They are right to a point and we let him. Let me explain how I see it.
The travesty that is the Trayvon Martin case is that
black men did not do what they were supposed to do. Specifically, the black men of my
generation. When the baton was passed to
them to continue the struggle they dropped it.
You see, instead of getting married, building strong families, and continuing to build on the political power base that was started in the 60s and
70s, they decided to sow their wild oats.
Some of them are still sowing them well into their 40s, 50s, and so on. All while blaming black women for the failure
of the black family.
I’m not going to get into a finger pointing match of who
was supposed to do what. Black folks
have been doing that for a couple decades now and nothing is changing for the
better.
One of the men on BA posted an article about the genocide
that is going on in Chicago. *shrug* We have the same genocide going on in
Baltimore, and other metropolitan cities where economically and socially
challenged blacks live. When you have babies instead of building families
genocide from within is the result. And
they want us to feel sorry for them. I can’t.
I lived in those same neighborhoods and I fought and clawed my way
out. It is easy to sit back and do
nothing. It is harder to get up and do
something besides talk about change.
They, black men, say they want media coverage of what is
going on in the black community. Gee whiz, when Tyler Perry does a play about
the things that are going on in the black community it is all lies, etc,
etc. His plays put a lot of blame for
our problems at black men’s feet. He
doesn’t let black women off scot free either. But see, when you want to be the leader
then you actually have to LEAD and not be led.
They want caucasians to lead them to their place as “kings”. *eye rolls*
Where in the history of this world is it written that any king was handed his power
and kingdom by another mortal king?
Seriously, where? More importantly, why would caucasians do such a
thing? In their eyes it profits them to
keep the status quo just as it is. It
doesn’t but that is a post for another day.
What I have learned from studying caucasian history is
that the reason they win is because they are tenacious! They do not stop until their objective is
obtained. Then they find a new objective
and keep pushing. Success is not a destination. It is a journey. It is a
journey they are in for the long haul.
Hispanics in this country follow in that same vein. They build families. They build communities.
They have built their political power base. I offer the following example: in
my great state of Maryland illegal aliens can now get a driver’s license and
free healthcare. *blink blink* They pay not one income tax anywhere but they
can drive the same roads that US citizens, born and naturalized, pay taxes for
the upkeep on. And they can do so legally. They can get free health care and
have not paid one dime into social security.
That is what having a community to back you does. You build a community
by building families. Parents care about their children and the community they
grow up in. They vote. They call their congressmen and senators when there is a
community concern. Baby daddies and baby
mommas just sit around talking about how bad things are and when are white
folks gonna fix it.
I’m not gonna lament.
I’m going to work for the change I want to see. I’m going to funnel all
my emotional energy into what I’m doing for change. I don’t expect the world to
change overnight. Only a fool would expect that. Sweety, Columbus sailed the ocean
blue sometime around 1492. It took over five hundred years to see a black
president of these here united states but we got one. Perseverance, tenacity,
hope, imagination, and so much more. And of course, not to forget God. Me and
Him got a relationship that is quite different from most. It doesn’t require me
judging another soul. Just my own progress in life.
Instead of the folks in Florida lamenting and being angry
I offer this, there were at least fifty-eleven (yes that’s a term these days)
things that George Zimmerman did wrong that they could be lobbying to make
illegal now. Starting from when the 911 operator told him not to engage the
young man and that the police were on their way. If you’re angry, sad, mad,
depressed, etc then get off your butt and start lobbying for change. Start
lobbying for a new law. Contribute that dollar you were saving till the end of
the month to Trayvon Martin’s parents’ defense fund for a civil suit. Every
action counts.
If you don’t like the war young black men are waging on
each other in your city then I suggest you stop complaining about it and be
about it. Be a mentor or be a victim. Because I assure you, Shaquan and ‘nem
are coming for you one day if you don’t. Get back to teaching young black men
to be men and leaders instead of baby daddies. Forget the finger pointing of
who did what to who when. It doesn’t help. Each day new children are born and
they need guidance to be better than the streets where they were born.
If you don’t like what is going on in your world then
shut up, get up, and do something about it. I ain’t saying you got to change
the whole world with your one idea, dollar, action, phone call, letter, etc. But
if each person did what they were able to do to work towards a positive change
think of what we could accomplish. I think of it this way: the United States of
America started with a couple ships and look at her now.
*shrugs* Be the change or be the problem. I’m working on
my way of being the change. No tears here. No cussing or fussing either. That
is wasted energy that takes away from my work on the solution.
As for George Zimmerman?
He will spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder. Thanks to
the news media, we know what he looks like fat and skinny. I predict one day we’ll
hear that he is dead. Whether by his own hand or someone else’s I can neither
say nor really care. He sealed his fate when he shot down another human being
for no discernible reason. I leave him
in the hands of the God I serve. He’s merciful but He is vengeful, too.
My condolences go to Trayvon Martin’s family. May they
find a way to heal despite this travesty.
I hope they seek a civil trial. I hope we all stand behind them and send
them a million dollars or more for the legal dream team they need to win.
I hope that black folks wake up, stop blaming, and get
moving.
*heads off to lunch*
