I’m pissed off at this show and not because of what everyone may think. As black people we already know about poverty, discrimination, equality, the list can go on and on, that’s not what pissed me off last night, it pisses me off everyday, it’s our reality we know it! What got to me was where is the substance, where were the “Whys” Why does this happened? To showcase the same old story where poor old me can’t get ahead because I’m black was so redundant. For instance the single dad with the two beautiful intelligent children. If I had to guess I would think he’s in his late 30’s early 40’s. Why is this man contemplating homelessness once again? I think he said this is the 10th time they had to move and the 5th school his children will be attending. Why??? No one ever asked or answered that question. All he can say is that he takes care of his kids which is admirable but it was never once expressed as to why this man does not have any stability. Is it the way he was raised? What is his background? What causes us as a people to strive for less? Is it generational failure? If so, why?? It is not enough for me to watch a show geared at the state of my people and show me what I already know. This man is like every other man or woman I grew up with and seen in the ghetto, but why, why does it happen to us and not to white people??
The other part that infuriated me was the Rand family and their adoration for their white grandfather. What the Hell??? While I admired the closeness of this family and how they were able to trace a good part of their history in the same breath I was mortified at how they held the picture of white Grandpa so proud and said they believe their maternal black grandmother wasn’t a slave and they were in love. Helllloooooo!!! The year was 1840???what. If you were black and weren’t a slave you certainly didn’t have free reign. Best believe that freed nigga was treated just as bad. They carried on as if their grandmother being a mistress was this great love affair. So great that the families didn’t meet until nearly 150 years later. Yeah that’s a great love affair, something the maternal grandmother was proud of or not! I’m still trying to wonder what was the reason for showcasing this part.
The one part that didn’t piss me off about the Rand family was the husband and wife team who have six kids and own a construction company. Bravo! Great to hear this, but what I think America both black and white could have benefited from was to hear HOW did they get this?? It was mentioned the business was started out by her Dad, but how did he do it. A black man in the let’s say in the 1950’s or 60’s starting his own company, How?? What did he have to do to right? Was he given a chance? And there it goes, how do some of us succeed is it by chance? Does someone give us one? or do we accidentally come across a good situation? Is it hard work and persistence? Are we at the right place at the right time? What is it? And God only knows I wish this show would of told us. Is chance what differentiates us from them? Are they given more chances than us? Honestly in my line of work I would say yes. And this is the exact message that needed to come across. I got more out of Michael Eric Dyson on Anderson Cooper than I did on this show. I so wished that Soledad O’Brien and CNN would have given the American audience a more substantive true look at the African American as oppose to the same woe is me saga. I’m tired of that. Next time show me more, give me more, we’re thirsty for it. Tonight is part 2 of this series and I pray that the segments help us all understand how it really is to be Black in America.
And I agree; well said.
Amen… Amen!!
People tuned into Black In America like CNN was giving the solutions to the problems in Black America. The only problem is… CNN only gave us the reality that we face daily. Every culture, race, creed, and gender has issues; it just seems to me that Black In America only gave CNN ratings.
And to make matters worse, the commentary at the end was done by Anderson Cooper, while the black panelist (if you will) bickered with one another about black issues. We could’ve done that on BET. We didn’t have to embarass ourselves on CNN (or maybe it was the salt causing the “hypertension”, who knows. LOL)
It’s time that we get out of the sympathy phase and really start looking for answers to get out of our current situation. Right now, too many blacks are looking for Obama to be the “Messiah” to deliver them from the hood. That is not going to happen. So many people claim that they want change, but Obama cannot do it alone.
Like Eric Wattree said, “We don’t need black leaders, we need black thinkers.”
God Bless.
I tolerated CNN Black Americans series, but it is hard to accept the truth when the spotlight is strictly on us. I am not concern about what other groups are doing. Black Americans need to come together and elevate the younger generation and stop
this love affair of procreating babies at such a young age without the social support in the community. Nobody want to discuss this issue and often look the other way while innocent children are being born without the protective foundation of nurturing.
COLLEGES, NOT CEMETERIES ARE THE ANSWER
by: David W. Johnson, Jr.
Just where do we think killing one another will get us?
Selling drugs, robbing banks and killing police officers
Sure, lots of things happening to us is unfair and unjust
Gangs, drugs, dropping out of schools, are not the answers
Our children need adults in their lives if they are to change
Get from in front of the Keno machines and off the bar stools
Between adults and children, let us regain parental exchange
Crime is filling our jails, cemeteries and emptying our schools
Instead of running towards, adults seem to be running from
From their responsibilities, children, work, anything positive
Things adults are doing to help destroy our children is dumb
About the things, negative, not positive children are inquisitive
Do not misunderstand me; there are some really good adults
Listening to the local News on Nov. 8th I was very impressed
Former Maryland teacher, Erica McCullough getting results
Thanks to her, needs of our young people are being addressed
Adults and children, visit baltimorechild.com and read about her
There are lots of Erica McCullough’s but our children need more
Take my word for it, adults like Erica, young people really prefer
For a child to step into a better life adults must first open the door
Do we really think our children want to kill, be killed or go to prison?
This writer knows first-hand that children prefer positive motivation
Fearing being killed, in front of their homes children cannot have fun
Adults are we going to offer children hope or watch their destruction
The death rate of our children continues to increase on a daily bases
Why, because neglect of our children by adults are growing like cancer
Just look around, you can see the hurt and neglect on their young faces
Adults, wise-up and realize, “Colleges, Not Cemeteries Are The Answer”
Positive Things Come From Positive Minded Adults
If We Save Our Children…We Save America
1719 Stella Court
Baltimore, Maryland 21207
Let 2008 “Be A Positive Turning Point For Our Children”
Re: Making A Difference In Our Children’s Lives
Greetings Brothers & Sisters (We Are All Brothers & Sisters):
We are now eight (8) months into 2008 and already there have been far too many deaths of our young people. Most, as you know are African Americans. It is beyond scary how too many of us are ignoring the deaths of our young children and adults.
So you tell me, what will it take adults to become fed-up and sincerely want to do something to help our children? Last year, setting at the dinner table, I was wondering how many young people were having the luxury of sharing Christmas Dinner and would live to enjoy Christmas 2008 with their parents, grandparents and other family members, in the same homes, at the same tables.
Recently, I spoke with police officers investigating an incident where an elderly woman was assaulted and robbed on her way to the drugstore. In their communication with the Precinct, they were informed it was the second robbery of an elderly person, in that area, in eight hours. The victims were both Caucasian women. The perpetrators, African-American males. To me, crime is crime and race should not matter however; in today’s society, a lot more effort goes into apprehending and convicting African Americans for crimes against non-African Americans. Why, because once again, we are becoming increasingly UNIMPORTANT!!
Too many of our children have no real lives and no one who truly cares about them one way or another. Many of them have only one parent (the mother) and that parent works two and three job just to pay the rent, bills, cloth and feed their children. The men on the other hand are out making more babies, dealing drugs, doing time or deceased.
Police and private citizens are becoming increasingly afraid of young African American males and females. Do you know what that means? It means they are going to start shooting first and asking questions later. When our children leave home, it will be the “luck of the draw” as to whether or not they return.
(2)
Our young females are not getting the love they need at home so they are turning to teenage gangsters, drug dealers and pathetic older men. End result, they end up pregnant; their lives ruined, or deceased. Our young males do not have any REAL father figures, so they turn to gangs. End result, they end up in prisons or worse, morgues.
Teachers who try to educate and motivate our children end up being abused by their students, their student’s parents or both. How can we expect children to respect teachers if their parents do not respect them? Education is the main key to success. We do not seem to want our children to succeed these days.
Driving through our streets, I am truly frustrated and angry at the negativity I encounter. When I listen to the News in the afternoons, it is heart wrenching to hear about yet another dead child. On the positive side, when I visit schools or churches during the weeks or on Sundays I am overcome with emotion at the number of positive intelligent young people I encounter. All sides need positive adult involvement if they are to turn their lives around or continue to excel.
The situations that exist for our children today are not going to vanish in thin air. Adults are going to have to be the ones to turn things around. If we do not step-up and bring about a positive change for ourselves and our children, the Federal Government will. There change will not be positive and we will not like the change. When the government starts building “holding pens” and having federal troops, patrolling our streets there will be nothing we can do.
Take it from someone who knows because I read and inter-act constantly, with Representatives on Capitol Hill and in State Capitol’s. They tell me, they are growing impatient and increasingly tired of what is happening in major cities across America. You can be assured the African-American communities will be the first to feel the brunt of their impatience.
Many of us believe our children are just hoodlums, drug dealers, gangsters, baby makers, etc. THEY ARE NOT!!! Young people are hoping and praying for the same opportunities our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents gave us. One of the problems today, adults who are in positions to offer children the kind of support, encouragement and leadership they were given, are turning their backs. Those same back-turners had Great, Productive Leaders and Role Models who were determined to offer their and the next generation a better way of life through education, motivation, love and support.
If you are in positions to mentor, volunteer at schools, provide an academic scholarship or financial aid that will help our children march proudly across high school and college stages, I urge you to do so. Our communities are losing too many young people. Ask yourself this question, where will our children, grandchildren great-grandchildren, godchildren and children over-all end up, without our help?
(3)
So let me say in conclusion, it is the responsibility of parents to be parents. It is also the responsibility of neighborhoods and communities to work for the betterment of our children. Yes, I said “Our Children” because all children are, “Our Children.” If all of us, especially parents, do not stop children from committing violence by showing them love and discipline, the police and National Guards will show them prisons and graveyards, by using nightsticks, mace and bullets. THE CHOICE IS OURS!!! We can start turning things around for our and our children’s future or continuing a genocidal trend.
Sincerely,
David W. Johnson, Jr., Founder & President
Jacqueline M. Johnson, Vice-President & Treasurer
If We Save Our Children We Save America
http://www.wesaveourchildrenwesaveamerica.com
timetosaveourchildren@gmail.com
(410) 265-0028 (H/O)
(410) 984-3086 (C)
(410) 646-5187 ext. 14 (D/O)