When Black Men Fall Apart.

     There were times when you could find strange fruit hanging, dangling from trees, on-lookers pointing and laughing with a foul stench in the midnight breeze. It was the norm and was once the past time of the Americans. Folks would get all dolled up to spectate the brutality of the young and old while socializing with love ones and old friends. Then there were times of the 'Good Ole Jim Crow' laws which redefined cultural relations through out the hostile South which caused  African American Men to feel the pressure and ultimately they became the victims of social hardship. So the question is did this crack the African American Male? You can look at the social system for the answer, school, home and work to be more specific. Young African American Men have had, and still maintain the highest drop-out rate for high school students if they even make it that far. They also take the same position in the incarceration rates as well.It has been proven that there is a direct correlation between  lack of education for the African American Male and  the high incarceration rate. Why is there more focus on the space programs then the "inner-city" student who can't get funding for books or even keep their schools open?
     The second focus could be seen as the core of the African American Male problems. He has no guidance for help and is lacking motivational skills to do for self. He see what mainstream social norms are as his way to understands his role as a African American Male. A microwaved society that is America prides itself off the things it can take with military force, the illusion of the power of the pen versus the power of the gun, demonizes the poor and glorifies the wealthy. This creates distress and causes a vicious cycle of bottled up emotions that he carries around  without a proper outlet.
      Then there's work, in which he's treated as the misunderstood one and has to be directly looked over or watched to ensure he is productive. At times he must prove himself to be qualified among his peers. He's targeted and made the butt of most jokes and when he tries to address these concerns, he's made to feel as if he is the problem. At what point can anyone be comfortable in any of this? How would or could you understand the pressure of the African American Male? Are you part of the problem or the solution to the breaking down the African American Male? When and what do you feel can be positive discussion to this situation?

The African Mind

Where are the gospels of Marcus Garvey, MLK, Malcolm X, Huey P. or Eldridge Cleaver? How do we understand the world without the understanding of who these people were?  Why do you only hear the stories of their struggles, but don't utilize their understanding and wisdom to create new environmental change for the people of color? I remember my first time I experienced racism at an early age I didn't quite understand it, I felt a sense of not belonging and feeling uncomfortable with the person I was. Many years has gone by since that initial feeling and now I have a greater sense of self due to me learning who I am. It is through the literature of the greats that has overtime given a sense of pride and accomplishment to a people who otherwise are deemed lost with no real identity. With this sense of pride and courage I'm able to now reach back to the youth helping cultivate the knowledge to those who should know who we are and where we come from. The struggle is not over it has intensified and is now beening masked behind color-blindness. We must continue to ignite that ever burning flame our ancestors before felt during their various forms of captivity. If we never forget the voice of freedom it shall always and forever ring.