The Family Structure

I was recently on facebook.com and received a message about a forum looking for answers to is the African American family weakening. And are our children loosing respect for authority. This is what I believe.

No the African American Family is not weakening. No our children aren't losing respect for authority. Its Actually getting stronger or both accounts. As times change and more opportunities arise for African American it can become confusing to the shelter parents of yesterday. Who value hard work and a secure job, the parents who believe the "harder you work the more money or success you'll obtain." This statement which might have seamed true many years ago has proven to be false over and over again in todays society. In real life the more money you make the less you should have to work. The tradition African American family doesn't understand this logic. Because most of our ancestors had to sweat to earn a living. This confusion is why its seems like theres a breakdown in respect for authority among our youth. But in actuality, our youth has a better knowledge of the system that we live in, and understands how this system can be exploited, by anyone. This understanding has also made todays youth view their parents in a different light. Because they only see the opportunities of today, and wonder why there parents didn't use these opportunities to change their own live. While todays generation still loves their parents, they frown upon their views of work and don't often take their advise. Not out of disrespect but more out of distrust.

I honestly I believe that kids in elementary schools today are more socially aware then ever before. Simply because of technology. Our children are exposed to so much more things at an early age. This allows their personalities to develop earlier. Before parents could influence their kids now their thinking for themselves.

If you take a kid in elementary school and ask them about being the President of the United States, if they speak from history they'll talk about all the white Presidents of the past. If they speak from their personal experience they'll either speak about Obama or maybe Bush. So they know that Obama is the first non-white President. That alone changes the dreams and thoughts of many kids. Because its no longer I want to be the first Black President, its I want to be a President. These Kids parents grew up believing they would never see this day many of them discouraging the notion that their child could be the first.

Mr. Universe

I think that people like Brother Bill miss a great point in that we have way more black people who are successful today, that we can look up too, then in the time he spoke about. They forget to consider that the playing field has only been leveling (not completely leveled) for 30-40yrs. Which means that most of the parents of this generation grew up in times of enforced poverty, where education was separate but not even close to being equal and that period of time has a direct effect on the generation that is being raised today. Many of the Afro-American (or black people) college students today are first generation. Fathered and mothered by parents who are in many cases first generation high school graduates. Even with the opportunities of today this can not be erased and forgotten over night. You have to realize that people of other races have been in the driver seat of our country for centuries passing power and knowledge down from generation to generation, that table cant be leveled over night, it takes generations of success to construct. Its like working out or taking steroids these thing only work in cycles. If I give you a bag full of H.G.H (or whatever Barry Bonds was using) and sent you into the weight room tomorrow with the goal of being Mr. Universe you would see minimal gain if any. But as you continued to work out you would move into a period were you would see greater increases in strength still wouldn't be Mr. Universe but way stronger than before. The next cycle you would hit would be a plateau, you might even recess a little, you would be way stronger than you ever were but the pace of growth would slow. This is your body leveling itself out and healing. This would give you a brand new base and starting point that is way higher than the one you previously started at and you would continue to move in cycles. Until you reached Mr. Universe status.

Next you have to decided what Mr. Universe looks like to you! I think its crazy that none of our symbols of power or authority resemble black people. In todays society we believe that the pinnacle of success is not perpetuated in our culture. Plus most of the stereotypes placed upon blacks stretch across many cultures and types of people. Plenty of white people live beyond their means due to cultural influence. Its just okay for them to do it because we let white culture dictate what we deem as acceptable. Theres nothing wrong with expensive jewelry or expensive cars Jay Leno has over 50 cars and we call that a extensive car collection, Lil Wayne has over 50 cars and he's just wasting his money. We need to hold on to our culture and make other cultures adapt to what we feel is acceptable not conform. We have to realize that this country we live in was so called "founded" by a group of people that didn't want to abide by the culture and laws of there nation and took over another and made other people conform to there views. Now, I'm not preaching a revolution or saying using the same tactics used to secure this land but I'm just saying don't be afraid to hold on to what you believe is Mr. Universe looks like and strive to be that.

Pardon the Errors

Mistakes! How do you know when you made one?

As I ponder my life, (which I often do) I think about a lot of decisions I've made. The choices I've made that I've felt were questionable, outright stupid, and ones that I felt were clearcut. But the difficult part upon pondering these choices is deciphering if they were good or bad. Is there a time table or an answer key that one gets to find out if they made the right choices in life? I pride myself on not regretting the choices that I've made, because I'm a firm believer in the logic, "you only live once and you have to deal with the twist and turns life give you the best way you know how, no ones perfect." I'm so confused because of the teeter tooter of emotions I have. One day life is great and everything is perfect and the next everything has gone to hell (excuse my French). Its crazy its like people who enter into a 10 year marriage and the first 5 years are great but the last five are complete anarchy. How did what seemed like a great choice for a bride change over night? On a more personal note I look at my life I had plenty of scholarship offers but I chose Iowa State. Originally I was happy enough to determine I had made a good decision. But as time went by I concluded that I had completely fouled with this choice and maybe a different path might have been better. But in the same instance a lot of good things have came from that choice people, places and family. And thats why I don't regret anything, because there is always at least a lesson to be learned from every encounter. I say all that to say there is no answer key life, you make it what you want, to be happy is living the life that you chose not the one that was dictated to you. So there aren't any mistakes in life, just somethings take a little be longer to understand. In my opinion.

Pardon the Errors, and sorry for the rambling on I just felt like saying that.
If you think the use of hell was inappropriate let me know..