"I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan..."

“I never ever ran from the Ku Klux Klan….”


“…and I shouldn’t have to run from a black man…” Come on, you know these lyrics, right? Let’s go back to 1989 and the release of the single “Self Destruction” released by the Stop the Violence Movement. The line above was a line in the lyrics of Kool Moe Dee performed in the song. Almost 20 years ago, and what do we have now?

What was a problem (excuse me because I was only 12) back in 1989 is now an epidemic. AN EPIDEMIC!!! Black on black crime in America is more than a problem. As of late last week, in the District of Columbia, there were 171 murders citywide. 141 of those murdered were black men. Now, I don’t have the exact details of every crime, but does anyone want to guess what the percentage of the murderers was? Of those 141 black men murdered, 44 of them were between the ages of 18-24. So, usually between those ages we should be celebrating the graduation of high school and college. Instead, we are more often than not, celebrating the life of another murdered child.

I blogged last week about the loss of my favorite athlete – Sean Taylor. A 24-year-old (how ironic) professional athlete who was tragically murdered in his bedroom in front of his fiancé and his 18 month old daughter. I talked about how the media made it about him being another black man caught up “in the game” and that he was nothing but a thug. I also talked about how they were wrong. Here is one point that they got right, he was another victim of black on black crime, and not just crime but murder. Four ‘kids’ were arrested and charged with his murder. 17, 18, 19, and 20 years old. Disgusting! I can’t even describe my inner thoughts without having to have my mouth washed out with soap! Four ‘kids’ who stole a father from his baby, and now have successfully thrown their own lives away!

This isn’t about Sean Taylor; I’ve already done that. What this is about is a never-ending epidemic that has taken the country by storm. It is an epidemic that has grabbed every major city nationwide, from sea to shining sea. Of the 141 black men murdered in D.C. through the first 11 months of the year 2007, how many names did we now? More than likely none, and the media might mention it, but more than likely not. It’s too commonplace in today’s society. The news coverage wouldn’t be able to talk about the impeding snowstorm if they covered every black man that was gunned down in the bloody streets last night.

When I was in college, some of my fraternity brothers and myself were sitting around the frat house (location undisclosed to protect the innocent – or guilty) and discussing the issues of the day. What were we discussing? Black on black hate! Not crime, crime was just a piece of it. We were talking about how as black people, we never try to lift each other up. We always try to step on each others heads to get above and beyond. One of my frat brothers said something I will never forget. He said, “desegregation was the downfall of black people”. What?? I almost threw my current criminal justice book at his head. But that would have contributed to the black on black violence issue that we were discussing, so I just told him he was the dumbest most ignorant person I had ever heard speak, and that I was a little dumber for having listened to him. Me, and a couple others of the brothers, got up and walked outside to, well, to do what you do in college.

A few years ago, contemplating my own significance in the world, that conversation came back to me. I finally understood what he was saying. He wasn’t saying that segregation was a good thing; he was saying that ‘we’ lost our way. He was saying that during the awful times of segregation, black people fought for each other, not with each other. He was saying that if I couldn’t afford to by a tie for an interview, my neighbor would lend me his. Now, my neighbor would steal mine so he could go to MY interview. Do you feel what I’m saying? That is where desegregation hurt the black community. The black community went from community to every man (and woman) for themselves.

This problem has only gotten worse with each and every passing year. There are far too many single parent homes. Moms trying to be mom and dad, and even dads trying to be mom and dad. This leads to a higher risk of dropout rates, criminal activity, and overall disregard for anything lawful. Not in all cases, no, but here is why in a lot of cases. When mom is at work trying to make ends meat, who is at home with Junior? When dad can’t afford to put Junior in after school care, who is home with Junior? I’ll tell you who – BET, MTV, VH1, 50 Cent, and whoever else your favorite rapper is. Then, they get to run the streets, even if it’s in front of the house, with their other friends who have no parental guidance. Is this the parent’s fault? No, not entirely, it’s society’s fault too. You can’t blame the mom who is trying her hardest. However, you have to blame them if they don’t know what Junior is doing. My mom was a single mom for the first 9 years of my life – for the most part. She stayed in my business – even as a youngster. I definitely wasn’t watching the smut that these kids watch now! My mom didn’t have to be there to make sure I didn’t, she just had to threaten me with the long arm of the law – her law! However, society has lost it’s responsibility to make sure that kids don’t watch and listen to this crap either. T.V. advertises to the kids because they know that they are watching! It’s a travesty that kids have to be subjected to the things that they do! Stop supporting this and thinking it’s cute when your 5 year old can “drop it like it’s hot”. She doesn’t even know what “it” is! Tell her to read a book, and not a m**********g book either!

Do something! Please, for all that is right, do something people! You don’t have to be black, white, brown, purple, gold, or green to do something to stop this epidemic. I started my community service when I was in college. I used to tutor kids at the Malcolm X Center on the West side of Birmingham, AL. One, I’m not Muslim, and two, neither were the kids there – just a sidebar. I could tell you horror stories about what I witnessed, but this is long enough already. What I did was reach out to kids. Show them a little respect, and they showed it back. When I first started there I got cursed out by an 8 year old. By the end of my semester there, that 8 year old was “yes sir, no sir” every time he saw me. I didn’t threaten him, he just didn’t know any better so I showed him. I showed him what it was like to be a man. I showed him what it meant to respect someone. In return he respected me, and he cried when I left. He knew that I was his safe haven for a few hours a week. It broke my heart, and all I can hope and pray is that he kept those lessons I taught him.

I coach football now. I love it because I love football. But I love it more because I am able to have an influence on a child’s life. I have witnessed some terrible home situations with some of my players. We were at a game this season and we were in Southeast D.C. Our game was delayed by a few hours, and I was sitting on the hill watching some of the games before us. Our star player came over and sat by me, he’ll remain nameless since he is a minor. He told me of how he grew up there in Southeast and that his mom and dad did not let him play outside. He said he couldn’t go outside because there was always people drinking and doing drugs on his porch. Then, at night, they would have to sleep on the floor because there was always shooting going on, and his parents didn’t want any stray bullets to come into the house and hit anyone. I listened to this 9 year old kid tell me some of the most scary stories that I could imagine for a child his age, or even for an adult my age! The thing is, I would have never known had he not told me. His mom and dad have done such a fantastic job of raising him that you would never even know he was from such a crime-ridden area like he was. The reason is they protected him from the mean streets, and were eventually able to move the family out. They taught him respect even in the face of adversity, and for that they should be commended.

I tell you these stories because there is something we can all do. Go read to a child. Go talk to a child. Go just lend your ear to a child. Make a difference today, while we still can. I said last week that I didn’t think there was anything we can ever do to reverse this epidemic when I was talking to a friend. Then I realized that with that attitude my own kids don’t stand a chance. I have to believe that as a society we are not willing to give up on our children, our children of all races. So I leave you with this, are you going to talk about it, or are you going to be about it? My father always told me that if you don’t vote, you can’t complain. Well, let’s take the mentality that if you don’t do something about the problem, then you are part of the problem and can’t complain about the problem.

Peace.