Disclaimer: Shoe doesn't fit all.This came up,on myBSU(Black student Union) discussion on what todo on the raising crime ratein MPLS, commited by young black males. Most of them, older than 18years.

I do not claim to have the answers in my pocket on this, as many in the meeting didn't, but as a practical matter I think we have to start some where, and starting all over is just one generation away.

What does one generation away mean? It means, we should focus all our efforts on those younger than 3years old, and just don't waste time on those lost in the streets and in jails. Let's build strong family foundation, so younger one's wouldn't fall as others have. The emotional and social influences on adolescent behavior is mostly rooted on copy-cat society we have been in for too long.

Although there would appear to be a battle ahead of us, there is much that can be done today, and it has to start today. Adolescence is a time of great change biologically, cognitively, and socioemotionally, those who haven't really learned yet, are those who need our 100% work, and effectively startprevention methods and treatment for them all.

All measuredposts welcomedniceone.gif.

I actually think we need to tackle those "lost to the streets" first, because if we can get them on track they will help us with the next generation. Thats actually the problem with our society most people have given up on this generation but think they can start afresh with the next, it doesn't work like that cos its mainly those "lost to the streets" who are giving birth to the next generation, so the pattern will always be there. In order for change to work effectively you have to educate the parent and the child, preferably u need to educatethe person before theyeven become a parent. Also take it a step at a time, why u gonna ignore the problems right in front of u but worry about the problems that are yet to come? The future problems won't happen if u deal with the here and now. Yes a change is due, but its time to stop talk and start walk.

Really, some in the meeting had the same take, with minor differences.

"lost to the streets" Is just an example, what about those not in the streets, but who're still lost? What to do with single parents/family? Education? You see, that has been our fight in the last four decades, and nothing, I meanfewthings have changed. Even worse, it does seemfew things have changedafter the colonial era, where many expected greatness.

This post, is local one, here in Mini......but could be used for global stage, I bet it's very relevant in African cities, and in London and Paris.

It just takes one generation, to may be for ever change the course of blacks. May be!

You know Pele..I am of the firm belief that the problem is not Black people, or the youth per se..it is the cultural conditions that is the real problem..there is just something about being in the WEST....that turns people stupid and I just don't know what exactly it is...can anyone else identify with what I'm talking about?



Example: i was for my sins in Catford yesterday, and not first the first time the Police were in attendance BECAUSE black children were kicking off...Is it a black thing I don't think so..Because I've seen that same behaviour in other areas too...Come 4pm its like children go gate crazy..

Kunjufu,

You are on to something and that is I believe it is cultural. I have been trying to figure out what is wrong with us as apeople for many years. I have come to the conclusion at least as far as it goeswith AA that many of our cultural traits (for lack of a better term) are the cause of our lack of education and laziness in understanding that this country has done everything in it's power to keep us ignorant for centuries.Too many times we normalize negative behavior. i.e. teens having children, males leaving the mother to rear the child by herself, drug abuse, alcoholism, crimes commited against one another, habitual consumers, jealous and evious of one another, the list could go on forever. We have allowed stereotypes to define us. We have become apathetic and unappreciative of the fact that we control our destiny. In the U.S. we have relied on the government to a fault to solve our problems. We fall in line behind these false leaders like Jessie Jackson and the useless outdated NAACP, and mega church pastors. We do not value education and the freedom and power that it gives you. We have more respect for a drug dealer or ex-con than a college graduate or an mba. The problem is as facetygal stated:

"Thats actually the problem with our society most people have given up on this generation but think they can start afresh with the next, it doesn't work like that cos its mainly those "lost to the streets" who are giving birth to the next generation, so the pattern will always be there".

The question I have is howdo wereach them?How do we change cultural bad behavior?

My question is who's to be responsible for the children of the lost to the streets? who btw will be more likely to have many children by multiple partners who are also just as lost. Do we count them as lostas well?i thought thewhole point was to get the kids at young age and raise them properly butwho is to do the raising here?

Man we got our men hustling, our women kinning out their reds for a change to buy house and car and children running households before they reach the age of ten....and we all have to share the same world as them.

Too many children growing up learning they were accidents, too many growing up feeling abandoned by parents who opted out - growing to hate their brothaman because of it, and too many children having to defend themselves within a society which bares the consequences of all of this.

My problem is I've always wanted to be all things to all people but if my head was on the block and had to choose, I'd target the next generation. But if we are talking about solutions, it goes back to one shoe doesn't fit all. We have to deal with the lost and deal with the next generation at the same time. Whatever the solution is it definitely isn't targeting one set of people.

I think this again highlights our internal/intrinsic gripes, you can see this is already turning into a this solution or that solution argument instead of putting all the requirements into a hat and dividing the responsibility of achieving them amongst an army with a united overall agenda.

As Toyin of Ligali put it, the problem is a multi-headed hydra, you chop of one head/problem and another grows in it's place - not to mention all the other heads which no one is dealing with. But then didn't Arnie say 'if it bleeds we can kill it'? I mean even the multiheaded hydra only needed a single stab to it's single heart to kill it.

Our dilemma is the multi headed hydra no longer has a single heart. There no longer is a single root cause. Anyone ever tried clearing weeds from a garden and you'll know let them run wild and their roots are with you for life...it's too much an effort and can cause more damage to the surrounding area to trace the root to its core.
On top of all that, for everyone trying to make a difference there's someone (including other Africans) whose intent on keeping it the same....one mans misfortune is another mans fortune - another head of the hydra I guess.

Kunjufu - the problem with the west is we are free and as a people under bondage it's like psychologicaly we'll take any freedom we can get even if it's to the detriment of our collective society. If religion, culture, morals and virtue does anything to restrict this freedom many won't buy it - being a slave to the system is as tied down as they want to get. Being free in an oppressive regime is a lesser evil than being a slave to collective African liberation.

Ok, for arguments sake, lket's say first and foremost we need to cut out the emphasis on sex...which will mean banning televisons, getting women to dress modestly and banning sexually orientated songs like R&B and ragga....any takers? Thought not!

Hum, I think people are starting from the wrong foot here. It can never be either/or. People will fall into 'problems' in whatever generation we care to'start' from.

No, as I keep saying, we must focus on what we are doing right, the positive stuff.

All the campaigns, all the helping people off/on the 'streets', the teaching, the preachingis what we should KEEP ON DOING.

To coin a cheesy phrase 'Rome wasn't built in a day'.

Ask yourself in the four decadesthey have been doing this - what sort of percentage ofpeople during that timehave gone onto the straight and narrow? Whilst it's not wrong to look at those who failed, too much emphasis on that does not help.

Every race in the West have problems. If you weigh it up they may have MORE or differentproblems than us. But weconstantly hear about the 'success' stories they keep telling us about. They present a balanced view of themselves and it looks as if they have less problems than ourselves which may not be true.

OK Pele I just re-read your post and from it raised these questions. If 'black' youngsters are committing crimes - could it be it'sbecause they are more likely to be convicted rather than 'let off with a warning'? I don't fully understand USA law so you'd have to bear with me. Also, is it that: if there is a 100% black pop. in an area, then it's obvious that the amount of perps are going to be a 100% black? And if only one more perpcommit a crime in that area, then the: 'crime rate amongst 'blacks' is rising'?

Is it the same old dance with figures?

You are right, when u pull up weed it does grow back but not as much as it did the first time if u keep on top of it. If you have time and patience and u pull a little harder eventually u will reach the root, then u can kill it once and for all and start to sow seeds for flowers. As someone said rome wasn't built in a day, but there is a simple and effective way we can start to affect change immediately. Everyone is capable of doing it because it is done here everyday, actually the time most of u spend on here could be better used to help make the change out there in the real world.

What am I talking about? I'm talking about listening skills, knowledge and intellect, advice skills. I believe the biggest reason why peeps are out here doing crime and whatever is because theyhave some deep seeded issues they are not dealing with. They are crying out to be heard and to be cared for yet noone wants to give them the time of day, its a form of attention seeking. You ever hear someone say "my mum is only involved in my life when she is called to the police station, the rest of the time she don't know I exist". So you know what this person is gonna do, they gonna keep having run ins with the law cos that is the only way he will get his mum to fart pon him. It's messed up, andI was only using that as an examplebut it does ring true for many people out there.

And you know what we do as a society we make things worse by turning down our noses, dismissing them as "bad breed pickneys" withoutstopping to think "well hold on why doesso and so keep getting in trouble, why do I always see him on street and not in his yard, why is he not in school". Take the time totalk to the boy and youfind out he is never at home cosmum kicked himout the housefor stealing money from her. Why was he stealing? Cosit was hisdinner money and buss pass toget himself to school. He is not in school now cos he has no means of getting there, and he's always in trouble cos the other boys are picking on him. Moral of the story is thereis always a reason behind everyting, we can't be bothered to take the time to find out yet we are quick to complain about it.

Everyone must know someone in the example I gave above, the next time you see that person don't ignore them TALK to them. There is power in TALKING and LISTENING, even though u might get a "come out my face" attitude to begin with that person will slowly open up to u. They will see that u genuinely care for theirwellbeing something they haven't experienced before. You will beput in a position where u can help this person turn their life around and in turn that will be one less person on the street doing crime.

I've decided to go on a voluntaryyouth mentoring course and have been training for the past few weeks. If successful I will work with a youngperson on aone to one basisfor 6-12mths, maybe longer. Not only do I work with the young person I get to work with the parent aswell. I realised I was pon net too much, at home too much, watching telly too much,and thoughtthere ismore constructive ways to spend my time. I'm not sayingeveryone should go and enrol on a mentoring course but there are definitely likkle tings we ALL could be doing to get society moving in the right direction. As I said in my earlier post it's time fe stop talk, an start walk

You know Pele..I am of the firm belief that the problem is not Black people, or the youth per se..it is the cultural conditions that is the real problem..there is just something about being in the WEST....that turns people stupid and I just don't know what exactly it is...can anyone else identify with what I'm talking about?


Jufu........We will never run away from the cultural conditions that influence our daily lives, and that the presence of a risk factors "e.g. cultural problems" increases the chance that many of these kids will end up in behavior problems. That's a fact, and no one can disagree with you on that.

As I have said, this came up with discussion by college students who are really into the community service, and it ain't a just jumping the ship when the sh*t hits the fan. All problems that aren't genetic, some how have answers, and we need to find these answers. I agree, this ain't onlyus, butdo have some social ills with them,and if we aren't kidding and take every issue as is, we know that many of us............

1) Are leftbehind bya racist system..............RACISM!

2) There's History................

3) Economical.....

3) Lack of assortativeor forcefull eductionin younger age..............

Are all some important problems that we have to face more than others, as a people. For me, starting with those who aren't utilized by the wrong cultural norms in the west, those younger (less than 5)need first intervention. That's all.