IM NOT ENDORSING THE ARTICLES BUT MANIY INTERESTED IN THE NUMBERS.
In the December third addition of the Columbus Dispatch there was an Op/Ed piece by syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts Jr.. It was titled, "Another Day in Black America, Yet another Violent Death." This article hit home with me in a profound way, it forced me to think about this issue and inspired this opinion piece. In this eloquent and well written article Mr. Pitts commented on a very difficult problem or society faces today, Black on Black murder in America.
The article flows in an almost poetic fashion while addressing a very difficult topic. It also imparted some statistical information we are, at this point, all too familiar with. It begins by tying the murder of the Professional Football player Sean Taylor, shot in his home at the young age of twenty four, to the murders of all black men who are victims of Black on Black crime.
Mr. Pitts is one voice, a black voice expressing his despair, one black voice of despair amongst the multitude. In his article he states, "We die and it goes unremarked, die so much it's hardly news anymore." He then proceeded to make a couple poignant statements. "...
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12 percent of the nation is 50 percent of the murder victims
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and it's mainly business as usual. No Government task force convenes to tell us why this is. No rally cries ring from podiums and pulpits. Crowds do not march as they did in Jena, La., demanding justice."
In my opinion Mr. Pitts couldn't be more spot on in his commentary. I work in the Correctional Field and I witness young Black men coming into the system day in and day out, per capita far in excess of any other ethnic group in America. My position puts me indirect contact with these young men and leaves me with a very unique perspective on the matter. My feelings, based on experience, run deep on this matter. I feel that one of the basic geneses of this problem is a manifestation of the failed family unit in poor Black communities. I suspect that there are many others that hold the same opinion as I do, be they Black or White.
I also believe that there are many in the white community that feel, they don't care what happens in the Black inner city, as long as it doesn't affect them personally. There are many that feel, why the hell should we even try to help out with this situation when they aren't even trying to help themselves. Speaking as a white middle age man with a somewhat unique perspective on the matter, I can see where they are coming from. If for no other reason then racism and mistrust from the Black community towards any effort the white community might employ to help change the problem.
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That being said, the Black community must take ownership of this issue. This is something that needs to be addressed by the leaders of the Black community, the mothers and father of these children, religious leaders and educators
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in the inner city. Otherwise, it will be met with skepticism and mistrust by Black people. The Government and the influences of other ethnic groups can not and shouldn't be expected to change this problem. Any attempt of this fashion is domed to fail.
Until the Black community stands up and fights for their own children, face-to-face and hand-to-hand, the rest of us can't help. Until the Black community tries to solve this problem from within, our White hands are tied, and the Black community will continue to be victims of their own making. A reduction in Black crime, a prosperous and educated inner city population, an inner city without self imposed Black on Black murder is a laudable goal. A goal that must be obtained if there is ever going to be a future for these kids but it must come from within!