Black Youth in America Today, and What We Need to do 

-Stefan '99

The Black Man is said to be an endangered species. That is true. But what is more disturbing, is the slow, methodical genocide of the young Black Man's mind.

It is bad enough there are dumb brothers eliminating their own blood lines for a little green piece of paper, that in and of itself, is almost worthless. We also have the de-elevation of the psyche to deal with. It is taught from very young. "When you grow up, you won't be shit. And even if you want to be, we won't let you." These are the messages i see in my every day life.

Believe it or not, I believe that at the turn of the 20th century, the bombardment is worse that anything seen since the death of President Lincoln. This is due largely to the pure volume of available outlets for this underlying message and it's saturation of said outlets. Television. Radio. The Internet. Print Media.

If you look hard enough, it's all there. I will challenge anyone to show me a popular newspaper or televised news program where the uplifting and congratulations of African-American males is more prevalent and more noticeable then the down grading and image-bashing of the same group of people.

Maybe Affirmative Action is the answer. Then again, maybe it's not. In my humble opinion, we need to teach our young, black children that they can be somebody if they so desire. If not because of another man, then is spite of him. If we can instill the children of today with the determination and strength of our ancestors, then we must. That way, we can take our past...give it to our present...so that there can be a better future for all of us.