A Disturbing, Violent Trend [Must read]

ESPN ^ | Jan. 6, 2007 | Jemele Hill

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Money quote:

"Of course, movies and songs don't make people kill people, but they can influence the way people think and live.

But ultimately, if we want to see fewer black athletes as victims of violence, African-Americans must stop worshiping at the altar of their own demise."

[ClearCase_guy]

Black men constantly receive the message that they can't make it in life through using legitimate means, and the only way they gain society's respect is through the street game.

Well maybe black people should smarten up and stop sending that message to themselves. Are you listening Jesse? Al?

[flynmudd]

Let's start with dropping the African part. These are Americans killing each other.

[AmericanMade1776]

All I could think of while reading this article was O. J. Simpson.

O.J. Simpson looks back into the courtroom gallery during his 2001 'road rage' trial in Miami. A judge has frozen the money Simpson was paid for his aborted book and interview deal following a lawsuit by the father of murder victim Ron Goldman, a lawyer in the case said on Thursday. REUTERS/POOL/Wilfredo Lee

[x_plus_one]

Darwin at work...

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You're right...Jesse and Al, race baiters extraordinaire, never discuss the stark realities faced by Blacks today, namely the collapse of family and the glorificaiton of violence.

[SmoothTalker]

Very good article. A huge part of the problem in the black community is black culture. It glorifies violence while de-emphasizing the importance of education. Many in America are too PC to talk about it but black culture must be radically overhauled if blacks are to ever do well in the US. At this point it is much more of a barrier to success than the legacy of slavery or segregation.

[Reagan is King]

The poverty pimp black leaders (Jesse, Al, et al) are too busy blaming and shaking down whitey to try to fix their real problems.

[robertpaulsen]

"all of the athletes are black."

Well, since almost three-fourths of NFL players are black, the odds are in their favor.

[bray]

You can thank the NEA and 60 years of Democrat destruction of the Black Family.

Pray for W and Our Troops

[StAnDeliver]

"Contrary to stodgy opinions, young men have a right to go out. They want to hang with their peers. They want to talk to women. They want to show off a little of their success. Nothing wrong with any of that – as long as they're careful. Who they're with, what time they're out and what they have is only a small part of the issue. The larger problem here is the one no one is ready to openly discuss."

100% Wrong, Jemele. Where Williams was that night and where he instead should have been are directly the issue at hand.

If Williams had married the mother of his two children and been at home celebrating the New Year as head of his family in Denver -- instead of keeping them at arm's length in Fort Worth -- Williams would be alive today. Period.

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bttt

[csvset]

American Gangster

I caught the second half of Episode 5 The Smith Brothers the other night. It was interesting.

[econjack]

My ex taught inner-city black students for years (with required home visits) and there are several common threads that persist: 1) most parent(s) do not support or see the value of education (plenty of big screen TV's but not one magazine or book), 2) they consistently see themselves as victims (an idea that is continually reinforced by the likes of Jesse and Al), and 3) they perceive the gov't as the solution to everything, not their own actions. Couple these attitudes with the fact that 80% of black families are single-parent homes, and you start to see a pattern of "non-responsibility" emerging.

[Jason_b]

Either they grew up without fathers, or had fathers that were bad fathers. The street raises fatherless kids.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Jealously & greed, plain and simple. I've seen Packers players get into scuffles at the bars here from other blacks.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Bravo! Well said

[Skip Ripley]

Let's see if the poverty pimps attack Mr Hill like they did Bill Cosby.

[gcruse]

"This isn't to say black people invented violence or have a penchant for it."

Coulda fooled me.

[econjack]

If Williams had married the mother of his two children and been at home celebrating the New Year as head of his family in Denver -- instead of keeping them at arm's length in Fort Worth -- Williams would be alive today.

I agree strongly with the marriage statement, but who spends New Year's eve at home with their kids?