Black men vs black men

Amorality, gangsterism and greed are the natural and most extreme expression of the idea that market principles should dictate society and that those with the most capital are the most worthy.

Hey, TDK, better add one of your quotes above to round out the crew.

 

I really wish we could get some type of roundtable discussion on skype. You guys speak so much truth.
It seems the minute its someone with darker skin criminality is the height of savagery even though motherfuckas running.g the banking system have caused more death and misery than all the drug cartels combined.

 

Those people are out to make a buck, they're not trying to be role models for our children. I don't expect any famous person to be a role model for my kids...that starts at home. Teaching my kids to be leaders, not followers, will ultimately help them separate the words/lives of these rappers from their own experiences. That's been my experience anyways, growing up and seeing friends' kids who are older in age than mine are.

 

But remember, poverty and represssion play no role in our criminality, unlike how it strongly influences crime in all of the rest of the human species. In our case, something is just wrong with 'us'.

 

Never understood that term that ifs better to lead than follow. Most times you have to follow in order lead no?

 

"I hung around with the thugs and even though they sold drugs, they showed a young brother love." -Tupac. In that sentence he was simply expressing a reality that a lot of people could relate too. Thats because the problem existed before hip hop or rap music.

 

Real talk fam

 

I don't think you have to follow in order to lead. I make my own path, always have. Nothing irks me more than people who are unable to think for themselves. Taking the easy way out and just following the person in front of you, hoping they'll lead you to where you're trying to go....I've never understood that mentality. People are selfish by nature, so whomever you're following is taking you where THEY want you to go...not necessarily looking out for your best interest. Maybe it's people being lazy, just not wanting to think for themselves...maybe it's a lack of confidence in their decision making skills...maybe they're not comfortable going against the pack...who knows. That way of thinking doesn't usually yield much success. The successful people I know forged their own way and weren't afraid to stray off the beaten path.

 

Whoa you took that some place else. I mean there are certain things you must learn first before you have the tools to lead. Should your kids lead you because they have the "confidence" to

 

William, YOU are NOT unique in this country. Our White babies are being slaughtered on the street, too. In fact, I'd like to take a moment and honor the 12 killed in Aurora one year ago, yesterday.

BTW since last year's theater massacre, 126 people have died in mass killings, Sandyhook being the most recent in Dec 2012. I would also like to thank President Obama for honoring them as he did, a swift 2 days after the shooting...



July 23, 2102

On Sunday, President Obama traveled to Aurora, Colorado to meet with the survivors of the movie theater shooting and offer solace to families of the victims.

"I had a chance to visit with each family, and most of the conversation was filled with memory," the President said.
"I confessed to them that words are always inadequate in these kinds of situations, but that my main task was to serve as a representative of the entire country and let them know that we are thinking about them at this moment and will continue to think about them each and every day."

During his visit to University of Colorado Hospital, the President had a chance to meet Allie Young and Stephanie Davies, and speaking to reporters, he described their story....

"Stephanie", the President said, "dropped to the ground beside her friend, applied pressure to Allie's wound to slow the bleeding, then dialed 911 with her cell phone. Even after Allie told Stephanie to run, the 21 year old stayed by her friend -- and when first responders arrived, Stephanie helped to carry Allie to a waiting ambulance."





"I don't know how many people at any age would have the presence of mind that Stephanie did, or the courage that Allie showed," President Obama said.
"And so, as tragic as the circumstances of what we've seen today are, as heartbreaking as it is for the families, it's worth us spending most of our time reflecting on young Americans like Allie and Stephanie, because they represent what's best in us, and they assure us that out of this darkness a brighter day is going to come."


****************

William, as a Black man and a police officer, you are clearly showing unfair bias. How many times do you need to be chastised in here about this! Therefore it would behoove you to shift your attention and compassion towards predominately White victims in your area and call out their killers (like the President did). It is THESE crimes that are killing our innocent and young Whites today and frankly, I don't think the 24/ coverage given on the 12 killed and their killer was enough. (even though because of it, laws by the Governor to help prevent repeats were recently enacted)

 

You're absolutely right, but many kids don't have responsible or involved parents so celebrities become role models by default. Whether they choose to be or not. Some, especially sports figures, will accept the (unwritten but almost expected) responsibility that goes with fame, and will give back in positive ways. They are cognizant of the fact that they are being scrutinized, looked up to and imitated. But many are just, as you say, out to make a buck.

 

My apologies, I thought the bolded part was a given. Of course my children won't lead me, but you better believe they can lead their peers. Just as I don't lead my Director at work (although I do help guide some of his decisions)...we all have a place in leadership. I guess I was speaking more about leading our own personal lives as opposed to following the pack and doing as others do.

 

I'm sorry, remind me who said rap is the reason for black on black crime so I can jump on board with what you're saying here?

If you cannot find that post, then lets try to keep on topic with what is being said about rap. If you take the beat out of rap, put a brother in a suit and on the larry king show and he sat there and talked about how all women are bitches and ho's, how much drugs he deals, how much money he got than the rest of us 'broke ass niggas'.... we'd all have a problem with it.

Put that same message to a nice beat and we dance to it. The music is poisonous, and glorifies the very behavior that has been cast as our stereotype. Modern day rap music is nothing more than blaxploitation. Modern day Stepin Fetchits who, by way of entertainment channels, cast a template of black people as bottom of the barrel where evolution of human beings is concerned.

Now, here is going to be the hard part for the likes of you and TDK. Take an honest look at rap... specifically gangsta rap, and tell me it has any redeeming value aside from being usually talent less entertainment (2 Chainz...). Tell me a single positive quality of the glorification of rape, drugs and street life. Tell me why it's cool to see someone make a career exploiting a lifestyle that is so parasitic to so many black communities.

And, PLEASE, stop with the 'well the Irish gangsters did it' and 'the Italian gangsters did it'. My mother used to ask me when I was 9, and I'd do things because I saw other people doing it. "If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?", that is a very logical question that it seems we're quick to abandon in lieu of making an actual logical point.

 

Uggggh, no one is saying that. No one is saying that at all.

I'll tell you what I am saying. I am saying that we can do better in our own communities. I don't expect the government to make things better for me, they have proven since we got here that me and my people are of the least bit of concern to them. Given that, I expect my people to unite and to organize and work together to improve our own conditions.

We LOVE to talk about our strong history and we LOVE to talk about Martin and Malcolm... we LOVE to talk about the Black Panthers. But, at the end of the day what do we really really know about them? We shun the very principles that they tried to teach us!

"WE" do have a problem in our communities... and so do "they", nobody is denying that. We know the factors that contribute, but I stand firm in my belief that "WE" can improve them on our own. If we don't know how, we better learn quick... because I guarantee you, in this country nobody else will.

 

Ja thats absolutely ridiculous My dude. Why gangsta rap and Not gangs ta movies?

 

If your round table is just to have a long and pointless discussion about communities or races that fight and kill each other, it could be a very long conversation. Don't forget to talk about all of the historical Europe vs. Europe conflict.

Am I invited, or is this just a meeting of 'like' minds.

 

PLEASE, tell me how it's ridiculous. Without making counter points like 'white people listen to it' and 'other communities have problems too'

Gangsta rap and not gangsta movies because the gangsta movie era is long dead. Nobody is making Boys n the Hood, Juice, New Jack City and all that shit anymore. The principle would be the same for movies too, but I'm not going to waist time talking about killing something that has been dead for years.

As I said in my previous post, if somebody sat down in a suit and tie and articulately stated the same message that is being delivered in rap music we would all have a problem with it. However, sag his pants, toss in some gold teeth and fake watches, put some big booty ho's dancing to it in a background, add a nice beat and make it rhyme and the message somehow becomes Ok? Why can we not expect more responsibility out of our entertainers? Oh, I know.... because Stic.Man, Talib Kweli and Common don't sell as well as Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. Dem some broke ass bitch ass niggas...

Tell me how gangsta rap music these days is anything but that...

 

You know you're well respected so quite acting like someone took away your favorite ball dread head, of course you'd be welcome.

 

So what has black people in Brazil, Jamaica, Hati, and all through Africa engaging in "gangsta" behavior? What had them doing it prior to the 1980s?
Entertainment may glorify certain behavior but it sure as hell doesn't drive it the way you're saying. Where ever there is an illegal market there are assholes wearing gawty shit and acting the fool to show off what they have. As long as their is economic and social disparity this shit will persist. Entertainment has little if anything at all to do with it.
And I won't say "white people listen to it too" I will say people with in the middle to upper middle class make this shit commercially successful and those people (black, white, hispanic, etc) can enjoy the entertainment and still achieve things professionally and academically. So again please tell me your point sir.

 

Why should they lead their peers? What makes them qualified to do that?
Truth is the vast majority of people either do their own thing or follow even perceived leaders follow someone else's lead. Even the President has to listen to Congress even the Queen must listen to Parliment and they are all subject to the whims of corporate interests lead by many people.