Good morning,
Today I would like to describe an irksome quality to you all, irresponsibility.
Background: I was raised to be responsible. If I messed up anything i was held responsible for making it right. I was the oldest son in a Islamic/Military household...I was often man of the house...I was responsible. I have a little brother it's up to me to be a good role model...I was responsible. He got in a fight, needed to be at school on time, he got injured, hesaid a bad word, he didn't help me clean our room...I was responsible.
If you can't take responisibility for your actions, you make me want to tie you into a pretzel.
If we get into an agument about something and we conclude you were wrong, admit it and move on. If you cross the line and you know you have crossed the line, apologize for crossing the line and move on. If you showed up late for an appointment with me, admit it, apologize and let's talk about next steps. I don't hold on to grudges but I find it hard to respect someone who can't accept responsibility for their mistakes.
Do you feel me?
Friday, May 29, 2009
My first dose
This blog is inspired by my reflection on previous events. Once such event was the murder of a young black teenager named Jamahl Jones, who happened to be my brother's friend. These high school aged kids were at a party, the character of the party was typical for high schoolers (excessive drinking, boredom and general idiocy). Following the get-together, the young man and four white teenagers began to fight. In the midst of the fight the Jamahl was killed.
People were angry. We had so many questions we had so many frustrations and we had so much hostility towards these cowards. The tension of the times was palpable the local gazette published an article about the incident and cited a conversation with "Black community leaders". These so called leaders who were unnamed in the article urged the community to "be calm". CALM? Why calm? there are many things the community should be when a young person is killed by four assailants: outraged, hurt, afraid and maybe even contrite.but calm is one reaction that has no place in a tragedy such as this. Four white brutes murder an unarmed black teenager and the best plan of action is... tranquility?
Sure the Black spokespeople got to show up on tv and express their belief that this was a crime of hate. Sure all four of the young murderers were eventually arrested and sure they all went to trial. Sure I took that sedative the media had pitched to me and I didn't act. I watched and I waited. Sure enough, those four white boys were tried before a jury of 12 white peers and were swiftly acquitted without as much as an assault charge after extinguishing that child's flame. Who do we blame?
Perhaps i am biased because I am familiar with many of the players in this event and I feel Jahmal had more potential than the sum of those redneck children but someone should have done something. The courts did nothing, the press did nothing, the community did nothing...I did nothing. I don't condone mob violence or vigilantism but when its all said and done, which is the lesser of the two evils? And who are the black community leaders because I don't see or hear any real action on the ground.
In California, When the community feels that an injustice has taken place they community riots. In the Baltimore metro area when the community feels an injustice has been done they take a sedative and wait for the situation to blow over. Eastcosters retort "how does the destruction of the private property of innocent people solve anything?" Think about the vast changes to the LAPD and the Oakland PD following events like the King beating. I'm sure the offices became no less racist but after the massive community response and national exposure, following a man being beaten by four police officers, they know they better think twice before deciding to serve as judge jury and executioner. What lessons were learned after these four killers were awarded freedom for their efforts?
People were angry. We had so many questions we had so many frustrations and we had so much hostility towards these cowards. The tension of the times was palpable the local gazette published an article about the incident and cited a conversation with "Black community leaders". These so called leaders who were unnamed in the article urged the community to "be calm". CALM? Why calm? there are many things the community should be when a young person is killed by four assailants: outraged, hurt, afraid and maybe even contrite.but calm is one reaction that has no place in a tragedy such as this. Four white brutes murder an unarmed black teenager and the best plan of action is... tranquility?
Sure the Black spokespeople got to show up on tv and express their belief that this was a crime of hate. Sure all four of the young murderers were eventually arrested and sure they all went to trial. Sure I took that sedative the media had pitched to me and I didn't act. I watched and I waited. Sure enough, those four white boys were tried before a jury of 12 white peers and were swiftly acquitted without as much as an assault charge after extinguishing that child's flame. Who do we blame?
Perhaps i am biased because I am familiar with many of the players in this event and I feel Jahmal had more potential than the sum of those redneck children but someone should have done something. The courts did nothing, the press did nothing, the community did nothing...I did nothing. I don't condone mob violence or vigilantism but when its all said and done, which is the lesser of the two evils? And who are the black community leaders because I don't see or hear any real action on the ground.
In California, When the community feels that an injustice has taken place they community riots. In the Baltimore metro area when the community feels an injustice has been done they take a sedative and wait for the situation to blow over. Eastcosters retort "how does the destruction of the private property of innocent people solve anything?" Think about the vast changes to the LAPD and the Oakland PD following events like the King beating. I'm sure the offices became no less racist but after the massive community response and national exposure, following a man being beaten by four police officers, they know they better think twice before deciding to serve as judge jury and executioner. What lessons were learned after these four killers were awarded freedom for their efforts?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
My very first post
Hi
This is my first personal blog. I am told that I should write or that I would make a good blogger because i have interesting things to say. Although I do not doubt the merit of those suggestions I would like to suggest that perhaps I have an interesting perspective.I'm not sure what direction I would like this blog to take but hopefully soon this blog will evolve from an amorphous blob to a form suitable for art.
Let me begin by discussing what I do not want this to be. Although I may be an angry frustrated black male, the general angry black male humor doesn't necessarily ring true to me. I am not a transcendent black male either; I still see race and racism in the world no matter how hard I close my eyes. Further, I'm not a black outsider voice either. I wasn't the kid that got picked on in school and can use his vitriolic wit to subdue his former tormentors, that's not really my thing.
I make observations. My observations have allowed me to keep my sanity in crazy times. I invite you to share my observations and perhaps take a moment to enjoy what I enjoy about this place.
This is my first personal blog. I am told that I should write or that I would make a good blogger because i have interesting things to say. Although I do not doubt the merit of those suggestions I would like to suggest that perhaps I have an interesting perspective.I'm not sure what direction I would like this blog to take but hopefully soon this blog will evolve from an amorphous blob to a form suitable for art.
Let me begin by discussing what I do not want this to be. Although I may be an angry frustrated black male, the general angry black male humor doesn't necessarily ring true to me. I am not a transcendent black male either; I still see race and racism in the world no matter how hard I close my eyes. Further, I'm not a black outsider voice either. I wasn't the kid that got picked on in school and can use his vitriolic wit to subdue his former tormentors, that's not really my thing.
I make observations. My observations have allowed me to keep my sanity in crazy times. I invite you to share my observations and perhaps take a moment to enjoy what I enjoy about this place.
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