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I see the essence of our disagreement. I can't argue with your point of view because you deal with the underclass for a living, therefore, the prism in which you view our culture is that of the underclass. I can't change your reality and, in fact, I honor your struggle as a "doctor" so to speak in the triage unit that is the underclass.
I on the other hand prefer to work with "the at-risk" or those that aren't too far gone in their lives of irreversible pathologies. My thoughts and ideas of who we are and what we can be are not biased by what you seem to face daily. The Black folks that I know are strugglers, overcomers, fighters, people who have faith in God rather than doubt Him. The Black people that I know that were raised in my Black neighborhood (the same that you decry) are doctors, lawyers, and business owners, not "statistics". They tithe at Black churches, honor their parents, act as good role models, have not forgotten their culture. What makes them different than the person that of their own FREE WILL, decided on a life of crime, drugs, alcohol, whore-mongering, baby-making, hustling, etc?. We were faced with the same racisim, police brutality, sub-par segregated schools, indifferent teachers.
I find it strange that you decry the God that has provided us strength and refuge but would ask us to partake in a futile exercise in pseudo-intellectualism like Sankofa. This same Sankofa that was practiced by the Akan people, the Ashanti, whose slave trading empire was so great and vast that it was coveted by the British?
Whether you are an recent immigrant or 5th generation descendant of slaves, the formula for success is the same, a respect for self, family, God of your choice, education, community, accompanied by a strong work ethic.
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