[Wonderful1908]

I think that we have a responsibilty to try to understand the breakdown between the classes before we assign blame to anyone or any establishmet for the riff between the middle class and the lower class. Those of us who live in the middle class African- Amiercan world are at a similar disadvantage as those who live in the lower class. As we are priviledged to perhaps education which equals expoure, we are also limited to some of the realities of a world that our education has allowed us to avoid. I believe if each of us would have not been exposed to EDUCATION we would not even be entertaining an in depth discussion such as this. As African-Americans we have got to try to bridge the social gap by recognizing it is also an educational one as well. Where whites are often afforded oppurtunities based on the fact that they are the majority, most of us have been afforded oppurtunites based on hard work and our education level. So as with any group of people who work hard to expand their horizons and enviroment perhaps we have resentment for a lower class that is equipped with a weapon of different magnintude (perhaps hip-hop) that provides for them a similiar tool to communicate, express thier concerns and in many ways be a lucrative venture for those who are succesful. It also attacts more people than a formal education not becuase its easier but becasue it is more of a reality to them, I am sure not everybody here grew up well to do, but those of you who did grow up surrunded my street culture can testify I am sure your hard work and desire for a better life was a driving force to "better" yourself. The flaw with hip-hop is that where an education is more readily available and by far a more attainable reality how do we as African-Americans relate the message to others? In a stretch of an analogy for those who are part of BGLO's you were determined to become a member of only ONE organization, cleary the others had benefits and traits that would have been quite honorable, however you focused on one and I am sure no one could sway your opinion. So if you were unswayed by exposure to something as simple as an organization, imagine trying to unsway a lifetime of exposure to the benefits of hip-hop and its culture?