ETA: My 5,000th post.
And I've got no easy answers. There are class differences within the community which I think that many of us don't want to acknowledge because we are sensitive to being seen as elitist snobs.
From talking to older people, particularly my parents (MamaTrap and DaddyTrap when he was alive), their friends and older sorors, etc., it seems that civil rights advances really only benefited people who were prepared to take advantage of the opportunities that were out there in education, jobs, etc. That's why I'm a firm advocate of education.
I don't mind helping people who want to improve their station in life. But they also have got to take responsiblity for some of their own actions. Namely, if you can't raise kids w/o assistance, don't have them. Seek resources out at school, including learning how to speak standard English. And for Gawsake, learn that there's a time and place, if you must, for "keeping it real," and that doesn't include school or the workplace.
Tough question, great topic
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