Jamal Senior Activist: Are we helping to hold Black America back?

As the STOP KILLING US (SKU) march from Vineland, New Jersey covering over 150 miles comes to an end tomorrow in front of the Congressional Black Caucus in Washington, DC. I would like to address a main controversial topic. Who is truly holding Black America back? I would like to say first and foremost that until we accept that we are better than we show, then we are the first offenders of this.
How? As I’ve marched through the different cities and look at us I wonder what are in the minds of our youth. When I speak with them all I hear about is this new found appreciation of our ancient history, dating back to Africa. But I hear utter disrespect for our American history as it includes those who fought against slavery up to civil rights. They are being spoon fed this dogma that the older generations were passive apologists and allowed the current reign of white supremacy to strengthen because of their lack of will to confront it. Nothing could be further from the truth. I spoke to a young man and once I even showed a bit of humanity concerning white people in our conversation I was accused of supporting them more than my own. Of course, this lends itself to us having an adversarial dialogue from that moment forward. This shutting off of conversation that doesn’t agree with your narrative is so common today that there is no open and respectable exchange of views. It’s my way or the highway. That in addition to the fact that I still see brothers walking around with their buttocks hanging out and I say why. How in the heck do you expect people to take you seriously if you walk around as though you have no sense of self-decency? I understand it’s supposed relevance in the neighborhood since so many have unfortunately been inmates in the past. But is that display furthering black people in the mindset of ourselves or others? Or is it verifying that we don’t want to be any better than when we were first introduced to wearing our clothes like that? Not to mention the example we are giving to the young ones who are looking and emulating that which they see. Lastly, our total lack of attention to what we know. I hear everyone is ‘woke’ or ‘conscious’ but it appears to be all talk. Where is it showing itself in these kings and queens who profess this newfound self-respect and enlightenment? Are the neighborhoods any safer? Are the women and children being cared for and respected any more by the men in their community? Are the elders given the proper attention and respect for their lineage in this Amerikkka that they have had to deal with long before these children became ‘conscious? The answers to all of these questions are NO! Death within our community of one another continues while we try to reduce the efforts of police to exterminate us. Intake of drugs, harmful foods, and misleading doctrines reduces, even more, our mortality of a once proud and thriving people in this country. You hear all this emotional rhetoric and multi-syllable speeches that impress only to send you back to your same condition with no incentive to improve it, only your own individual self. The collective message is always destroyed by the words and examples of those who espouse it so eloquently. But I believe there is hope. We have to stand up and stand out! We have to practice that which we preach. Most of all we have to hold one another accountable for the words and actions that truly are causing us to be held back. But ultimately, we have to get the police and each other to STOP KILLING US!