Has There Been Any Blacks In Space?

Buzz of the Day



Well, hello there. I feel awful that it's been almost a week since my last post. I have some good stuff today though. Hopefully this will make up for it:



The last time I posted, I talked about some race relations type of conversation I had with my co-worker. Well since that day, I've had about 3 more conversations with 2 of my co-workers. I don't care to get into what our conversation entailed. Not because I'm so upset or offended. Because I think we've all heard it before....Well, let me just give you the premise:

I tried to explain how history cannot be ignored and it plays a bigger part than people want to believe currently. The two white guys (co-workers) that I was talking to said that black people should just not worry about the past. What's done is done. I realized that I was wasting my breath. Coming from their perspective, growing up like they have, they can't wrap their brain around certain things.

I also realized that it is important to know the past. It is important to know how this country was built and the groundwork that was laid for us to get to this point.

I am not one to make excuses because I'm black. "Well, the man is holding me back." Never. I also won't defend those that make excuses. I will do my best to explain circumstances that you may not be familiar with. Paint a picture for you.

As I write this, I can't get my words together. How do you attempt to explain something that started 400 years ago? The civil rights movement? How they had dogs attack us, beat us with clubs, and then arrested us...because we wanted to vote. Because we wanted to be treated like human beings. How do you explain slavery? How do explain things that you were not alive for? Things that you should know more about yourself?

I believe there are psychological scars that we still carry (some are more visible than others) to this day. Although black people will not get a free pass from me if they are lazy, unmotivated, and/or breaking the law. We, as black people need to take more responsibility of our youth. We must set better examples for them to look up to. We must remind those who came after us the struggles that we've face and continue to face. That will make them understand their responsibility as a black person (because it took a lot for us to get here), realize that the built-in excuses are lame, and hopefully work hard to dispel stereotypes and become productive members of society. We owe it to our ancestors to not take our freedom for granted and pass along excellence and high expectations to those who come after us.

One more thing: Although history plays a part is today's times, that story is getting old. We need to fully take advantage of our opportunities and continue to show that we are more than athletes and entertainers. Those black lawyers and doctors and engineers need to show the kids that those professions are possible as well. They need (shoot, I need it too) to see successful people that look like them. They need to have greater expectations placed on them. And after that, they need support.

What do you think?