Black men are America's most likely crime victims. Even Latino men, who suffer high homicide rates, are much less likely than black men to be murdered. A black man is safer in prison today than living free in Los Angeles County.
*jaw drops*
THIS scares me.
According to the Los Angeles Time Homicide Report, a weekly tally of all the homicides in LA Country, young, black men are safer in prison than walking the streets of LA. I am shocked, appalled, and afraid, especially for my bothers & son.
where have i been?
i am an 80s baby. i grew up in the heart of South-Central LA in the 80s, lived through gang wars & colors, and I suppose, i figured everything had died down. nowadays, when my students come to me refusing to write in anything EXCEPT blue ink, spelling my name wrong ON PURPOSE because they refuse to put the "C and K" together, and claiming they are from "such and such set," I shake my head and can't understand. for some strange reason I thought gang bangin was dead, burried deep in our memories right next to Cube's jeri curl & Raiders jacket. But apparently it's still alive and well in the hearts and mind of our youths.
This year Six Hundred & Seven people have been murdered in Los Angeles County. 607. of those, 180 (or 17%) have been Black Males. An overwhelming majority of them (156) met their demise by the way of a gun.
I don't even know where we can begin to change this (suggestion?).
I'm sure these statistics aren't foreign to other major cities. where do we begin to pick of the pieces of our broken youth? In 2005-06 many news sources did several news reports on the state of Black men in America, but I have yet to read or hear anything about the brothas this year. Perhaps our men are out of style; overshadowed by celebrity gossip and political scandals. But the question remains...what can we do about it?
How do we begin saving ourselves, because it is OBVIOUS, no one else will do it for us. Where do we even begin?
Personally, I am starting with my son. My son has a living, breathing example of how bad decisions & choices can really cause setbacks in your life (his father). beloved and I talk, at length, about our hopes and dreams for our son and how no matter what, he will NOT make the same mistakes we've made.
my son will not be statistic
God Willing
we can keep him safe
long enough to succeed
UPDATE:
Since posting yesterday, the number has gone up to 620! this is damn ridiculous.
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This frightens me to see your words written. I have a friend that has been incarcerated approx 20 years & is up for parole next month on his 3rd attempt in 5 years. It's a double edged sword, you are ecstatic that he might just get to taste that freedom but everyone he knew at the age of 16 when he went upstate is dead. He is much safer where he is. Thanks for your post.
not understanding the gang mindset - all i can offer is prayer...
long time from the blogosphere... there is something in the air. i gave my manuscript to a PhD candidate on campus. told her about my failed attempts at publishing. in truth, i know i haven't pushed hard enough. anyway, she recommended getting involved in seminars. supposedly, the plight of the black male is the new "it" field in academia. whadayaknow. we're back in vogue. so i'm home working on a presentation to offer my two cents and help generate interest in the book. there's one in florida this november about getting the fellas interested in college. will certainly let you know or send you progress when progress comes. as you know, creation is a singular thing. focus does make it easier. i'm trying to focus. so your call for "suggestions" to the reality of the numbers... "hold on... i'm coming. hold on..." for your son and mine.
anon: my prayers to your friend as he is up for the boards...yet again (i've heard they can be unkind). i am praying he is able to reacquaint himself with life outside the walls.
capcity i lived through it & i still don't understand. growing up, i distinctly remember being afraid for my brother. hoping he was NEVER wearing the wrong colors in the wrong neighborhood, or asked "what set you from?" thankfully he is still here, striving. and i pray the same for my younger brother & son...it's crazy!
byg! i swear i have been slowly & surely making my way through the manuscript. i'm such a slacker. but perhaps...my comments will help...some day. i will be interested in hearing about the seminars. A LOT of my students are father-less/parent-less males...and i want to offer them something more than...grammar. nah mean? bless.
So wonderful that you are still releasing yourself through writing; and my prayers are constant like a warm mantra for you, beloved and the little prince. My truth, story and path although different than yours is still a shoulder and sounding board for you Sis. Just checking in on you.
BTW: Wonderful pics of Attica. Wonderful...Attica: Oxymoron indeed, but it is those dirty pretty things that makes life wonderful.
Stay Blessed & Shine Bright,
Caribbeanchyck
This is so unfortunate, it's getting worse. When you stop and ask yourself where can we go from here? An article like this appears, students start resorting to this way of doing things. It's scary! What can we do? And will it make a difference. It's unnerving to think about where we will be say, ten, twenty years from now.
I feel helpless...
Yes, all we can do is pray(CapCity). Thank you for this disturbing, but informative post.
Although it scares me to read your words on the subject, they are painfully needed. I am raising a son and it terrifies me to see what he could be sujected to. I live in wisconsin and the gang violence is terrible. The things the police officers get away with here are horrific- for example, the Frank Jude jr. case. Young kids are faced with choosing colors/ or neighborhoods or be killed. Neighborhoods are renamed after war torn countries, by ignorant people keeping count of death tolls of our youth. "Little Beruit" or "Iraq ave". It's sad. I would hate to believe that our men are safer in jail. Keep bringing it to our attention, it's a step in getting us all to thinking of a better way. I will continue to pray for our people, all people.
What you said here "A black man is safer in prison today than living free in Los Angeles County."
Wow! So so true...
Ya know...I kinda understand the gang culture...but I don't understand senseless killing.
I have a teenaged son, and I pray for him daily because he is an intelligent, young black male in a world that is so against him.
We have to pray, and we need to get these fathers involved. We need real men in our community to stand up, and take thier rightful places in the home. We need for mothers to be nurturing and tough on these boys, and raise them to be strong men.
I teach my son to respect women, and handle your responsibilities. My son is 16, and I told him that if he brought a girl home to me and tells me that she's pregnant, he might as well give up all extra curricular activities because he would have a responsibility to take care of. And I mean that.
I don't want my son to EVER be dependent on someone else to do ANYTHING for him. We have to teach these kids to love themselves, and build them up. We have to let them know that love is here for them, and one last thing...tell them no sometimes. This world doesn't give anything to anyone who doesn't want to work for it.