The Front Porch : used to be Istlota, now thePreacher

[chuck]

James, is it possible I and you just come into contact with too many negative examples of young black people, as contrasted with the positive ones Omo claims to be?

So what the white media hypes also reveals something about them too:

They ain't all that:

Maybe their young folk aren't either...

Don't buy what they're selling, posters...

 

[Kadijah]

i don't get the feeling that you brothers even know what i'm talking about.


peace

Maybe not the brothers, but when dealing with the "whole", this sister does.

 

[Omowale Jabali]

James, is it possible I and you just come into contact with too many negative examples of young black people, as contrasted with the positive ones Omo claims to be?

So what the white media hypes also reveals something about them too:

They ain't all that:

Maybe their young folk aren't either...

Don't buy what they're selling, posters...

I'm not claiming anything. This brings me to a question I have been thinking about posting as a thread.

Why are some of you so critical of our youth?

Do you have children and if so, are you a positive influence on their lives?


Some of you come across as anti-youth. My perspective is different because I work with youth as a profession. And when I'm not on the job it is the youth who I mostly network with.

So, in terms of "not buying what they're selling" what is it you have to offer our youth that's making a positive impact upon their lives?

 

[Kadijah]

I didn't get the impression that anyone who posted in this thread was "anti-youth." Critical of, perhaps, but not against. And critical of not youth, per se, but of the youthful conceit of "knowing it all." This 'criticism' is leveled at every generation of youth. I smile when I see the 1920's book title "The New Negro," as if the 'youth' of that age felt they were so 'jake' (I think that's the word they used, that we now call 'cool'), so different, so far "advanced" in strategies for the survival and prosperity of the race of the older generations, they left them in the dust!

Btw, just to be clear - when I speak of youth, I'm talking about teens and twentysomethings. Thirtysomething is the cut-off for being "young." And once you reach 35, you're not young at all, you're middleaged.

 

[Queenie]

As Black people we can't afford to throw away any one of us--young or old and anyone in between.

I have a great amount of respect for our Black youth, even if I don't always agree with some of the choices they make, and tell them so.

I have no desire to take away anyone's right to make choices. But I do believe it's important (for me it's almost an obligation) to share what I've learned through experience, with younger people, whenever the opportunity presents itself. However, I believe it's important not to "preach at" anyone and to never give advice unless it's asked for. That's something I consciously work on.

I don't believe it should be an expectation for younger people to seek out or hold people in reverence just because they're older, but whenever I'm treated with respect and viewed as an elder, it is a good feeling and it makes me want to be a better example, as a result.

I believe it's important to build community among Black people whereby we understand and appreciate the value of our people in all age groups.

I believe it's possible to build upon the past, incrementally, to improve our situations and circumstances with each generation.