Work To Do

Later for Eliot Spitzer. He'll deal with his problems in his own way. We've got problems to deal with in black America that simply won't wait. These are problems we must solve ourselves...blaming white people or even the legacy of slavery won't work. This is on us.

Recent studies have shown that, among other things, one in nine black men between the ages of 20 and 34 are locked up, either in jail or in prison. The Centers for Disease Control tells us an astonishing 48% of black teens ages 14 to 19 have one or more STD. A study of our buying habits says black folks spend far too much money on foolishness, save way too little, and spend like drunken sailors even when the national economy is in freefall (like now).

Taken separately, these facts are troubling. Taken together, they're downright frightening. They mean we're tossing away our future even as we say we're concerned about it. We cannot afford to stand by and watch our young girls fall ill to sexual disease, watch our young men march off to prison as if it's a right of passage, and ignore basic economic facts as if we live somewhere else besides America.  

This is not to beat black folks up. We have much to be proud of, including a guy named Obama who could be the next President of the United States. But make no mistake, we've got work to do, serious work. Each of these negative statistics is there for us to change for the better. To believe that we're unable or incapable of doing so mocks all that we have achieved since we were brought to this country in chains. One in nine young black men in prison should be one in one hundred. 48% of our black teens getting STDs can be reduced to 10%. We can resolve to save more and spend less, especially on things that don't appreciate in value.

We can do all of this! It only takes knowledge, and work.