Quote:Agreed, it is a two way street. But nothing would remove the racist platform quicker than an honest dialogue about the chronic maladies affecting black America, which feed into racist stereotypes. Until the 70% out-of-wedlock birth rate and glamorization of criminality and misogyny is addressed, it will be a continuing cycle. You can't stop racism, but you can sure prove it wrong.

Young criminals glam up the life, the old ones don't. As far as misogyny, you might hear that in rap songs, but it wouldn't be wise to try to apply that to your significant other if you know what I mean. The family needs to be reinstituted but that would apply for more communities than our own.


What you see as the glorification of crime, is in all actuality a glorification of success. Money=success. Those that leave the "hood" to have a career and be successful don't return to put down roots. If you are young and your parents or parent works hard but doesn't see a return on that hard work, or if they are hardly around because the work they can get has him/her out when most ppl are sleep, you can get hypnotized by the flashy lifestyle of a criminal. Especially, if you have no exposure to what the world has to offer. Drug dealers usually aren't a menace to the community, they will throw the football around with the kids if there's no one there to do it. They will feed you when you are hungry. They will also protect you if someone's bothering you. I'm not excusing their actions but merely showing you how someone could get caught up admiring that lifestyle. I'm from Arlington. When I was in middle school, he was my next door neighbor. We all knew what he did. He never offered it to us. He was a really cool dude. My mom worked for JSO, promptly called them to handle the situation. I listened to all the rap music you are sorta inferring. I never wanted to be that or live that lifestyle. I still listen to it now. Rap is not all about that either. The platform is not there because we fit the stereotype. It's there because there is money to be made and no one is going to come to aid of those forgotten in society, I'm talking of the poor who are both black and white. That statistic you cited above is most likely in the same ball park for low income whites as well. Follow the money. There are many, many jobs supported by crime that would evaporate if crime was even cut in half. How do the weapons get there? They're not manufactured in the hood. How do the drugs get there? I don't know ppl in my area who have port authority connections or vessels to traffic. The music and media that influences us is not controlled by us. Look deeper.

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