Black and White

Do you ever wonder why Blacks and Whites feel differently about life in general? Well let me tell you why. It's because we are different and we need to finally face that fact.

To grow up Black in America, you have issues automatically against you from birth. First of all you were probably born into a poor family and were not the only child. And most Black kids have to fuss and fight with their siblings for things to wear, eat, or a place to sleep because usually there isn't enough of anything for all of them.

And then Whites wonder why Blacks are so argumentative. Well, that's one reason why. Sibling rivalry is a big deal in Black families because children can't understand why one has something the other doesn't have. All kids feel the same way, but well-to-do families can rectify the situation a lot easier in their household because they have the resources to do so.

Once a Black child goes to school, they then find that they're different in other ways. They see that White kids are more prepared than they are, have better clothing than they do, and speak better than they. Black kids get jealous because they feel inferior to White kids and some want to rebel because of those feelings. It's not about being prejudice or not liking White kids; it's all about jealousy of not having what the White kids have.

Plus, Black kids realize that White kids talk better than they do and that makes them feel ashamed also. Little kids don't realize their failings or faults when they're that young and when a teacher lauds over another child who might be better prepared from home training than the other children are, the teacher should not make it so apparent that the children less prepared feels unwelcome.

When I was young, my neighbor's little girl came home from her first day in first grade crying hysterically. I heard her mother ask her what was wrong and she said the teacher was mean and didn't say nice things to her. When her mother confronted the teacher the next day, it was evident that the teacher didn't do anything on purpose. She had asked my neighbor's daughter a question of what did she do during the summer. My neighbor's daughter said “nothing”. Then a little White girl jumped in and said how she went to Florida to visit her grandma and they took her to Disneyworld and she had a great time. She went on and on and all the kids were listening and happy to hear what she was saying and the teacher was grinning and happy also. And the teacher forgot about my neighbor's daughter who was sitting there feeling bad that she didn't make everybody happy like that.

That incident made my whole family aware of how young Black children might be jealous of their White counterparts because Blacks don't have all the things that Whites have, including the nice stories also. That was years ago but it was an eye-opener for my family nonetheless. We have learned a lot more about young Black behavior over the years and we have been trying to deal with it in our family especially.

I know I prepared my kids for their first day in school and every other day after that. I sat with them and made sure they understood their homework and I never did it for them like some families do.

That made me realize from an early age how jealousy affects Black people in general. I believe that's where the term “living like the Joneses” must have originated, but I'm not sure about that. But I made sure my kids graduated knowing something. I feel that kids nowadays don't know half as much as they should because parents are too busy trying to keep a roof over their heads than helping them with homework. We have become too neglectful and have left our children to fend for themselves. That's why so many Black youngsters are graduating with no education to speak of. Some can't even read. Imagine trying to get a job.

The point is the education Blacks get through school is not adequate enough to prepare them for the work force. And I wonder how teachers can allow this to happen and then blame the child for not being able to learn.

And to top it all off, Black fathers don't take enough interest in their families to be role models and heads of households. They run from their responsibilities instead of facing them. So, young Black boys do the same thing. Young Black boys make babies and do not take care of them because most didn't have a father to take care of them either. Black mothers have been the Black family's backbone for years, so fathers usually leave home to find a woman who will take care of them instead of kids.

So, being born Black is a strike against our race in America because if you're not properly educated, you go nowhere. You live paycheck to paycheck and don't let anything serious happen during those paychecks because then you get in a hole that you'll never get out of. Most Black families need their children to help with family expenses when they get out of high school anyway, so college is not much of a thought most of the time. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate high school. They were so happy about that, they never even mentioned college to me. And that's what happens in most Black families. They need their children's help.

So, unless you were born Black, you will never understand the system of Black life. You can say what you want about Blacks being lazy, uneducated, unreliable, untrustworthy, and so on, and you might be right for a few. But you can't categorize every Black under those labels. And unless you can walk a mile in a Black man's shoes, you can't imagine what that man has to deal with in his life.

I've also learned over the years that our Black women need to instill more pride in our Black men and help them do better for their families. If your man lacks in education, help educate him. Or, back him up by allowing him to go take a trade that will help him feed the family. The more the family backs the father, the more the father will take have in himself and act like a father.

Also, other people need to know that if you see a man down, help bring him up in some way. Never kick him when he's down there because he might kick you back one day and this world doesn't need anymore anger in it.

We have got to help each other, White, Black, Blue, or Green. Color is only a shade outside, inside we all have blood red hearts. We have got to stop hurting each other, treating each other badly, and showing our ignorance. If we want to live forever in peace one day, we've got to help each other. That's God's way.