In Our Time



I am watching television tonight, just a normal nite. I am watching my usual shows,
but tonight is different. I am watching the first 48. It is crime show, real life, concerning
homocide. The first 48hrs are what they say are critical to serving a murder case. Why
tonight is this affecting me within, because over and over it is us (Black Folk) killing each
other, as well as killing others. It is bad the killing, but I am looking at the age of the shooters
17, 22 etc. Young Black youth, either dead or gong to jail for the rest of their lives. Yes this
is painful, because we have a generation that is lost, what is even more hurtful is that we have
for the most part given up on them. Some of us realize, it is not bad DNA, but bad enviorment.
The ground is given (metaphorially) to their demise. We all know the stories, we all know where
the drugs came from. Does not make it right for us to sell etc, be we all know that the stage is
set as well, for our youth to fail. But we must stand up, we must turn the tide. We must reach as
many of these young black men, and women, to change the way they think. It is not impossible,
only we must do it. I am at this present thinking, and trying to develop strategy. One strategy I
believe will help, is if we begin to host movie nite. What is a movie night, A movie nite will be where
we show things such as what I am watching tonight, not goodfellas, not godfather, but let our youth
see the pain, They see pain but are somewhat removed, they see others get killed etc. But still are
removed. We should let them see the pain, see the young folk whose lives are being taken, by jail
murder, drugs etc. This is not glamorous. and along with those movies, we are also to teach, We
are to teach love for self, love for each other, unity and strength, we are to give hope. I am not saying
thatone has to work for someone for the rest of their lives, But we will find the shortfalls, we will find
what is needed to train for jobs, we will also at some point in time be able to build to the point where
we as a community can provide jobs for each other. We will breask the cycle of defeat and failure. But
we must do it together.

to be continued...
Ifaleye Ominiyi Ifaojewonyomi