(no subject)
Exhale softly
The air seems thin
Gossamer strands
Falling within
Have you ever awoken to be told you're beautiful?
Do you want me to look into you eyes and softly-
Hold you?
Do you want me to tell you that you are simply everything
Gorgeous, sexual, and deeply captivating?
Inhale forcefully
Breathe out now
The time is here
And you know how
The sky falls disproportionately as sun fades to moon
Resplendent nature turns senescent as we age
Becoming happy with mediocrity because we are fueled to believe
That we can't expect more, expect happy, expect great
We are scared to be exactly who we are.
----------
Partly because I'm having my first bout with insomnia in years and partly because I've been thinking a lot today, I'm writing two entries within 24 hours! This one is going to center around how the dangers of affirmative action.
I've grown really fed up with the sense of entitlement in the black community; sometimes I see it in my peers, in my family (at times), in society. It ultimately cracks the rather tenuous road we've struggled to pave since the civil rights movements in the 60's. I do think Barack Obama being elected president was the best thing to happen for the nation, and for myself, but is he really the panacea we expect? For all of his qualities, he is only a man and his actions can only serve as an impetus for us to better ourselves. I've always felt different - this is not new, nor will this change. However, I feel what makes me most different is that I am fundamentally opposed to the notion that I deserve any sort of exemption from events in life because of the color of my skin. I understand that being born white gives you privileges I may not get inherently. I understand that being born white means you can literally be anything you want to be; whereas, being born black - this is not necessarily the case. I've always believed though, that in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. You don't want to be the best black male, and you don't want to live off of the generosity (re: white guilt) of others. I've encountered a few black people that have this sense of entitlement - "why does he have this," "why don't I have that," "why am I not where I need to be!?" - I think the answer is simple. You didn't work hard enough for it.
The whole situation reminds me of the black girl that got expelled from Harvard because she allegedly let in a drug dealer that committed a murder. She then proceeded to blame Harvard for taking disciplinary action against her because she was a poor black girl from Brooklyn. The reasoning does not fit the action, Chanequa. Granted she could be innocent, but even then, this situation has nothing to do with her race. I don't know - it's such a safety crutch. It breeds the resentment that still pervades our society. I did not get to where I am because anyone helped me. I did it myself. I will always accomplish what I accomplish because of me. If I am to the best, I will be the best, without equivocation. My skin color is just that, the color of my skin. For the record, I'm not saying affirmative action or help is not necessary, but it should definitely be a socioeconomic edict and not exclusive to race. I do have more about this, but this topic tends to leave me cold. I want to say something profound, but there's nothing more to say, at least on my end.
I hope someday to truly shatter the notion of the handout, of entitlement. I can promise that I won't be entitled to anything more than what I've worked for. I know my words may seem harsh and a little insensitive to those who truly need a chance. That's not my intent - it is for those who are just as capable as the next Tom, Dick, and Harry, but choose to play the game. Let's not impose the will of the few on the minds of many. I will do what I can to correct this disparity.
The air seems thin
Gossamer strands
Falling within
Have you ever awoken to be told you're beautiful?
Do you want me to look into you eyes and softly-
Hold you?
Do you want me to tell you that you are simply everything
Gorgeous, sexual, and deeply captivating?
Inhale forcefully
Breathe out now
The time is here
And you know how
The sky falls disproportionately as sun fades to moon
Resplendent nature turns senescent as we age
Becoming happy with mediocrity because we are fueled to believe
That we can't expect more, expect happy, expect great
We are scared to be exactly who we are.
----------
Partly because I'm having my first bout with insomnia in years and partly because I've been thinking a lot today, I'm writing two entries within 24 hours! This one is going to center around how the dangers of affirmative action.
I've grown really fed up with the sense of entitlement in the black community; sometimes I see it in my peers, in my family (at times), in society. It ultimately cracks the rather tenuous road we've struggled to pave since the civil rights movements in the 60's. I do think Barack Obama being elected president was the best thing to happen for the nation, and for myself, but is he really the panacea we expect? For all of his qualities, he is only a man and his actions can only serve as an impetus for us to better ourselves. I've always felt different - this is not new, nor will this change. However, I feel what makes me most different is that I am fundamentally opposed to the notion that I deserve any sort of exemption from events in life because of the color of my skin. I understand that being born white gives you privileges I may not get inherently. I understand that being born white means you can literally be anything you want to be; whereas, being born black - this is not necessarily the case. I've always believed though, that in order to be the best, you have to beat the best. You don't want to be the best black male, and you don't want to live off of the generosity (re: white guilt) of others. I've encountered a few black people that have this sense of entitlement - "why does he have this," "why don't I have that," "why am I not where I need to be!?" - I think the answer is simple. You didn't work hard enough for it.
The whole situation reminds me of the black girl that got expelled from Harvard because she allegedly let in a drug dealer that committed a murder. She then proceeded to blame Harvard for taking disciplinary action against her because she was a poor black girl from Brooklyn. The reasoning does not fit the action, Chanequa. Granted she could be innocent, but even then, this situation has nothing to do with her race. I don't know - it's such a safety crutch. It breeds the resentment that still pervades our society. I did not get to where I am because anyone helped me. I did it myself. I will always accomplish what I accomplish because of me. If I am to the best, I will be the best, without equivocation. My skin color is just that, the color of my skin. For the record, I'm not saying affirmative action or help is not necessary, but it should definitely be a socioeconomic edict and not exclusive to race. I do have more about this, but this topic tends to leave me cold. I want to say something profound, but there's nothing more to say, at least on my end.
I hope someday to truly shatter the notion of the handout, of entitlement. I can promise that I won't be entitled to anything more than what I've worked for. I know my words may seem harsh and a little insensitive to those who truly need a chance. That's not my intent - it is for those who are just as capable as the next Tom, Dick, and Harry, but choose to play the game. Let's not impose the will of the few on the minds of many. I will do what I can to correct this disparity.