Monday, June 18, 2007

Why Our Childrden Hate Us (book study)









Hey guys...I hope everyone had an enjoyable Father's day weekend. You may remember me talking about this book, "Why Our Children Hate Us" (How Black Adults Betray Black Children) by Eric K Grimes and Butch Slaughter, well I FINALLY got my copy, and I'll be sharing portions of it with you all throughout this week.

A Letter To The Ancestors:

Can you see us...? This isn't what you had in mind is it? We're not where you thought we would be. We're not who you thought we would be. It's hard to recognize us, isn't is? Same skin color, same faces, same blood, but that's where it ends. We're changed, mutated, integrated, disintegrated.

We don't fight like you did. We march. We protest. We vote. You fought with you hands, with you life. You fought for you children. We bargain with ours. We leverage the lives of our young for cars, houses, clothes, contracts and jobs. You died for your children. We kill ours.

This isn't what you had in mind, is it? Bet you're a little disappointed. You thought we would have come home by now. Come inside to avoid the rain. You didn't know we could be so thoroughly turned out. You didn't know we could be so cowardly, so weak, so stupid. Well...

You're probably not impressed with our millionaire athletes, our millionaire entertainers, our millionaire entrepreneurs. You must have heard about what's happening to our families. About all our brothers unemployed, in jail, dead. About all of our sisters struggling to keep it together. About all our children abandoned. You thought we were like you. You thought we were going to stick together. Oh, no...we can't trust one another anymore. We just look out the ourselves. Let everybody do they own thing, you know?

I know. This isn't what you had in mind. I guess that's where we're different; you had minds. We don't. You had faith. We don't. You had determination. We don't. You had direction. We don't. You remembered. We forgot. These days we simply float without purpose-like lost spirits.

Oh, by the way, we're not Black anymore. We don't have to be. We can just be American or whatever. We can change our hair, our eyes. We've got that kind of freedom now. Free to be anything or nothing at all. And we don't need minds. We just do what we're told to do. We don't plan. We wait until something happens, and if we can't handle a problem in our lifetimes, we'll leave it for our children to deal with.

I know. This isn't what you had in mind. We're sorry...Really...sorry.
But thanks for everything.

Good-bye!!!

28 comments:

deepnthought said...

WOW!!!

JustMeWriting said...

GIRL...THIS BOOK IS NO JOKE....I'M LOVING IT. and so is my son.

Miss Snarky Pants said...

I'm gonna have pick myself up a copy of that one--
Interesting....

Anonymous said...

Hey JMW,

How was your weekend? I hope it was good.
Thanks for posting this letter. It was very interesting. I would have never thought to write a letter like this out. It really makes me feel lazy, looking at the differences in the generations.

Peace

dc_speaks said...

see you teasin me. that was tight. see if ol' boy has them anywhere outside of Philly, T. DOn't forget, please.

Peace, son!

Mizrepresent said...

This is nice, and you know what is even better, you and your son having a discussion about it, and perhaps he will be one our bright new leaders, for this next generation. Justme, it's time to start a revolution to save our children, and to raise responsible adults....the government won't do it, the schools won't do it...it's up to us.

JustMeWriting said...

ms.b: I SAY YOU DO JUST THAT!!! The author is from Philly and I don't know if the book is available in other bookstores, but I'll post the link where you can order it within the post.

nic: hey lady...what's happening. I had a good weekend...thanks and I hope you did too. Yeah...it's caused by that quote off to the side of my page...I'd say.

dc: no tease, but I got chu.

miz: you've got that right lady...and thank you. I'm using this book as a Parent/Youth study guide...it's really short, only 72 pages and easy to go through. Let the Revolution BEGIN.

Anonymous said...

Every time I think I'm getting a good feel for you, you go deeper.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing the generation that had less, did so much more for our people. Back then they didn't have internet, email, cell phones but they got so much done. We should be far more ahead then what we are.

Nice letter!

El Alexander said...

WOW I HAVE TO GET THIS BOOK this was deep I had to read it about 4 times and each time my heart fell... GREAT POST! thanks

Anonymous said...

Yeah, we aren't exactly holding up our end of the weight are we?

princessdominique said...

This is so timely!

Anonymous said...

LOL MY MOTHER WILL PROBABLY LEND IT TO ME AFTER SHES DONE READING IT! TRUST ME! LOL =)

CapCity said...

Does the book offer solutions?

Consistently Inconsistent... said...

I think I may need to pick up a copy of this book. It's both enlightening and to the point. I digs it.

dc_speaks said...

what up son? have a great day!

dcsavvystar said...

WHOA! this was off the hook - I was not expecting this either! This seems so interesting.. Continue to share with us - I may go pick this up.

Tasha said...

Wow. Damn. All of that. What a great post. I'm definitely going to have to cop that book.

Ms.Honey said...

WOW. I'm gonna have to check that book out.

Vickie said...

sounds like an interesting read, i'll stop by later in the week to checkout your review...

Jazzy said...

I had the same exact question as Capcity.

It's easy to point to exactly what today's kids are doing wrong. Hell gimme a couple minutes and a bigger comment box and I can point out some of the bad behaviors I've witnessed just this past weekend alone. So I'm curious to know too...what are some of the solutions?

~~~~~~~~waving to JMW and everyone else on my way out

CapCity said...

Girl, I had to share this letter with my Dad! He was like: That is SO ON POINT!!! Now, we need to work toward some solutions:-)

The Second Sixty-Eight said...

Interesting Dollbably, interesting...

I recently had a discussion with an administrator at my son's school. We both came to the conclusion that as a generation of parents, we are letting FAR too much slip. We had this discussion on a class field trip and were both appalled at the complete lack of decorum the kids showed in public. Had to pull mine aside and ask him what his damn problem was when he started acting like the rest. Had to mean mug a couple of his friends too. I am still old school, and I will try to improve them till I die! Hopefully I will convince some of my peers to do the same.

JustMeWriting said...

hey guys...I was out yesterday, but I thank you all collectively and...

soj: lol... the many faces of me.

southern gal: YES, as if they were a TOTALLY different people but only 40-50 years ago.

el alex: YES... I'm still reading it...lol and YOU'VE GOT TO GET IT, because it tells so much more; thanks for the visit.

sugar: NOT AT ALL, but the worse part is...we're not even keeping up what they started...we've not picked up what they put down.

princess: I HOPE SO...

lady: LOL.. oh yeah, parents should read it, but the kids love it...lol.

cap: I think this book IS a solution...it provides an alarm for us Black Adults to WAKE UP!!!


c.i.: YES...GO GET IT.

dc: hey

dcsavvy: I GOT CHU...LOL. I'm going to finish out this week with it, but YES... it's a must have.

tasha: LOL... yeah girl ALL OF THAT, and please do get it and talk about it.

honey: YES YOU DO... and again, please share it with the young people.

vicki: oh it's to be read and digested...completely and please do come back.

op.d: but that's the thing...this book doesn't point at the kids, well it does, but has those other fingers pointing back at US... we're the reason our kids are they way they are...US ALONE.

cap: LOL... RIGHT ON POINT. I'd say the solution it for us to recognize our wrongs and decide to correct them, but those who KNOW...KNOW, so now we've got to spread the knowledge...talk about it!

2nd 68: YES, YES AND YES and that's a solution in itself...don't sit around and watch OUR children doing wrong and decide it's NOT your business, because when that unruley child starts picking on your child... it becomes your business, so tackle the problem from the root...our roots.

Sheletha said...

My bank account thanks you for building my music and book library...

this is so bought...

JustMeWriting said...

sheletha: LOL... dag, I know ya bank account aint as mad as mine...lol with all the stuff I'm tryna buy, but you're so welcome lady...I've got to spread the good news.

Dangerfield said...

Baby girl good post Im sorry I didnt vibe off of this monday but thank you for posting this. I may be forced to go get the book.

JustMeWriting said...

yeah...you were about to be in big trouble mister...lol, but it's cool since you checked it out now.