BILLY ROY WAYNE
Columnist Prentiss Smith wrote a powerful "Declaration of Truth" in an article published in this paper on Aug. 28, 2020, on yet another tragedy.
Depending upon one's point of view, the article was also a condemnation on where the black community has matriculated to over the years. In the opinion of this writer, Mr. Smith declared some powerful truths about black neighborhoods and households. These things may be easily "fact checked ."
I do not downplay the importance of his statements. I do wish to piggyback upon some of his comments from a different perspective.
Society in general has not given enough credence and credit to the traditional, two-parent(s) black family. As far back as 2017 and before, this writer has maintained that "po" little Johnnie and "li'l'' Susie coming from a singleparent household sells papers and makes news.
The print and broadcast news medias, locally and nationally, can serve to benefit from this community dilemma. Books are written and documentaries are made highlighting such .
At one point, it appeared that almost every successful athlete in sports came from a "mother-raised, grandmother cared for," single household. I dare not say that the aforementioned comments are the major reasons certain black communities are struggling. Nor am I insinuating that these media outlets are doing anything wrong by doing their jobs when they do their reporting.
Life should have balance. There has been , in the opinion of this writer, an imbalance in what society has highlighted in our neighborhoods. But there are two other aspects I wish to mention on this subject.
When it comes to successful achievements and accomplishments in life, many of us fail to realize the role(s) played by lawmakers and policy makers. In fact, many lawmakers and policy makers in our neighborhoods have failed to realize and understand the true needs and yearning of the black community as a whole.
We must help them by telling them what we need to help our situation so that they can help us. Education is and always has been a key component in an individual's success. Be it in the academics or life skills programs, one has to be "prepared" to survive and thrive.
However, non-traditional education programs must be made available on a large scale to all our children. This would especially apply to academically struggling youth at an early age. Life skills that include learning a trade with skill sets that will help to make one val uable to the workforce and increase the ability to earn a living with a livable wage.
Also, the exposure to career programs must become almost mandatory for our youth . They need to see and have conversation with people who are in various career fields. These professionals can share information and knowledge with those who want and are trying to attain better life conditions.
We must also consider those young people who are "parents" and offer to them parenting skills and basic homemaking skills to enable them to develop a proper family environment.
Finally, for many in our neighborhoods, we no longer see the need nor take the time to worship. Our children no longer attend worship services and we, as adults, don't either. The untimely, senseless death of little Messiah Murphy is unfortunate. My heartfelt prayers go out to his family.
In our search for peace, tranquility and solutions to problems in our lives, the True Messiah, Jesus the Christ, still hears and answers prayer(s).
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE September 4 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.