A Blind State of Mind (Please Read & Share Your Views
|
Posted By: Alexis E. on August 13, 2008 Letter from a college student: The other day, a friend of mine visited me in the lobby of my dorm just to chat while her laundry was drying. As we were chatting, two young freshmen came by. One of the boys wanted to 'talk' to my friend (as in date). She asked him how old they were, and both of the boys replied 18. My friend and I both laughed hysterically because we are both 22 years old. After my friend left, the young men were still hanging around and one wanted to know how he could gain her interest. The first thing I told him to do was to pull up his pants! He asked why, then said he liked saggin' his pants. I told him to come over to my computer and spell the word saggin'. Then I told him to write the word saggin' backwards. S-A-G-G-I-N N-I-G- G-A-S I told him the origin of that look was from centuries ago. It was the intent of slave owners to demoralize the field workers by forbidding them to wear a belt as they worked in the fields or at any other rigorous job. In addition, men in prison wore their pants low when they were 'spoken for'. The other reason their pants looked like that was they were not allowed to have belts because prisoners were likely to try to commit suicide. And, saggin' pants prevents you from running. We as young Black people have to be the ones to effect change. We are dying. The media has made a mockery of the Black American. Even our brothers and sisters from Africa don't take us seriously. Something as simple as pulling up your pants and standing with your head held high could make the biggest difference in the world's perception of us. It is time to do right by ourselves. We need to love and embrace each other. No one is going to do that for us. It all comes down to perception. What people perceive is what is reality to them. We have to change not only the media's perception of us, but we need to change our perception of ourselves. Remember all eyes are on you Black Man. All eyes are on you Black Woman. All eyes are on your Black Child. People point the finger at us and expect us to engage in negative and illegal activities, to manifest loud, boisterous behaviour, to spend our hard earned money in their stores, buying goods we don't need, or really want. We have allowed not only the media, but the government and the world to portray us as a 'sub-culture.' They have stripped our culture down to the point where the image of Black people is perpetuated as rappers, athletes, drug users, and consumers of junk food, expensive tennis shoes, expensive cars, expensive TVs, cell phones and not investing in homes for our families. We are so much more!!!!!!! To all our Black Men: Its time to stand up. There are billions of Black Women who want to do nothing more than worship the ground that you walk on. We are so in love with your potential. We want to have your back, we want to love, support and cherish every ounce of your being. But with that you have to show that you are willing to be the head of our households. You have to prove yourselves worthy of our submission. We need you to be hard working...Not a hustler. We need you to seek higher education, to seek spirituality. We need you to stand! And trust us, we will have your back. We know that it gets hard. We know you get weary. Trust and believe that there is nothing that a Black Man and a Black Woman can't handle with GOD on their side. To all our Black Women: It is also time for you to stand up. It is time for you to stop using our bodies as our primary form of communication. It is time to be that virtuous woman that Proverbs spoke of. You cannot sit by the wayside while our men are dying by the masses. You are the epitome of Black Love. It starts within you. You need to speak with conviction to let not only our Black Men know, but the world, that you are the Mothers of this world. You are so powerful. You a re so beautiful. You need to love and embrace every blessing God has given us physically, emotionally and spiritually. For all our Black Children: We need to love them. We need to teach them. We need to stand up for them. We need to protect them. We need to show them that there are no 'get rich quick' schemes. We need to tell them that they WILL die trying if they submit to a life of crime and deceit. We need to teach our children that no one will love them the way we can. And being a basketball player, a rapper, or a drug dealer is not reality. It's not realistic and only a small percentage of people ever make it as a rapper or professional athlete. We need to teach our children that we can be more than rappers and athletes. We can be the owners of these sports teams. We can be the CEO's of OUR fortune 500 companies. We need to believe in literacy. I am almost certain if we were to look back to the 1930's and 40's, the literacy rates for Black American Children are probably still the same. Alexis Sistahs In Unity http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SistahsInUni... If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
 |
Alexis E.
CEO, Property Express Member Since August 2006 |
Comments
 |
Thank you for sharing this! I couldn't agree with you more
Wednesday, August 13th 2008 at 2:16PM |
More From This Author
Latest Blogs
 |
How Japan fell in love with reggae: The rise of J‑reggae cultureA photo of Japanese reggae fans enjoying a live outdoor performance, featuring sound system speakers, vibrant colors, and cultural fusion between Jamaica and Japan.
Reggae’s journey into Japan is o ...more
Joel Savage • 108 Views • August 16th, 2026 |
 |
Baltimore Vocalist GABBY SAMONE Blends Classic Soul, Gospel & R&B Releases New Single "Safe"@GABBYSAMONE #GABBYSAMONE
Social Media:
IG@gabbysamonemusic
TikTok@gabbysamonemusic
YouTube@gabbysamonemusic
GABBY SAMONE is a Baltimore, MD born vocalist whose powerful voice and emotive de ...more
LaMarr Blackmon • 154 Views • August 12th, 2026 |
 |
Japan’s living balance: Politeness, harmony, tradition and modern identityPhoto: A calm Japanese street scene showing polite interactions, traditional aesthetics, and modern life blending seamlessly.
Japan’s cultural identity is shaped by a quiet strength that flows th ...more
Joel Savage • 156 Views • August 11th, 2026 |
 |
Real love stories: Couples who met online and now thrive togetherPhoto: Smiling couple walking outdoors on a sunny day, sharing a warm, genuine moment of love and connection.
In a world where people are constantly moving, working across borders, and living fa ...more
Joel Savage • 187 Views • August 9th, 2026 |
 |
The New & Improved 2026 Audi Q3 Compact Luxury SUVFor over a decade, the Audi Q3 has served as the entry point into the German luxury automaker's lineup. As Audi's top-selling entry-level SUV, it has built a reputation for combining high-quality craf ...more
Randi Payton • 227 Views • August 6th, 2026 |
Popular Blogs
 |
Divorce in America in 2009 – What’s love got to do, got to do with it?
Join Brother Marcus and the cast and the crew of the Brother Marcus Show live this Sunday evening on February 1, 2009 @ 8:00 p.m. for another hot topic in our community! “Divorce in America in 2009 ...more
Brother Marcus! • 73,195,202 Views • January 27th, 2009 |
 |
VISINE ALERT!!!Seemingly innocent medication such as Visine eyedrops are used by people to concoct a mixture with similar effects as a date-rape drug.
When mixed with alcohol and taken orally, the eyedrops can l ...more
Siebra Muhammad • 121,938 Views • May 23rd, 2009 |
 |
"Chain Hang Low" check out the real meaning of the Lyrics!Recently there is a new artist out of Saint Louis that goes by the name JIBBS. Jibbs debut single "Chain hang low" has a history that most people are not aware of. The particular nursery rhyme that th ...more
Tyhesha Judge-Fogle • 80,442 Views • November 9th, 2006 |
 |
HBCU Marketplace Gifts: Divine 9 Premium Fraternity / Sorority Playing CardsVendor: Charles Jones
Item Price: $20.00
Price Includes Shipping: Yes - Shipping Included
Item Description:
Pantheon Series - Divine 9 - Premium Playing Cards (choose Gold Series or Silve ...more
Hija Chang • 63,999 Views • December 2nd, 2018 |
