by Kiandra Dixon

Created on: May 15, 2009

The problem with Black America is that they don't see the monsters they've created for themselves. Case in point, the "N" word. Now, the "N" word was originally used in a derogatory manner against blacks, but now, blacks seem to embrace the word amongst themselves as a term of endearment. So goes the nature of the black community. Instead of fighting what should be unacceptable, they try to take the unacceptable and make it acceptable. This kind of mentality does not elevate the black community at all. In fact, what it does it take a bad situation and make it worst.

In the 1970's during the black exploitation movie era, blacks were often portrayed in roles such as drug dealers, pimps, hustlers and prostitutes. It's not as if these movies were made to show the consequences of living those kind of lifestyles. They may have portrayed a certain reality in the black community, but more often than not, these roles were glorified. These were the people in the community who were shown to have the money, power, and sex appeal. These became the men in the community that young black men wanted to be like and emulate. The "ghetto" mentality began to take root and spread like a disease within the black community.

Today, many young black men feel that they can make more money selling drugs than taking the time to go to school and earn an honest living. Given the fact that many black men have become successful by means of obtaining a good education and working hard, playing the "race discrimination" card as a means to why some choose to make their living illegally, is no excuse but it's also not the question. Of the two, which one has the most notoriety? Which one has the most respect in the community? The man that worked hard earning an honest living, or the one that earned his on the street?

The point is this: it's not about being black, educated and successful anymore. Nowadays it's acceptable to be "hood" or "ghetto" and successful and if that's acceptable why bother educating yourself?

Many rap artists maybe making good money in their careers, but many of them rap about the negative aspects of the black community: the drugs and the violence. If they're not rapping about drugs and violence, their rapping about how much money they have, how many cars they have, how much jewelry they have and how many women they have. As a result of hearing this mentality constantly for the past few years, and seeing those who carry this mentality being glorified in the media, the black community has not only welcomed being uneducated, they've also welcomed being shallow and materialistic. It's looked down upon in certain areas in the black community for blacks to speak proper English. If you're not speaking slang, you're not considered black enough or good enough. In some areas, the desired woman for a black man has become the stripper.

The more the "ghetto" and "hood" mentality is glorified, the worst the black community will become as a whole. It can not all be blamed on racism or slavery. Blacks have to start looking at what they are doing internally in their communities, take responsibility for it and decided to make moral and social changes to elevate the community. Blacks have to stop accepting what should be unacceptable to them.

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