From Aaron Arnold, who I'm not mad at, at all. He wrote truth in the article, and it's not a hit piece on Black people as it touches on a variety of issues affecting Chicago, and similar places. It's just that part of the article stood out and resonated to me. I don't see anything wrong with highlighting internal accountability. His article is related to the Chi-Raq film which I linked below, didn't paste the whole thing.
Is Spike Lee overstepping with 'Chi-Raq'? (Opinion) - CNN.com
This year, the world witnessed the worst of Chicago violence including: the gang execution of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee and then the 2014 police killing of an African American teenager, Laquan McDonald, shot 16 times by police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke emptied his pistol and reloaded as McDonald lay on ground during the barrage. Speculation is that the video, which was made public last week, of the McDonald shooting was withheld until after the election so that the mayor would not lose the African-American vote.
Spike Lee is attempting to spark change. He didn't create the environment on the South and West sides of Chicago.
If people are upset, be upset at the corrupt school district that in 2015, closed more than 50 schools and is proposing to close even more, leaving kids, parents and teachers displaced in a city that can't afford any more displacement. Yet, the district funds charter schools, which are independently run but receive public money and often raise private funds.
If people are upset, be upset at elected officials that sold off Chicago piece by piece to the highest bidder. This created one of the greatest modern gentrifications in America, further dividing what is already one of the most segregated cities.
If people are truly upset, WE must be upset at ourselves...especially African-Americans. The blueprint for our demise is in front of us and we continue down a path of no return. On MSNBC I said, "If we can't save our young parents, then we can't save our kids."
As parents and grandparents, we dropped the ball, allowing the foundation of family and home to crumple. Our kids have no foundation and are being raised by negative forces that have created what is known as Chi-Raq. We can blame the police, racism, sexism, lack of economic development, which are legitimate external factors. But, internally, we must be accountable for ourselves.
If we shut down the streets for Laquan McDonald protesting police brutality we must shut down the streets for Tyshawn Lee protesting our OWN brutality.
Chicago is one of the most beautiful places in the world, filled with culture, technology, architecture and history. But it's also filled with pain, corruption, destructive politics and violence spreading like a cancer.
Is Spike Lee overstepping with 'Chi-Raq'? (Opinion) - CNN.com
This year, the world witnessed the worst of Chicago violence including: the gang execution of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee and then the 2014 police killing of an African American teenager, Laquan McDonald, shot 16 times by police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke emptied his pistol and reloaded as McDonald lay on ground during the barrage. Speculation is that the video, which was made public last week, of the McDonald shooting was withheld until after the election so that the mayor would not lose the African-American vote.
Spike Lee is attempting to spark change. He didn't create the environment on the South and West sides of Chicago.
If people are upset, be upset at the corrupt school district that in 2015, closed more than 50 schools and is proposing to close even more, leaving kids, parents and teachers displaced in a city that can't afford any more displacement. Yet, the district funds charter schools, which are independently run but receive public money and often raise private funds.
If people are upset, be upset at elected officials that sold off Chicago piece by piece to the highest bidder. This created one of the greatest modern gentrifications in America, further dividing what is already one of the most segregated cities.
If people are truly upset, WE must be upset at ourselves...especially African-Americans. The blueprint for our demise is in front of us and we continue down a path of no return. On MSNBC I said, "If we can't save our young parents, then we can't save our kids."
As parents and grandparents, we dropped the ball, allowing the foundation of family and home to crumple. Our kids have no foundation and are being raised by negative forces that have created what is known as Chi-Raq. We can blame the police, racism, sexism, lack of economic development, which are legitimate external factors. But, internally, we must be accountable for ourselves.
If we shut down the streets for Laquan McDonald protesting police brutality we must shut down the streets for Tyshawn Lee protesting our OWN brutality.
Chicago is one of the most beautiful places in the world, filled with culture, technology, architecture and history. But it's also filled with pain, corruption, destructive politics and violence spreading like a cancer.
