Yet, Negroes must be honest enough to admit that our standards do often fall short. One of the sure signs of maturity is the ability to rise to the point of self-criticism. Whenever we are objects of criticism from white men, even though the criticisms are maliciously directed and mixed with half-truths, we must pick out the elements of truth and make them the basis of creative reconstruction. We must not let the fact that we are victims of injustice lull us into abrogating responsibility for our lives.
Our crime rate is far too high. Our level of [tidiness] is frequently far too low. Too often those of us who are in the middle-class live above our means, spend money on nonessentials and frivolities, and fail to give to serious causes, organizations, and educational institutions that so desperately need funds. We are often too loud and boisterous, and spend far too much on drink…Through community agencies and religious institutions, Negro leaders must develop a positive program through which Negro youth can become adjusted to urban living and improve their general level of behavior. Since crime often grows out of a sense of futility and despair, Negro parents must be urged to give their children the love, the attention, and sense of belonging that a segregated society deprives them of. By improving our standards here and now, we will go a long way toward breaking down the arguments of the segregationists.
