Crime & The 21st Century Negro...

Hey, folks. Here's another one of my articles that I wrote and was originally printed in "The Community & Crime Report" a few years ago. It's still relevant today as it was when I first wrote it.

This is for all of the people that think crime & jail are "cool."

Check it out...

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"CRIME & THE 21ST CENTURY NEGRO"

by: Ken B.

I know what you're thinking: "What is with this 'Negro' crap?"

Allow me to explain.

We all know that crime exists and it seems to be getting worse every day. In addition, we've always seen "The 21st Century" as "The Future", like the book and movie, "2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY". As for the "Negro" part, the tern "Negro" was a designation that African-Americans (Blacks) were called back in the 1940's through the early 1960's.

Well you know something?

The future is NOW!

The new millenium is here and staring us in the face, saying "Now what?" Despite living in "The 21st Century," many Black folks in America are still being stereotyped by an outdated and racist mode of thinking of Blacks being the primary perpetrators of crime in this country. Thus the conundrum of "The 21st Century Negro," looking toward the prospects of the future while being trapped in the past with a backward and ignorant mentality focused on him/her. During The Clinton Administration, more Black men were incarcerated than ever before. More brothers are in some way connected with the criminal justice system than in higher institutions of learning.

Why is this so?

During "The Clinton Years," this economy was part of the greatest bull market in history, but America has one of the largest prison populations (mostly people of color) on Earth. It seems that "The Powers That Be" in America has been working overtime in their commitment in keeping this country in "The Stone Age" regarding crime and race.

Now, am I saying that ALL Black men have been unjustly imprisoned?

No.

Some people of any color or creed need to be locked up. Nevertheless, why is the prison population close to majority Black when Black men represent only a small percentage of Americans in general? Does this mean that Black men are predisposed to criminal activity?

HELL NO!!

So why the disproportionate numbers then? Well, it's a known fact that racial-profiling exists (And has gotten worse with the so-called "Patriot Act.") and that many Blacks have been on the receiving end of this blatantly racist tactic, myself included. In my humble opinion, destroying racial-profiling would be a big step in the right and just direction.

Now, I'm not here to talk about the false imprisonment of Blacks, that's another article, entirely. I'm talking about the relentless targeting of Blacks by certain elements of law enforcement. If you focus on one part of the population while being lax on another part of the population, well of course you're going to have an inordinate amount of people from the group being overly targeted!

That's common sense!

Some people in law enforcement and the judicial system still think that Blacks are inherently criminal and are the focus of criminal investigations because of this. Granted, if some Blacks are committing crimes then they should be properly punished. BUT, if you concentrate just on Blacks and glance over what other ethnic groups are doing, are you preventing further criminal behavior?

No!

You're letting one group of people feel that they can get away with almost anything if they blame it on Blacks. Anyone remember Susan Smith and Charles Stewart? Both of these scumbags blamed Black men for the crimes that they themselves committed:

Charles Stewart, who heartlessly murdered his wife and UNBORN CHILD (shades of Scott Peterson) for the insurance money, then cowardly killed himself.

And Susan Smith, who mercilessly drowned her two young sons in a lake AS SHE WATCHED merely because her then-boyfriend stated that he "didn't want kids". The problem isn't that they blamed Black men for their atrocities. The tragedy lies in the fact that they were so easily and eagerly believed!

What's up with that?!

Unfortunately, some Black men buy into the disinformation that they are natural-born criminals. Some brothers think that committing crime is "fun" and going to jail is "cool".

FUN?!

COOL?!

That's bullsh*t!

Do you know what jail and prison is to The Black Man?

MODERN-DAY SLAVERY!

Nothing more, nothing less. Prison officials tell you when to eat, sleep, exercise, bathe, and even have sex for the few penal institutions that allow conjugal visits. That is, unless you plan to have unprotected sex with a fellow inmate (Called "On The Down Low," which by the way, is one of the main reasons that Black women are the largest group contracting HIV.)

There's even a thriving, recession-proof prison industry that is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. Prisons where inmates are paid lower wages than Third-World Country workers are while the prison complex grows wealthy. Prisons where "rehabilitation" is an old, tired joke and inmates actually learn to become better criminals!

It's unbelievable that some Black men actually think that they're "cool" or "hard" just because they've been incarcerated! Moreover, if you're a Black man who hasn't been in the penal system, you're considered "soft"!

Incredible!

Well in truth, most of the Black men that I've talked to whom have been incarcerated say that it's the worst place on Earth to be in. Hopefully, both types of attitudes concerning crime and race will change in the new millenium.

I sincerely hope so.