Sunday, September 2, 2007

Read a mudda . . .

So I'm watching CNN today because like the good girl that I am, I wanted to be like all 'up to date' on my current world and social events and as I'm sitting there I see this:



As you know, the news prompters are making their typical monotone CNN educated PC observations and trying their hardest to not bust out laughing. I sat there in my living room, eyes glued to the tv and jaw agape down to the floor, I was mesmerized and shocked at what I was seeing. It didn't even seem that CNN had any censorship on-air, but it could be possible that my mind has grown so accustomed to filling in the gaps.

After it was over I had to youtube it to see the whole thing. The commentators were talking over the video, and of course was only partially aired. So I watched it, and I didn't know where to feel dirty, to laugh, or to shake my head in disbelief.

I have to say, I totally get the satire. Really I do. I even appreciate it as well as all the slander and offensive language. Seriously, how else are you going to reach out and slap your target audience? Watch this video and get past the frequent F-bombs and stereo-typical one-sided-accepted use of hip-hops N-'splicitive word and tell me if you can hear this songs very hard hitting message.

I'm not one to say that I get *inner-city* culture cause I don't. I didn't grow up there, much less know anybody that is proud to say rose-above and climbed out. I studied my ass off, during high school, in college and everything I've learned in between is something that can be applied to everyday life. The situation just has to present itself.

With that said I am of the belief that they chose to STAY there, surrounded by the mess they create for themselves. Not only do they not care for themselves, but they don't care for their surroundings, their offspring or the society they enclose and isolate themselves in.

The people that are able to rise above, either because they are smart, or talented and on some occasions both. Combine that with luck and you have the newest and most dangerous American: the superstar role models.

Long ago and even now, I'm moved by the deeply powerful lyrics that came out of these so called role models. When all they really are are self proclaimed, and proud of it, thugs. Every now and then one would sing something that really make you *THINK* and appreciate what you had and even be happy they were no longer a part of their former surroundings. It all that changes when you see them become these freakish role models and you hear them open their mouth. You gotta wonder: "Is this an act?". They propagate to all the other inner-city youth that they should be flossin their grills and spending their money on useless trash. On top of that, they make it seem that just because one person made it out, everyone else is ENTITLED to as well.

And that's just not the case. The American way now is different than it was 10, 20, 50 and surely 100 years ago. Todays kids believe they're entitled to be special because they've been told they're special their entire lives. They've had everything handed to them from day one and never had to work for it, figure it out, or do any of the hard work. I believe this applies to the inner city kids as well.

My generation is so full of angsty late 20 to early 40 years olds who tend to believe that you work for what you have and that respect is something that's earned not just handed out. My parents generation is of the belief that you respect anyone older than you, even if they're not worthy of it.

I might have gotten off track here, the point is. Todays generation of kids don't raise the kids they have, somebody else does. They don't care about anything except material possessions that mean nothing and have absolutely ZERO value from the point they've been paid for, usually by somebody else. And the only way that todays kids WILL read something is if you put in on your ass and SHAKE it.

I've been saying for years I wanted to make a tshirt on it that says "SMART" but I don't think that anybody but me would wear it. Education is everything and opens so many doors.

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