Just thinking out loud

I was just thinking while, I just finished watching the interview with Jay Z and Charlie Rose. The topic at hand was the new album that Jay had just completed that was inspired by the new movie in theaters now “American Gangster”. Normally I am opposed to anything that glamorizes drugs, dealers and gangs. I saw the movie. I watched it because I was curious. At first glance, I feared it would promote an unhealthy life style that I am severely pposed to. In the end, it showed something else.
It showed that there could be a sense of correction in corruption, even though it was shown with a self-interest. That there is such as thing as being on the “right side” of the law. I feel that if you can run an enterprise that is so successful in illegal gain, imagine what you could do if you applied yourself to legal gain. I will not cut any excuses because the opportunity to succeed is there if you try. Everyday I watch dozens of young men take ungodly pride in wearing colors. How about you go wear real colors; join the armed forces, police department, and fire department. Do anything that makes your community better.

Jay did have one thing that he said that I agree with. It is Russian roulette if you choose to play your life outside the law. It is never going to be a true life of freedom and you become chained to a life below respectability. A gun does not create respect. It creates fear. Fear never improves anything. Fear makes people run. Fear makes people feel less than they are. In truth every person is called to a higher level. Each day the streets of America are running red with blood because “Responsibility” is being shrugged away and other things are being placed in its place. Violence and degradation is becoming the key to our everyday lives. It’s an awful place to be. I am no fan of gangster rap. I am no fan of their ignorant, clowning. We, as a people have played clown long enough. How about you don a suit and get an education. Yes, how about you advise your young men that there should be no pride in fathering six or seven children with various “baby momma’s”. We are raising a nation of responsibility dodgers, who have no idea what life is really about and all feel entitled. Yes, I said entitled. Young men and women dozens of people gave their lives so that you may learn to read books write sentences and get ahead. How about you work hard for something. Even better how about you understand that being a rapper or gangster isn’t the only way up. How about you study to become a lawyer, or a professional. Sure there are some that believe that the only way out is the illegal way. There are some who see quick money as the only answer. The reality is much of what you see on BET and MTV is rented and given for free. Its called promotion so that you the consumer can want to wear or look like that. It’s marketing.
This past week I watched Master P state that he was changing his approach and well on his way to helping reshape so that his son does not have to bear the witness to racism. That is what we should do. I think the time has come, as T.D. Jakes would say to reposition us. Let’s do that. We should try less graffiti, and ill-fitting jeans that hang off you. Less swearing and more reading. Less whining and more doing.