This is not an article or blog. I repeat, this is not an article or blog. I have some thoughts that came to mind so I would like to ramble for a few minutes. This post is straight off the top of my head as I'm literally typing as thoughts formulate from within. The Black Community is consistently under attack and the purpose of these thoughts are not to attack our community. I would like to simply pose a few questions and share my perspective for healthy dialogue. I also have no hidden agenda or any intention of insulting or disrespecting any readers. I was on Social Media during lunch today as I work one day per week at my home office. For whatever reason earlier, I saw a lot of people talking about doing things "Alone" in regard to raising kids. Many of these individuals appeared to have posted their remarks with "Pride", while others appeared to show a degree of "Frustration" with regard to the task of Parenthood, more importantly single parenthood. Is Single Parenthood an epidemic in the Black Community?
Over the years various reports (2011) have estimated that roughly 72% of Black Babies are born to unwed Mothers. There are historians that researched the start of what they considered to be the breakdown of the Nuclear Family within the Black Community. Studies have been debated by Scholars relating Black Poverty with the instability of the Black Family Structure. There is also evidence of Government Programs that encouraged the flight of Black Men, meaning Government assistance would be granted to the Women and Children. I have also heard the debate(s) of Black Crime Rate started to rise Nationally as Single Parenthood gradually increased. Now, as I've stated in many of Articles (Generational Curse, The Black Church and others), we know that Housing Discrimination, Systematic Racism, and The War on Drugs each played a part in how some of our conditions manifested. This goes without saying but there are levels to our situation, and a Civil War of philosophies behind it.
As I sit here in deep thought, I remember how challenging single parenthood was for several people very close to me. I remember the emotional and financial struggles and hurdles raising a child alone created for them. How did we get to this point? Outside of factors that were never in our control, what are we doing to build and repair the Nuclear Family again? Do we feel a Mother and Father in a Household is not important? Do other races and cultures within our American Society hold Marriage, 2 Parent Households and 2 Parent Incomes to a higher level of importance than Black Americans? When I say Mother and Father, I'm not talking about "Biological", I'm talking a Man and a Woman raising a Family as a "Unit." If it happens to be biological, that's fine as well. The old saying is a Woman can't "Raise" a Man and a Man can't "Raise" a Woman. People will debate this statement as we have some single parents who have done a remarkable job with their kids. My positions is not to knock great parents. Ok, what are your thoughts so far?
The Black Community is complex. We have been at war with The United States of America for hundreds of years. No, this isn't shock value or hyperbole within this comment. It's true on many levels just look at our Judicial System, but I digress. At any rate, there are various ways to look at this subject. We can be angry by failed relationships. We can be angry by our irresponsible decisions with regard to not taking the necessary precautions. We can educate our community on getting this percentage down and build more "Families" in the future. These are random thoughts as I type away. Let me also state that plenty of mature adults do a remarkable job Co-Parenting. I felt the need to state this reality. Now, we do have our dysfunction as well. Should a Black Man have kids by 3-4 Women? Should a Black Woman have kids with multiple Men? No, I don't care about the "Family Structure" of other races. My attention is on Black People as charity stars at home. I will admit that when you drive through Upper Middle Class to very well off Communities you will see a common theme. You will see, a "Team."
Peace
Tony Hanes, Da Dome