Looking in the Mirror
Spiritual Revelations for those seeking Humanity in Humans ~~CordieB.Archive for youth
Northeastern Report Shows Surge (40%) in Homicides Involving Young Black Males and Guns
Rest In Peace David E. Boyd Jr. David E. Boyd was a quiet man who worked hard at his job and enjoyed sketching portaits and writing rap lyrics. David was shot and killed while walking home on Sunday in the Church Hill area of Richmond, Virginia. David was on the cell phone with his girlfriend, as he was killed. Police suspect robbery as the motive for this sensless murder.
A new report issued by experts at Northeastern University on patterns and trends in homicide since 2000 shows that, despite the small fluctuations in overall homicide rates, there has been a dramatic surge (40%) in homicides involving young black males with guns. The findings paint a very different picture concerning recent trends in murder from the apparent tranquility suggested by overall statistics released by the FBI. More…
Duh… Everyone is in shock of this new study! I for one am not in shock. I see and live with it every day. I write about it all the time. If we don’t start investing in our youth, we are headed for self genicide…at an alarming rate. In recent months, I’ve written about the crack epidemic of the 80’s which damn near destroyed a whole generation; the deaths of Jamal, Erika and 14 year old, Deshaun. There are countless others whom I have not written about. . . yet my thoughts of the senseless violence remain heavy on my heart.
This study reflects what many inner city residents have been crying about for the past 10 years. It’s ok to cry, it’s alright to complain. .. but all the crying and complaining is not going to make the least bit of change! We have to start working proactively to save our black youth. Our black youth are killing and maiming each other at alarming rates! The coldness in the eyes of some of these young men bring a chill to my bones. I talk with them; I walk with them. . . but the hardest thing for me to do is to reach them. A collaborative effort is needed to put life back into the hearts of many of our young black men. It will take family, community and government intervention. You may not be affected by the violence at this time, but at this rate–the spillage of violence will reach you very soon.
I challenge everyone reading this to take the time to talk to that young man on the corner. Offer another view of life than the one he has doomed himself to living. Take the time to show compassion to that young man whose mother is “out there.” Take the time to show some compassion to the mother, herself. Take some time to talk to a young couple about remaining active in the roles of their children.
I challenge all of us to take a proactive stance in turning this murderous trend downward. If we don’t take a stance, no one will do it for us. Trust me!
Rembember. . . next time the call could be about one of your very own. . . an innocent bystander… or not…
–We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
–Peace, Light and Love. . . CordieB.
The Grief Process
This was very hard to write for me; as there is no greater loss that I can imagine than that of the loss of a child. Yet it happens; more often than we want to admit . . .So often people guilty because they are told they must move on . . . yet healing requires grief and time. Those who intend to bring comfort must understand these cycles too. So I write this for anyone who may be going through such despair. . . and I pray that you find joy one sweet day. . .
There are five stages of grief; and most people experience grief in the order stated below. . .
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance
Grief’s Cycle …By CordieB
I don’t believe what’s happening;
Surely this can not be real
I’ll awaken from this nightmare soon
I’ll see, I’ll touch, I’ll feel . . .
your loving eyes; your tender heart
You..are still here! No!
We are not apart!
Oh God why did you take my love….
Such a loving soul was he
If you were such a loving God
Why allow such tragedy?
This world is filled with such despair
What does it mean, who really cares?
There are no answers to eternity
If only you would just take me…
instead; I’d rather be the one –
Please take me God, release my son…
Just leave me be. . . let me be free
Into my solo destiny
Alone ..through misty haze I see – and want to be
No desire to communicate –
I’ve lost my will; such is my fate…
Why is it that he had to die?
I plead, I beg, I must know why…
My heart’s so cold; ice cycled blood I cry . . .
Such agony; I hate- despise…
I can not pray . . my heart still cries
I can’t imagine going on . . .
without my loving, caring son . . .
Time passes by; seems like a distant dream
I cry sometimes….
yes, with time …the sadness weans
and with each day as life goes on…
Your love; it helps me carry on
I miss you still, so much – yet I fear
I’ll lose your vision through the years. . .
Yet memories remain so rich and clear
I feel your love down in my soul
Memories bring me comfort; love keeps me whole
My God holds me each day, each hour
So wondrous is God’s healing power
I don’t have answers to this life . . .
Yet live I must, through peace or strife
as death’s essential to all life
And though I do not understand
I see a glimpse of life again
And I feel so blessed to be the one…
you chose to be your mother, Son.
~Written for Valeria Harrison, Mother of Jamal, for which I wrote an article recently, entitled Lessons from the Hood – Perhaps you can find it; I’m tired ." Valeria read that post . . . and commented. . . .let us keep her in our prayers and pray that men will lay their weapons down!
Reach Out, Cheer Up
This original blog entry was made on January 22, 2008. It’s been now less than a year later and wow! – the person I was soliciting cheers for dreams are really coming true! I’m reposting this as a reminder of the wise saying. . . "This Too Shall Pass." My friend, Sanity Found , was in the dump for weeks back in January 2008 – I had began to really worry about her. I called upon your support to visit her blog and give her some cheer. I remember that some of you did, Hayden , over there at the new "Through the Illusion" for one! Ambe r, although she was not reading my blog at the time, kept a close eye on my young friend. Folks! our bubling burst of optimism, Sanity Found was really down for a few. It was starting to scare me; and I really didn’t even know her – for real. It’s been almost a year, and all of us have learned so much about life and many of us have become friends! Many of you have seen the ups and downs I’ve been through and I’ve seen yours too! So, people, here is living proof that just because life seems like it’s never fair today -never, ever give up. Everything and all circumstances change. And yes, This too Shall Pass ! Blessings to all. All verbiage below are from the original posting. God Bless. . .
————————————————–
My friend SanityFound’s Rambling has been in the dumps lately due to not being able to get a work visa for the UK. Her sadness has gone on for quite a while. Please drop her some encouragement or some good advice to get her jump started. This is her picture for which she describes herself without words. Such a young person should not let obstacles immobilize her. But such is the mind oftentimes of the young and the not so young. I’ve been there too. In any event, give her a shout out! to help her regain her strength, courage, and wisdom. Her blogg can be found at http://sanityfound.wordpress.com/
Sanity Found’s list of Maybe’s are beautiful, mind provoking, and inspiring. Here’s a few to ponder. . .
Maybe. . we were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
Maybe . . . when the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don’t even see the new one which has been opened for us.
Maybe . . . it is true that we don’t know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don’t know what we have been missing until it arrives.
Maybe . . . the happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
Maybe . . . the brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can’t go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.
To read the entire collection of these inspirational "maybes" by Sanity Found’s Rambling, visit http://sanityfound.wordpress.com/2008/01/08/maybe/
Peace, Light and Love to You and Yours,
CordieB.
We Don’t Care
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qWosJEFHIQ
Hello beautiful people. As you know, every so often I write about the violence that is occuring in my beautiful city – and often times the violence hits pretty close to home. Well this weekend was no better. Three young people were killed in the Richmond area this weekend. I don’t know the victims, but nevertheless – I am sad, I am mad, I am frightened. Three mothers lost their sons this weekend; one of them lost her only son. And for what? What ever the reason was, it more than likely can’t be remembered today.
A lot of the murders in this area are considered to be drug related; and they are I suppose–but when you really dig deeper, you will see something else. You see, the individuals who commit these murders are not addicts – they do not use drugs. The young are killing and being killed for what they consider respect! These are not drug addicts attacking for a hit. These are young people who are obsessing on sharing a block; sending a message –feeling disrespected by words or actions–bottom line young people are being killed due to perceived disrespect.
More young people are being killed today for "dissing" someone than for actual money or drugs. Step on a shoe – bang bang; dance with someone’s girlfriend; bang bang! walk in a neighborhod other than your own, bang, bang!
When did this mentality start in my community? Most people don’t believe me, but I can almost point out the summer that this mentality started to brew in the hood.
Back in 1985 when Crack Cocaine was prevalent in the North, I read a news article that Crack was coming to Virginia. No one anticipated that this drug would destroy families, neighborhoods, and whole communities. The children who are so easy to kill today are the children who were left to fend for themselves during the crack epidemic that hit our city.
Most of these children were not left to another parent, or a neighbor or familiy member. Since crack swept this city in epidemic proportions, there were few who cared any more than the addicted mother as all were equally addicted. The few who were not were overly burdend with other’s children. It was a very sad time in Richmond, VA. I have countless numbers of friends who lost their homes, their families, damn near their soul to crack cocaine.
For the first time in my life, I saw mothers willing to trick their chidlren; husbands and wives tricking in the same family, people stealing from family. I saw people loose $200,000 homes within 6 months; I saw people who lived in $300,000 homes with no heat, air, or water. I saw people rent their brand new cars to crack dealers for a small amount of crack; I saw people sign over their whole pay checks to a crack dealer at the end of the week – and start in the hole again!
I mean, people, I sawa behavior which I had never seen. I would have bet a million a few months earler that it were not possible. Most did not believe that the drug would be so addictive and take people to such lows. Most believed they could use it recreationally, or at least control it like powdered cocaine. All were sadly and many were deathly mistaken.
Now, during this time, many, many children were born to women addicted to crack cocaine. Also, many of these women had children who were still young. Now, crack makes one loose all sense of dignity – so what do you think became of these children. They were left to fend for themselves most of the time. Since whole neighborhoods were addicted, no one could really fix the problem. The children who were left to fend for themselves saw, heard, and experienced a life of sorrow, distachment and hell. They grew with little love and few comforts. They grew to have little respect for their mothers, let alone other people! They watched their christmas toys be sold to crack dealers on Christmas Eve; they watched whole houses of furniture be sold, including their beds. They grew up with a serious chip on their shoulders and I can’t blame them for having developed that chip.
So, now it’s 2008. This is the product which has been sowed. How do we teach real respect to a generation who received so little respect at such impressionary ages? How do we teach love to those who missed out on love by so many at a crucial time in their development. The issues are really more complicated than most see from a distance. Any ideas? Oh, you’ve got to listen to Kanye’s video – this is what the kids are saying!
Photo, entitled, "Generations." Courtesy of 
Looking in the Mirror 