Truer Words Were Never Spoken
The following is a guest column by 18-year old Lauren Roscoe. She is a student at the University of Indianapolis. I met her at the Indiana Black Expo news conference this week on the creation of a task force to address public safety and youth violence.
******
Since when did our people become the beholders of violence, hatred, ignorance, and arrogance? Since when did we become the race known as drug dealers, gang bangers, uneducated good for nothing jailbait? Since when did we start thinking it was okay to walk around like we own the place, “cuz we strapped,” when unbeknownst to us, we are thought of as one of the lowest minorities to exist.
What I want to know is why must we betray our ancestors and destroy every single building block of opportunity that was built in order for us to be able to walk, talk, and live in the ways we do. By the ignorance and arrogance of being able to have freedom, our generation has taken for granted the sacrifices of past generations. If it weren’t for our ancestors, we wouldn’t be able to have a Summer Celebration, Circle City Classic, or anything else we have today for that matter.
I’m sick of being considered a Black statistic. I will not be defined by what the “experts” say I am to be. Too many of our people think they’re too good for hard work and can handle their lives on their own. We are getting left in the dust and being dragged by the stereotypes and limits society has tried to put on us and tell us that we will be nothing more than drug dealers, gang bangers, jail bait, and pregnant mothers.
The only hope for success they’ve given us is to be an athlete or a musician; aka a rapper. Very rarely do we see our people promoted as doctors, lawyers, judges, senators, artists, dentist, psychiatrist, entrepreneurs, and business owners. That is because not only does the world not believe we can be more, but the African-Americans that have succeeded in these areas have given up on us too. Do you know why?
Apparently, we are too big headed for our own good. All these kids think they’re grown; out here running around acting foolish trying to “make some paper” and trying to protect some street, some block that can’t do a thing for anybody. But for what? People are out here dying because of a street, a hood. What is “your hood” going to do for you? Except be in the same place. It sure can’t get up and say, “I’m going to protect my citizens.” That street has been there in that same place and nothing’s going to be any different about that street or that block after you’re dead and gone. And yet, all these people think they need to go out and get a “glock” to protect some object that can’t do a single thing for them.
The real question is since when does having a gun or killing somebody else make you a stronger man or woman? Since when were you given the right to take somebody else’s life? You aren’t God and you never will be. If you think that you have the right to kill somebody just because of some random reason; that means someone else has every right to take yours. And who says none of your lives have value? To me, that is complete arrogance and ignorance. We are looked down upon because of childish and cowardly acts like Saturday night. We are still treated like inadequate and uneducated, clueless people.
We’ve got to come together and put an end to the destruction of our own generation because we are growing weaker and weaker. We’ve got to make a stand and make a change. We need to band together and be stronger instead of being worried about our own personal interest. It’s time to make a move and show youth that there’s more to life than what has been made visible. Education is the key to our success.
My request is that we develop a city-wide forum, for all high schools: administrators, faculty and staff, students, police departments, politicians and clergy, inside Lucas Oil Stadium to inform all students that education is important and unity must be present in order to be successful. By coming together, we can change the negative mindset and begin to reach our full potential. We are our brother’s keeper and it’s time for change.
