Targeting Black Youth

By Dr. Gloria Latimore-Peace

Presented by Omni-University

From "The Lord's  Prayer": "...And lead us not into, temptation, But, deliver us from evil..."

"CAUGHT in the CROSSHAIRS", the episode of "Omni-U Presents: The H3O/Art of Life" television show, featured in today's blog, explores the perils of growing up Black in America. Since we are the custodians of our youth, it is our duty to protect them from those whose ulterior profit- motives have inclined them to mine the paths our young are compelled to take on their way to maturity. It is our responsibility to guide them toward those things that are in their best interests and away from those that would lead them to a dead-end.

It can be readily recognized that we are not born into the world fully developed physically; mentally; or spiritually. It takes time for "Nature to take her course" It is generally agreed; by behavioral scientists, that the decision-making function of the brain lags behind the other developmental aspects taking about two dozen years to mature. It is for this reason that we are often obliged to protect our young people from themselves as well as our adversaries.

Throughout the course of their development, they are deliberately "nudged" into self -destructive behavior by the seduction of target-marketing; the allures of social media, and the technologies that facilitate the damage that is being done to them by means of these devices. Thus, their limitless "choices", which are often to their own detriment, are being made 'for' them rather than 'by' them.

To make bad matters worse:, behavior that is treated as "boys will be boys", for the non- Black community, is translated into "boys will be Felons" for the Black community as more and more of the things they "choose" to do are criminalized. The last straw added to the   proliferating list of  "crimes" for which Black people are "Penal-ized :"walking,  driving,  voting, breathing--while Black" is "growing  up- while-Black. 

In the immortal words of Biggie Smalls, "If you don't know; Now you know. "

Please watch "Caught in the Crosshairs", featuring Ancestor Kwesi Ronald Harris and

Hunter Havlin Adams III.