Something's Wrong With This Picture

This week in Georgia, a young black male in his teens was beaten to death by a group of young black males.  The only thing that Bobby Tillman did to provoke this ungodly and senseless beating was to be the next person to arrive at a party in Douglasville. 

Flash back 55 years earlier, and another young black male --only 14 years old -- was beaten senselessly, shot, and then lynched by older white males.  Their only reason for murder was that they didn't like the color of the young man's skin.  Supposedly, the young man had whistled at a white woman and that was provocation enough to lose his life.  His name was Emmett Till.  His murderers never paid for this, not by the justice system anyway.  So what will happen to Bobby Tillman's murderers?  Bobby's death had nothing to do with the color of his skin or did it?

The big question is, what has happened to many of our young black males who hate themselves so much that they think nothing of taking a life of one of their own?  After years of the civil rights movement, after years of opened doors and opportunities, who is to blame for such self-hate?  Can we point fingers at rappers who degrade their own women as if they were spewing a children's rhyme jumping rope, or do we point fingers at the proverbial man who is carelessly blamed for everything, or do we blame ourselves for not instillling respect for life, for education, and for a spiritual understanding of oneself?  I don't know the answer, and I don't like to point fingers before I check my own image in the mirror.  What am I doing to help?  What can I do?

I think its time for all African-Americans in this country and around the world to start thinking about how to stop the bleed.  How to uplift our communities and let our children know that life is better than what they are being led to believe.  We have to get it through their heads that they can be their own worst enemy or their own best friend.  Life is about a choice.  Everyday choices lead us down a specific path.  The great thing about life, especially in the United States, is we get to choose.

To engage Dilsa Saunders Bailey, author of Dreams Thrown Away and soon to be released LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT as a speaker, send an email to dilsa@simplydilsa.com.  Read an excerpt of Dreams Thrown Away at http://www.dilsasaundersbailey.com/.