Except for the liberal use of the term “African-American,” this black police officer sounds so much like me, it’s delightfully scary:
I decided to become a police officer because of my natural concern for our youth, our elders and our communities.
Our youth, because today I see a lost generation. Our elders, because today I see a forgotten one. And our communities, because today I see a fallen one.
Being an African-American, I could have done as some and put blame on others for my not achieving in life. But I chose not to. Instead, I chose to accept responsibility for my faults, failures, and to change my situation…
Today, I no longer point and blame. I accept the facts, because the facts really do speak for themselves. (SOURCE)
People like this woman and me are an irritant to certain black liberals because we refuse, wholeheartedly, to point fingers at anyone outside the “black community” for our ills.
Sort of related: African Immigrants to the United States
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La Shawn, I am a semi-outsider on this issue. I am a white American and my beautiful wife is a Black African (she was born in Africa). Her perspective on both American and African politics has been both interesting and helpful to me.
There is a huge difference between the way Africans view their circumstances as opposed to “African-Americans”. Africans will talk about colonialism and it’s destructive impact on African countries, but they can be just as critical of their own corrupt leaders. Rarely;y do you hear the average African lay blame on former colonial powers for their current personal troubles. The idea of government handouts (in the forms of welfare and affirmative action) is considered by many Africans to be a destructive Western habit. It is rare (although not impossible) to find among Africans the entitlement mentality that is so pervasive – and destructive – among the American-born black community. My wife is puzzled about why so few poor people take advantage of the incredible opportunities in the USA (educational and economic).
One other thought – it would shock many Westerners to learn just what many Africans really think of overseas aid. Not a few Africans view Western aid as a back door way of controlling African countries. As President Yoweri Museveni is supposed to have remarked, “A little benign neglect [by Western powers] for Africa would be a good thing.” He meant that Africans are better off in the long run with self-reliance rather than endless dependency on Western “generosity”. Perhaps the same would be true for America’s black community.
Drive by thanks.
Mr. Daudi- fascinating reading. I’d be interested in hearing more of your and your wife’s perspective.
These are the type of police officers we need; intelligent individuals.
It’s hard, nay impossible, to face realities without confronting the truth. This woman deserves to be commended for her frank realization of what is hurting the black community. Wouldn’t it be much easier for all of us to adopt her attitude and do what is necessary to advance our cause instead of pandering to the victimization syndrome espoused by Jesse Jackson and other so-called black leaders?
That blame-the-other-guy philosophy has hurt the African-American agenda more than anything else than I can think of. Other minority groups who came to this country much later have succeeded in
melding into the American mainstream, while I can see African-Americans making only token advances.
Without taking more responsibilities, black Americans, as I see it, will only be left more and more behind everybody else. That ought not to happen – BUT only if we have more trustworthy black leaders who can set the example for the rest.
I guy who feels concerbned for black youths so he became a cop good work i say
This article is a relief to see. I am a psychologist who has worked in a large urban school district on the east coast and to see the abysmal standards affecting African American students pains me. That two generations of potential doctors and lawyers have been lost due to lowered standards, allowing substandard English and writing, is, in my estimation, fraudulent. (One day there may, in fact, be a class action suit against a large school district.)
Now I live in the UK and if I have to watch ONE MORE telly ad asking for aid to African countries, I am gonna puke. It’s alway, “The poor Black children,” and “Do they know it’s Christmas time at all?” Half the aid does not get there or ends up back in the UK invested by corrupt officials. They are so paternalistic it makes me see red.
Truly, the Europeans have learned little from their colonial days and liberals fall for it hook, line and sinker!
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