Am I My Brother's Keeper: I Know Not

The thing about dead horses...it fancies me really, is that you can beat them as long as you want; they'll never fight back.

Genesis 4:9 (MSG)

9 God said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"

   He said, "How should I know? Am I his babysitter?"

I’d like to say for the record, if my parents were to ever ask me where my brother is I better know…I’m unable to respond as Abel did in the King James Version, “I Know Not: Am I My Brother's Keeper?”

My understanding is that the best way of making it out of the hood is through a binary (i.e. Two) mechanism we call choices. Binary, in that it is through the concept of “Getting Rich or Dieing (Trial & Error)” that one might come to be successful and achieve this goal. Recently it seems or at least throughout my lifetime we have integrated another infamous means of “making it”, that being education.

The binary decision that has been put before many persons of color, especially males in particular (e.g. Black men) includes that of being some type of athlete which surpasses everyone on all levels to “go pro” OR ensuring that you are lyrically inclined enough to become a professional vocalist that spits fire over beats and on stages (i.e. A rapper). I fault no one who pursues these avenues, although the rate of success in becoming “the best” is slim to none. Then again it depends on how you define success as well. Establishing yourself as an independent artist who is able to hold their own without need of major corporate backing might suffice as “making it”.

The reality is that many of our young people today believe that their opportunities do not change much with the given situation that they find themselves in (i.e. The hand they were dealt). For example, (and I love my people) many black women I talk to want to become one of, if not all of the following: Owner (e.g. Hair salon, Day Care, Business) or Health/Medical Professional (i.e. LPN, Maybe RN, Most Likely not a Dr) or the like. Is there something wrong with these options?! Of course not; however, I wonder why these same ideas seem so common (Where is your dream?). As far as the black men, well this goes back to being a ball player of some sort or a rapper. Understandably so, at times this will seem like an over generalization. Truth is there are persons who “perpetuate” said stereotypes. Until the perpetuation stops, don’t expect the stereotype to become nonexistent. If this is all they think they can do with their lives, whose responsibility is it to ensure that they understand this, “Life is what you make it”?

W.E.B. DuBois, a noted Harvard graduate had an idea within the black community which suggested a segregation of sorts based off of talent. This idea is known as the talented-tenth. In other words he felt that the top 10% of blacks held the responsibility of “making it” via education which led to the amassing of wealth. This wealth was to be gained in order to support the other 90% in becoming more affluent socio-economically; whatever that may have looked like at the time. He later changed his views on how the state of the black community could be bettered through other means, inclusive of education.

At times I wonder though if DuBois was on to something that was not just an idea but possibly more of a reality. Within that I also question what it would take to be in that tenth or how one might know. Am I in the talented-tenth?! Is it my job to “bring the hood with me” if I make it? This brings about other ponderings: Is it my fault if you don’t succeed? More importantly, if I fail can you BLAME me?!


Can’t we all just work hard #culturalContext

On last week during the midst of the Florida debates I made a grave error, which consisted of a series of mistakes. First, I was on a given social networking site in the wee hours of the morning and commented on a post regarding a black minister who happens to also be a Republican. The problem is that he suggested certain people be taken back to the plantations in the South to learn a good work ethic. My initial thought in seeing this was, “good”. I can agree with today’s generation coming to a better understanding of hard work. The main issue was in how good I said it was, throwing in the phrase “his reasoning is sound”.

You can read the article here: Blacks Should Go Back! 

(It might remind you of Newt Gringich’s position on black folks asking for more employment and less handouts, which apparently some black folk didn’t like. Go figure.) 

The gun sounded off and there were a number of responses to which I had to clarify what I was saying since I had termed my thoughts improperly at the time. I mentioned that a lot of younger people don’t understand what it is to work hard and work for what they want. I can’t say what’s been “hard work” for me would classify as the same for you, but I’m sure we all know someone who likes to have things given or handed to them. My brother asks me for stuff all the time, and as quick as he asks I tell him straight up, “No.” There’s no suspension or buildup. If it’s something he needs then that’s a different story. I worked for mine. You want it, go work for it. Anyone you talk to will say I stand above the rest. Let the record show that I’m no slacker and I’ve worked for what I have by the grace of God given unto me in proportion with my faith (Romans 12:3-8).


WHY DID I SAY YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO LEARN (A GOOD) HARD WORK (ETHIC)?! Apparently that was the wrong thing to say. Here’s a response I found particularly interesting and I’ll explain why…

“… I remember my peers getting their financial aid check and going to the mall! Hard work- maybe what young people have learned is exactly what we taught them, hard work doesn't pay? Why would I encourage someone to work hard, when everyone around them is working off of hook ups, quick fixes, and who they know and their INHERITANCES…”

Now allow me to take out a few key words: #reQuote

Young people have learned exactly what we taught them…Why would I encourage someone to work hard when everyone around them…

Here are my comments based on the #reQuote:

1. Why would we teach young people something of no benefit to them (Thank You: MTV, BET, 123, and ABC)? 
2. Why not encourage someone…. 
3. And an even better question, Why not encourage someone to be different? 

Usually at this point I’d go on to say, “My parents” or more specifically “my momma” taught me…the reality is a lot of people taught me. One lesson I learned was “to be a leader and not a follower”. This pertained to peer pressure, making my own decisions, and being wise in the practice of everyday living. My favorite consequential scenario: “If ____ jumps off a bridge, are you going to do it too?!”

I suppose at this point one might ask, “What makes you such an expert?!”

Based on my short life-span which counts slightly less than a quarter-century I will tell you the types of work my story entails:

• Child-Ise not responsible for myself Once (20+yrs of Service) 
• Student-Ise a learner Once (20+yrs of Service) 
• Teacher- Ise a TA Once (7+yrs of Service) 
• Preacher-Ise a Pulpit Filler Once(4+yrs of Service) 
• Statesmen- Ise a government employee Once(4+yrs of Service) 
• Community Volunteer-Ise a tire & trash picker upper Once(2+yrs of Service) 

In short, none of this makes me an expert…it does give me various lenses to look through. I’ll admit some of my spectacles are a lil old and in need of a new prescription (i.e. I’m willing to admit I’m wrong, but more importantly state what I feel to be true first; conviction).

I would like to introduce a couple of people I met during my time in Central Florida. They both were dealt interesting hands in life and decided to make as much of the situation as possible, mostly through opportunity (whether that be seizing them or creating them).

#FCHW (Faith Consistency & Hard Work)

This first individual is none other than J.L. Ford. A good friend of mine during my time in Orlando (and to this day), it was definitely a blessing being able to cross each other's path. I'm more familiar with his story and know without a shadow of doubt he is an example of someone who took a bad hand and did something with it. 

J.L. Ford (Established author, among other talents)

Visit  J.L.FORD to find out more about this amazing guy!

The "originator", if you will or person who lives out #FCHW is a guy by the name of Spoken Reasons. I met him back in 2008. At the time he had been on his grind for a hot minute. I remember "the kid" who was struggling with how to move forward full-time with his talent. I say "the kid" because he was young in his craft; however, that certainly has changed. 

Spoken Reasons (Established lyricist and entertainer).

I'm not fully aware of his back story, but I do know that he was determined to do something...and so he did. Visit SpokenReasonsTV for more of his work. I warn you, it's "crazy" (in some sense) but you've got to give the guy credit; he's branded himself.

Side Note: I think also that if you come up with a moniker, alias, or pseudonym for yourself...don't be afraid to change it, but if it works for you and you believe in it; keep it! (e.g. liMitz)

To keep it short and simple, #FCHW is a big part of how I was able to get where I am. God Bless both of these men and anyone else who is achieving their dreams, helping others achieve their dreams, or at least have the audacity to dream. 

In closing there are a few more quick things I want to point out:

First- I’m all for doing what you can for your fellow man. Putting your life on the line and feeling so inclined by the divine to help others get to cloud 9. We do have corporate responsibility to help those who may be marginalized by society or disenfranchised by historical events (most of which stem from us treating each other less like who God created us to be). We are able to do this by giving them a voice and creating opportunities for them to better themselves if they are unable to utilize the resources available (and if such resources do not exist).

Second- As people of color we LOVE to blame everyone instead of taking responsibility for what we can do. I call this the Doctrine of Victimization’s Effervescence (D.o.V.E.). “The man” did this to our people, the cops are putting all of our brothers, uncles, and cousins in jails for decisions they made, etc. Don’t get me wrong racism is still alive and well, just as prejudice is still prevalent. This is what I will say without going down the proverbial historical railroad tracks from lynchings, to church bombings to…

"Doves are about peace; make yours with history."

- liMitz

Sumthn2Ponder(s2p):

• “You thought it was over, but we just gettin started” #TAvideoNumeroUno 
• What do you do if a homeless person tells you, “I don’t want to work (I just want hand outs)”? 
• A brother is locked up for decisions he made and gets out, not wanting to contribute to society; is he your responsibility? 

Links for Consideration(L4C):

• Fellas: Things to Know by 25
• Ladies: Things to Know 
• Tragic Black Man
• "When You Want to Succeed as Bad as You Want to Breathe"

In Case You Need It:

A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)

As young, naïve, and foolish as I can be; hope for a better future, faith in Christ, and love for people allows me to believe it will come. And the greatest of these is love [1 Corinthians 13:13].