black in america

jase blogging...

did u guys catch part 1 on the CNN special "black in america" last night? judging by facebook statuses and IM away messages, many of you did. for those who didn't, i'll give a little recap:

part 1 focused on black women and the black family. some of the topics addressed were single-parent homes, the alarming rate at which black women are contracting HIV, and the decision of successful, black women to date outside of their race because there arent enough black men on their level (which is sad to hear as a black man trying to succeed in life, but at the same time i guess its understandable because we've always explored options with other races with no regard to the effects it has on our community).

tonight is part 2 of the 2 part special and the focus is on the black man. i've seen a couple of commercials and can guess what some of the main topics will be:

• criminal activity and the judicial system
• hip hop culture
• "down-low" homosexuality (which will be directly related to the fact that so many black men experience it in jail and dont know how to deal with it once they're out)

many ppl in black communities and the american society as a whole believe that rap music and sports are 2 of the only options for black men to rise above their surroundings and be successful in life and i cant wait to see how CNN will address this. as an inspiring athlete, i have mixed emotions about this. on one hand i agree because i have seen ppl that come from humble beginnings use these forms of entertainment to gain money, power, and respect in a society that isnt always accommodating to our type. but, at the same time, i believe that ppl think that if thats the path you choose, its because you're not good at anything else. like by default, because i am atletically inclined, i'm not smart and there's no way i'd ever make it in corporate america.

while i may be grindin toward one particular aspiration, please believe i have a plan b, plan c, and many other options in life that dont include a jail cell or early grave.

i cant wait to see how mainstream media has typecast me this time...