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Drake and Lil Wayne: "The Mall of America sucks. Get an education and move out of the cold Jim Crow!"
“All of a sudden, there were kids running everywhere and just tearing through the mall and down the escalator, knocking people over,” recalled Len Nelson, who witnessed the chaos. “I saw a couple of kids leap over the escalator about two thirds of the way down.” ~Fox 9 News Minneapolis. At some point we have to reply to Minneapolis’ mayor R.T. Rybak’s request on who’s arming our children with where are the jobs and opportunities for the parents. The latter would cancel out most of the violence. Again, the Minnesota DFL’s political plantation has put young Negro’s in a box with no-return postage.
Fast Tube by Casper
by Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief/IBNN NEWS and Black Politics in Minneapolis
Mall of America/North Minneapolis (IBNN NEWS/Opinion/December 29, 2011)…At the posting of this story, there has been no word on the shooter or a suspect in the shooting death of a three-year old in north Minneapolis.
Neither has there been word on a statement or posted rewards by the African American Leadership Forum or the Northside Achievement Zone. It seems that public policy has slipped the minds of those “positioned” to save the Minnesota Negro.
History lesson #1:
In 2009, the Peace Foundation was praised for their efforts in suppressing violence in north Minneapolis. Youth violence was the original mission of the Peace Foundation lead by Ms. Sondra Samuels. Now, with changing the name to Northside Achievement Zone along with changing their mission, a grant for $28 million dollars will miss young, at-risk youths in favor of non-profit salaries and programs that continue to miss the mark. It (the opportunity of Money and Successful Outcomes) surely will miss the parents.
The shooting of this young child is uncalled for, but when $90 million goes through north Minneapolis in 2010 and more in 2011, I’m sure that the children, parents, and people of color will suffer the most. Benign neglect has been the order for the past 30 years – just look at the May 22nd tornado victims and the 50+ blue tarps and abandoned buildings on the north side. Someone got paid – somebody got played.
Fox 9 News reported on the Mall of America chaos that went on over the weekend citing, “Social media was abuzz that the crowd of teens came expecting to find hip-hop artists Lil Wayne and Drake somewhere at the mall, but investigators say that’s unfounded.”
In Wednesday’s Star Tribune Newspaper, a bunch of old guys clearly blamed social media; something when used the right way can create jobs, economic development and futures for at-risk youth – but because it was Black youth, social media became a villain and an a frightful ally of African Americans to “communicate.” One unfortunate item to note for the Star Tribune, is that “social media doesn’t see skin-color.”
Still today, mainstream media headlines read, “Brawl Catalyst Remains Unknown,” except for the Strib, who clearly sees social media in the hands of Black youth the same as a loaded shotgun.
The mainstream runs away from the obvious, “If these kids had a job and a future, being a rapper would be the last thing on their little minds.”
The real story is simple if you think about it.
We have to examine the phenomenon called hip-hop and the artists named “Lil Wayne and Drake.” Both artists come from poor, under-served communities and families that had little to nothing. Their only way “out-of-the-hood” was either music or sports. Both Lil Wayne and Drake had geographical benefits, meaning the east coast, west coast and down South to learn their talents, deliver demo tapes and play major concert halls even before they signed recording deals.
Let’s look at Minnesota, the cold Jim Crow. Black youth in the Twin Cities aren’t afforded the same opportunities that would put them in a position to become a Lil Wayne or Drake. First of all, Minneapolis Public Schools is one of the worse school systems in the United States as it pertains to the White/Black Achievement Gap.
“How you going to count your chips if you can’t read, write or do math?”
Secondly, these youths, (at the Mall) – we can confirm aren’t learning any history, especially Black history. There as not been a successful plan year-to-date to stimulate the mind of young Blacks to point them in the direction of success and a very hopeful future.
You have to ask yourself, if the same group of youth would have created such a ruckus if General Collin Powell, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or Maya Angelo appeared at the Mall of America – or what would happen if the POTUS (Obama) showed up in person? What if display of African American History hero’s including, W.E.B. Dubois, Frederick Douglas or Carter Woodson was featured at the MOA?
Would there have been the same “excitement?”
I think not.
The political wheels of turmoil have marked Black youth as expendable in Minnesota. It shows by test scores, educational lessons and programs that miss the mark and promote the Mis-Education of the Negro. To add further insult to injury, the city of Minneapolis and its controversial law enforcement have made sure there are no suspects in recent shootings while Crime Stoppers offers pennies as rewards to individuals who might have valuable information, especially in the Black community.
The leadership in the Black community has been reduced to the likes of a “social debutant ball,” choosing to avoid issues in an effort to please “the man,” because he holds the keys to the locks of cash that can buy, sell, trade and make the Black leadership look the other way.
Until there is a clear plan of engagement, versus a bunch of mindless meetings and partnerships that are ego driven, Black youth – especially Black males will become extinct.
