No excuses: Blacks must become better equipped

What an amazing year thus far! President Barack Obama's inauguration, Mike Tomlin's Steelers' win the Super Bowl (the youngest Black coach in the NFL and the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl in history), and Michael Steele's election as the first Black to lead the Republican Party. God has brought us from a mighty long way.As I reflected on how far we have come, I wondered what would happen if God said, "ENOUGH. I have done all I am going to do for you. I have equipped you with everything you need to solve all your problems. I gave you brains, determination, and the heart of a lion."

What if Obama's administration doesn't do all that we wish and hope for? What if White folks or "the man" says 'no more equality or government programs?'

Most of us are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the book of Daniel in the Bible. It is the story about how these three boys refused to worship the idol god of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king had issued a decree that whoever did not bow down and worship his idol would be sentenced to immediate death.

Daniel 3:16-18 says: " O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."

These boys had such a strong belief in God and what they believed that they knew God had the absolute power to deliver them from death. But they said even if God didn't deliver them, they would not compromise their beliefs. Our community once believed this strongly in Godly values that would not allow us to condone the behavior going on within our community. We didn't need a bunch of government programs and handouts.

What if there is no welfare? What are we going to do as a community? When will we return stigma to out-of-marriage child bearing?

What if there are no reentry programs for those leaving penal institutions? When will families and churches take them in with some tough love and get them back on their feet?

What if there is no more affirmative action? When will parents, preachers, and teachers tell students they just have do better and be better?

What if there is no justice, but only 'just us?' When will our community demand that our people never get caught up in the justice system?

We know there are many things the government and society should do to help its people, but the lack of governmental or societal action is no excuse for the behavior that is destroying our community. We have had more than a generation of excuses and finger pointing about what ails our community.

We can talk forever about slavery and racism. These are not the causes of out-of-wedlock babies, high divorce rates, drug selling, drug usage, violent crime, domestic violence, or child abuse.

Most often people are making bad decisions because they have no fear of any consequences. Spanking is considered abuse; now we have time outs. Parents are now afraid of their own kids. We have baby showers for pregnant teenage girls. Parents now side with their kids against the teacher.

I find it quite interesting that our parents and grandparents didn't have a lot of programs, but yet they were able to minimize all these pathologies. They had less opportunity, less education, and less information than we have. Yet, they led a better quality of life than we are today. They bought homes, cars, and put us through school, but we are self-destructing.

We have people under 30 who are grandparents. We have teenagers who have never been inside a church. We have parents trying to breed the next Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Venus and Serena Williams.

Children are being robbed of their childhoods by narcissistic parents. There are no government programs that can resolve these issues. The solutions lie within us and our community. Only tough love can solve these issues - tough love from grandparents, parents, and the community. Then, and only then, can programs work. We know God is able, but .?

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-based political consulting/government affairs firm. You can reach him at: Raynard@raynardjackson.com. On the Net: www.raynardjackson.com