"Talking White" A Problem That Many Kids Have!!!

What exactly is "talking white?"

One of the greatest plights facing black youth today is false identity. Consistently, from the poorest neighborhoods, to the bourgeoisie of black folks, people who lack proper perspective, vision, and clarity about who they've been created to be will destroy their own lives in some way or another.

In a Washington Post article titled, "When the Street and the Classroom Collide", an AP English teacher in Alexandria, Virginia shares observations on the effects of the street and other cultural pressures on the success of students in the classroom,"Obviously, there are many low-income minority kids who strive and manage to do well in school despite their disadvantages. But sadly, they're not the majority.

Too many of them -- and especially the boys -- accept the idea that school is a white-oriented institution that doesn't offer anything they need or want. The boys' attitude is to idolize millionaire rappers and basketball stars, to believe that you can't be a real man and a student at the same time and that if you study you're a sellout. This set of ideas is so strong and prevalent that it often affects even middle-class or lower-middle-class students.

So where do we go from here? How do we break this viscous cycle and help our boys understand that there is a time and place for them to use their own language? How drastic of a move from parents or members of the community must be taken to get the word out that street language is not acceptable and will not help you excel in life?

It is also necessary to show our young boys from very early that it's cool to stay in school and hopefully President Obama is proof positive of that but we can't depend on him to do what should be done in our homes first and foremost. This will probably be hard for some because the parents speak in this fashion anyway so it's normal for a child to pick up the slang at home and then use it in the street. They say it starts at home and if it doesn't get corrected there then it will be the same in public.

I understand it's fashion, a lifestyle that popular but the majority of the public and society doesn't speak this way or understand you and every kid learns proper english from a very young age once in school but if we don't reinforce what they have learned in school it's a waste of time later on.

Can you answer any of these questions...if so you need to get the book "How To Hustle and Win" since doing it the conventional way is too white for you. Give it to someone you know and maybe they will see that the only job out there for them is working in a black owned art store, records store selling oils and incense. Leave the real money to be made by the white folk and the black that act and speak white!!! We thank you for making my income rise and making me look very good to everyone else.

• You’ve always been intelligent, but hated school because they only taught bullsh*t.
  


• You see the injustices and wrongs going on all around you, and it’s driving you nuts.
  


• You want to change something in the world, or in yourself, but just haven’t figured out how.
  


• You know you’re not just another “n*gga.”
  


• You’re not waiting on Jesus to come back and save you.
  


• You wonder why other people are such followers and hypocrites.
  


• You know there’s more to life than this.
  


• You’re always questioning things.
  


• You’re not scared to challenge the ideas most people believe.
  


• You want better for yourself, your family, and/or your people.

If anything look at the atheletes and rappers/artist and if you listen to the news surrounding the public figures many of them lose money that they should be making because of their poor laguage skills. If I'm discussing a multi-million dollar contract for my services I would speak clearly and make sure all parties involved understand my needs. Most of these people have a person that they speak to, that speaks for them and listens to what they need. The problem is that some people get taken advantage of and lose money hand over fist because they didn't negotiate they contractual terms or couldn't read the fine print. That's as sad as things can get I think!

So the next time your out and hear one of our young people talking and wondering why they are not getting the results they desire, let them know that maybe their choice of vocabulary and the way they speak is making things a little more difficult and if they tried to communicate another way they might get a more desired result.

Help where you can and let's get the kids pointed in the right direction.

Mr. Lovettelli Speaks And You Will Listen!!!