Let me begin this post by saying that I am really sorry for the loss of Trayvon Martin, may God bless his family, friends, and everyone that has been deeply affected by this recent tragedy.. Everyone knows that the verdict was unfair and that a guilty man walked away from that trial without any noticeable consequences. But we have to trust that God saw what happened and He knows that it was 100% wrong for Trayvon Martin to be killed. One day his murderer will get their reward..
Instead of allowing hatred to grow, let us use this energy that we feel building up inside of us towards strengthening the black community and making changes within our culture so that this prejudice country will no longer have any reasons or excuses to look down on us as a people.
When I began Project Egypt I was inspired by a report I was watching on CNN about how Chicago was closing multiple schools in the African American neighborhoods and I realized, wow this isn't a coincidence, there is something going on here. Something deeper. As I pondered the many atrocities committed against "blacks" in America I noticed a pattern. SLAVERY NEVER ENDED! Sure the ownership of people as cattle or property has appeared to have ended, but have you actually thought about this.. Look at our prison systems. Who do you think fuels the economy of those correctional facilities? OH YEAH, black people.. Do you simply think it is by "chance" or "coincidence" that so many unregistered guns, and outrageous crimes are allowed in urban communities?.. Do you think it is just "happen stance" that the same people who sell drugs in the communities are the main ones with multi-million dollar entertainment contracts and setting fashion trends for these urban neighborhoods?.. There is a saying that goes, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.." Well I'm sorry to say this but unfortunately the shame is on all of us.
Why did it take Trayvon Martin's death for us to realize how twisted this country truly is?? There has never been a "Golden Age" for blacks, we went from slavery to segregation and from segregation to isolation! Many African Americans have become so blind and deceived that we don't even realize the biggest threat that we face right now are not the "racist whites" but each other! And that is exactly what they want! Why is it so hard for us to wake up?
African American communities will never stop suffering until we realize two things.. We are being targeted and we are only helping whoever is targeting us by continuing to support this dangerous, unprofitable, unrighteous, immoral culture that we have so strongly embraced. "HUSTLE HARD" "GET RICH OR DIE TRYING" "BABY MAMA DRAMA"... We think all those phrases are cool, when actually it is ideals like those that keep us from reaching our full potentials!
I grew up in some of the roughest neighborhoods in Detroit, and I was just like every other impressionable black kid, thinking gangs, drugs, and sleeping around with girls were cool. I could have easily been shot dead or in jail. But I believe there were only three things that kept me alive: I went to church, I read my bible, and I believed in Jesus. Am I saying that every black person should become a Christian?.. Well yes.. but I know that's about as likely as ending world hunger. BUT I do believe that it is within our grasp to change the culture, to reform our communities, to begin reflecting a more positive image, and to create better relationships with each other, God, and the world!
All it takes is enough parents to get tired of burying their children! Friends that are tired of burying their friends! Brothers that are tired of burying their siblings... WE have to get TIRED of this culture and make changes!
If you truly want Justice for Trayvon Martin, you will heed this message. We have to make changes now, before more kids are killed. We have to get out of this SELFISH mentality, that if it doesn't affect us then we don't care. We have to start sticking together and stop taking advantage of each other! I feel like every person in the black community has an "every man for himself" type of attitude and this should never be the case. The only way we will be treated as equals in this society is if we stop pulling each other down and start lifting each other up!
I love my people and I am not ashamed of the color of my skin or the stigma that comes associated with it. I wear it as a badge of honor, that God is able to take anything, even something considered as "dark," and make it shine like the brightest star in the heavens. We can all shine! We can all take advantage of what little liberty we have been given in this country, to learn, grow, and inspire each other!
It is time to END slavery once and for all! It's time to put away our guns and pick up our bibles! Stop running from our responsibilities and take care of our children. Take better care of our bodies and stop making these fast food companies RICH off of giving us diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol. Stop spending our hard earned money on flashy clothes, drugs/cigarettes, and other unnecessary expenses. Stop supporting these rappers that teach our children how to contract AIDS/HIV. Last but not least stop focusing so strongly on hating white people, that we don't realize in order to prosper we need to get out of our comfort zones and work WITH them to help improve our lives and communities.
Not all white people are bad, and not all black people are good. This battle that we are fighting is not against skin color but against GOOD and EVIL regardless of what form it may come in.. Don't believe the HYPE!
The media isn't going to help us get out of this mindset, they make way too much money off of our ignorance. Thank God for modern technology! Instead of always needing to form street teams, and post flyers on every door to spread awareness you can simply, COPY, SHARE, and SPREAD important information to all your friends with the click of a button.. Don't let this message go unread! Get Trayvon Martin the Justice that he deserves by not just protesting in the streets and going back to life as it was before... But help make permanent changes to reform this African American culture of poverty and violence that is destroying our communities while everyone is paying attention!
Get educated, get motivated, and spread the truth! For when we learn the truth, then the truth will set us free! God bless us all!
- #ProjectEgypt
