Ferguson

The events in Ferguson, Missouri last week illustrated how wide the gulf has grown between the urban African-Americans and much of the country. The black youth unemployment is at 24 percent, double the national youth average. 67 percent of African-American children live in single parent homes. That is almost triple the rate of whites. It is of small wonder that the white and urban black communities have difficulty communicating with each other.

Those concerned with the situation are divided into two groups. One side’s message is that life has not been fair to the country’s black citizens and without a permanent subsidy, they cannot survive. The other side’s message is that the life of the urban African-American doesn’t have to be substandard. A stable home, a quality education and personal drive is the only way out. The offer of money and a modicum of certainty have become more attractive to many than the alternative.

With this lack of control over one’s life comes resentment of the very system that offers protection from the challenges of life. When the system does not perform its expected role as protector, its dependents lash out. It is not unlike a child who directs a tantrum at a parent when not given its way. This is especially applicable when the government has assumed the role of a parent and provider for so many.

Race relations will not improve until the trap of low expectations is removed from our social fabric. We are all brothers and sisters. No one should live in such a state.