Black Middle Class: The Hidden Struggle of the Cosby’s

The second portion of The Black Community topics focuses on the issues facing the more fortunate members of the Black Community and how they can be both positively and negatively interpreted.

The 3 Questions:

1. Is this discussion out dated?

2. Do Black people stereotype themselves?

3. Is there any validity to the middle class Blacks having it harder than lower class Blacks?

FRONT STREET

Although conventional wisdom would lead Americans to believe the richer the better, this isn’t necessarily true in the Black Community.  Believe it or not, there is a divide drawn along monetary lines. It is often times the catalyst to the misused insult “sellout.”  Blacks in the middle class,  however, float between two worlds:  the misconceptions of whites in their schools and neighborhoods and the misconception from Blacks that are not in their schools and neighborhoods.  This places the Black middle class in the limbo of trying to prove themselves on two different fronts that collide to create no win situations.  Damned if you underachieve because you represent your race, and damned if you succeed because you have seemingly abandoned your race.  Does the existence of the Black middle class somehow help to destroy the Black community?

Please write in and respond to our 3 poll questions or post some questions that you would like to see discussed.  These questions and more will be addressed during the discussion found on YouTube beginning on  1/28/2014.  This video was filmed July 7, 2012.

Black Middle Class Part 1

Black Middle Class Part 2

Black Middle Class Part 3

The Black Church: Its Social, Spiritual, and Economic Impact

Our third topic of discussion focuses on the Black church and its affects the Black Community.

The 3 Questions

1. Is the Black church still the cornerstone of the Black Community?

2. Does the Black church have an impact on the morality of the Black Community?

3. Do you think the Black church is corrupt?

FRONT STREET

In many ways the Black Community owes its existence to the Black church and its leaders.  Always at the forefront of the march towards equality and citizenship in the United States, Black preachers were often the leaders of movements and the voice of reason when it came to what was considered right and fair in the eyes of all mankind.  However, with the passing of time, the once elevated position of being a Black preacher has been relegated to an afterthought for the more recent generation of Black youth.  The few that still have the attention of the Black Community have either been caught in scandal or spend time and resources struggling to stave off anything that may cause their reputations to become tarnished.  The Black Church has taken an even bigger hit, with less and less influence over its dwindling congregation, resulting in less of an impact on the entire Black Community.  Has the decline of the Black church helped in the destruction of Our community?

Please write in and response to our 3 poll questions or post some questions that you would like to see discussed.  These question and more will be addressed during the discussion found on YouTube beginning on  1/28/2014.  This video was filmed June 23, 2012.

The Black Church Part 1

The Black Church Part 2

The Black Church Part 3

Parenting: Raising The Next Generation

The fourth installment of the Black Community topics focuses on parenting and how it affects the Black Community.

The 3 Questions

1. Are single parent homes the new normal in the Black Community?

2. Is it wrong to correct someone else’s child?

3. Do you feel that our morals have changed and if so for better or worse?

FRONT STREET

There are a lot of problems within the Black Community, all of which may stem from this one category.  Parenting is the most difficult and consuming endeavor that exists in the typical human experience.  There is no one way to raise a child, and like the African proverb states, “It takes a village to raise a child.”  However, nowadays it is less and less common to see that proverb in action.  Based on the increasing number of outside influences, children seem to be less interested in doing what their parent(s) say and more focused on doing whatever makes them feel good.  Additionally, they have become more selfish because We as adults have become more selfish with Our time and patience with Our children.  Without proper guidance, we may be leaving the future generation to make critical decisions before their time.  How much is parenting to blame for the destruction of our community?

Please write in and respond to our 3 poll questions or post some questions that you would like to see discussed.  These question and more will be addressed during the discussion found on YouTube beginning on  5/25/2023.  This video was filmed April 15, 2023.

Parenting (Revisited)

The Drug Epidemic: The Crippling of the Black Community

The first portion of the discussion on The Black Community focuses on the drug epidemic and its impact on the Black Community.

The 3 Questions

1. Can a drug dealer be a positive role model?

2. How much is the drug epidemic to blame for problems in the Black Community?

3. Do you feel that some or all drugs should be legalized and if so which ones and why?

FRONT STREET

There have been movies, documentaries, books, articles, programs, and so much more dedicated to the topic of drugs and their impact on society as a whole.  More often than not, these mass media events focus their attention on Black America’s drug dealers and tough neighborhoods.  This subject encompasses so much more than how bad drugs are to just the individual, but how they can affect every aspect of life in certain communities.   How much is the drug epidemic to blame for the destruction of our community?

Please write in and respond to our 3 poll questions or post some questions that you would like to see discussed.  These questions and more were addressed on March 19, 2011 during our Roundtable conversation aired on YouTube.

The Drug Epidemic