Some of the Children Are Not Well

Johnchel

The question “How are the children?” refers to an old African greeting of our Ancestors.

By Johnchel – age 16

When two elders would meet, they would ask how the children of their villages were.

If one were to ask this about the youth 30 years ago, they would have seen a culture of young people experiencing newfound freedoms, and unity, yes seemingly, the children were well… then. Integration and civil rights, blues and jazz, were the centers of our culture. We were brothers and sisters… back then. Jesse Jackson was saying, “I am somebody!” James Brown was singing about being black and proud. African-Americans were a people proudly united by years of oppression, and were out to distinguish themselves and work together as one cohesive group.



A
lot can and has changed in 30 years. To look in on today’s youth, one
can see a great loss of innocence, cohesiveness and unity. They would
see a generation that must deal with more drama, peer pressure, and
violence than any generation that has come before it! They would see a
youthful culture also divided by their places of origin.


We ALL have
become divided. Even within this city of Asheville, the youth are
divided. There are the Shiloh kids who don’t like the Hillcrest kids.
Or, the Deaverveiw kids who don’t like the Pisgah View kids. I’ve
witnessed people being made fun of because they’re too dark skinned, or
even too light skinned. We’re not brothers and sisters anymore, but
instead… “niggas and ho’s.”


Being an
African-American teenager isn’t easy. There are many things you must do
to be taken seriously. You must dress, talk, act, think, and live a
certain way, or the American population at large won’t accept you. For
example, many people don’t consider me African-American because I’m not
“gangsta.” I’ve been accused of being “too white” because I don’t speak
with broken english, or listen to much rap music. However, society as a
whole looks at most African-American males as being confrontational,
and most are viewed as thieves, delinquents, or drug dealers.


There are
however, many good things about this generation. There’s a significant
increase in entertainment. Better movies, video games, and more social
freedom. Besides all this “No child left behind” nonsense, our
education has improved dramatically. And yes, I am a student who plans
to go to college, a luxury my ancestors were not allowed.


With all being
said, our generation has its share of problems, and seeing how I hate
stating problems without solutions, there are things adults can do to
help.


First of all,
don’t be judgmental; I’ve been stopped in stores before because someone
thought I was stealing things, when I wasn’t. I want people to see me
as a human being and not a potential criminal. Also, positive examples
are always good. If parents act a certain way, then their kids will
probably pick up on it.


Secondly, adults
must realize that things are different now. I’ve noticed that many
adults live under the motto “It worked for us, it’ll work for the
children.” I get a little frustrated when an adult tells me “Because I
said so,” like I’m too stupid to understand the real reason behind the
“said so” command!


If you ask me,
“How are the children?” I would say hungry—hungry for recognition,
attention, help, and for opportunity. We are the future, not merely the
inconvenient present, and through the grace of God and your help, we
can change the world.