I read two stories today that dealt with race in America. One broke my heart, one made me smile. Both have ties to my hometown, Atlanta.
I’ll lead with the happier story since it’s shorter. The son of former NFL star Deion Sanders tweeted “Gotta get the hood doughnuts almost every morning. If my doughnuts don’t come in a plain white box, I don’t want them!” His father replied in a re-tweet “you’re a Huxtable with a million $ trust fund stop the hood stuff! Lololol.” Good natured teasing between father and son.
The story that broke my heart is about a young black man in Atlanta, named Anthony Stokes, age 17. Two years ago he was denied a heart transplant by Children’s Hospital in Atlanta because he was deemed to be “noncompliant.” That is doctors feared he would not follow the drug and therapy regimen to ensure his health after the transplant. His mother felt that hospital authorities were unfairly stereotyping her son. Media attention ensued and young Anthony received a new heart in August 2013. At that time he had been arrested at least three times for burglary in 2010, 2012 and February 2013, six months before the transplant controversy. At the time of his transplant he was wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet. His mother, however, also arranged for a mentor so that Anthony would receive a new chance at life, literally and metaphorically.
Alas, the predictions were correct that he was “noncompliant.” This week he died after crashing a stolen car. He carjacked an SUV at a mall, tried to burglarize a home by kicking in the door then shot at the elderly woman watching tv inside. She called 911. Police spotted the stolen car and gave pursuit. Anthony lost control in a high-speed chase and fatally crashed into the pole of a bank sign.
Since his operation Anthony posted photos and selfies of himself on Facebook posing with a gun. He had further encounters with the law before this weeks’ tragedy. Last year he was arrested for shoplifting and police at that time found a stolen pistol hidden in his jacket. Later in the year he was arrested in a stolen car where police found again stolen pistols. At the time of that arrest he was again wearing a court-ordered ankle bracelet.
Sources for the facts above come from two sources, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and KTLA.
There is a lot that can and will be said about the Stokes case. I imagine liberals, to the extent they discuss this case at all, will defend the decision to give Anthony a new heart and a new chance why conservatives will say some variation of "I told you so." I’ll leave the handwringing and accusations to others.
What disturbs me is what these two cases have in common. Both young men were attracted to the perceived glamour of the “hood life.” Deion, Jr. seemed to want cred by referencing buying doughnuts for the “hood.” Anthony not only posed as a “gangsta” but actively led the lifestyle even after what should have been a life-changing operation.
What is the attraction of the hood for young black men? (Or anyone since young men and women of all races adopt to one degree or another the argot, style and attitude of the ghetto).
When we have role models like Barack Obama, Ta-Nehisi Coates and Neil deGrasse Tyson, why does the culture of crime and ignorance still allure? What does it take to make intellectual achievement cool for young black men?
After cycling around today I think I have an answer. Not the answer, maybe not even a good answer, but an answer. The play Lysistrata comes to mind. If we want young black men to act less like hoods we need to get to young women first. If young women treat men as undesirable when they show a hood attitude then those men will soon reform. When young women give their attention to young men who work to succeed in school and in life without taking advantage of others then we'll see more young black men (and white men, too) making changes in their life.
Which brings me to the third story of the day. Rapper Azealia Banks says Obama "is fine" and she'd like to have sex with him. I am unfamiliar with Azealia Banks but I hope her attitude spreads among young women.
