Black Lives Matter (BLM) is set up to blame anybody or any thing that contributes to the demise of young black men. That is anything or or anybody that doesn’t directly implicate the alleged victim.  Popular themes bias, racism, poverty, illegal guns, and drugs. If one looks closer this is all bait and switch. Witness the testimonials about the loss to basketball and his talent on the court, in the latest shooting of a Pelicans Player. Not a word about his abilities as a father, friend or mentor. 

The latest Senseless Shooting occurred in Dallas when a budding NBA star forced his way into his “girlfriend’s” third floor apartment. The problem is, she lived on the fourth floor. He picked the wrong door to kick in and paid for it. Somehow, somebody else is at fault.  What about his choices?  He knocks up baby’s mama and can’t be bothered to marry her.  OK, old fashioned, set up light housekeeping. She’s in Dallas. He’s in New Orleans. He’s such an attentive father he can’t differentiate between the third floor and the fourth. On receiving no response to his knocks there is no inventory, am I in the right place? Nope, down comes the door.  No reflection, I been gone an hour and she changed the whole decor of the place.  There’s another door, charge!

Good shooting! I ain’t gonna loose any sleep over the goofy bastard.  I don’t know if this is a personal failing or cultural or a lack of etiquette but in case after case the only common denominator in these shootings is brought by the victim. The victim is a black male typically under the age of thirty. Money or lack thereof is not a common denominator. The inability to control one self, the demand for instant respect whether earned or not, the thin skinned me,me,me are common denominators. How to explain the behavior.

I don’t know if Richard Wright invented the term “bad nigger” but he sure makes use of it in describing “Bigger Thomas”. It may be as good an explanation as any other, for the abandon with which young black men throw themselves into no win situations with no reasonable expectation of surviving. Given the behavior manifested by segments of the black community it is way too soon to retire the term, when it explains so much.

Listen to the language. Look at the style. Listen to the music.  The thug and dope dealer are king.  Ignorance is bliss, speak too well and kids are “diss’d” for talking white. The anti-hero is the hero. Bad is good, good is sissy. To be down is to be with it.