I'm going to be Rich...but my children are going to be hood.

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by B Smooth 202

I understand what Haze is tryna say...these suburban kids are out of control in a lot of ways..

Its all about values and what you instill in your child. Nothing can compare to rising up...ascension from those conditions gives you instinct and experience.

Like I said I'm taking it even further than the hood, because this also gives me the impression that most "hoods" are actually not that bad if people want to live there. That's why I used the example of diseased ridden slums in third world countries. If I came from one of those parts of the world. If my mother sacrificed to remove me from that environment so I can pursue and education and have a brighter future why the hell would I wanna take me kids back to live there.

Your background is different from an African American. Of course your going to hold your experience of American life in a better light considering the example you just provided is something you can relate to based on your own genetic/family history.

What I don't understand is how you always end up on the defensive side of these kind of arguments, when you should know the DIRECT causes of the present, and overall modern condition and treatment of the continent and peoples of Africa. I truly expect better from you Anton.

It's not about glorifying the hood. It's about staying true to who you are.
I'm not the only one arguing against this that isn't African American... with that being said I'm more "African American" than you think. I may not have been born here but I grew up in this country and spent some years in the "hoods". You don't have to be African American to relate to this, there are many other groups that left unsavory environments for better places to raise their children I don't see why they would ever wanna take them back to live there.


My knowledge of the direct causes of the present and overall condition and treatment of the continent and people of Africa is why I can't cosign this. I've seen way worse hoods than they have here in America and anyone saying they're going to raise their kids there are misguided. You can still make a difference and work for social change in these neighborhoods without making your children live there.



I can truly say I didn't expect any better from you.

 

[-Red-]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

Originally Posted by red mpls

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey


Ironic ain't it? people complain about wanting social change yet they insist on glorifying the conditions in these hoods.

I would, do, and will live in the hood for the rest of my life and I don't have to to anymore.

It's the approach that everyone should simply abandon their community as soon as they're economically able to do so in favor of a "better" community that has been instrumental in the deterioration of so many urban communities since the late 1960s (among many other factors, obviously).  Now you have a situation where the number of adults that have steady, legitimate work through which they are able to support their families is virtually zero on some blocks and in some neighborhoods.  Now the youth have virtually no one to "look up to" that is supporting their family through a regular job as opposed to the underground economy, government assistance, etc.; they don't even know anyone who has a college degree in their neighborhood because everyone who earned a degree left.

So essentially all of the well-educated and gainfully employed people have left the community... but the goons are still there... the drugs are still there... the hustlers are still there... the street organizations are still there... That's the reality that these kids see and experience everyday.  They feel like education isn't relevant to them because they don't know anyone who graduated college.  They feel like work isn't relevant to them because they don't see anyone in their neighborhood going to work everyday and making ends meet, and no one is coming into the neighborhood to work because there aren't any jobs there.  So who are these young people going to emulate?


I don't just want social change, I'm working for social change, and I'm living social change.  My career and passion is working with young people in the hood helping them to organize themselves and their peers to create social change in their schools, communities, and city.  And guess what?  They see that it's someone who came from a situation like theirs and that lives in their community that's helping them to do that.  THAT'S why I live in the hood even though I don't have to.  It has nothing to do with "glorifying" anything.

well more power you to you, there are however people that DO glorify it. no names.


Like I said I'm taking it even further than the hood, because this also gives me the impression that most "hoods" are actually not that bad if people want to live there. That's why I used the example of diseased ridden slums in third world countries. If I came from one of those parts of the world. If my mother sacrificed to remove me from that environment so I can pursue and education and have a brighter future why the hell would I wanna take me kids back to live there.

People should be creating a culture and mentality that it is not ok to live in certain conditions and unfortunately this isn't the case in many hoods. Look at rappers making money and rapping about how they stay in the hood 24/7 pitching rocks, come on son. You can work for social change but you do not have to put your kids through that. You can still be involved in these social programs without making your kids hood in the process.

I'm not quite sure what points you're trying to make. If you want to talk about third-world slums, my parents lived and worked for years in the favelas of Sao Paulo, Brazil organizing people for better living conditions, education, employment opportunities, etc.  I was conceived, born, and spent the first years of my life there.  They were there out of choice.  And if your point is that the hoods in the U.S. aren't so bad in comparison, then why take issue with people choosing to live there?

I never said anything about rappers, I'm not sure how that's a relevant response to anything that I initially stated.  As far as working for change without "putting my kids through that," I look at every young person in the hood as my child and they're already going through it so that perspective is irrelevant to me.  You speak about creating a culture and mentality that certain living conditions are not acceptable - I agree!  But this isn't about rappers, it's about our government ensuring that people's basic human necessities are always met.  Slums existed in this country long before hip hop music...

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I'm not the only one arguing against this that isn't African American... with that being said I'm more "African American" than you think. I may not have been born here but I grew up in this country and spent some years in the "hoods". You don't have to be African American to relate to this, there are many other groups that left unsavory environments for better places to raise their children I don't see why they would ever wanna take them back to live there.


My knowledge of the direct causes of the present and overall condition and treatment of the continent and people of Africa is why I can't cosign this. I've seen way worse hoods than they have here in America and anyone saying they're going to raise their kids there are misguided. You can still make a difference and work for social change in these neighborhoods without making your children live there.



I can truly say I didn't expect any better from you.

So I'm misguided because I choose to work to transform my community from the inside out as well as from the outside in?  Okay

 

[wawaweewa]

You may be older than me but may be you haven't realized this yet.

Most people are ungrateful bastards with selectively short memories whether they are part of your community or not. They will +%#% on you when given the chance.

 

[smash adams]

this is the same guy that wanted to fight ninjahood over fat joe's street cred.

living in the hood is def where its at.

 

[-Red-]

Originally Posted by wawaweewa

You may be older than me but may be you haven't realized this yet.

Most people are ungrateful bastards with selectively short memories whether they are part of your community or not. They will +%#% on you when given the chance.

Not sure if this was directed at me or not but either way I agree.  But regardless I try to live my life according to my own values and "code" regardless of how others choose to live their lives.  And I don't really put myself in positions where people have the opportunity to ##+$ on me, I definitely learned that lesson the hard way...

 

[cronicmolemolereturns]

Originally Posted by Scott Frost

Is Haze still alive or was he silenced by the invisible hand?

He probably repatriated to Africa by now...breaking bread with Mugabe

 

[fenixconnexion.]

i didnt read all the posts in this thread but here's what I'm gonna say...
I'm Chinese and both my parents are immigrants, worked hard and now live fairly comfortable. We're not balling but it's a huge improvement from what they first had when they moved here. Now this is common among many Asian immigrants and its from our values and lessons taught by our ancestors and stuff.

As of 2008, Asian Americans had the highest educational attainment level and median household income of any racial demographic in the country, and the highest median personal income overall


but majority of asian americans are NOT hood, yet we're pretty succesful. just my 2 cents. my point is that there are alternatives to raising your kids hood in order to be successful.

 

[we get money]

^ Chill man Mugabe is a crook

 

[hankmoody]

^and a racist. He's scum, basically.

 

[joe camel smooth]

lol classic thread

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by red mpls

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

Originally Posted by red mpls


I would, do, and will live in the hood for the rest of my life and I don't have to to anymore.

It's the approach that everyone should simply abandon their community as soon as they're economically able to do so in favor of a "better" community that has been instrumental in the deterioration of so many urban communities since the late 1960s (among many other factors, obviously).  Now you have a situation where the number of adults that have steady, legitimate work through which they are able to support their families is virtually zero on some blocks and in some neighborhoods.  Now the youth have virtually no one to "look up to" that is supporting their family through a regular job as opposed to the underground economy, government assistance, etc.; they don't even know anyone who has a college degree in their neighborhood because everyone who earned a degree left.

So essentially all of the well-educated and gainfully employed people have left the community... but the goons are still there... the drugs are still there... the hustlers are still there... the street organizations are still there... That's the reality that these kids see and experience everyday.  They feel like education isn't relevant to them because they don't know anyone who graduated college.  They feel like work isn't relevant to them because they don't see anyone in their neighborhood going to work everyday and making ends meet, and no one is coming into the neighborhood to work because there aren't any jobs there.  So who are these young people going to emulate?

well more power you to you, there are however people that DO glorify it. no names.


Like I said I'm taking it even further than the hood, because this also gives me the impression that most "hoods" are actually not that bad if people want to live there. That's why I used the example of diseased ridden slums in third world countries. If I came from one of those parts of the world. If my mother sacrificed to remove me from that environment so I can pursue and education and have a brighter future why the hell would I wanna take me kids back to live there.

People should be creating a culture and mentality that it is not ok to live in certain conditions and unfortunately this isn't the case in many hoods. Look at rappers making money and rapping about how they stay in the hood 24/7 pitching rocks, come on son. You can work for social change but you do not have to put your kids through that. You can still be involved in these social programs without making your kids hood in the process.

I'm not quite sure what points you're trying to make. If you want to talk about third-world slums, my parents lived and worked for years in the favelas of Sao Paulo, Brazil organizing people for better living conditions, education, employment opportunities, etc.  I was conceived, born, and spent the first years of my life there.  They were there out of choice.  And if your point is that the hoods in the U.S. aren't so bad in comparison, then why take issue with people choosing to live there?

I never said anything about rappers, I'm not sure how that's a relevant response to anything that I initially stated.  As far as working for change without "putting my kids through that," I look at every young person in the hood as my child and they're already going through it so that perspective is irrelevant to me.  You speak about creating a culture and mentality that certain living conditions are not acceptable - I agree!  But this isn't about rappers, it's about our government ensuring that people's basic human necessities are always met.  Slums existed in this country long before hip hop music...

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I'm not the only one arguing against this that isn't African American... with that being said I'm more "African American" than you think. I may not have been born here but I grew up in this country and spent some years in the "hoods". You don't have to be African American to relate to this, there are many other groups that left unsavory environments for better places to raise their children I don't see why they would ever wanna take them back to live there.


My knowledge of the direct causes of the present and overall condition and treatment of the continent and people of Africa is why I can't cosign this. I've seen way worse hoods than they have here in America and anyone saying they're going to raise their kids there are misguided. You can still make a difference and work for social change in these neighborhoods without making your children live there.



I can truly say I didn't expect any better from you.

So I'm misguided because I choose to work to transform my community from the inside out as well as from the outside in?  Okay

What does this have to do with your children? I actually agree with you, I think you should work in the hood but you can do this without making your children hood. These places need better role models, I'd like to see more doctors, lawyers, etc work in these neighborhoods......it would be selfish however to bring a kid into this world just to raise them in unpleasant conditions. That is my point. If I have the opportunity to raise my kids with certain values without putting them through hell that's what I plan on doing. This argument has less to do with your choices and more to do with choices you're making for another human being.

And I'm saying the hoods here must not be that bad if people keep insisting on wanting to live there. Pay careful attention to the wording.

There are people living in certain conditions around the world who do not have a choice and would find this thread laughable.


And let's not act like the discussion of rap music and glorifying "hoodness" is not relevant....it's part of the whole mentality of complacency in many of these neighborhoods across America.

 

[AEA18]

I haven't read this yet but OP what will you do when your kids are not accepted by the kids in the hood?


It won't be a pleasant experience when other kids are fighting or bullying your kids just because they know they are not from the hood.

 

[-Red-]

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

Originally Posted by red mpls

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

well more power you to you, there are however people that DO glorify it. no names.


Like I said I'm taking it even further than the hood, because this also gives me the impression that most "hoods" are actually not that bad if people want to live there. That's why I used the example of diseased ridden slums in third world countries. If I came from one of those parts of the world. If my mother sacrificed to remove me from that environment so I can pursue and education and have a brighter future why the hell would I wanna take me kids back to live there.

People should be creating a culture and mentality that it is not ok to live in certain conditions and unfortunately this isn't the case in many hoods. Look at rappers making money and rapping about how they stay in the hood 24/7 pitching rocks, come on son. You can work for social change but you do not have to put your kids through that. You can still be involved in these social programs without making your kids hood in the process.

I'm not quite sure what points you're trying to make. If you want to talk about third-world slums, my parents lived and worked for years in the favelas of Sao Paulo, Brazil organizing people for better living conditions, education, employment opportunities, etc.  I was conceived, born, and spent the first years of my life there.  They were there out of choice.  And if your point is that the hoods in the U.S. aren't so bad in comparison, then why take issue with people choosing to live there?

I never said anything about rappers, I'm not sure how that's a relevant response to anything that I initially stated.  As far as working for change without "putting my kids through that," I look at every young person in the hood as my child and they're already going through it so that perspective is irrelevant to me.  You speak about creating a culture and mentality that certain living conditions are not acceptable - I agree!  But this isn't about rappers, it's about our government ensuring that people's basic human necessities are always met.  Slums existed in this country long before hip hop music...

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

I'm not the only one arguing against this that isn't African American... with that being said I'm more "African American" than you think. I may not have been born here but I grew up in this country and spent some years in the "hoods". You don't have to be African American to relate to this, there are many other groups that left unsavory environments for better places to raise their children I don't see why they would ever wanna take them back to live there.


My knowledge of the direct causes of the present and overall condition and treatment of the continent and people of Africa is why I can't cosign this. I've seen way worse hoods than they have here in America and anyone saying they're going to raise their kids there are misguided. You can still make a difference and work for social change in these neighborhoods without making your children live there.



I can truly say I didn't expect any better from you.

So I'm misguided because I choose to work to transform my community from the inside out as well as from the outside in?  Okay

What does this have to do with your children? I actually agree with you, I think you should work in the hood but you can do this without making your children hood. These places need better role models, I'd like to see more doctors, lawyers, etc work in these neighborhoods......it would be selfish however to bring a kid into this world just to raise them in unpleasant conditions. That is my point. If I have the opportunity to raise my kids with certain values without putting them through hell that's what I plan on doing. This argument has less to do with your choices and more to do with choices you're making for another human being.

And I'm saying the hoods here must not be that bad if people keep insisting on wanting to live there. Pay careful attention to the wording.

There are people living in certain conditions around the world who do not have a choice and would find this thread laughable.


And let's not act like the discussion of rap music and glorifying "hoodness" is not relevant....it's part of the whole mentality of complacency in many of these neighborhoods across America.

Fam, you can live raise children in the hood without "making them hood."  You're acting like I'm talking about living in a slum building with less than enough space for my family, giving my children no supervision to roam the streets, and providing them with no additional opportunities and resources than the average youth in the ghetto...

And you seem to be contradicting yourself saying the hoods here are not all that bad and then saying how irresponsible it is for people to raise their children in these communities.  You can't have it both ways.  And you're not telling me anything I don't know first-hand about slums in third-world countries.  What does that even have to do with this topic?

As far as glorifying "hoodness," almost anyone in any impoverished community would jump at the opportunity to work a livable wage job and move their family to a safer, more stable neighborhood so I'm not sure what kind of psychological dedication to the hood you're alluding to.  Society tells people from impoverished communities that they aren't %!+% and that they and their families are solely responsible for their situation and the conditions in their neighborhoods.  Society tells them to "get ahead" through education and hard work (as if that's all it's ever taken anyone) and then fails to provide adequate educational resources and employment opportunities.  So people develop a pride about being from the slums, something that society tells them should be a badge of shame... how dare they!

The "complacency" that you allude to is not innate and it's a symptom of larger issues, NOT the issue itself.

 

[doitallpaul]

just teach them morales

 

[utvol23]

Read through pretty much the whole thread but didnt realize it was 2 yrs old till the final pages. A lot of bickering back and forth so not much to add but:


Why is it that some people in this thread label the upper middle class a as snobs, stuck up, without drive etc and detest their children from becoming like the upper middle class but if someone makes a blanket statement about what people in the hood are like they are so wrong for generalizing? You cant have it both ways so stop stereotyping the upper middle class just like you dont want the poor to be stereotyped.

Like many others have stated I think parents have a large role on a persons development, morals, drive etc and I dont think people from the hood have more drive than those from the upper class just like those from the upper class dont have more drive than the people from the hood.

My parents started out what would be called "poor" but through hard work have climbed the ladder to what would likely be considered upper middle class but by no means wealthy. I didnt grow up with a silver spoon in my mouth but I had everything I needed and decent amt of what I wanted, I went to a good public school, my parents provided a car when I was 16 but definitely not anything spectacular. I was by no means stuck up or lazy, I have held a job from the age of 15 from bagging groceries, working at fast food joints, loading 18 wheelers you name it Ive done, worked through college and med school. I havent lived in the hood ( dated a few hood chicks so was in the hood a bit not sure if that counts) but I consider myself a very driven and hard working individual one of the so called upper middle class that seem to be hated on because they didnt have to struggle for everything in life. Oh and so are my three best friends from middle school all of whom are physicians and last i checked you dont get there by being lazy, having things handed to you, and not caring about others.

With all that said though I think I see where the OP is coming from in knowing what the other side of the coin is like but I dont think living in the burbs and occasionally visiting the hood will constitute raising your children hood.

 

[antonlavey]

Originally Posted by red mpls

Originally Posted by AntonLaVey

Originally Posted by red mpls

I'm not quite sure what points you're trying to make. If you want to talk about third-world slums, my parents lived and worked for years in the favelas of Sao Paulo, Brazil organizing people for better living conditions, education, employment opportunities, etc.  I was conceived, born, and spent the first years of my life there.  They were there out of choice.  And if your point is that the hoods in the U.S. aren't so bad in comparison, then why take issue with people choosing to live there?

I never said anything about rappers, I'm not sure how that's a relevant response to anything that I initially stated.  As far as working for change without "putting my kids through that," I look at every young person in the hood as my child and they're already going through it so that perspective is irrelevant to me.  You speak about creating a culture and mentality that certain living conditions are not acceptable - I agree!  But this isn't about rappers, it's about our government ensuring that people's basic human necessities are always met.  Slums existed in this country long before hip hop music...


So I'm misguided because I choose to work to transform my community from the inside out as well as from the outside in?  Okay

What does this have to do with your children? I actually agree with you, I think you should work in the hood but you can do this without making your children hood. These places need better role models, I'd like to see more doctors, lawyers, etc work in these neighborhoods......it would be selfish however to bring a kid into this world just to raise them in unpleasant conditions. That is my point. If I have the opportunity to raise my kids with certain values without putting them through hell that's what I plan on doing. This argument has less to do with your choices and more to do with choices you're making for another human being.

And I'm saying the hoods here must not be that bad if people keep insisting on wanting to live there. Pay careful attention to the wording.

There are people living in certain conditions around the world who do not have a choice and would find this thread laughable.


And let's not act like the discussion of rap music and glorifying "hoodness" is not relevant....it's part of the whole mentality of complacency in many of these neighborhoods across America.

Fam, you can live raise children in the hood without "making them hood."  You're acting like I'm talking about living in a slum building with less than enough space for my family, giving my children no supervision to roam the streets, and providing them with no additional opportunities and resources than the average youth in the ghetto...

And you seem to be contradicting yourself saying the hoods here are not all that bad and then saying how irresponsible it is for people to raise their children in these communities.  You can't have it both ways.  And you're not telling me anything I don't know first-hand about slums in third-world countries.  What does that even have to do with this topic?

As far as glorifying "hoodness," almost anyone in any impoverished community would jump at the opportunity to work a livable wage job and move their family to a safer, more stable neighborhood so I'm not sure what kind of psychological dedication to the hood you're alluding to.  Society tells people from impoverished communities that they aren't %!+% and that they and their families are solely responsible for their situation and the conditions in their neighborhoods.  Society tells them to "get ahead" through education and hard work (as if that's all it's ever taken anyone) and then fails to provide adequate educational resources and employment opportunities.  So people develop a pride about being from the slums, something that society tells them should be a badge of shame... how dare they!

The "complacency" that you allude to is not innate and it's a symptom of larger issues, NOT the issue itself.

Well I guess you're going to have to be more specific about what "hood" is, cause like I said if you desire to raise your children in the "hood" whatever you consider hood is probably not that bad. My idea of the "hood" is somewhere I wouldn't wish anyone to live in if they didn't have to. I told you to pay close attention to the language, it isn't a contradiction.


Never said the complacency was innate

but it is a huge part of the problem.


Great post from UTVOL, I think you and I had similar upbringings.

 

[kix4kix]

still 

 

[kix4kix]

.

 

[south sole]

 

[amer2384]

If I have a decent income and live an affluent life, my children are going to enjoy the riches and positive aspects of that lifestyle. I will more than likely spoil my kids, just as my parents did to me, however, the only sidenote is you better be getting damn good grades in school, nothing lower than A's, and desire to attend a top 50 institution in the nation. If they are making good grades, you don't need to give them a "hood lifestyle". Let them enjoy how fortunate they are to be in an environment where they can enjoy things, as long as you teach them proper morals and push for them to be educated.

 

[cherryred]

oh wow, this is an old thread

 

[mr jordan04]

No matter how well you "teach," your child, you never know. I've seen rich kids who have had everything, parents work great jobs, good morals and the kid turns into nothing. I've also seen people with nothing, straight out the hood, all their friends and immediate family with gang ties,but still come out the hood, graduate college, and make something out of themselves.

 

[truthgetsbusy]

Originally Posted by Amer2384

If I have a decent income and live an affluent life, my children are going to enjoy the riches and positive aspects of that lifestyle. I will more than likely spoil my kids, just as my parents did to me, however, the only sidenote is you better be getting damn good grades in school, nothing lower than A's, and desire to attend a top 50 institution in the nation. If they are making good grades, you don't need to give them a "hood lifestyle". Let them enjoy how fortunate they are to be in an environment where they can enjoy things, as long as you teach them proper morals and push for them to be educated.

Grades and school matter but that isn't what life is about.  Alot of life lessons and moments that shape a person's character will take place outside the classroom.  In my eyes being a good person matters more than being a good student.  My role as a parent isn't to raise the best student possible.  My role is make sure my child understands how the world works and teach them respect, compassion, humility, and work ethic.  There's alot of straight A kids that are clueless about life outside a book.   Make sure you preach that balance.

  

 

[forgot about jae]

Would yall's view change if it was a daughter and not a son?

Is it safe to say some girls run a higher risk of encountering violence and negativity in a "hood" environment?

Yes I understand that she can get pregnant or an STD or in cahoots with the wrong people in any place or city, and run into drugs and all that with any group of teens in any environment. It's obvious that rich people and their kids have their own issues and aren't that different from us at all, but I've just never seen young teenage girls fight as much and as remorselessly as they do in the hood

Girls are straight callous out there..

 

[pdxkickz2009]

dumb post