After The Crawl

I am truly disappointed in us. Black people (of U of I), we need to get it together. As this year is winding down, we are about to lose many of our friends and colleagues into the real world. They are not prepared. This is supposed to be a joyous occasion, a time of celebration to honor the efforts that we have put forth as a people and the obstacles that we have overcome to get this education that was at one time forbidden to us.

But what have we learned? Add a few cups of alcohol to the mix and it seems like it hasn't been much. While events such as these are supposed to take place as a final hoorah before reality, there is still a reality that needs to be faced in the moment. We are not invincible, we will not live forever. Some actions taken tonight illustrate just how ill-equipped college actualy makes us for reality and shows how unprepared we are to deal with ourselves as a people. We have no unity.

We always say it, and we always see it; we go places to have a good time and are greeted by the police. The first thing out of our mouths is they are racist, that they don't focus on the white people and their drunken stupors and public displays of intoxication. But just think how many times you have been in line at a function and have gotten bumped as people try to bum-rush a door. Think of all of the fights that occur by our people and involving our people that could have been avoided if a small bit of humility and a great bit of common sense were added into our mixed drinks. Imagine all of the times that we could have gotten into the parties if we did something as simple as forming a single file line, but we are so concerned with getting ourselves into the party/club or whatever that we weill not get out of our place in line, so that the end result is the group standing still.

How can we blame the police for showing up if this is what we know will occur ourselves? We prove them right more often than not. It is time we get in line and move. There is nothing wrong with extending courtesies to your fellow brown babies, latinos/as included. We are together the minority, but our numbers are too great to live in this diversity. What is another five minutes in a lince versus not getting in due to a fight that will occur, or not moving at all becasue we cannot/choose not to follow simple directions?

We need to take responsibility for ourselves and our attribution to our own stagancy. Sometimes it is best not to follow the crowd. Not to cop that attitude just becasue people are watching you and you dont want to feel played. How many more times are we going to try to come together only to be ripped apart, not by outsiders, but by our own people? Our friends come to our aid to fight with us, but they are helping us fight our own family. It is rare form to participate in a party that has no arguments or fights. And we are surprised when there are none on any given day. This has to change.

We are too petty. We need to let go of past differences, look at what our faults could have been versus only analyzing the actions of the other party. We need to work on ourselves to ensure we can have the best time possible with the people who should have out best interests in mind. We need to think of US and not I, the more I 's we see, the less unity occurs. The less things flow smoothly. The less it appears that we have respect for ourselves and the elders that gave up and risked so much for us to be able to be in an institute of higher education, for us to be able to use rest rooms and water fountains in public buildings.

We need to examine ourselves and see what we can change in ourselves individually that will benefit our people. It won't happen over night, but if everyone takes a small step forward, it will be that much harder for them to push us back. Class of 08, lets take the lessons that '07 layed out for us. We need to let go of the issues that plagued us years ago, let go of all of the fights and arguments, and come together as friends. It is easier to let go and be happy than to hold on to old grudges and force yourself to have a dislike for someone as similar as yourself. Lets work on us, so that our finale at this university can be one to both celebrate and be proud of. I love you all, and that is real.