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Editorial/Column
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ver the last few years
I've had to come to terms with the fact that my way of thinking is incapable of evolving as fast as society seems to be changing. What I once thought was normal is now being considered abnor-
mal and vice versa.
A prime example of this
occurred last week when NBA superstar Dwayne Wade's 11-year-old son, Zion Wade, was taken to a gay pride event in Miami by his stepmother, actress Gabrielle Union.
Apparently, the younger Wade revealed to his family that he believed himself to be homosexual and, in a show of support, they thought it would be a good idea for him to express his newly discov- ered identity at the LGBT festival.
When the story hit the news and social media plat- forms, I have to admit, I was blown away by how many people viewed this pre-teen's alleged coming-out-party as something to be celebrated. It was as if no one thought to question whether or not this child understood what he was proclaiming?
After all, we're talking about a kid who probably hasn't even had his first kiss yet. How many people in that
age range have a clue of what they want to be in life, let alone have a clear under- standing of sexuality?
When I was 10 I wanted to become the next Bruce Lee.BythetimeIwas13,I just knew that I was going to join the Navy like my father and uncle. And at 16, I was dead set on becoming a leg- end on the hip-hop scene.
The point is, the image of whoIwasandwhatI thought I wanted to pursue continued to shift because of whatever had the most influ- ence on my young mind at the time. Each of those phases only lasted for a short moment before my attention was drawn away by some- thing that seemed more cap- tivating.
With images of the LGBT lifestyle becoming more prominent and visible within our culture it's understand- able how an impressionable youth, who's approaching puberty, could be led to be- lieve that he or she may be gay.
The near constant bom- bardment of same sex cou- plings on big and small screens is causing mass con- fusion within fully formed brains. One can only imagine what they do to an immature psyche still trying to deal
with his or her own constant physical development.
It all reminds me of an ar- ticle I read in the National Geographic magazine last year about several transgen- der individuals who started transitioning during their adolescence. They told their parents that they identified more with the opposite sex and began hormone therapy in an effort to make their physical appearance match what they felt on the inside.
Once they became adults, though, they each came to the realization that they would much rather live as the sex in which they were born. But, unfortunately, it was too late. The men had developed ample breast and the women had amassed oversized shoulders and full beards that they couldn't stop from growing.
Cases like these show why it's prudent for parents to ex- ercise a little restraint when dealing with the fantastical whims of their offspring. While it's always good to hear them out on their ideas, there's nothing wrong with telling them "You may be right, but we'll revisit this conversation when you're 18 and on your way out of my house."
It may not be what kids want to hear when they feel passionate about something. But, at least it gives them time to make sure that the decisions they make are ones they can live with for the long
haul.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
Too Young To Know Better
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C. Blythe Andrews 1901-1977 (1945)
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. 1930-2010 (1977)
Nipsey Hussle And The Legacy Of American Violence
yped to the top of his birth certificate was the un-
likely name “Ermias Joseph Asghedom,” almost as unlikely as when a local mother wrote “God” as her son’s legal first name. Though history does not record what must have been a dubious beginning for a kid called “God,” it does indeed, record what happened to Ermias Joseph Asghedom, who --- on the rough streets of Los Angeles --- rewrote his name to be known by a combination of a famous Black comedian and by the name of a street thug.
Hence, a young Black man who found he had a pen- chant for words would be known worldwide as “Nipsey Hussle,” rapper extraordinaire!
But that wasn’t enough. Nipsey did not only want to be listened to, he wanted to be heard. So, ex-gang mem- ber and rapper-recording artist, became community leader-businessman-activist. Maybe, that’s when he marked himself for destruction.
Of the countless comments Hussle made, one state- ment stands out. He said, “My enemies are a blessing.” It reminded us of the Notorious B.I.G.’s quip just be- fore he died, “You’re nobody until somebody kills you,” and reminded us of the look in Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s eye when he made the prophetic remark, “I may not get to the mountain top with you . . .”
Yes, Nipsey Hussle was assassinated . . . as was Tupac Shakur, B.I.G., MLK, Malcolm X, JFK, RFK . . . going all the way back to Abraham Lincoln.
Be not afraid to call a spade a spade. For, America has a penchant for assassinations. “Why?” is the $64,000 question.
We will miss the young man with the improbable name, and will pray that our young men and nation may one day, lay down its Wild West ways. The Sen- tinel has spoken.
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