Richard M. Williams, Ed.D.
Barack Obama's election to the presidency is historical, not magical. The spirit of his plight can be and must be shared.
He has pulled up his pants of preparation and tightened his belt of commitment and action. We can, and we must do the same. Let's pull up our pants (literally) and tighten our belts (literally). Let's change our symbol of success.
We have allowed the symbol of incarceration (pants with no belt) set the style of our image. When we think of incarceration, we often think of black males. We don't need a symbol drawing us into the mentality of incarceration. Rather, we need a symbol of us coming out of that mentality. An appropriate and historical symbol would be for all young black man to pull up their pants and tighten their belts. Let this be a symbol and a statement.
Let us pull up our dropout pants and tighten our school belts. Let us pull up our drive-by shooting pants and tighten our belts of communication, reconciliation, and friendship. Let us tighten our belts for better minds and better health.
If you pull up your pants and cover your behinds, you force people to get a better view of you. Let them see your eyes. Let them see your mind, not your behind. Show them the best part of you.
Slavery kicked our behinds. Jim Crow laws kicked our behinds. It is more tempting to kick the behind that you can see. So, let us make a statement in the spirit of Obama, by pulling up your pants and tighten your belt and tell your friends to do the same. Tell them to PULL UP, TIGHTEN UP, and MAN UP. As Obama said, "Yes we Can". For a short video clip on pulling up pants go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE7LXpIoYvk&feature=channel_page
Share the video, join the movement. To get on our mailing list, send your email address or comment to: doc@randrassociates.org
Dr. Richard M. Williams is the author of several books on the black family and black health, including the best seller, They Stole It But You Must Return It. He has appeared on more than 70 different radio talk shows across the United States. He has also appeared on national television shows such as Black Entertainment Network, and the Oprah Winfrey Show discussing issues concerning the black family and black health. He has appeared as a key speaker at colleges, schools, churches, and agencies across the United States. He also chairs the Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.
EDITOR'S NOTE:It is time for our young black males to rise and be the best of what they can. With our black males experiencing the highest drop-out rate, and the highest incarceration rate, it is time for a self-development movement. Please publish, announce, promote, and support the above initiative.
CONTACT:
Richard M. Williams, Ed.D.
(678) 654-6474
doc@randrassociates.com
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