Young Adult Black Males

As a group, young black adult males have a lot of family to support when they turn
eighteen. So why are we silent when they get out of high school and immediately sign
themselves up to work on the biggest plantation in America? I don't think we should revile, or ridicule them.
I just think we should have a continual discussion going about how to free them. We are their community, and the NCAA is a tremendously tentacled parasite.
Universities don't compensate these young athletes in any way; but they pay people
millions to coach them. We appreciate the coaching, but these coaches have talented
men on their teams. What is that worth?
These universities reap revenues which help keep EVERYONE's tuition costs down.
I think these young men should consider staying together to form non-official teams. There is no college degree in the world worth the way these guys have to slave on those courts, while still having to study, getting no consideration for how
much money they earn for these schools.
The NCAA has a terrible record of ignoring the attrition rates of these young men besides.
Lastly, when one of them does make it, we need to recognize that they feed, in the main, the actual NBA. Trillions of dollars are in play when yearly revenues of the
NCAA and the NBA are added. I would guess 1.2T minimum.
These young men are collectively are a multi-billion dollar industry. We need to begin to fight for them, because they are young, and they are busy, and they are
already doing the best they know how to do to get ahead. They want a shot. Nothing wrong with that. But let universities starve, and let the NBA dry up for a while.
This country can't afford to do without the basketball industry and its side businesses, I know. But not one of these young men should sign with any of these
universities for less than $500,000. In that way, they can afford four years of college whether they hit a snag or not. If they play just one year, they will earn
thousands for the school. If the student doesn't play the entire, season, pro-rate
him.
If the guys get together to study while working at McDonald's, or mowing lawns or
shovelling snow or playing for crowds at the gym, or whatever, fine.
If we assume the guys will use a high school diploma to earn $16,000 per year, then
the colleges will be putting them ahead of the fray by $436,000 of the 500 I am
suggesting.
Noone already rich in the system is going to like my ideas one bit. But what plantation owner was happy to do the right thing? I have never heard of one. If there was one, I feel sure he knew he couldn't let it be common knowledge among
his (or her )peers.
Hey, I have a college degree. I have had it for years. I am proud of it, yes;
but all I had to do was pay tuition, and pay back my loans. I didn't have to wake up sore when it was time to get to class. If I worked during those years, it was
not to pay the university for my training or education way more than the costs of
tuition and fees.

A Brand New President

A few weeks after the 2008 election, President Barak Obama went to Florida for a
talk with grass roots people.My daughter and I watched on TV.
His talk was outside in the open air. He reminded voters he intended to honor
the campaigning committments he made.
Then the president agreed to take questions.
He called on a lady who proceeded: 'We are living in my car. I have a young son,
and we lost our home, and we just need a place to live.'
Our President took the question in stride, saying he would make sure someone on his
staff heard her out and did what it would be possible to do.
But to my youngest daughter and me, it didn't pass muster as a question on national
policy. We looked at each other feeling for the lady and for the new president - then I had to show some of my incredulity. I started to sing 'see my eyes I can hardly see'. My daughter, an opera singer, helped me out immediately - chiming in -
'see my tongue, I can hardly talk'. We went on together, not really knowing if
the words or sequences in the phrasing was exactly right, 'won't you help, won't
you heal me Christ? I believe you you can make me whole.'
We agreed then just between the two of us that the United States of America was
love-starved, neglected, suffering...and would be a very tough room for an honest
man just tryin' to 'render unto Caesar'.
The next person the President called on bolstered our belief. He was a young man
saying his job at McDonald's wasn't paying benefits, or offering raises. My, my,my...