"Let's Talk About the Children"

By Useni Eugene Perkins Presented by Omni-U Virtual University

Matthew 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. One Saturday morning, two men go downstream on a large river to fish. No sooner do they throw their lines into the water when they see a small child floating down the river. They quickly retrieve the child and begin fishing again. Moments later, another child comes floating down the river. After retrieving this child, they resume fishing. Other children continue floating down the river and they manage to retrieve all of them. But, at this point, one of the men begins packing his fishing gear and preparing to depart to the bewilderment of his fishing buddy. “How can you leave when it's obvious that helpless children are being thrown into the river? In response, the man who is leaving turns and, in a commanding voice, replies, “I’m going upstream to find out who’s throwing these children in the river!” As you already know, most of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen when they were asked to drop their nets to follow him: Mark 1: 16-18: Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18 And straightway they forsook their nets and followed him. Now this may not be the best analogy but, what I am suggesting is that, as men of faith, we cannot remain downstream in the sanctuaries of our churches while our children are being abused, neglected and subjected to institutions which have little or no concern for their welfare. Are you willing to drop your complacency and go upstream to help those children who have to attend poor schools and/or are in need of mentors? Are you willing to use your resources and go upstream to help those children who live in homes that are broken by the social consequences of "biased laws and inhuman practices"1? Are you willing to drop your egos and go upstream to challenge the industrial criminal "justice" complex which places a disproportionate number of children in its system? Are you willing to drop your denominations, demographics, and party affiliations and go upstream to challenge the racist institutions that keep so many of them from achieving their true potential? In many of our communities, our children are facing a future that is indisputably bleak. Although they are born into a society that claims to offer a higher standard of living than any other country, the benefits from this prosperity fails to touch their lives. Instead, these neglected, and often misguided, children receive the barest of this country’s vast resources. It is precisely because of the obvious fact that our children are subject to being "thrown overboard" that we must continuously and diligently work to rescue them before- rather than after- the deed is done. Should our children who are born in, perhaps, the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the planet earth be treated any differently than other children? Frantz Fanon, the noted author of "Wretched of the Earth" observed: “Each generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it...”. Recommended Viewing: Family Matters: The Role of the Parents" Featuring Dr. Asantewaa Oppong Wadie and Wayne Sebamurti Gentry Recommended Reading: "The Race: Matters Concerning Pan Afrikan History, Culture, and Genocide." Kiarri T.-H. Cheatwood Black Child Journal www.blackchildjournal.com