Black Men Are Hard Headed!

I love my race. I mean I really do. I love black men. I feel, however, that we are losing to many of our men to childish and stupid nonsense. When I say "losing" I'm not strictly referring to death. I mean we are losing them to society. Their minds are being lost. Many of them have simply accepted the statistics given. "Well I'mma either die or be in jail by the time I'm 24 anyway." That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Why would you want to become a statistic? Don't you want to separate yourself from that stereotype that black men can't and will never amount to anything? Here's another one I hear. I ask "why do you steal, sell drugs, etc?" "Well," they will begin, "I mean I can't do nothin' else. This all I know. I wasn't born rich, I gotta make it the only way I know how. I'm tryna get to the paper shawty." LMAO! Seriously?? So when I hear this I just want to slap a black man. I mean really, you'd rather risk imprisonment and ruining (or losing) your life because you feel that's what you "have" to do? Black men say they can't do anything else because they have become lazy and comfortable in thier ghetto settings and lifestyles that they aren't willing or don't want to learn how to do anything else. It's the only thing you know because you have become a follower and not a leader and have decided that that is all that you want to know to do. Hell, most black people aren't born rich. Most are born in poor areas too and don't have the benefits of richy white areas, but I feel that is a small obstacle that can stop you only if you let it. Lastly, I hate when black men always talk about money, cheese, the "paper". First of all, you can't take none of that with you when you die. They have become so obessed with materialistic things. It's no longer about self-worth. Black men have sold their souls for paper. I mean they will do anything for it from turn on and hurt their own people, to facing long term prison sentences, to even putting their own life on the line. It's stupid. Okay so now I have given this long speech on what's wrong with black men. Some will read this and agree with me. That's all good, but tryign giving this same speech to a young black man. It goes in one ear and out the other. I'm telling you I have tried plenty of times. Mostly I try and get through to my younger brother who was just released from prision and is currently serving time in a diversion center or probation home. He's only 18 and has been to jail three times. Before he wasn't even arrested I used to preach to him about how it's not cool breaking the law and trying to act hard and be like everyone else. Hell, it's already hard out here for a black man so why put more obstacles in your way? I mean it is hard trying to compete for a job, but trying competing as a black man with a jail record! I guarantee you it's not easy. It's not impossible, but definetely not easy. When you try and tell them that they don't have to be a statistic or that they don't have to follow the trends, they give you bull like you don't know what it's like and it's how it has to be because school aint for everybody or I can't work no 9 to 5. They don't listen! It's like what do I have to do to get through to you. I mean even after they've been imprisoned, they still don't learn. Even after some are faced with near death they still don't learn. What does it take to get to these hard headed men that they are hurting themselves and the entire black race?