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PERSPECTIVE The Silent Generation and the Death of African-American Protests By: Chelsey Washington Clark Atlanta University C’2015 With so many detrimental issues afflicting the African-American community, it appears as if this generation is either disinterested in making their voices heard or too comfortable to advocate for change. We may be informed about the injustices that occur everyday within the African-American community, even those that do not make it to national news, and yet we do nothing. Instead of flooding the streets in solidarity against issues such as police brutality, the Stand Your Ground law, black-on-black crime, poverty, and the Stop-and-Frisk program, this generation takes to Twitter or Instagram to voice their opinions. These social media outlets have not enacted any legislation to change any of the mistreatment of African-Americans on a national scale. It seems as if this generation has an issue with curing ills in the African- American community as a priority. This generation has gotten so comfortable living with the rights that generations before them fought for through protests and sit-ins. Those before us endured powerful blast from water hoses, survived being attacked by police dogs, and have even died for us; yet there are many that feel as if there is no more to accomplish in America. For example, thousands of people flocked the streets nationwide to march in the name of justice for the slain, unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, whose only crime was being black. Yet, three years after the incident and a year after his killer, George Zimmerman, was found not guilty, the hype has fizzled in obtaining justice for Martin. Since the Trayvon Martin incident, numerous young African-Americans have been innocently murdered and have received no justice, yet no one has rallied in the streets, held candlelight vigils, made t-shirts, or flooded the internet with petitions to seek justice for these victims. “We get so mad when someone outside of our race kills a member of our community”, said Clark Atlanta University senior, Shanice Washington. “But we don’t get upset at the fact that we kill each other on a daily basis.” With detrimental issues such as gang violence, colorism, the “l\l-word”, the incarceration of African-American males, the increase of unemployment and mandates such as Stand Your Ground and Stop-and-Frisk, this generation seems to be more interested in the latest Jordan releases and have a strange fascination with reality television stars. Is this generation so stuck in the “This isn’t going to happen to me” or “This doesn’t directly affect me” syndromes that they have become so passive and out of tune with issues that could possibly cause their demise? Will we wait around to see more Jordan Davises fall without justice? It is time for this generation to become active in causes that empower the African-American community and not contribute to its collapse. There are so many improvements that African- Americans must seek; and it is our responsibility for our generation to implement these changes. If we can voice our opinions about irrelevant matters and be seen and heard, imagine the possibilities of coming together for matters that could potentially aid in the restoration of the African-American community. Courtesy of Fox News The BluePrint SpelmanPaper@gmail.com Feb/March 2014 11