By Demetrius Wilson and Eric Williamson Contributing Writers
What causes a miscommunication? How do communications turn violent? Why are so many African American males having deadly confrontations with each other? With the police?
While having an interaction with the law is not a problem exclusive to the African American community; ending up dead after the interaction is becoming way too common and is currently the center of unrest across America.
On any given day around Osborn, it isn’t uncommon to see a group of teens walking around with saggy pants, loud offensive music and unruly attitudes.
But it is just as common to see another group staying after school participating in after school clubs and helping in the community.
Unfortunately the image that is often captured by the media is the image of the group of guys that often times are involved in intimidating and sometimes illegal activity. The negative actions of a few impact so many. Innocent people that are not criminal are now being targeted.
While the media and rap artist are frequently criticized for the negative images being glamorized and African American youth wanting to portray that image in the hood; do they exclusively deserve all the blame?
Although it is taught in school and home that everyone is an individual, right now African American males are often being lumped together as bad people because of how a few want to handle situations; situations that will actually resolve themselves a lot of times if the person is just respectful and calm.
While it is common that people sometimes say and do things they often regret when they act while angry ; the question becomes why aren’t more people backing down and taking the high road when a conflict arises?
“Oftentimes arguments are because people have to stand their ground because if they don’t people will think that you are weaker and they will try it again,” MST junior John Wilson said. “And if they are with their friends, they really don’t want to back down.”
“I rarely hang with a group of guys other than my brothers and very close friends, because I never know who has a beef with someone else, and I don’t want to get into that negativity,” said OPrep junior Eddie O’Brien, who plays on the football team and enjoys being social.
“When I go out with my friends, people sometimes look at us like we are going to rob them and that makes me feel like an outsider in my own community, so I make sure I am respectful and encourage my group to chill,” OPrep sophomore Jamarria Hall said.
In an attempt to help restore our community and teach kids and adults that expressing ones feelings often time leads to an understanding of how the other person feels thereby squashing the beef positively; Osborn offers a program entitled Restorative Practices.
Housed on the third floor of Osborn, program manager Ms. Boyce waits to help young adults and adults resolve conflicts peacefully. She teaches and encourages teens to be respectful, empowered and accountable for their actions by using a strategy being implemented district wide.
It is not easy doing the right thing but in the end you will benefit more. The only way to make a change is to change oneself.
While Wilson said he feels that some people will never change. Some will.
“If you get a group of people willing to talk and work on the problem respectfully it will be a lot fewer people who will act like that,” Wilson said. “More people will be willing to be the bigger and walk away. The next time I have a conflict, I will be open to work it out with Ms. Boyce and give Restorative Practices a try.”