08 Jan Does Anybody Love Black Youth?

(Watch 3-minute excerpt) We talked our theme this year: “Do not let the left hand know what the right is doing.” Some practiced this, some did not, and some didn’t understand it. Jesse told about getting past the temptation of peanut butter cookies at the store after the holidays. Toward the end of the service, Jesse explained what the “left hand” and “right hand” meant. (He likened it to a fisherman throwing out the small fish, or extra knowledge, and only holding on to the big fish, or “self” — simple awareness.)

We discussed a recent so-called “hate crime” in which four black young people kidnapped and tortured a mentally disabled young white man, and streamed video on Facebook Live. The two young men, and two young women’s appeared full of anger. Much of the media try to downplay the evil that took over the black community.

In another story, a black young man recorded video of himself driving with his nurse girlfriend in the back of the car, and a supposed Alzheimer’s patient in the passenger seat — an old white woman. The elderly woman’s hand was on his private area, and he spoke in vulgar terms instead of removing her hand. A woman was upset hearing it, because she worked with a family member with dementia, and other people mistreated and stole from him.

We read part of a Washington Post article, “Black parents take their kids to school on how to deal with police,” and played an accompanying video telling black youth how to act around police. The video asserted that black kids’ number-one priority is to get home safely, not to run “even if they’re scared.” Groups around the country held 225 similar events to this “Race & the Law” workshop class, attended by adults and young black people.

Some thought the advice was good, but felt it unfortunate that their parents — fathers — did not naturally show them respect for authority. One man told a story of what he called a “bad apple” cop who attempted to intimidate him, but he already knew how to act as a young man. Others said that the video was propaganda casting police as “racist” and a danger to black people. Jesse said that it was pure evil. One father brought his three daughters to this class. That father does not love his children. If we love black people, we should not allow this brainwashing to occur.

Toward the end, one woman asked how she knows if she’s forgiven her parents who are deceased. Jesse said that it’s a good question, because when you have forgiven, you will know.