Afraid to live or afraid to die?

I was listening to the radio to a radio talk show once hosted by this African American do gooder. Lol. You have to be careful sometimes what you are putting in your mind when intelligent, well spoken, well mannered people are saying things that are geared towards waking up the community. It's like the book by Steve Harvey telling Black women to think like a man it's the most cliches ridiculous notion I've ever heard. Speaking of cliche that "Act like a Woman think like a Man" Steve Harvey was being sued by some woman whom claimed he stole the title from her. She had no case mind you but it goes to show you that the title itself was over used which is the meaning of cliche isn't it? Lol.

Anyway this talk show host was speaking Blackmales today were so ready to die and afraid to live. He was basing his opinion off of the violent killings in Chicago that was capturing so many headlines. And he went on and on with other examples such as the lack of c*ndom use and unwillingness to get tested for H.I.V amongst African Americans. When I think of this type of logic he was using it reminded me of the Holy Quran Surah that spoke of evil whispers whom suggested things using firm resolutions.

I mean what is he suggesting? To me he was implying that African Americans live day to day afraid to live which is why we suffer. And that we live our lives more towards death and destruction. I disagree with that suggestion wholeheartedly based upon obvious logic. For I think actually the reverse is true that we are actually afraid to die more than we are afraid to live.

I base my logic upon psychology that most people are of low self esteem and don't know how to say no. We cave into peer pressure, we don't know how to say no to those who we think are our friends and we don't have the strength to fight or take flight when our instincts tell us something or someone isn't good for us. I think what is missing in alot of us is warrior discipline and the willingness to die for what we believe the way Christ did, the way Martin and Malcolm did. I've heard the age old adage it is stronger to hang in, hang on or stick it out but isn't it even stronger sometimes to let go? Let go friends whom don't have your best interest at heart, let go abusive relationships, let go of foolish ideas or false beliefs?

Sometimes it takes more courage to die than it does to live because many times people live under circumstances that aren't dignified or unbearable. The Bible even instructs us with the Psalms that there's a time for everything. Take for instance the Atlantic Slave Trade it didn't come to an end until brave African mothers knowing their children where headed to a life of pain, suffering and then death jumped off into the ocean with their babies. The horrific news of these brave women refusal to see their offspring committed to horrible life of slavery for greedy profit stirred passion in the women of Europe to the deep sense of humanity these women possessed that forced the demonic trade system to an end. Watching someone give their life for something meaningful can stir us to our humanity but watching someone live out a pitiful existence out of fear draws disgust in us all.

We are not flesh and blood creatures but spirits ordained by the Creator to live a while in these forms to experience, grow and evolve. Our willingness to live on our knees rather than die like men is the reason African Americans continue to be killed so indiscriminately by others and ourselves. We cling to life as if it's our only life and that something worse is waiting for us after we die. We suffer the highest unemployment, the highest incarceration and the highest mortality in this land and live like life will never end with partying and celebration. We close a blind eye to our own pain and we watch our kind befall the fate of death daily with no concern. We celebrate false symbols and we praise God instead of studying God. We forget our ancestors whom died willingly, lynched, burned and tortured to death rather give up their right to be free men.

I am more than not pleased with this brother's analogy that we are a people afraid to live when everything I've seen in this generation is that we are a people running from death. We are running from the responsibility of fighting for freedom, standing for principle, standing up for our loved ones and most importantly dying for God. I wake up everyday saying, "It's a good day to die!" because I believe he who lives for the moment is without sin and if he is true within that shouldn't be afraid to stand before God.