The Plight of the African-American Male Today - Speech or Presentation Example

The Plight of the African-American Male Today Despite the fact our country has an African-American president; African-American males are still over-represented in high risk groups. As such, all African-Americans suffer. The disruption of family values, excessive incarceration rate of males and plummeting educational achievements still affect the African-American community today. African-Americans suffer from the disruption of family values. Having higher percentages of unemployment, most African-American males do not believe they have a fair shake in getting decent jobs.

As a result, many avoid marriage because they do not believe they will have the financial stability necessary to provide for their family adequately. For African-American women, this means not being able to rely on an African-American man to partner in a stable relationship (Mechoulan, 2010). So they cast a wider net as they attempt to seduce a number of males in the hope that at least one will live up to the ideal. The result is disloyalty from both parties, and the consequence is children born out of wedlock to unknown fathers.

The State picks up the slack with government housing, cash, and food for single mothers (Raphael, 2004), but the story does not end there. African-American culture seems to be compromise to some extent by ideals represented in the hip-hop/rap cultureThe African-American community suffers from consequences of the excessive incarceration rate of males. Having been effectively ostracized from many decent jobs and being without fatherly guidance much of their lives, many African-American males seek respite in illegal enterprises (Raphael, 2004).

The street gang becomes the institution that fulfills their needs of both male influence and income. Drugs and violence become the order of the day, and many end up in jail as a result. This is one way the cycle of unemployment and poverty feeds the plight of the African-American community at large. These behaviors are often reflected in the lyrics and attitudes of hip-hop and rap. The African-American community suffers as both as a result and a consequence of the plummeting educational achievements.

Having many African-American fathers absent, educational performance suffers. It is a widely documented fact that one of the roles of the male parent is to help children develop self-discipline (Mechoulan, 2010). Without this influence individual performance in school suffers. As a result, low educational achievement begets fewer job opportunities, and the cycle begins again. With decent jobs, people tend to shirk their parental responsibilities, engage in illegal activities, end up in jail, and pass the tradition of overrepresentation in high risk groups to their offspring.

Although education is helpful in foiling the cycle, it is not the only factor that must be addressed.The challenge is that these patterns have been deeply seeded for generations, and the cycle continues with each absentee father. Some believe it is a trend encouraged at the highest levels the governing powers to fragment the African-American community. The disruption of family values, excessive incarceration rate of males and plummeting educational achievements still affect the African-American community today.

Is there a viable solution to these problems, or have they reach a momentum that is too strong to deflectReferencesRaphael, S. (2004). The Socioeconomic status of black males: The increasing importance of incarceration. Berkley.Mechoulan, S. (2010). The external effects of black male incarceration on black females. University of Toronto.