Page 24> AC Phocnii, Jan 1994
So Its 1994....
Now What?
Just the other day a sister-friend of
mine expressed her happiness about
the New Year. She went on to say
that she had made some New year's
resolutions and that she was going to
try really hard to make them all
realities. Now the
last thing I want to
be is discouraging
but I must be honest.
Nine times out of
ten most people
make resolutions at
the start of every
year with intentions
to make some
drastic, positive
changes in their
lives. Whether
people vow to start
dieting, stop smoking or to become
more financially stable these
promises are made but rarely kept.
By the middle of February everybody
goes back to smoking, spending
money that should be saved or
invested, and eating foods loaded
with fat. The beginning of another
year should be a time when we re
evaluate our lives. It's a good time to
weigh the pros and cons of the
previous year and make an effort to
improve a few bad habits. But when
resolutions are made they shouldn't
be so far fetched that they cannot
ever become reality. No one can
change over night. Change that is
genuine and truly worthwhile takes
time. We can only take one day at a
time and just have faith that things
will work out for the best. It isn't a
rule that the only time people should
change or kick bad habits is at the
start of each year. Making a decision
that can help you improve your life
or the life of someone else can be
made on June 1 just as well as
January 1.
Webster's Dictionary defines
resolutions as: the quality of having a
fixed purpose; determination;
firmness. Plenty of folks have made
resolutions for 1994. Maybe 1993 was
a bad year for some and a good year
for others. Regardless of what kind
of a year it was it's over now and
THE HARD FACTS
KNOCKING ON WOOD
WITH TONYA
another year is staring us in the face!
We know that this year will be
different from last year, but the
question is will it be better? What
does 1994 hold for this country? Will
the crime rate decrease? Will the
economy improve? Will race relations
improve? Particularly what does 1994
hold for the future of Black America?
It is easier to resolve to stop
smoking than it would be to resolve
to decrease black on black crime. It is
impossible for one person to make a
big difference but if we all made a
collective effort it could be done.
Today partents not only have to
worry about their children facing the
ugliness of racism and discrimination,
but the reality of possibly being killed
by a stray bullet on a playground or
in the schoolyard. It's terrifying to
know that todays in 1994, Black
males are killing other Black males
just as easily as the Ku Klux Klan
killed our Black men years ago. Many
of us sholud be resolving to be better
community leaders, better parents.
• OOOo
/lllstate
^Pi
GERALD ••Seattle" SCOTT
Senior Account Agent
Allstate Insurance Company
2715 Reynolda Rd.
Winston-Salem, NC 27106
(910)722-3560
better teachers and better friends. Our
youth need us now more than ever.
It is also easier to vow to go on a
diet than it would be to bring more
unity within the Black community.
Yes, Black people come in a variety
of shades from creamy vanilla
to coffee-bean- chocolate but we're
all Black people. Our hair comes in
an array of textures from silky,
smooth
kinky
curls-
b u t
we're
a 1 1
people
of color
and
we're
beautif
ul in
our own unique way. We need to
start loving one another with our
hearts and not our eyes. If we don't
become more unified we will soon
find ourselves in a pitiful state. It
doesn't make sense for Blacks folks
to separate themselves from other
Black folks for something as
insignificant as the kind of car one
drives. There is enough separation in
this country without black people
feeling superior to other Black
people. Some of us have gotten so
caught up in the European way of
life that not only do we attempt to
live that way but we also try to think
that way. As black people we've got
to hold on to our specail
characteristics that make us unique.
While holding on to these unique
characteristics, we must also come
together to ensure the betterment of
our people as time goes by. With
every new year changes come.
Hopefully 1994 will be a good one.
But in all seriousness, a lot of things
in this world are bad and getting
worse with each passing day. Not
only in the Black community but in
all communities; things aren't as good
as they should be. We all know what
the problems are. Talking and writing
about these problems isn't going to
help the present state of the country.
Only action can do that. So let's all
resolve to do a little something to
make this year better than 1993.
Slop the violence—increase the Peace.
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