Yuppie

Yuppie: a young, ambitious, and well-educated city-dweller who has a professional career and an affluent lifestyle

By definition this is who I am today. Ok so I may not have an "affluent lifestyle per say", at least not by my standards of what I know "affluent" to be; I equate affluence to a "Kimora Lee Simmons" like lifestyle. Anyway, I am however doing better than most.

So, I was watching CNN the other day, and I caught a snippet of Soledad moderating the "Black in America Series", she made a statement that made me think. She recalled a comment that someone had made, they explained that they had more in common with their white/black educated counterparts, then most of their friends that they may have grown up with, etc. She then went on to say that many it seems that once many AA's (African Americans) reach a certain economic level they tend to forget those in a lower economic class, i.e., "where they may have come from".

Now, I definitely think that I still "remember" where I came from, and my "prejudice" towards lackadaisical behavior is purely driven on just that. I absolutely, unequivocally hate when a person is just sitting around waiting for things to be handed to them. I do not understand people who expect "handouts". I cannot relate to those that think that the world owes them something. I feel that many AAs feel like the world owes them something. It doesn't, and if you are waiting on that day to come.....keep dreaming. It's not coming. The only way to conquer that dream is to do it yourself. Yes, we as a people were treated badly...and not that long ago, but so were many other people. I suppose I'm tired of some in this country using the black struggle as some type of ammunition to perpetuate ignorance and well lackadaisical behavior. They carry on as if the torture that was leased upon our ancestors/relatives gives them the right to act irresponsibly. It doesn't. If anything, that should be a motivating factor to act more responsibly, to encourage education, and financial responsibility. The longer we have crutches the more we will lean.

So, I know i'm rambling on, but I said all this to say, I'm not disconnected, I especially applaud those that can rise above economic strife and build a better life for themselves, in fact I welcome and support it. It's those that just "get by" the only way to succeed is to sacrifice. That means real focus folks...real focus.