Defining Beauty

What a display. I mean this video had me thinking about alot of situations where I thought I was ugly, to dark, my eyes were to dark and I was below the standard of beauty. I'm glad I've overcame those doubting emotions but I can't believed I cried. I mean I get emotional all the time but to see young black girls describe and criticized their looks on skin color is so painful. I love children and I curse whom ever made them feel that way. Whom had the audacity to make children self hate. I'm really sorry but I cant write this in the form you want me to write it in because I cant really function because of this. I'm upset, hurt, angry and confused on why do they think this way. If I could meet those children, I would kneel down, smile at them, stare and their eyes and tell them how beautiful they are and how wonderfully made they are. I would would tell them to never let anyone rob you of your standard, faith and self confidence. Be all that you can be. Find yourself, don't let this world define you. Be against the statistic of African American girls only good for making children and being on welfare and African American boys only good for drugs and being a horrible father. Be against the statistic of African American being uneducated with no degree, no job, no future, no plans to take back what was rightfully yours. Be for success and knowing who you are and don't ever let anyone tell you differently. You no longer have to wear no mask nor no disguise, let them see your confidence in your eyes because you are beautifully and wonderfully made and I love you and so does your family. That's exactly what I would say to them. Whether they understand or not it will stick with them threw their lives and one day they'll understand.

Gangster Rap and volience

I agree with Nas on the topic of the influential on the violence we faced today because the violence start back then when fighting for our freedom. So a rap song in the 20th century influencing the negative behavior that happens to day is a joke and an irresponsible task that takes place.


I disagree with Lupe on the topic of the influential on the violence we faced today because you can't take blame for someone else's perception on what you rap about. This doesn't make any since, someone being blamed or carrying the responsibility of the reasoning children act the way they act today.

This should have stopped way back then. No I'm not going to go past the people who tried and lost their life for it such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. I appreciate the change you made but This worldwide situation can't be justified or an influential on violence that happens today because its to big of a situation to be even put in the category as hip-hop as a bad influence. Their are so many differ types of music that express the same thing and just because the population of rappers are African American doesn't mean we are responsible. If anybody feels they are influence by rappers and etc. all I have to say to you is find yourself. Before you decide how you will live your life and whom will you look up to, look at your history and then decide. Where did we go wrong?.....This is the question that keeps popping up in every assignment assigned to me. Over all these things happening today, the only question is where did we go wrong from working in the Field, bleeding sweat for your people to walking up to your people and shooting them as if we aren't related. I don't understand anymore. We use to be so strong. So if you won't take responsibility for what you have done and you want to blame someone, then blame the people whom robbed you of you intelligence, whom took your pride, hope, faith and dignity. I'm going to just end it leaving you puzzled. Who are you now?

Robert " Yummy Sandifer

Topic:What happens in the family and community of an 11 year old that turns him into a kid like Yummy?


Apart,Torn, Not together........not a family is what comes to mind when asked about this question. The life of Yummy Sandifer an 11 year old boy whom was in the violence of gangs and faced a shocking death on September 1, 1994. He was born in the arms of a teenage mother whom was not qualified on raising children and to a father who was sent to jail for drugs and weapons as charges. His mother dropped out of school in 10th grade, went on welfare, nursed a crack habit and became a statistic.

My first statement toward this question is the word family. In this question it ask what happens in the FAMILY and the community of an 11 year old that turns him into a kis like Yummy Sandifer. Now What does family mean to you? This question, as simple as it might sound, is one that can bring out a wide range of answers and opinions. Because of this self-defining concept, your family will always be different from the one next door. Healthy communication is one of the most vital attributes a family can possess. Without communication, one would not have the opportunity to establish relationships or understand the emotions of others. Another key concept that is seen within the family, are the different roles that family members take. These roles can be influenced by gender, society, or individual personality.( this information on family was provided by What does family means to you essay). My opinion on family is simply a group of ethnicity's that shares love which doesn't work without communication and is just basically backing up the information or opinion given above.

My second statement toward this question is the word community. In this question it ask what happens in the family and the COMMUNITY of an 11 year old that turns him into a kid like Yummy Sandifer. The word community comes from the word communion. The term Communion is derived from Latin communio (sharing in common). The corresponding term in Greek is κοινωνία, which is often translated as "fellowship".The definition and background on community was provided by google. My opinion on community is just simply based on Umoja meaning unity.

My third statement towards this question is "an 11 year old that turns into a kid like Yummy". Now this statement was stated in the question. My question to this question is what do you mean by a kid name Yummy. Yummy wasn't an angel, everyone saw that but he was also abuse physically and emotionally.



Figure 1.

Drawing by a 4-year-old physically-abused boy:
The large image is his father and he is the mouthless face in the upper left hand corner.

Physical abuse is a form of child maltreatment (a broad category of behavior that also includes sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect). As a general rule, physical abuse refers to the infliction of physical harm on a child by a parent or caregiver. It is not necessary for the harm to be intentionally inflicted, and in the majority of situations physical abuse is the unintentional end result of harsh disciplinary methods or corporal punishment that have escalated to point of physical injury or the risk of physical injury. Physical abuse often occurs simultaneously with other forms of child maltreatment. An unfortunate but common example of this is when a boy is hit with closed fists by his father while also being belittled and verbally insulted. In this case, the boy would be considered to have experienced both physical and emotional abuse. Establishing a precise definition of physical abuse is difficult due to the different standards that can be applied to this term.

For example, at what point do normal child-rearing behaviors cross the line into the realm of abuse? Although exact legal definitions vary in the United States from state to state, there are two commonly accepted types of definitional standards that can be used to specify what is meant by physical abuse. The first is the harm standard, which considers behavior as abusive only if it results in demonstrable harm or injuries. Demonstrable harm could mean bruises, abrasions, cuts, burns, fractures, bites, or any of a number of other injuries. The second definitional standard for physical abuse is that of endangerment. Under this standard, physical assault by a parent or caregiver that presents a substantial risk of physical injury is considered abuse. Behaviors that would be considered abusive under this standard include hitting a child with a hard instrument or with closed fists, burning, scalding, poisoning, suffocating, drowning, kicking, shaking, choking, and stabbing. Although these actions may not result in observable injuries such as bruises or cuts, they are still considered abusive under an endangerment standard. Comparing these two standards, it can be seen that injury to the child is central to harm definitions while perpetrator behavior is the focus of endangerment definitions. Furthermore, harm definitions are more restrictive and more objective than endangerment standards.This information was provided by statics stating the action of abuse and the reaction of it. So who shall we blame because from my understanding and comprehension of Yummy Sandifer behavior, he was just a child whom was forced to survive and try to do whats right, yet he explained or showed it in the wrong way.


Now that we have a broken down outline of this question and understands every part it time to answer it. The question asks us What happens in the family and community of an 11 year old that turns him into a kid like Yummy? The answer to that question is lost more. What I mean by that is first of all the family wasn't in the interest of the child any way because it wouldn't even boil down to the point of the situation that occurred in Yummy life. SO you already lost the family part and if the community cared they would of told. So from my understanding no one had interest in him any way and now that you lost the Umoja within the family and the community, by you not doing anything you lost even more. You lost the oppurtunity to change what you already lost and you lost a child's life. All I have to say for future reference to where Robert Yummy Sandifer's family and community is that "It takes a village to raise a child not a neighbor". I appreciate the neighbors that saw what I see today. I wish their were more like you then, so maybe he could be telling his story and we won't have so much killing today. Where did we go wrong?