THE
"MARGINALIZATION" OF BLACK YOUTH
{ADAPTATIONS
TO THE JANE-FINCH STIGMA}
THE SOCIOLOGICAL PROCESS
MARGINALIZATION: REFERS TO THE STATUS
OF A GROUP WHO DOES NOT HAVE FULL AND EQUAL ACCESS TO THE
SOCIAL ECONOMIC, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS OF SOCIETY. ==========è
RACIALIZATION: REFERS TO THE
ASSIGNING OF RACIAL CONNOTATIONS TO THE ACTIVITIES OF MINORITY PEOPLE
=========è
STIGMATIZATION: REFERS TO A MARK OF
DISGRACE{DEVIANCE} IMPOSED ON AN INDIVIDUAL
BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS OR A SOCIAL GROUP. IN POPULAR USAGE IT OFTEN REFERS TO ANY
NEGATIVE SANCTION OR DISAPPROVAL FOR NONCONFORMITY. AN
UNDESIRABLE DIFFERENTNESS OF AN INDIVIDUAL THAT DISQUALIFIES HIM OR HER FROM FULL
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE. SOCIOLOGISTS ORIGINALLY
USED THE TERM TO SHOW HOW HUMANS NOT ONLY
SEEK TO CONTROL THE PHYSICAL WORLD BUT THE SOCIAL WORLD. =====è
CONSEQUENCES: THE CIRCULATION OF
RACIAL KNOWLEDGE(S) CAST BLACK YOUTH AS A SYMPTOM OF CRIMINALITY AND DANGER
THEREFORE WARRANTING THE SURVEILLANCE AND SPATIAL
IMMOBILIZATION OF BLACK BODIES.
SOCIAL CONDITIONS
AT THE DAWN OF THE NEW MILLENNIUM,
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF APPROXIMATELY 25% (TO 50% IN SOME ACCOUNTS),
FAR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WHICH IS NOW ABOUT 6.9% IN 2001.
BLACK YOUTH, THEREFORE, COMPRISE AN "UNDERCLASS" IN SOCIETY
THAT HAS A RACIAL STIGMA {THE
“JANE-FINCH” STIGMA} ATTACHED == BLACK YOUTH ARE THEREFORE PROBLEMATIZED
AS INDOLENT, DERELICT, AND VIOLENCE-PRONE.
1) EMBRACE STIGMA -- HE CAN
EMBRACE THE RACIAL STIGMA PROJECTED ON HIM BY "INTERNALIZING"
AN IMAGE OF HIMSELF AS INFERIOR, TRUANT AND UNEMPLOYABLE;
{EX:
MOIRA – THE EFFECTS OF LABELLING – THE “NYMPHOMANIAC.” ====> INTERNALIZE
STEREOTYPICAL DELUSIONS/ CRASS/INCOMPLETE/NON-REPRESENTATIVE VERSIONS OF
THEMSELVES =====> MANIFEST AN “INFERIORITY COMPLEX” –
THEREFORE LIVE OUT INCOMPLETE/ PARTIAL/ FRAGMENTED AND “BROKEN” LIVES}
2) REJECT STIGMA -- HE CAN
REJECT THE STIGMA, AND TREAT HIS UNDERCLASS
STATUS AS A“BADGE OF HONOUR," BY GLORIFYING THE PARIAH
UNDER-WORLDS OF PIMPS, PLAYERS, DRUG DEALERS AND SUCH – TOTALLY ALLYING
HIMSELF WITH AN ASSORTED CONFEDERACY OF GANGSTERS AND BAD-BOYS;
[EX: QUESTION:
WHAT KINDS OF EXTERNAL ALLURESARE THERE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE A YOUTH CAN
MAKE $1000 A WEEK DEALING DRUGS AND $250 A WEEK
FLIPPING BURGERS? WHO BECOMES THE ROLE MODELS?]
SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS EXAMINE SOCIAL FORCES AND STRUCTURE,
INCLUDING THE IDEA THAT SOCIETY DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH MEANS FOR EVERYONE TO
ACHIEVE THE LOFTY GOALS IT INSTILLS [[EX: SOCIAL DEPRAVATION THEORY]],
THUS OPENING THE DOOR TO DEVIANCE =====> SOCIAL-PROCESS THEORIES
[[EX: DIFFERENTIAL ASSOCIATION]] VIEW DEVIANCE AND CRIMINALITY
AS LEARNED IN GROUP INTERACTIONS WITH OTHERS. EITHER
WAY, SOCIAL FACTORS "CAUSE" DEVIANCE.
[EX: {SOME} RAP ===> MOST IDENTIFIABLE FORMS ARE BASED ON
“PUGILISTIC EROTICISM” ======> RAPPERS MAKE A STRATEGIC CHOICE TO GLORIFY
THE STEREOTYPICAL CHARACTERIZATIONS OF BLACKNESS (MISOGYNY, VIOLENCE,
PUGULISTIC EROTICISM, SEXIST/PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGERY AND
REPRESENTATION) OFFER UP THE NEW COLONIALISM
IN THE FORM OF OBJECTIFYING BLACK FEMALE BODIES AND OVERTLY AFFIRM/EMBRACE
THE COLOUR-CASTE SYSTEM [MEDIA-GENERATED CINEMATIC METAPHORS],
3) COMPENSATORY FACADE -- HE CAN
DEVELOP A COMPENSATORY FACADE (OR "OVERCOMPENSATE", IF YOU
WILL), THEREFORE, SEEKING TO SINGULARLY OVER-ACHIEVE IN SCHOOL OR THE
WORKPLACE, IN ORDER TO NEGATE THE STIGMA, BY BECOMING A BOOKISH GEEK, A WORKAHOLIC NERD, OR
A SELF- CHALLENGED "OREO".
{EX: THE OVER-ACHIEVER IS ALWAYS TRYING TO
COMPENSATE AND DISPELL STEREOTYPES – THIS CAN STILL MANIFEST
ITSELF IN “BEING RULED BY STEREOTYPES” IN THE REVERSE – AND LEAD TO AN ALIENATED LIFE}
4) TRANSCEND STIGMA -- HE CAN
TRANSCEND THE STIGMA, BY STRUGGLING TO DEVELOP AND ACTUALIZE HIS FULL POTENTIAL – HONING
HIS UNIQUENESS AND TAPING INTO A LIFE RICH WITH POSSIBILITIES, THEREFORE, BECOMING
LIKE MORPHEUS AND NEO IN THE MOVIE "THE MATRIX," IN
SEARCH OF THE AUTHENTIC LIFE.
{EX: “TIGER WOODS” – A LIFE OF “TRANSCENDENCE” – THOSE WHO TRANSCEND
BARRIERS [STRATIFIED REALITY] DO THE
EXTRAORDINARY BY TURNING ORDINARY PRACTICES INTO OCCASIONS FOR
INTERVENTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE.
[[NOTE:OF COURSE, WHILE THE LATTER # 4 “TRANSCENDING THE JANE-FINCH
STIGMA” – (BECOMING AN AUTHENTIC BEING, OR BECOMING "THE ONE" TO QUOTE THE
MOVIE) IS MUCH MORE PREFERABLE TO THE OTHER THREE (WHICH ARE REALLY ONLY VARIOUS
DISTORTIONS OF BEING), IT IS ALSO THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. INDEED, IT
USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS IN THE MOVIES....]]
SYNOPSIS: THIS IS TO SAY, IN
ORDER TO BE IN A POSITION TO ACTUALIZE THEMSELVES, AND CULTIVATE THEIR
POTENTIAL FOR EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENTS, BLACK YOUTH NEED THIS SOCIETY TO
ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT THEIR INTERESTS AND WELL-BEING. AN ACCOMPLISHED LIFE CANNOT HAPPEN IN A
SOCIAL VACUUM. BLACK YOUTH NEED SOCIETY TO EMBRACE THEM AND NURTURE THEIR UNIQUE
ENDOWMENTS – NOT ONLY INCORPORATING THEM INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF SOCIAL LIFE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY,
INCORPORATING THEM IN A WAY THAT EMBRACES THEIR DIFFERENCE RATHER THAN TRIES TO
NEGATE OR REPRESS IT. UNTIL BLACK YOUTH ACTUALLY BECOME “AN INTEGRAL PART OF
THE FABRIC AND AGENDA OF SOCIETY,” AND THE COMFORTABLE COMPLACENCY
OF RACIAL STRATIFICATION IS REPUDIATED, THE CYCLE OF DESPAIR AND VIOLENCE WILL CONTINUE.
{THIS
MEANS ... WE HAVE TO BEGIN TO SEEK TO INCREASE “THE ENVIRONMENT OF
OPTIONS” AND POSSIBLITIES; ENVIRONMENT THAT IS CONDUCIVE TO
MOTIVATIONAL CHANGE ==è “THE POSSIBLITY STRUCTURE/ OR STURUCTURE OF
POSSIBLITIES” IN ALL OF
SOCIETY’S SYSTEMS AND INSTITUTIONS.}
...
[[[[[QUESTION:
HOW DO BLACK YOUTH GET PROBLEMATIZED IN OUR SOCIETY? =======> CONTEMPORARY MAINSTREAM MEDIA CONTROLS
THE DISCOURSE ON CRIME IN OUR SOCIETY {AS A SURROGATE OR REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DOMINANT CULTURE} =====> THROUGH THE PROPAGATION OF DISCOURSES ON "GOOD
CITIZENSHIP" =====> COMMENDATION FOR MINORITY SELF- AND COMMUNITY-RESPONSIBILITY-MOTIFS [OR "DO THE RIGHT THING"
PIECES]; AND CIVIC-DUTY-CONFLICTS-AND-MOTIFS [OR "EXPOSE OUR FLAWS" PIECES THAT CALL FOR
COMMUNITY ACTION]} =======>
{SOME MIGHT CALL THIS – "THE BILL COSBY
SYNDROME" – PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY/FAMILY VALUES/COMMUNITY INITIATIVES/ RALLYING THE TROOPS BECOMES
"HEADLINE NEWS" =====> ALL IN ALL, WHAT I CALL DISCOURSES ON "GOOD
CITIZENSHIP"]]]]
...
IN REGARD TO YOUTH JUSTICE IN
OUR SOCIETY THEN, TO BEGIN TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM SOCIOLOGIALLY IS TO BEGIN
TO SEE THE NEED FOR THE BALANCE BETWEEN “AGENCY AND STRUCTURE” {INDIVIDUAL/PRIVATE RESPONSIBILITY AND SOCIAL/STRUCTURAL POSSIBILITIES} OR, TO COIN A PHRASE – IT NOW TAKES A VILLAGE TO SAVE A CHILD.
BUT ====> HOW CAN THE
VILLAGE GET MOBILIZED? WHAT CAN THE VILLAGE DO TO BEST SAVE
OUR CHILDREN?
{THIS MEANS} TO
ACTUALLY "GET TOUGH ON YOUTH CRIME" (TO USE THE HARDLINE VERNACULAR), SOCIETY
HAS TO MOBILIZE ALL OF ITS POTENTIAL RESOURCES -
TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL - IN A COOPERATIVE AND INTEGRATED SEARCH THAT LOOKS BEYOND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR SOLUTIONS.