Where the Writers At? (Right Behind that Preposition.)

Let me just put the truth on out there: I'm a nerd, and upon reading this blog you will either be offended, confused or relieved that you're not the "only one who thinks that."

This morning, I read an article published on one of the several reputable news and/or black-focused sites of which I'm a member. There, I read " ... that may make you think twice about where you make dinner reservations at:" Sorry. What? Where you make dinner reservations at? I'll give it to you, this is not the most flagrant error (ending a sentence with a preposition), but it stood out to me like hearing a Slick Rick cut among a Quiet Storm set of slow jams.

In these vent-your-frustration and everybody-has-a-story times when blogging and other such outlets are ubiquitous, everyone, it seems, wants to be a writer. Everyone. Everyone, however, is not. Yes, we all have our opinions and it's your constitutional right to express them, but come on ... Just because you write, it doesn't make you a writer. Just because you have a  book idea, you're not an author. Just because you've read a book or an article on a subject, you're not, necessarily, an authority on said subject. I bet you the $0.83 in my purse that Cornel West, if you agree with the positions he takes or not, has read more than one book on race.

I'm completely aware that I sound like an intellectual elitist. That's not my intention. Really. It's not. Please believe me. This is all I'm saying: I take my craft seriously. There are topics I'd love to address via written word, but I find myself paralyzed by "what if it doesn't come across like I mean it to" fears. (Kind of like now, actually.) So I take slight offense (OK, OK, sometimes it's more significant than slight) when people  christen, anoint and appoint themselves titles and positions and the like without knowing much background, having real talent or the willingness to work at improvement. ... Kind of like Sarah Palin and her admittance that she agreed, without hesitation or real consideration when asked, to be John McCain's running mate. But that's another blog for another day.

We all make mistakes, I know this. I will probably find a misplaced comma in this very entry as soon as I post it for whoever to read it that will, but please, you writers and writer wanna-bes, I beg you. Learn. the. rules. before. you. break. them.

nac.

Comments

[Dianne Collins, MD]

Dear Publisher Hartmann:
After reading your Solutions piece today, I accept the challenge of offering mine, regarding school violence, and black-on-black crime. Travelling to and from school, our children cross 'territories' held by gangs who pose continued significant threat, and role-model criminal behavior. Our teens would be safer in after-school programs, held in a variety of venues, i.e., churches, schools, libraries and park districts. Their reduced fare bus passes expire at 5 pm; the children would have to pay full fare to get home which causes significant financial problems, and deters their participation in these programs.
To address travel issues, decrease violence, and promote safety in the community, the CTA could issue monthly passes for students without time expiration.

Regarding in-school security, Chicago police officers are assigned to these high schools, and most do a good job of stopping violence during school hours. Your idea of using the Nation of Islam as security, although a good one, is not feasible as most members of the Nation would not likely pass background checks required as a condition of employment in this capacity.

Clearing the grounds after school is paramount to decreasing the likelihood of violence. Just as faith-based programs are at the forefront of healthcare, we could model faith-based programs to address after- school support with potential employment/stipends/incentives provided to the teen participants. We could invite the teens to design their own after-school programs based on their unique issues.

High school freshmen enter at age 14. Some younger. Why are there 19, 20 and 21 year-old (non-special education) students in our schools? This would be the group to separate from the younger, more vulnerable students. How about alternative high schools for these adult students in evening and weekend programs? They could be enrolled in community colleges to finish high school.

If you had your way, you would put students with weapons violations into the military. Giving a more lethal weapon experience to a likely unstable person? Having a successful, disciplined and well- trained military would then be unlikely. The military isn't a dumping ground for violators; and many of these children wouldn't make it through basic training.

We have a system to deal with people who don't follow the rules; there are legal and financial consequences, and potential losses of freedom. We could continue to teach, preach and reach our children; we will likely lose them to consequences and fewer innocents to street violence.

Regarding male role modeling and tough love, there huge number of military veterans living in these communities who are already mobilizing to respond to violence. We should encourage military veterans, male and female, to become a continued, active protection of our country/communities by organizing patrols and escorts services, in concert with CAPS organizations for all police districts. There are more military veterans than retired police officers in our communities, though ofttimes this may overlap. The veterans remain an untapped resource.

To recap: take the older students our of our high schools. Enroll them in the junior colleges to finish their educations, and hopefully matriculate into college.

Give the student monthly reduced fare bus passes without expiration limits.

Identify and assist veteran organizations already based in the community to provide a presence in the 'hood. Link these veterans with their CAPS counterpart.

Provide stipends/incentives for teen partipants in afterschool programs; interact with them to design these programs and base them out of libraries, churches, etc.

Still thinking......

[KojoC]

Our next defeat??? AFGHANISTAN, Yes gone are the days of conventional warfare. Now days its gorilla-warfare. Like our fore-fathers fought the British. the most powerful army's of that time. Unless we Nuke the whole country. I mean like turning the country into a fire ball,yes, killing millions like we did in Korea and Vietnam. Wars, should always be the last result. Yes, I hate wars, having fought in one before.

Forgotten Warriors. Forgotten War.

[Breezy]

What the french toast?! There was no attack on hip hop! Simply a discussion about "wanna bees". And who said anything about black people?! Black people have a lot more going on than hip hop. The link is "Speak on It"; the topic "wanna be writers". Take your political agenda elsewhere!

[skipp]

irregardless of the topic yall just wanna bash hip hop...why...what did it do to you

[skipp]

why yall got to attack hip hop all the time... hip hop this hip hop that...hip hop is where its at...see this is what im talking about...this about righting not hip hop...whenever these folk wanna talk about black folk what they do go to hip hop...

[Breezy]

I one hundred and ten percent agree with your position. But this has become an epidemic in our nation. Not just among "writers". But also "hip-hop artists"; "motivational speakers"; "politicians"; "educators";"tv personalities"; "actors/actresses"; etc. etc. There seems to be a movement among this group of quotation mark people that has adopted the ideology that preparation isn't necessary in order to successfully pursue a craft. I can do anything, give myself a title, and joila! I am! This is the land of dreams, but I still wouldn't spit 12 bars of "Itsey Bitsey Spider" over a bassline and call myself a hip hop artist. I'd study the best rappers, write my own rhymes, perform countless shows to receive feedback on my skills and have someone PROOFREAD my thank you's before they printed them on my CD jacket. Hopefully it would not be the proofreader who used to "write" and end their sentences with prepositions.

[skipp]

ummm...why you mad that people dont talk white...we talk how we wanna talk and you cant change that. it aint rong for a person to use an preposition at the end of a sentence. i talk like that all the time. you must be from somewhere else. this blog is real bogus g.