Like most here I agree that the poverty predominant in urbal black society is more a symptom than a cause. Unfortunately, most effort I see to fix the problem relies upon changing the thought processes, behavior and motivation of young black men, something I doubt will ever happen. People will often change only if the perceived cost of changing is less than that of not changing, and for many young black males living in poverty a change to become more responsible only promises more “pain.” I think a greater potential for success would focus on those whose pain can be bettered: the young black females who end up being the single mothers from which the cycle perpetuates.
Simply put, if a large number of young black females in poor neighborhoods refused to submit to the animal desires of their erstwhile “baby daddy” until that young man demonstrated responsibility and commitment, then you’d see a lot more young males do what it took in order to get some. By trying to aleviate the social and economic effects of single motherhood we have, essentially, made it not “painful” enough to choose to avoid. Women can exert a civilizing effect upon man when afforded sufficient power, and sufficient power is already ensconced in US law. Make single motherhood more “painful” and less women will choose that path. Likewise, more will exert their control to ensure that when they do become mothers they do so under the least painful circumstances, in essence forcing their partner/husband to help establish those circumstances.
As the old joke goes, women have the power because they have half the money and all the *****.
