..."Family Unity"...

By: Nasir Wali Muhsin!... 2012

Simply put we could say family is your bloodline, both its ascendants and descendants... So what is an "immediate family"!?!?! Once more, simply put we could say: "Mom-Pop-siblings-aunts-uncs-1st cousins"!! Those are the meanings by "definition"!!...

But what is the "feeling" of a family!?! What is the duty (if) one at all, of one's family!?!... We can say and I'll agree that the feeling is of love - warmth - care and concern but nowadays (I) ask -> are those feelings just mentioned any longer relevant in a society where the daily buzz is about (self), especially in our urban and ghetto areas!?!?!

Then there's the question of "duty"!... What are the duties of one's families, especially the immediate family!??! Let's stick to the Mom - Pop - siblings (and) "pets". :P

Surely Mom is the nurturer! Pop is the provider and protector while the siblings rally each other on and vie for each parent's full and undivided attention while (all) support the betterment of one another!... Does that sound about right!?!?! At least that's how it (used) to be!...

But what if (all) you have is only a mom or only a pop, or "neither" and only siblings left in your immediate family, both younger and older!?!?! What do you do for the nurturing of a mom - the strength and protection of a pops and where do you go for the wisdom of them both!?!?!

I'm sure some of you will say: "G-ma/G-pa"!... Some will say: "Tee-Tee/Unc" and then there are those who'll say: "It takes a village to raise a child"!!! O-kay - o-kay! I got that there "should" always be someone available to fill Mom's dress or Pop's shoes!!...

Just the same, I'll say that due to both raw experience and eyewitness accounts, that it's (not) that easy, my friends!!! I've seen children abandoned by mothers! Abused by fathers and rejected by society, let alone by family!... I both experience and witness families plagued by the "own thang" (syndrome)!... You know, the syndrome where everyone's doing they "own thang" and so when it comes to (you) and the love - comfort - support and advice you need from "family", there is none because "Well... everybody's doing they own thang". :P

Today's society has taken the concept of "family unity" so lightly that it's almost non-existent, especially in urban/ghetto cities which are so plagued with failing economies that no one has time to contemplate about the subject matter or true essence of a "family bond"!...

Almost 93% of today's urban/ghetto homes are single parented or have no sense of "family structure" at all!... Mothers and fathers are either missing or don't care - brothers and sisters estranged - family reunions and get togethers are "weird" and everyone's in a rush to... "do they own thang" :|!!...

I'm in prison and there's (no) question that over the last 10 years I've been victimized by my loved ones "own thang" syndrome!... Surely every blue moon (or every other blue moon :P) someone'll pop up with the: "Heeey Nasir - you know I love you! Everyone says hi"!... And I just smile to keep from crying!! Who's to blame though!?!?! - Myself - society - government - my family or the village!?!?! -> The list of people and things to blame can get quite long but when will we stop playing the blame game and start pulling our family structures and bonds back together!?! Who will lead the charge!?!!?

I'm truly concerned for the young men who are filling Amerikkka's prison cells... 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 years of age with mandatory prison terms of 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 years (no) parole... :| They lived lives with (no) sense of family - (no) guidance - (no) education - emotionally tender and spiritually/morally stoic! Their fathers were either MIA - drug addicted - in the streets - didn't care or too are in prison!... Their mothers were children who had a child so (she) had (no) sense of how to motherly nurture a child and so no sense of understanding or control!... And so these boys! These "young boys" flood these cells: lost - angry - illiterate and confused!... (Sad) :(

"Where"!!... Where have we went wrong as a society!?! For the Afro-American, what happened to The Cosbys - good times - a man and the like!?! Those shows that magnified the "family structure" for us!... For the whites there's or there was - "Leave It To Beaver" - and The Brady Bunch to name a few! And for the Latino community there is at least - "The Lopez Show"!... But they (all) represent a "family bond"!... Today there is no more "sticking together through thick and thin" :( Everyone knows about the saying of: "Together we stand - divided we fall", it's been around for eons yet we use it loosely - stare it right in the face and disregard it while "screaming" (self)!! When it comes to the average urban/hood/ghetto family, there is no: "All for one - one for all" any more!! WHY!?!?

"Family"!... (The word). Where does it go from here!!! Will the "word" let alone the "concept" turn into a "term" like the word (nigger) did!?! Surely now people use nigga as if the word (at)! It's been turned into slang or an ebonic as if it never meant or was a term of (disrespect). The word nigger has been spinned into -> Nigg-Nigga and the like and is accepted as the norm! I say that to say it appears (now) to have (no) meaning!! :( So (too) has the word "family", nowadays people in at least urban/ghetto communities use "fam-famo-fam-fam and family" as if the word (the)!! People call total "strangers" by these "terms" (if you will) so "family" seems to of lost its essence in our communities!! Why and how - I ask! What happened!?! :(

Personally, (I) vow to do all (I) can to pull (my) family into one bunch, the close - immediate and distant so that we can face trying and happy times together, so that we can climb the economic scale together and build an empire for our future descendants to come!!... For (now) I've nothing to my name but I will continue to stay mentally - emotionally - intellectually - spiritually and physically strong so that I'll have (my) half at the round table - and so that when it comes to "self vs. family" I will strongly and intelligently choose "US"!!... Simple as that!... :|

Until families, especially in our urban/ghetto communities start reuniting and becoming (one) we will forever as (individuals) be stood on - walked over and victimized by these families who have united and who does understand and appreciate the true concept of "family"!... Just look at some of your daily necessities by name!... The foods - clothes - cars - banks - appliances - hygiene products - gas stations - hospitals - electric companies - phone companies - hotel chains - transportation etc... Y'all think these are foundations and major incorporations with (no) "bloodline" effect!?!? Think again because they most always have their entire families heading the boards of executives, top offices and seats, everyone else are simply (submissive) to... "the family unit"... Where did (we) go wrong!?!?!?!

I am:
"Nasir Wali Muhsin"
"Just tryin' to be a family"... man!!!

** Inspired by my sister I-J2-S! You know who you are! <3