"We're not criminals just for the sake of being criminals. Nobody does that where we grew up in N___, duh! We're not above the poverty line. So I get in the mask and gloves 'Cause we don't feel the love We don't commit crimes for the sake of committing crimes We move because we're not okay He's locked up in prison Do you know what he could do to a nigga? my mind if you owe me ten dollars, you won't give me nine! give me 40 acres and a mule So I got my Glock 40 now I'm good." Jay-Z Imagine waking up every morning hungry, except instead of going to the local fast food joint, you can't even afford a dollar burger from McDonald's. Imagine falling asleep to the sound of gunshots, rather than the sound of crickets. These conditions seem like those of the middle of a war zone or a third world country, but in contrast, this is the environment in which many black high school students live. Rap lyrics may not be the kind of formal quote to open a newspaper; however, to adequately represent the voices of young black males, it is entirely appropriate. The fact is that they are angry and extremely resentful towards white people because of the treatment of their slave ancestors. Seeing successful white people struggling in the slums of America is not fair to the African-American community. Despite numerous calls from black advocacy groups like the NAACP, their proposals for fair and equitable treatment have seemingly fallen on deaf ears in these students' world. As a result, a large number of them turned to crime. The rate at which Black males are becoming trapped in the prison system is alarming. Today, African Americans make up 62% of incarcerated African American male youth. You probably never would have thought that they would be doing so well until they were made aware of the conditions that our fellow countrymen face on a daily basis. It is shocking and unacceptable. We have paid our debt to others we have harmed. Why not fix relations between us and the minorities who need it most? The black race is a proud race and does not always seek alms. Dignity is the goal of this solution. They are a strong people and should be treated as such. Booker T. Washington said, “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position one has reached in life as by the obstacles one has had to overcome while trying to succeed.” As for the obstacles the African American race has overcome, why not help them overcome their greatest obstacle of opportunity?