Things that make you go hhhmmm...

A few days ago I posted some musings about hearing Harry Belafonte and reading in the paper about the dismal prospects for young Black males in America. There is a very interesting editorial today by Orlando Patterson that adds a different dimension to the debate.
According to Patterson, academics refuse to look at cultural cues when trying to decipher why young Black males are not jumping at the chance to improve themselves and their communities. He claims that socioeconomic factors are not enough to explain why Black males are behind everybody else. He blames it on their own culture. Others have complained about that before, notably people like Bill Cosby, who has shown a deep disdain for a culture that celebrates violence, misogyny and anti-social behavior. Nobody has paid him no mind. I think he was openly derided for it. Patterson alludes to the same thing much more seriously. Check it out.