As an African American man, I can say that I’m disenfranchised with America. This country’s treatment of its African American citizens is the basis of my disenfranchisement. The George Zimmerman and Michael Dunn trials are the latest examples of the United States penal system not serving its purpose. When grown white men can shoot and kill unarmed black children and not get prosecuted properly for it, that disenfranchisement grows stronger and stronger. While I currently have no children of my own, my confidence in being able to adequately raise my children in modern day America wanes because I wonder if my children, or any other Black children, could become the next victim of such heinousness.

This article won’t retry Zimmerman and Dunn for what they’ve done. The American penal system has rendered its decisions regarding those two. People have the right to support what they’ve done, just as others can express outrage for what they’ve done.

However, that outrage hasn’t changed anything, as Trayvon Martin and Jordan Davis will never come back. In Zimmerman’s case, the perpetrator gets to live his life as a free man, free to kill another black child. Zimmerman has also been made some sort of an American celebrity, which defecates on the memory of Trayvon, as well as the black community in general. Simply put, black life doesn’t matter in 2014 America. If you disagree with that assessment, please show me proof.

This type of disrespect would never happen in any other community. When someone expresses anti-Semitic sentiments, the Jewish community comes out en masse and castigates the perpetrator.

Actor Mel Gibson can attest to that.  Additional castigation takes place if anyone makes fun of Latinos or Asians on any public stage. Of course, people make fun of different ethnic groups on the Internet, where they can hide their identity and not have to deal with the repercussions of such ignorant acts when faced with the people they’re oppressing.

But I digress. A fellow author asked the question “Does the black community need a leader, or can we right the ship on our own?” The question should be “Is there someone galvanizing enough to unite the black community in an effort to collectively build our community?” It’s sad that our community cares mostly about new sneakers, rims, the latest hip hop CD, and which sista’s getting beat down on whatever reality TV show that passes for entertainment. We should be concerned with education, protecting our families, creating jobs, and building an environment conducive to not only our survival, but our children’s children’s chidren’s survival.

We can’t wait on the established American social and economic system to give us anything. We need to build our community from within. We must support our black businesses. We must be vigilant in taking a vested interest in our children’s education by attending their parent-teacher conferences. We must mentor our young people (especially our young men and boys). Tell our children that they mean the world to us, and show them with love and discipline. We must build up our desolate brother and sisters with love and respect, not tear them down with hatred.

While we’re at it, we can build up each other with love and respect too.

Men like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers were on the frontline fighting for our rights in this wilderness that we call America. They sacrificed their lives, as well as left legacies of their greatness, so that we as black people can supposedly live and thrive peacefully. Standing pat without challenging the current system that suppresses and murders us (read: white supremacy) isn’t working. We still have a long way to go.

As Black people, we must support black businesses in an effort to build our community. We must build a pride amongst ourselves that reaffirms the term “Black Is Beautiful”! Most importantly, we must be proud of our blackness, like every other ethnic group mentioned in this writing is proud of their ethnicity.

This piece serves only as a discussion to reach the goal of real black unity, not a start all-end all discussion. Any and all suggestions designed to achieve and sustain black unity and growth will always be welcome.