Black Males are falling deep into Social and Economic Degradation,

This hurts to read. Just when I thought things were getting better for Black men, I see this info:

Ever-increasing numbers of African-American boys and men are headed "toward in an ever-deepening pit of social and economic degradation," Bob Herbert writes in a searing op-ed that should be read by every concerned citizen in the country. Herbert writes with sorrow and passion about the full-blown crisis in the black community, the continuing descent of huge numbers of black males out of our public schools and into joblessness, poverty and incarceration.

In New York City and Philadelphia the on-time graduation rate from high school for African-American males has fallen to 28%. Nationally it is under half, at 47%. Over half of black men without a high school diploma have spent time in prison by the time they are in their mid-thirties. The statistics are clear. Black men and boys are losing ground in education, jobs and most do not marry or form stable families of their own. Herbert talks about the scourge of joblessness:

The astronomical jobless rates for black men in inner-city neighborhoods are both mind-boggling and heartbreaking. There are many areas where virtually no one has a legitimate job.

There's more, but I'll stop there. I know I shouldn't, but I do feel some guilt. I was lucky, my friends were lucky. That could have been us if we wasn't careful.

There has to be a way to remix this problem. They need their spirits lifted to get up, get out and do something. We are failing somewhere. Hopefully, we will figure this out soon.