Speaking Taboo: Urban Society and the decline of Justinian Code.

The Holy Roman Empire is almost forgotten today, however, it's influence, in may ways, can still be felt. After reconquering Africa and Italy around 530 AD Emperor Justinian codified a set of laws that is considered the base of Western Civilization. After this accomplishment, laws, and not petty dictators and violence, more often then not, controlled civilization. This accomplishment is too often overlooked and taken for granted simply because most of us have no experience in a culture without laws. The structure of Civilization is it's laws. Laws are based on values. The absence of values and laws leads to anarchy, violence, and death. Perhaps this seems to many readers' very elementary concepts. I would normally agree, except for one fact. Our laws and values are increasingly under attack and few are brave enough to fight back and say anything.

Take for example the glorification of our urban culture. A while ago a highly paid basketball star recently appeared in a homemade video called "Sop Snitching" with little outcry. What does stop snitching mean? It means rejecting working with the police while glorifying gang culture and urban violence. It means a rejection of societal laws and norms. It also leads to the death of tens of thousands, the death of the nuclear family, and a devaluation of the educational system that hampers urban culture's ability compete economically. Rarely has such a large segment of society possessed such a suicidal and self-defeating policy.

This is not a problem of one race only. Urban culture had affected white culture, Hispanic, and black.  However, It is difficult to bring up this issue without being called a racist. Again, the problem is more then one race, and yes, there is white racism, as there is black racism. However, a young African-American was more likely to be born in a family with a father during slavery then now. Even in Mississippi in the 40's and 50's a young black man was less likely to die from violence then today and was more likely to be born with a father in his family. . The ills of urban culture are more then white racism. It is a glorification of crime and a rejection of laws. It is the decline of the rule of law that dates back to Justinian. This is a glimpse of what would have happened had Justinian failed.

But here I tread dangerous ground. For it is taboo for anyone who is white to suggest that the death of the black nuclear family and embrace of the gang culture has anything to do with the violence and economic disparity in black culture. Bill Cosby said it once, but since I am not a black millionaire, the subject is taboo for me. Perhaps I only noticed the day there was two African American men in space there was a celebration for J. L, a sports figure recently in trouble with drugs. There was no such celebration for the black astronauts. Why? I have heard with my own ears blacks call other educated successful blacks selling out and an "oreo." I have also heard more then one black call the racial attacks on Rice, Thomas, and Steele by Democrats as "justified." And that is the problem. So what cannot be asked in our politically correct world is that are you a racist if you are fearful if your neighbor moves in while wearing a "Stop Snitching" T-Shirt? Regardless of why, crime happens in urban areas that are more often African -American then not. So why then? The liberals want you to think it is because of racism. I think differently. 

The rejection of laws, the rejection of Justinian by urban culture, had bred fear. It is more then just poverty. Blacks grew up in more poverty, racism, and poor educational opportunities in the 30's and 40's and did not kill each other. It is the rejection of police and laws, the glorification of gang culture, the rejection of Justinian's legacy that is part of the problem. Had Justinian failed, the result would have been continued factional fighting as rival groups and gangs fought and killed each other. But Justinian succeeded, and law, and thus order spread throughout the empire. The comparison to our inner cities is plain to see. Reverse racist affirmative action policies just guarantees that divisions among the races will continue and runs counter to King's idea of a society that judges you on the content of your character as opposed to the color of your skin.  We are a melting pot of mixed minorities, and we need to share this great country. To focus on what divides us only guarantees we will remain divided. Laws, education, a strong family, and order is good for all, black as well as white. To ignore this and make the subject taboo ensures the ills of our cities will never be solved.