A CALL TO ALL GOOD BLACK MEN (time to take a stand)
On January 18 2021, a young woman was attacked outside of a convenience store in Harlem NY. She was viciously and brutally beaten; according to her account and the surveillance video that was available. The woman has put forward that a possible reason for the attack was that she did not accept the advances of the three men who committed this heinous act. She visited the store to purchase wine on her way home. While there, according to the reports one of the men asked if he could purchase the wine for her that she had chosen to buy. She politely declined his offer. The woman has allegedly stated that the man made reference to her thinking that she was “better than they were” simply because she would not allow him to purchase a beverage for her. One of the assailants has been recently apprehended. He was only twenty-two years old.
This is one of the many examples of uncalled for acts of aggression against women, and especially black women. The young woman herself stated “I couldn’t and still can’t understand why so much rage?” I totally agree with this statement. How does making a stop at a convenience store to make a purchase end up in anyone sustaining such horrific injuries? This is a major stain on our community and society at large. What has the world come to when grown men, or grown boys (however you choose to see them) think that this is how you react when you feel a sense of rejection from someone? What goes through the mind of an individual when they feel that physical violence is the solution to getting someone to acquiesce to their demands for attention? What made them think that this kind of behavior would get them the desired outcome that they wanted? Why would they think that this was an appropriate way of acting; to ever lay hands on any person, especially a woman, and especially without any provocation?
This problematic behavior has become all too familiar in our communities. There are so many questions that need to be asked and answered. We need concrete steps to be taken to heal our black men and stop this senseless violence.
What is going on in the lives of these black men that has made them turn into such menaces? I’m sure many people will say things like police brutality, pervasive racism, and economic insufficiencies. I am also sure that all of these deficiencies are a catalyst to the black community not being able to compete and ascend to the levels of others in this country. What I will not agree with is, the need for the violence and mistreatment of the women in your own community and culture. I’m positing that there is something that seems more closely linked to how black men are being groomed to think of black women as expendable and possessing no great intrinsic value. Black men have come to see black women as not worthy of cherishing, honoring, or protecting.
Another issue for me is how and why black men see black women as being a major cause for the injuries inflicted on them in their communities? What is this misinformed logic, and where does it spring from? If you want to primarily use statistical measurements, black women are often responsible for holding down black families. They are at the top of the misfortunate pyramid when it comes to having to raise their children alone, often without financial assistance from the fathers. They statistically are the fastest growing set of educated and entrepreneurially minded people in this country. Therefore black women generally are not harming black men , but they are uplifting their community.
Should I dare to ask, are black women the ones who are not providing a living wage? Are they the ones who are causing the violence that is often perpetrated on us as a community? Are they the ones who are committing these profound racists acts against the black community? No, they are not. So why are they the victims of the rage of these particular black men? The misrepresented and misdirected anger is palpable!
Women have recently been, and for a while now debating, “the lack of good black men to choose from.” They are lamenting their inability to find a suitable partner to date, marry, or raise a family with. This has greatly annoyed and caused a briar to be stuck in the heads and hearts of some black men. While I am not writing this letter to cosign on whether or not this issue is prevalent, I am writing to ask the men who consider themselves to be “Good Black Men” to step up. Our community is in desperate need of black men who are willing to mentor and correct the predisposed notions, and the malicious actions of other black men who are sorely lacking in respect for women who are their mothers, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, and so on.
We can no longer afford to sit back and throw our hands up, nor can we leave the disciplining of our young black men to someone else, because we all know how that discipline is meted out to those unfortunate enough to get caught up in the system. We cannot turn a blind eye to instances like this one where an innocent black woman may have been possibly scarred for life; both mentally and physically.
Good Black Men, I implore you to take a stand against this blight that has been forced upon us. Please don’t let these shameful acts become your history; your legacy, our history. We as a people have many issues to contend with and fight for. We cannot expect other people to look at us in a positive light if we can’t even treat each other like decent human beings. A quote that has been attributed to Malcom X states (paraphrased), “Black men will never get the respect that they believe they deserve until they start protecting black women.”
We descend from ancestral tribes who were great warriors, and who defended themselves and their land with valor and significant might. You don’t always have to lift up swords, or other means of battlement to fight what is considered unjust and vile. You often just have to be willing to Stand Up For What Is Right, and Do The Right Thing! Show this country, show the world, and show black women that you are capable of being honor bound men of integrity. Show black women that you care for them, that you are willing to protect them, and that you know what a valuable asset they are to you, and to the community. I believe that black women will be eternally grateful, and will be inspired to do the same for you!
