- Jan 8, 2014
- 53
- 28
Dear brothers: we are gods in the making. No matter your spiritual or religious beliefs, please know this as fact. I know you because I know the passion that flows through my veins. You want to be better. You want to be the man you imagine without restrictions. You want to be a man she is proud of. You want to be a role model for young boys and men your own age. You want to build, create, to protect what is close to you. You want to be leaders. You want to be useful. You seek the truth. You are righteous and have a good heart. You have your head on straight and hustling is second nature.
Know that it is all these things, things you may feel make you vulnerable, that makes you a god in the making.
We are a people who have been systematically held down and told who we are for as long as we can remember. I am here to tell you: there is more to remember.
We need to remember ourselves as kings, philosophers, warriors, and lovers. We need to remember we created great cities, works of art, and mind bending concepts. We are the original people. Greatness flows through our veins only inhibited by our imagination and courage.
We need to stand together as true brothers. We need to recognize this isn't about class, gender, or sexual orientation. We need to remember that we cannot beg for scraps from a system that wants nothing to do with us. Our sisters need us as much as we want to be needed. Our sisters love us as much as we want to love them. We cannot allow whites or any other race dictate to us how to live our lives or how to treat one another.
A new system is in order. A new way of thinking about our station as blacks. Yes, there are many things wrong. But look how much we *can* do! There is nothing stopping us from having open and honest discussions about what it means to be a black man. There is nothing stopping us from examining sexism as a primary weapon of a white patriarchy. There is all the opportunity in the world to create an honor code we as black men can be proud to call our own.
We can decide and we can do.
Your input is most welcome. Thank you.
Know that it is all these things, things you may feel make you vulnerable, that makes you a god in the making.
We are a people who have been systematically held down and told who we are for as long as we can remember. I am here to tell you: there is more to remember.
We need to remember ourselves as kings, philosophers, warriors, and lovers. We need to remember we created great cities, works of art, and mind bending concepts. We are the original people. Greatness flows through our veins only inhibited by our imagination and courage.
We need to stand together as true brothers. We need to recognize this isn't about class, gender, or sexual orientation. We need to remember that we cannot beg for scraps from a system that wants nothing to do with us. Our sisters need us as much as we want to be needed. Our sisters love us as much as we want to love them. We cannot allow whites or any other race dictate to us how to live our lives or how to treat one another.
A new system is in order. A new way of thinking about our station as blacks. Yes, there are many things wrong. But look how much we *can* do! There is nothing stopping us from having open and honest discussions about what it means to be a black man. There is nothing stopping us from examining sexism as a primary weapon of a white patriarchy. There is all the opportunity in the world to create an honor code we as black men can be proud to call our own.
We can decide and we can do.
Your input is most welcome. Thank you.
