Leaderboard

Here I was hibernating in my cave, so disgusted with the all the injustices, the corruption, the violence, and materialism in the world that I am seeking escape, focusing on all the good memories of the past and on all the ethereal possibilities that might be what compromises life after death. Then here you come, Pioneer, griping about my attitude toward black men, unable to understand why I have such a dim view of so many of them. Hummm. It’s not that I think black men are dumb or incorrigible. It's more like I find them ignorant in too many areas because they don’t even know what it is that they should be knowledgeable about. As for you, I’d judge you to be a sincere person of decent character, reasonably articulate, and civil. But I also consider you to be fraught with inconsistencies, and quite prone to making the generalities that frame your contradictory approach to issues. As worldly as you claim to be, it's like you lead a sheltered life. You diss your black brothers by declaring that they live by a set of standards that don’t require them to be responsible and after you further claim that since they are incapable of being good leaders it’s inexcusable to disparage someone like Jesse Jackson because there are so few worthy black men to replace him, you then reprimand women like me for being hard on black men. Gimme a break! With spokesmen like you pleading their case, and under-estimating their leadership abiilities, who needs black women to put black men down??? Even as hyper-critical as I am, I would not cast Jesse Jackson as the best we have to offer. There are a lot of other black men more exemplary than the glib, ego-centric, materialistic reverend who nobody really takes very seriously anymore. How could you not be aware of this??? Then, Pioneer, you proceed to chide black woman for not being supportive of black men, of not being sweet and submissive like white women. Puleeze. First of all, white women are the most prized possession in the world, put on a pedestal by the men who protect and cherish them. And prominent among the males who are enamored of white women, are a substantial number of black men, especially those who’ve achieved prestige and status. Black women as a class, however, have been relegated to the bottom of the heap, disrespected and abandoned by their men and scorned by a color-conscious society. What is the incentive for them to blindly support their black brothas? Does none of this occur to you??? Secondly, white women are who were in the forefront of the Womens’ Lib, and today they are out there exerting more independence than black ones who, incidentally, never embraced the Feminist Movement in any great numbers. Why? Because there was nothing more they would’ve liked than for black men to step up and take command, relieving their women of all the responsibilities they were burdened with. No such luck. Even so, prominent black wives do tend to stand by their husbands. It’s single black females who turn their backs because they have been kicked to the curb by the men who regularly devalue them. Is this a revelation to you??? Incidentally, I have not always been this candid. There was a time when I would bite my tongue, and exercise tact and charm to achieve my ulterior motives. Now I don’t have to do that anymore. If what I say offends inept black men, then so be it. Who gives a damn? They don't and neither do I? Well, Pioneer, this is what you get for stirring me out of my “mid winter’s night dream”. zzzzzzzzzzzz.

WOW! This event was so successful and so different than anything I've ever done. Giving a lecture (to a roomful of black women doctors!) on a particular subject is much calmer and more invigorating than the normal free-reign book reading. I spoke on why I don't like being called a 'strong black woman' and prefer we think about replacing it with 'the living woman' as our mantra. The women overwhelmingly agreed to and related with the entire historical picture I painted of how this language (strong black woman) does at times box us in as ..."mule of the world"...."they're strong (not really women) & can take care of themselves"...."be a strong black woman & take it like a man." It was quite a strong reaction, a lovely bonding time & I sold a ton of books. I also fell in love with Atlanta. What a beautiful and serene city. Kola Boof