Black Men Let Us Take A Look At Religious Manipulation

by Kenny Anderson

I wrote this post to highlight ‘religious manipulation’ both specifically and in general. From my perspective when Dion ‘Prime Time’ Sanders was hired as Jackson State University (JSU) ‘some’ of his religious rhetoric was not genuine.

Regarding being at JSU Sanders said: “I truly believe with all my heart and soul that God called me collect and I had to accept the charges.” Coach Prime said he was at JSU to “Change lives, change the perspective of HBCU [Historically Black College or University] football. Make everyone step up to the plate and do what’s right by these kids.”

Furthermore, Sander’s said that coaching at JSU was not about the money, it was for a much ‘nobler’ cause; that he was already wealthy; sources estimate that Sander’s has a net worth of 40 million dollars.

Yes, from my perspective Coach Prime used some religious manipulation to play on the religious sentiments of Black folks in Jackson, MS (bible belt) and that he was also somewhat deceptive ‘over exaggerating’ being a Dr. King type advocate for HBCUs football programs – leveling the racial playing field.

Many Black folks in Jackson, MS are not mad that Coach Prime ‘left’ accepted the over 5 million dollars a year head coaching job at the University of Colorado; they are disappointed in his incongruities and integrity; they now feel from when he began coaching at JSU there was some religious manipulation.

Religious Manipulation

Religious manipulation are techniques used by individuals and church leaders to influence, control, and exploit for their own self-serving agendas ‘advantages’. Unfortunately, from racist slave plantations to the present, Black folks have been oppressed, exploited, and manipulated by religion.

All my adult life I’ve witnessed first-hand too many Black folks so-called strong in their Christian faith (preachers, evangelists, politicians, etc.) in my community and many places elsewhere religiously manipulate Black communities, who've used God's name to justify their enriching actions.

Many religious Black folks are unaware that they are being taken advantage of; here are some examples of religious manipulation techniques:

*Demanding obedience, submission, and loyalty

*Playing on guilt, grief, vulnerabilities, and hardships

*Punishing, humiliating, shaming, and isolating the disobedient

*Fear mongering and the threat of hell to keep people in the faith

*Taking Scriptures out of context in order to support narrow beliefs

*Attributing everything they’re doing to God thereby it must be right

*Touting they have a special calling or favor from God that justifies and refutes

*Discouraging critical thinking and blocking out any questioning information

*Negating reasoning by fostering sensationalism through highly emotional sermonizing

*Controlling individuals by giving them the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible

*Isolating “proof texts” and “cherry pick” Bible verses to persuade the uninformed that their interpretation is right

*Using Scripture and scholastic dishonesty to manipulate for their own personal benefit.

*Twisting Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control.

In closing, from my perspective the greatest tool of religious manipulation used on Black folks is emotional manipulation that’s due to ‘emotional dependency’. People who are emotionally dependent are insecure, can be guilt-ridden, and often ashamed; have fears of being rejected, ignored, not liked, or criticized.

In contrast, emotional independence is about having self-esteem and self-confidence; being autonomous and governing your own emotions through reason and critical thinking.

Unfortunately, emotional independence is little discussed in everyday life in Black communities resulting in a lot of psycho-emotional and social problems along with being susceptible to manipulation due to a lack of emotional management 'caught-up in our feelings'.

Black folks let us get control of our emotions!

Black Men: What Types of Black Kings Are We?

“Black men in America who view themselves as 'Righteous Kings' (not self-righteous) have outlooks that ‘Life’ is way-way greater than themselves, they have humility! That they have a greater sense of purpose of serving their people and fighting for self-determination ‘freedom’! They have a bigger vision and mission of developing land, institutions, businesses, security defenses, communities, and families. For righteous Black Kings ‘Life’ means much-much more to them than being money-bag chasers, ego-inflaters ‘meism’, set-trippers, consumer-slaves, expensive whip-riders, drip-dressers, pussy go-getters, and easy-flippers ‘treachery’. Righteous Black Kings draw clear lines between themselves and opportunistic 'self-serving' Black money kings, status kings, pulpit kings, and street kings. Indeed, righteous Black Kings live with a mindfulness that they owe freedom-dues debts to their Ancestors and to those yet unborn. Yes being a righteous Black King aint easy for sure, if you can't bear the cross then you don't deserve to wear the loftier purpose crown!" - CNK

Coach Prime's God Talk Was Disingenuous it “Must Be The Money”?

 "Everybody knew Sanders would eventually leave for a bigger stage, and he said as much himself. Nothing wrong with that. But choosing a doormat like Colorado? Really? That sends a message that running a lousy program at a predominantly white school is a better option than leading the best Black one." - Jesse Washington

Drinking the religious Kool Aid is when Black folks are more susceptible to individuals claims or statements because those persons say they received a personal message ‘calling from God' is a fact. Drinking the religious kool-aid is an example of invincible authority fallacy.

Appeal to invincible authority occurs when a God personal revelation claim is made that cannot be proven is accepted because the source of information cannot be questioned; if God reveals some information, He is the Invincible unquestioned Authority, therefore if a person says God put a calling on them it’s ‘case closed’!

I started this post with a drinking the religious kool aid definition as a brief 'angle perspective' in analyzing Deion Sanders ‘Coach Prime’ recent resignation as head coach of Jackson State to take the head coaching position at the University of Colorado.

When coach prime arrived, came to Jackson State University (JSU), he gave Black folks the religious kool aid drink, that he got a calling from God to be at JSU a Black college; that it wasn't about the money $300,00 salary cause he's already rich; that God called him to take a lead in reducing the wide racial sports disparities between major white universities and Historical Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs); that God called him to tell top Black high school football players ‘recruits’ that they can come to HBCUs and flourish.

What’s interesting at a recent press conference at the University of Colorado Coach Prime said he got another ‘calling from God’ to take the 5 million dollar a year coaching job there; he told the almost all white audience that he thanked God for choosing him out of all the persons in the world to be the new head coach at the University of Colorado; the Black student population at the University of Colorado is 2.6 %.

Indeed, Coach Prime accomplished some unprecedented things for the Jackson State University football program and brought significant exposure to the all-Black Southwest Athletic Conference (SWAC), however underneath it at all Coach Prime is a opportunistic ‘coach-entertainer’; he was not the transformational leader of Black College Sports Matter; he’s driven internally by the lyrics of his 1994 hit song “Must Be The Money”:

Well all right

Yeah

You know ever since I turned pro in 1989

When I signed the dotted line

People's strange!

'Cause things change

For the better and for the worse

So I called my momma and she said " Baby, "

(Must be the money)

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

(Must be the money)

It's got to be good

(Must be the money)

I got people wantin' to be my friends

(Must be the money)

People I never knew

People I never thought about associatin with

I don't what it is

Talk to me

Check it out

Diamond Rolex, with 'gators on my feet

I got two pair for every day of the week

My hair is done, my fingernails too

Six buttons down and I don't know what to do

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's turnin' them on

Must be the money (Must be the money)

You know I can't go wrong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That keeps me lookin' calm

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me rollin' on the strong

Limousines, in first class I fly

I'm livin' large and you know I can't deny (and my ride's)

A drop-top Benz when I'm with my lady friends

My truck's a six-four with my homie's makin' ends

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me so tough

Must be the money (Must be the money)

I can't get enough

Of all the money (Must be the money)

These women fall in love

Must be the money (Must be the money)

When I'm kickin' it at the club

Flashing lights on the dance floor

The DJ says my name as I make my intro (and you know)

The place is packed, nowhere to find a seat

But Prime don't worry 'cause I'm sensin' VIP

Must be the money (Must be the money)

I got so much jewels

Must be the money (Must be the money)

Twenty-six with all this loot

Must be the money (Must be the money)

To afford the way I live

Must be the money (Must be the money)

When player's ball is at my crib

And if I make a better mansion on my land

Pools, jacuzzis, and my neighbor's can't stand

The way I live is oh so phat

I got two ladies and Prime Time is all that

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's got me so strong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

That's turnin' them on

Must be the money (Must be the money)

You know I can't go wrong

Must be the money (Must be the money)

Come on ladies sing my song

The first thing people say is

Prime, don't let money change you

Don't let money change you

I say hey, don't let money change you

Because personally, It's gonna change my wardrobe,

My phone number, my address

Hey, my snakeskin shoes gonna change into gators

Hey, my library cards gonna change into credit cards

You know what I'm sayin'?

So don't let money change you

Black Men We Still Have Slave Chains To Break

Black men some of the chains that bind us are ego-tripping, titles, white validation and dependency; chains of super-machoism, womanizing, hating, and money-chasing; chains of alcoholism, drug addiction, criminal mentality, narrow-minded religiosity, and debt; chains of lust for clothes, shoes, jewelry, cars, violence, and recognition.

Some Thoughts on Kyrie Irving

 by Kenny Anderson

“Black men have used superior physical ability as well as 'soul and style' not only to thrill and entertain their fellow Americans but also to make money for white owners, yet they have been unable to control their own destinies." – William Rhoden, from his book “Forty Million Dollar Slave”

I got a little something to say about the Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving’s controversy. Let me preface this post by stating I’m not a conspiracy theorist and I don’t support false political, religious, or historical narratives.

In this post I’m not addressing the controversial anti-Semitic movie Kyrie tweeted “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America”, I’m addressing the repercussion of his tweet that from my perspective was over the top: racist, excessive, and emasculating.

Indeed, there are disparate levels of outrage and penalties over anti-Semitism as opposed to anti-Blackness. Kyree Irving stated he was not anti-Semitic and publicly apologized for his tweet, but that was not good enough he was suspended for 5 games without pay by the Brooklyn Nets and has the following humiliating stipulations placed on him:

*Apologize and condemn movie

*$500K donation to anti-hate causes

*Sensitivity training

*Anti-Semitic training

*Meet with ADL, Jewish leaders

Moreover, Kyrie Irving was hit in the pockets by Nike (Inc.) suspending its relationship with Irving and canceling its next Irving-branded shoe release in the aftermath of his tweeting of an anti-Semitic documentary; white corporate men can giveth and taketh away!

Over recent years white celebrities like Madonna, Paris Hilton, Charlie Sheen, Tim Allen, and many-many others have made racist comments, other than apologizing they didn’t have to attend sensitivity training, Anti-Black training, meet with the NAACP/ Black leaders.

In many instances white Jews have the same attitude as white Christians ‘white fragility’ the disbelieving defensiveness that white people exhibit when their ideas about race and racism are challenged and particularly when they feel implicated in white supremacy.

For fragile white Jews any truthful criticism of their racism by Blacks is labeled as anti-Semitic, both Black truthfulness and falsehood regarding Jews is lumped in the same category as anti-Semitic.

Even though NBA star Kyrie Irving’s tweeting a movie controversy was nowhere near on the level as NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s controversial righteous stand of kneeling during game-day National Anthem, they both were castigated! Some lackey Black ex-NBA players were brought out to condemn Irving as was some lackey Black ex-NFL players were brought out to condemn Kaepernick.

Yes, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the Black NBA players can officially ‘superficially’ wear Black Lives Matter and Vote t-shirts but they can’t take real unofficial stances. Black male millionaire professional athletes have less freedom of speech than poverty stricken Black men kicking it on the corner.

What’s clear throughout this country’s history when Black men become controversial on any level they pay a helluva price like no other races of men in America!

Black Men Have A Righteous And Self-Determining Direction In Your Lives

 

Reflections on the Million Man March

 “From the Nation of Islam who initiated the Million Man March (MMM), to other Black male leaders and Black men in general, there was no deep-seated commitment to concretizing the principles of the MMM. Thus over the past 27 years the momentum declined year after year that today’s younger generation of Black men don’t even know the March ever took place!” - CNK

*I authored the following article Oct 16, 1996

A One Year Review: Has The Million Man March Lost Its Meaning?

It has been a year now since the historic Million Man March taking place on October 16, 1995. About two million Black men converged on Washington, D. C. to participate in the Day of Atonement.

That day in D.C. established a date in our history that we would annually observe as a time of reflection, to focus on the themes of reconciliation and responsibility.

I believe the meaning of the historic day that the Million Man March took place, and the perilous juncture that Black men face in particular and we as a people in general was not fully grasped by Black communities across this country.

The meaning of the March became secondary to so many euphoric Black men who were satisfied with just being at the March. During the convergence process of the Million Man March, there was a unity of purpose of Black men that resulted in the March being a success.

However, once Black men returned to their oppressed communities, they were confronted with the stark reality that it is much more difficult to organize our people to solve the problems of apathy and socioeconomic degradation, than it is to mobilize a convergence of two million Black men.

The post-Million Man March period should be an ongoing reflection and questioning of its meaning to Black men.

*Were the pledges we made empty promises?

*Are we more concerned about our oppression?

*In this span, have we been constantly atoning by being self-critical and self-correcting?

*Have we settled disputes, overcome conflicts, and put aside petty grudges that thwart our efforts to maintain operational unity?

*Did we become dependable and accountable to our obligations and duties in the community?

Without the full meaning of the March and the conditions confronting us, most Black men would have to say ‘no’ to the above questions of principles.

If we understood the meaning of the March, we would remember and be inspired daily by those brave Black men Ancestors who genuinely marched for freedom before us. Embracing the meaning of the March would keep us awakened, because many of us are still sleeping through a racist backlash.

Most importantly, fully knowing the meaning of the Million Man March would cause us to be committed. Unless Black men are dedicated to ongoing struggle, we will always lack follow through and be unable to overcome challenges.

As Black men, we face tremendous daily challenges; we face the difficulty of trying to save young adult Black males like Tupac, who are being murdered by each other every day; while many others are victims of racist police brutality and murder.

When we go out into our communities and face the hard task of confronting self-destructive young Black males who sell drugs and gang-bang; our task is compounded by the CIA and others funneling them drugs and guns.

These tremendous challenges will overwhelm all Black men who are not fully committed. Allowing ourselves to be overwhelmed only perpetuates a self-fulfilling prophecy of pessimism that Black men cannot follow-through when it counts.

As Black men reflecting on the first anniversary of the Million Man March, I’m reminded of a meaningful statement made by Brother Omowale Ankobia that puts our mission of responsibility into perspective, he stated:

“We must be our salvation, nobody but us can change the destructive conditions under which we live. Furthermore that’s the way it should be. We shouldn’t want it any other way. If we are too sorry to save ourselves, we are not worthy of saving.”

Black men who understand the real meaning of the Million Man March must make a daily affirmation pledge from the a verse of the Black National Anthem: “Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won.”

Black Men Let Us Become Conscious Breathers

 “I'm blessed and still breathing.” – 2Pac

Indeed, Black men we don’t have to think to breath because our autonomic nervous system is a network of nerves throughout your body that control unconscious processes. These are things that happen without us thinking about them, such as breathing and your heart beating.

Not having to think to breath results in so many Black men taking breathing for granted as ‘unconscious breathers’, not appreciating breathing and jeopardizing it with health neglect, risky actions, and self-destructive behaviors.

Black men let us become ‘conscious breathers’ being aware that our lives starts and stops with a breath. That we can survive without food for weeks, without water for days, but without air we cannot survive more than a few minutes.

Black Men: Women Have Double-Standards

Black women and women in general have double standards in the sense they have higher standards for men than they do for themselves. Furthermore when men and women both do the same wrongful acts the man's is always worse.

Black Men Are Not Allowed

"Aint nothing been harder on earth than being a Black man these last 400 years. Not one other group of people have been consistently exterminated or locked away. No one. Black men are not allowed to be successful. Black men are not allowed to have nice things. Black men are not allowed to ask for help. Black men are not allowed to hurt. Black men are not allowed to cry. Black men are not allowed to make a mistake. Black men are not allowed to breath. Black men are not allowed to grow old. Black not allowed to be fathers. Black men are not allowed to be husbands. Black men are not allowed to be men." - Taye Uhuru

https://www.facebook.com/groups/246933030970636/

Black Men Affirming Worthiness And Importance

Black men in racist America from past to present we have been socialized and propagandized to have low self-worth. This sense of worthlessness is what fuels reckless behavior “I don’t give a fuck” and Black-on-Black male violence “a nigga aint shit and needs to be out of here”.

 
Unfortunately, Black men too many of us live our lives in a worthless rush of unimportance, however we must begin to take a ‘worthy pause’, slow-down taking a breath break of being important. Yes, Black men we have to breathe a sense of value into ourselves; affirming every breath we take in ‘inhale’ our lives are worthy and ‘exhale’ that we are important human beings deserving of respect and demanding it!

Too Many Women's Confusion: Don't Want A Man But Want A Fake Man?

Ladies it Takes Two to Tango: Men Are Definitely Not the Sole Cause of Failed Relationships and Divorces

 by Kenny Anderson

The battle of the sexes, the gender relationships conflict warring blame-game between men and women is probably the hottest ongoing topic in America, as Sahmradh stated:

“The whole dynamic between the genders has become one big orgy of blame. Both men and women are responsible for that. Being right has become more important than cooperating and working together towards actual progress, and that’s very sad.”

Ad nauseam male/female relationship problems are brought up daily whether on social media or constantly in everyday face to face conversations with family, relatives, friends, and others.

For those married these gender conflicts way too often end in divorce, yes there’s a lot of divorcing going on in this country. According to recent data every 13 seconds there’s one divorce in America. This equates to 277 divorces per hour, 6,646 divorces per day, 46,523 divorces per week, and 2,419,196 divorces per year.

Regarding divorces in America, I knew women initiated a lot of divorces but I did not know that the overwhelming majority of divorces were initiated by them. An American Sociological Association (ASA) study reports that over 70% of all divorces are initiated by women; among college-educated women this number jumps up to 90%.

This ASA study results begs the question of why are so many women initiating divorces? After researching various publications here are nine of the most common reasons why women initiate divorce:

1. Indifference or cluelessness of the husband to their feelings

2. Small gestures and reassurances are missing

3. Money problems

4. Needs not being met at home

5. Husbands who cheat on their wives

6. Marriage not living up to expectations

7. Substance abuse

8. Lack of romance

9. Physical and emotional abuse

For women these are nine valid reasons to initiate a divorce, these reasons implicates men as the sole cause of why it was necessary for women to file for divorce. What’s interesting in reading many-many publications is women did not cite their own shortcomings or negative tendencies as a reason for initiating the divorce; that their filing for divorce would be best for the man.

Ladies, let me say this in my life as a Black man, over 30 years as a social worker including specializing in marriage and relationship counseling, I’ve never heard any women admit that they contributed to a breakup or divorce with a man.

The overwhelming majority of women basically said they were perfect, they were totally innocent, they were the victims of his wrongdoing or failings; that they are Ms. Right all they needed to do is find - meet Mr. Right.

Indeed, ladies as men we’re often wrong in failed relationships with women, however for the sake of a ‘bigger truth’ we need to begin detaching the myth of women as always being Ms. Right, that somehow women can never do no wrong in relationships.

Ladies, you all have many positive sides but you all also have negative sides; as men we see this negative side. Indeed men experience the negative side of women expressed in controlling, manipulating, non stop-nagging, not listening, selfishness, ungratefulness, never satisfied, untreated mental health issues, toxic emotions, unrealistic thinking and expectations.

Ladies as long as you all hold on to this absolute sense of you alls perfectionism of being always Ms. Right, then you all can never see or admit when you’re wrong. When you’re perfect you won’t engage in self-examination, self-criticism, or self-correction.

Ladies being perfect results in a double-standard: men are always wrong I’m right, he needs to change but I don’t really need to change; this notion of women not needing to change is what many men resent. This notion of women not needing to change because they’re inherently good has resulted in a men’s opposition backlash ‘manosphere’.

The manosphere is a network of online men’s communities who have clapped back against male bashing by women in general and feminists blaming men for failed relationships; many manosphere men engage in female-bashing, that women are the relationship culprits.

Due to women overwhelmingly initiating divorces and blaming men for it many manosphere individuals and groups are advocating that men should not get married because the rewards for getting married are far less than they used to be, while the negative costs of it are far higher.

The U.S. News reported that marriage rates reached a historic low in 2018, with only 6.5 people out of 1,000 getting married - the lowest level in 118 years.

How Women Undermine Their Relationships With Men

Ladies, many men will ignore women’s negative characteristics, while many men don’t discuss this negativity due to a sense of futility and abandon the relationship without closure.

Ladies, I have a perspective of what I believe are some objective factors of many women’s behaviors that undermine their relationships with men, make them intolerable to deal with. I hope these highlighted factors won’t be viewed ‘twisted, dismissed’ as mere female-blaming’:

First-Factor, is Failed Relationships With Men Syndrome (FRWMS) which is a reoccurring failed relationship experience that women have with men throughout their lives.

Often times FRWMS for many women begins early with failed relationships with their fathers particularly if the fathers leaves the home due to divorce that’s too often viewed negatively as abandonment. Next for women is breakups with boyfriends and eventually divorces from husbands.

Failed Relationships With Men Syndrome for women has a compounding effect which women expect relationship failures with men - a worse case scenario that in many cases they help cause ‘self-sabotage’. For women failed relationships with men is a predictable self-fulfilling blaming prophecy.

Second-Factor, as a social worker for over 30 years I worked with women who constituted over 80% of the social workers. Often from these female social workers I constantly heard male cracks, criticisms, and complaints including comments of what men must do to satisfy them.

Regarding the attitude of what men must do for them I remember being a coordinator for Parenting Development and Marriage & Parenting education services and I was involved in a conversation with some female facilitators who were discussing their relationship expectations of men stating they expected a man to have several attributes:

*They needed a money man able to buy them things regularly,

*They needed a funny man that makes them laugh,

*They needed a gossip man that gives them feedback like a woman,

*They needed a helluva sex man to please them

*They needed a ‘wine and dine’ romantic man,

*They needed a church man to inspire them with the word,

*They needed an emotional fix me man that can save them from their troubled feelings,

*They needed a reassurance man constantly saying “baby I love you and can’t live without you,”

*They needed a ‘protect me man’ that always made them feel secure.

What was interesting about this conversation was when I asked the ladies about men having the same needed expectations from them their requirements for themselves were much lower. They also stated they expected fewer flaws from men including them being ready for rapid change.

In contrast they expected men to be more tolerant of their flaws and much more patient with them to change. Listening to the women’s comments I said wow what helluva expectations and double-standards.

What I heard these women say is that they expect a lot from men — yes more than most men can probably deliver, he eventually won’t be good enough. That they will not tolerate too many flaws from men and once they realize that the man was not changing fast enough for them they would end relationships and file for divorces.

Third-Factor, is many women’s mind-games and toxic emotions that are ploys to get men to play by their rules. Mind-games are done to manipulate men’s emotional reactions by playing on their fears, vulnerabilities, weaknesses, shame, values, sympathy, compassion, and pushing other “buttons” to get what they want.

Women’s toxic emotions are exhibited by constant unpredictable responses; one hour she’s okay the next hour she’s not. She’s an emotional rollercoaster that can cause a man to be constantly on edge, walking on eggshells, and waiting for the ax to fall. Because men can’t predict these types of women’s responses men have to relate to females who are chronically stressful to deal with.

Women’s toxic emotions are also exhibited in insecurity, constantly being suspicious, constantly wanting to know a man’s whereabouts, constantly calling and texting, constantly accusing a man of possibly cheating.

Final-Factor, as already mentioned women overwhelmingly initiate divorces but they also overwhelmingly engage in a specific form of divorce-related parental alienation known as ‘malicious mother syndrome’.

Parental alienation is where one parent demonizes the other parent to damage the child’s relationship with the other parent.

Malicious Mother Syndrome’ is all the negative efforts women use to make children dislike their fathers, to alienate the child from the father. Moreover these mothers are often committed to a broad based personal campaign to demonize ‘discredit’ the father from having a relationship with their children - totally prevent them from co-parenting.

Some examples of malicious mother syndrome is making false allegations of sexual abuse; spreading vicious lies about the ex-husband; trying to get the ex-husband fired from his job; constantly interfering with the fathers visitation rights.

Ladies, reiterating way too many of you all refuse to admit and accept that you negatively contribute to failed relationships and divorces. Ladies without admitting, accepting, and accountability to any contributions to failed relationships then all of you all are implicitly just total victims.

Ladies just playing the victim card exonerates you all from any responsibility and the need for self-improvement to address shortcomings and negative tendencies.

Ladies overwhelmingly you all end most marriages but without self-corrections if you decide to marry again it will likely fail because research shows that the rate of failure for second marriages is 67% and for third marriages it’s a whopping 74%.

Ladies those of you who want to improve your relationships with men I would first recommend that you all honesty admit and accept what you all did to undermine relationships you’ve been in ‘take inventory’.

Ladies also take time to reflect on emotional baggage and how it has negatively impacted your past relationships with men. Ladies work on yourselves with a firm commitment to eliminate or significantly reduce negative tendencies.

Ladies develop the best version of yourself moving forward so you can be a good partner contributing to a relationship that has a better chance of being successful. Ladies, as well as men there must be a commitment on both sides to increase relationship competency, problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills.

In closing, unless there is accountability on both sides for failed relationships and both sides taking responsibility to improve relationships, then the gender wars will continue unabated resulting in constant divorcing, blame-gaming, and wider male/female polarization.

America's Bullseye 'Black Men'

Imagine the tremendous stress Black men in America feel everyday being constant targets of racist police repression – yes living with fixed bullseyes on our chests. Indeed this stress is traumatizing and demoralizing; it takes a tremendous toll on Black men mentally, emotionally, and physically; it accelerates aging, causes disproportionate chronic diseases and premature deaths.

This Black Man's Power Animal: The Rabbit

by KenRay SunYaRu 

Power animals are spirit guides in animal form that are valuable empowering allies who can help you navigate through life’s challenges and transitions. Your power animal’s traits can be internalized becoming part of your personality characteristics.

I chose the Rabbit as my personal power animal ‘totem’ because of their similarity to Black men in America. Rabbits / Hares are one of the most targeted prey animals, likewise Black men in racist America from past to present are the #1 human prey ‘targets of oppression’.

Yes Rabbits’ traits can teach us Black men who are being ‘hunted’ a lot about not getting caught-up 'captivated, captured' by tricks and traps. The Rabbit Spirit’s mantra is “Stop, look, and listen before you leap” and keeping both feet in reality. 

Way too often Black men live in a 'reactionary mode' of negative over emotionalism; not stopping, looking, and listening before reacting resulting in self-defeating and self-destructive behaviors; yes doing a lot of 'dumb shit' with severe consequences 'sicknesses, incarcerations, and deaths'.

The Rabbit spirit energy teaches us Black men to be mindful of both dangerous actions and situations: Is there danger afoot in your home, in the community, at your job, greater society, or within?

Rabbit spirit energy teaches us Black men to nurture our positive survival instincts especially are responses: Is it time to zig? Is it time to zag? Or, is it time to stay perfectly still? Rabbits as a totem also affords quick wittedness and creative problem solving. Rabbits have the additional symbolism of multi-directional awareness, cleverness, planning, and keen senses.

Though Rabbits are prey they don’t have victim energy, they have escaping 'freedom' vibrancy! As Black men too many of us have adopted the role of ‘victim’? It’s time to stop having a victim mentality! You can only be a victim if you accept it! 

Indeed Rabbits are some of the most enduring and quick-witted animals on the planet. Black men be like the Rabbit developing your smarts and trusting your ability to succeed - be free!

Black men Rabbit energy challenges your reflexes and hones dexterity spiritually and physically. Incorporating Rabbit energy you’ll begin to know what paths support your soul’s survival journey vs. those that undermine it.

My Father A Buffalo Soldier

by Kenny Anderson

My father Jack D. Anderson recently turned 100 years of age on July 13, 2022. Next month my father a veteran will be honored at the 3rd Annual Tuskegee Airman MC Cookout. I knew my father was in the U.S. Army during World War II - growing up he didn't talk much about his military experience.

What I didn’t know and just learned that my father was in the all-Black ‘Buffalo Soldier Division / 92nd Infantry’ the only African American infantry division to see combat in Europe during World War II fighting in the Italian Campaign.

My father raised in racist 'Jim Crow' Mississippi told me he understood clearly that he was fighting for a country that was racist, separate, and unequal; that he was fighting to defend democracy in Europe but was denied civil-rights and voting-rights in America.

However my father said he felt he had a duty to fight the larger global threat of Hitler’s white supremacy ‘Nazism’; that he was proud to be fighting against Nazism in the tradition as a Buffalo Soldier.

Buffalo Soldiers

The Buffalo Soldiers were an all-Black ‘segregated’ infantry that fought in the U.S. Army from 1866-1944. The carnage of the Civil War had severely depleted military troop numbers; the Army needed more men, and it needed a new way to organize them.

On July 28, 1866, the Army Reorganization Act authorized the formation of 30 new units, including two cavalry and four infantry regiments "which shall be composed of colored men."

During the Civil War approximately 186,000 African Americans served in the Union army in the U.S. Colored Troops. Black soldiers served in volunteer cavalry, artillery, and infantry units, but the opportunity to serve as regulars in the Army was not afforded African Americans until after the Civil War.

Due to the Army Reorganization Act about half of the Civil War Black Troops took the opportunity and signed on to serve as regulars in the new restructured Army. For the first time in history, African American men were now considered "regular" soldiers.

Black soldiers could now serve their country and further their quest for equality in the institution that they thought would give them the best opportunity to do both – the U. S. Army. This U.S. army reorganization laid the foundation for the proud tradition of the all-Black "Buffalo Soldiers."

The Buffalo soldiers began their military campaign as the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry spending much of their time in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Indian Territory protecting citizens, mail and supply routes and battling hostile Native Americans, and outlaws. It was during battling Native Americans that Black troops got their name “Buffalo Soldiers”.

Historians say the name Buffalo Soldiers was given to Black soldiers by Native Americans because of the Black soldiers’ thick dark hair that resembled the fur of a buffalo and they fought so valiantly and fiercely that Natives revered them as they did the mighty buffalo; thus the Ninth and Tenth Cavalry adopted the Buffalo as their symbol.

The 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments also served in the Philippines in the early 1900s. Despite proving their military worth time and again, they continued to experience racial discrimination.

During World War I and World War II the Buffalo Soldiers became the segregated 92nd Infantry Division (92nd Division, WWI). The Buffalo soldiers during World War I were mostly relegated to defending the Mexican border.

During World War II the Buffalo Soldiers 92nd Infantry Division was the only African-American infantry division that participated in combat in Europe the other units were used as support. The all-Black 92nd Infantry Division was part of the U.S. Fifth Army fighting in the Italian Campaign to the war's end in 1944.

"Buffalo Soldiers Song"

Black Male Effeminization as Oppression

by Matthew Quest

A major tool of those who subscribe to white supremacy, according to Black female psychiatrist Francis Cress Welsing, is the perpetuation of Black male passivity through encouraging effeminization, bisexuality, and homosexuality. Welsing believes this is "a problem of epidemic proportions amongst Black people in the US."

Homophobia in communities of color is rampant to the tenth power of the white mainstream. Why? Because the struggle for human rights against white supremacy has been disproportionately explained as the need to achieve "manhood" rights, from the period of the slave trade to the present.

Welsing believes homosexual patterns of behavior are simply expressions of male self-submission to other males in the area of "sex," as well as in other areas of economics, education, entertainment, labor, law, politics, religion, and war. 

Black male oppression is defined as forced submission and homosexuality is its highest expression. Welsing defines "primary effeminacy" and "secondary effeminacy" to distinguish white causes of homosexuality from Black ones. 

Primary effeminacy is a self-derived response by whites to their genetic insufficiency, causing a negation of self-reproduction due to disgust with their own genetic weaknesses. Secondary effeminacy (Black male homosexuality) is consciously imposed on the Black man by the white man for the purpose of destroying the Black family. 

Welsing attempts to propagate a patriarchal concept of the Black family, which is curious, since it is Afrocentric conventional wisdom that there was no patriarchy in traditional African societies.

Welsing does have a concept of gender roles being environmentally conditioned. However, a continuum would not represent qualities such as aggression and nurturing as universal that all humans can embody. Rather, the author clearly believes that in the process of the Black man taking on homosexual tendencies, he is acting like a woman. She is firmly against this as illustrated by the following examples.

From her work with incarcerated Black males, Welsing concludes that, as they have been broken by the system and forced to submit to an authoritarian environment, prison is the epitome of white supremacy. Black males are "feminized in jail" in the following ways: They are given orders by men to whom they must submit; they wait passively to be fed three meals a day by men; and finally, they have sexual intercourse with men.

Welsing, in an attack on cross dressers of the "Flip Wilson/Geraldine" variety, implies that a real Black man wouldn't wear earrings or bracelets. How can an African-centered critique of white supremacy discount the earring and bracelet wearing Masai warriors or the "Mau Mau," just two of many examples of "manhood" in resistance?

The author, angry with the American Psychological Association's relatively recent repeal of their former opinion that homosexuality constitutes poor mental health, prescribes a distinct position for Black people. Black psychiatrists must understand that whites may condone homosexuality for themselves, but we as Blacks must see it as a strategy for destroying Black people. 

Welsing argues that homosexuals or bisexuals should neither be condemned nor degraded, as they did not decide that they would be so programmed in childhood. The racist system should be held responsible. Welsing believes the task of professionals who concur with her should be proactive treatment and prevention of homosexuality among Black people.