Good Black Men

I'll be damned if this didn't put a smile on my face. Shouts to A.O. at the Uphams Corner Health Center.

Good Black Men are indeed all around us. We pass them on the streets, in the malls and the halls at work.

Most we can't see because we don't know what a good black man really looks like. He usually isn't flashy enough or rich enough to turn our heads. He might not wear a suit or drive a Lexus. He might not have a "body like Tyson with a Denzel face." But, as you mature, you realize it's better to find someone who's got your back than someone who turns your head.

A good Black Man doesn't agree wholeheartedly with everything you say. He doesn't just tell you what you want to hear and do the opposite. He doesn't declare how sensitive, sweet, caring, sincere, yada yada he is (he won't have to because it shows). He has his own opinions and you may clash, but he doesn't have to degrade you to prove he's right. He even admits at times to being wrong, especially if you are willing to do the same.

A good Black Man is not going to meet every item on your checklist. He is human with frailties and faults mixed in with all of his wonderful, strong attributes. He needs your love and respect. He needs to feel that you don't live to "catch" him doing something wrong so you can declare, "Aha! I knew you were a dog!!"

A good Black Man doesn't necessarily give you a huge birthday or
Valentine's gift. He shows his love in the ways that are comfortable to him. Don't judge him by TV standards. No one is really living a fairy tale. You'll miss out on your own fairy tale by buying into the myth that our men are no good. It's just not true.

Black Men, we salute you, and thank you for who you are and all you've done.