Brothers--It Is Getting Better!- The Black Corner - Articles- BlackandChristian.com

As I began to ponder this month’s column, I had to start off with words of gratitude, praise and thanks to the great editors, publishers, and readers of THE MANHOOD LINE. It’s been ten years since the first column showed up in THE INDIANA HERALD, spurred on by Dr. Mary Tandy--owner and publisher of the Black owned paper. Her late husband, Opal, started the paper in a quest to bring another great Black newspaper into the world. She continues his work, and so does the rest of the family. Dr. Tandy’s best quote on the subject of male/female relations is the following: “When a woman talks bad about a man, she is also insulting another woman--HIS MOTHER!”

Never have truer words been spoken.

I also wanted to let the brotherhood know one firm fact: It IS getting better and better to be a man--especially a Black man--in the United States of America. Men and women are finally starting to wake up to the fact that putting dresses on men and keeping them as ‘househusbands’, and shuttling women off to work in power suits with briefcases is simply NOT working.

How can I tell?

First, let’s reflect upon my candidate for ‘Man Of The Year’ 2005, Mr. Randal Pinkett--the first BLACK male to snag the prestigious label as Donald Trump’s ‘Apprentice’. Not ‘The Apprenti’. Not the ‘PC Hour’. Mr. Pinkett WON the game by playing by ‘the Donald’s’ rules AND doing it with S-T-Y-L-E. Best of all, when the HEAT was on, Mr. Pinkett did NOT fold!

If that WAS NOT a clear, definitive dose of MANHOOD, I’ve been away from the front lines TOO long!

There’s more to encourage us in the year ahead. Check the commercials, churches, and movie offerings. Read the newspapers, magazines and websites. Cruise the mall and watch the couples arm in arm. Listen and watch the politicians sweat over taxes, marriage, and employment. Buzz your Email and see how many positive and uplifting items are arriving from friends and loved ones.

Especially copies of my column in many cases.

I received the following Email of praise from a sister who read one of my columns on men and marriage. One of the basic points of the column: NO WAY can a woman NAG a man to the altar, as a REAL man will propose when he is ready to do so. Sister, if you can’t wait, then you’d better find another date because it is up to the man to determine whether or not you will be his MATE.

You tell me if my reader ‘got it’ by the following sent to me from Florida:

Thank you, Thank you & Thank you! I’m a 29 year old divorced sistah and I thank you for saving my a**!!! That article was very much so needed! I'm now dating a sweet brother that I would never exchange him for anyone else in the world, but you just saved me from loosing him, I saw myself in #4 the nagging "sistah" I've been nagging him into marrying me and what you stated was oh so correct that "He will marry me in and on his own time"! And all I have to say is thank you for saving my some what nagging behind-- Signed, West Palm Beach, Florida

WHY I WRITE FOR MEN:
I’ve been on quite a few talk shows, have had conversations with various people around the world, and have been applauded by men and women from just about every continent on earth. The question frequently comes up: “Why write ONLY for men?”

I write for men simply because I have had solid, upright men school (or mentor me) throughout my life, including--first and foremost--my late father. Some of these other brothers were and are Christian men. Others of the brotherhood have a reverence for God, and a depth of wisdom that had to come from a deep understanding of people and how they function.

My writings are jointly forged by success and failure. You see, I ran for public office more than ten years ago, and lost. However, my campaign sent some REAL brothers my way who got me to look beyond my loss, shake my gold pan and deal with the nuggets that I found in the mud. Ten years later, I’m still shaking that pan. There is still much truth to mine and share as we continue on life’s road growing as men.

I also write for men because too many in the MSM seem to overlook the obvious.

They, like I, had a father. I would not dishonor his memory, or his wisdom.

Some sisters (and some weak brothers) forget that they had a Dad. If the eighties are being remembered as the ‘Greed’ decade, and the nineties the ‘Me’ decade, the first decade of the new millennium has got to be the ‘She’ decade (a.k.a The Decade of the Shrew). I have never seen commercials, heard songs, nor read papers and articles dedicated to women being negative towards men; or, I should say, featuring women doing their best to try to ‘intimidate’ the men in their lives. Women poking, prodding, or hitting men to make a point, or attempt to exert their ‘will’ by calling the man in their lives a laundry list of items, ending with: “Well, you AIN’T a man!” Then, when he knocks her out, cusses her out, or throws her out--she is amazingly quiet about how much manhood her ‘so called man’ had. Seems he had JUST enough to fire her and find a BETTER woman with whom he could share his life.

HUMOR INSTEAD OF HYPERTENSION--MEN HAVING THE LAST LAUGH:
I’ve noticed something about this Decade of the Shrew. Men are meeting the insults, anger, and demands of the female sex--with determination and laughter. Randal Pinkett is but one example. Toby Keith and his song ‘Big Blue Note’ features a man who’s wife left him, cleaned out the house and bank accounts while he was at work. To add insult to injury, she leaves him a piece of her mind on a sheet of blue paper. Sure, the brother ‘falls a part’ for a little while, but eventually gets a grip on himself, tosses the note off a cliff and gets back to living again. “She’s gone,” Keith dots the drama towards the end of the song. Yes, it is a Country and Western standard, but a good point, is a good point.

Brothers, let’s be for real. There is no need for bitterness if she decides to ‘walk’ on you. There IS another opportunity coming down another street, and in a lot of cases the next opportunity is a LOT better quality of woman.

You see brothers, there are some YOUNGER sisters who have decided NOT to take a swig from the ‘feminist cauldron’. They LIKE men; and their like their man to be a MAN, not one of those ‘metrosexuals’ who are into silk, psychology, and sexy nails on themselves. These ‘retro’ sisters like to be pampered, adored, and spoiled. They ‘may’ work a job, and ‘may’ even make more than their husband; but they are LOYAL to him and their children. These sisters, like my wife says, worked on their MRS. Degrees before they started working on their B.A, M.A., or Ph.Ds.

In short, they LIKE the rice, the ring, and the preacher along with the ‘I Do’ of marriage.

THESE sisters are waiting for you by the dozens! Just let the Bible, the Lord, and your upright character lead you to them. Quit taking your cues from M-T-V or B-E-T and stick with G-O-D.

Brothers, it IS getting better out there.

So, regardless of when you read this column, rest assured of one thing: THE MANHOOD LINE has passed its ten-year milestone and the hits are just gonna KEEP on coming! Thanks for your support brothers, and let us SAIL ON!

Full speed ahead…for Manhood!

MIKE RAMEY is the author of THE MANHOOD LINE. A syndicated, monthly column written for men from a biblical, business, and common sense perspective. It appears on fine websites around the world. Emails, Bmails and Pmails are welcomed to the following address: manhoodline@yahoo.com.