I Love You Man/ Wo-Man

There is an another epidemic going on in this society. It has been going on for centuries and if I had to guess, I would say it has caused an unnecessary generational curse to stay in existence for way too long. Unlike most things, this is a race thing. This thing is destroying countless men and women in the African American community and no one seems to care. It's the plague of: I Love You Man.

Now, I know some of you are a bit confused, so I shall elaborate fairly quickly. All my life, I have been taught by every Man I know so be masculine, rough, tough, & hard core. But until just recently, I can't remember one male loved on, mentor, or friend that took the time to say these words, I Love You Man. For some strange reason, African American Men feel that they are emasculated when they display emotions to other Men. As if you become homosexual because you love your own son, brother, or father. This is no laughing matter. It is a serious issue and one of the number one causes why so many young black Men/Males are dying and being jailed at such a high rate. These young brothers don't get the I Love You Man from the places they should. So, they hit the streets in search of Love from gang membership, random women, and the countless children they produce with no intentions of supporting them. Or, they seek the I Love You Man from the respect they think they have earned by selling the most dope, having the most women, bullying the most people, and/or being feared by all. This is indeed problematic.

Sadly, this just isn't a Black Male thing at all. There are some African American Females that have articulated to me that they deal with the same issue. Mother, Sister, and/or Grandmother have never once said, I Love You... Wo-Man. This is so disturbing, because it leads these young girls/ladies on a path of destruction, as they spend their whole lives giving up their innocence, sharing their bodies, and/or enduring abuse just to hear I Love You. It breaks my heart to see young women, no babies, flaunting their babies around the store or the mall, when they should be flaunting baby dolls. They don't even know who they are as a young lady yet, but because they are seeking that I Love You, they are willing to do whatever it takes to feel Loved, needed, wanted, and special with no regard to the fact that s/he that is in her life doesn't Love Her Man. This is indeed troubling,

I would apologize for the length of this entry, but I am not going to do a disservice to this topic. My brother and I had an in-depth conversation regarding this issue the other day. Why is it that Men, especially African American fathers and others in the African American community don't show emotions toward their Male or in some instances female children. Dad, it doesn't make you any less of a provider or make your children respect you less because you hug them, kiss them, or tell them, I Love You. Mom, the same goes for you. Caucasian people and people of other races and creeds have mastered the art of Loving each other and saying it loudly and proudly. African Americans have mastered the art of having Love for each other, but not being able to display it. Maybe they just don't know how, because they never experienced it either.

But today, this has to stop and it has to stop now. It ends with you and I. I will lead by example. So here it goes...The FATHER, the SON & the HOLY GHOST, I Love You Man. Dad, I Love You Man. Eric B, I Love You Man. G$, I Love You Man. All my other male siblings, cousins, family members, frat brothers, mentors, goons, and any other males that are in my circle, I Love You Man. Not only am I going to write it, but the next time I speak to any of them, those will be the first things they hear me say, I Love You Man. Now, if I can do it, so can you. Let's change the world one, I Love You Man/Wo-Man at a time.

P.S.: Ladies, Ya'll Already Know I LOVE YOU!!!