What have we come to?

As we all know the world is full of unexpected happenings that we can only take in stride. But there are also many things that we can do and take that problem into our own hands and make a difference. I’m just going to get right to the point. HIV/AIDS is not a sickness among the majority of African Americans in Africa but it is more prevalent among our own African Americans in our state (MS) than you think. According to the Essence Magazine, the July 2007 issue, “A recent study of attitudes toward HIV/AIDS among Black women in the Mississippi Delta- where we account for 70 percent of new HIV/AIDS cases- found that more than 70 percent of those surveyed engage in casual sex without condoms.”As most of you may know Mississippi has never really been portrayed as a great place to be and to be quite honest that fact is becoming more and more true each day of our lives. I am a product of the Mississippi Delta and I love where I come from but I am not ecstatic of our accomplishments, or lack there of. And to be quite honest I can’t say that I want to go back when the people there are hurting themselves by using misguided judgments. I mean really, when did we become so naïve of the happenings around us that we stopped striving to do what was in our heart and what was right, why have we stopped protesting for our “rights” that we gained not even 5 decades ago? When I read that small paragraph I instantly became outraged that our people, My people, have become a statistic so severe that it will be years to overcome that fact. I’m not sure how many times Mississippi has been written about in a positive way in that particular magazine and it doesn’t matter. Now you think about it, How many times have you seen an article that has uplifted our state that would have made you proud?, probably a few but definitely not many. And that is what makes me so mad, the time we are written about we have to be talked about for our foolishness.

Us....As Good Men

Good Black Men are indeed all around us. We pass them in the streets, in the malls, and at work. Most we can't see because we don't know what a good man really looks like. He usually isn't flashy enough or rich enough to turn our heads. He might not wear a suit or push 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 rather than someone who turns your head. A good 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, etc..., he is (he won't have to because it shows). He has his own opinions and yours 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 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 man isn't insecure about his woman having great achievements. In fact, he is her number one supporter and becomes disappointed with her when she begins to lose herself, especially for the sake of not hurting his feelings, or only wanting to make him happy. His happiness comes with seeing her excel in her dreams and accomplishing her goals. For as she excels and is exalted, a good woman will bring her good man right along with her.

Love

Why does love hurt so bad? Its an inevitable force which has no way of labeling its awareness. Males are often caught up in the act of love and never realize why they lose the interest of a significant other. I'll tell u why. It's because of the lack of communication that falls between two people in a relationship, and the increase of assumptions, which get you nowhere. Men like for women to be confrontational and personal rather than holding back and expressing there desires through emotions and actions. However, some males arent ready for such honesty in a woman. Not to say I'm perfect, but i've had my share of experiences with the mixtures of emothions dealing with the opposite sex. I mean thats how we learn right? You win some, you lose some. Am I right?