Black Men Where Are You?!

By Brenda Hampton

By now, I’m sure that many of you have heard about the recent beating of the teenager in Chicago, many have seen the school bus incident where two Black teenage students attacked a white student, and just last night in my hometown, another 16 year old was gunned down by his peers. This is happening everywhere, and unless we begin to address the real reasons as to why this is happening, more of our children will be killed. Just think, what if something like what happened to Derrion Albert happened to your sons or daughters? I’ve thought about it, and the thought pains me. I can’t even imagine what the mothers and fathers go through after losing their children, but after watching the video of Derrion Albert being beat, I can’t rest peacefully and I’m literally sick to my stomach. I can’t stop thinking about how anyone can cause such harm to another person. What’s going on with you, where you feel proud about stomping someone to death or bashing their head in? Right now, I won’t even comment on what I feel for those who were arrested, but I will tell you that I have very little remorse for them. Maybe I should feel sorry for them too, after all, they were taught how to approach life by their mothers, or maybe…fathers?

By the way, Dad, where are you? Your sons NEED you! Don’t you get it? They…we are all crying out for your help! Mom just can’t do it alone anymore, and even though many women do a great job raising their children as single parents, obviously, some women don’t! Either way, Dad, when are you going to take responsibility for bringing a human being into this world? You just can’t walk away and think that your kids do not need you. Your daughters NEED you too, and every time she searches for love in the wrong place, she’s really looking for you. Your sons…oh, my God, please help your sons! Go get them from our streets, and stop them from killing each other. Stop them from overcrowding our prisons and being made examples of. Let them know there’s a sensible way to approach life. Put your arms around them and tell them that you’re sorry for abandoning them. Tell them that you love them, that you’re proud of them and that you’re willing to do whatever it takes to make their lives better. Don’t wait for another man, a mentor, the president, or any other male figure to do it. Think about it…he’s got your blood running through his body, and he will carry on the legacy that you taught him. Have you asked yourself what you want your legacy to be? Please, give him a chance that you are failing to give him. Wherever your children may be, find them. Connect with them, talk to them, be there for them, please! There is no other way for anyone to correct what is going on, if you do not make an effort to do your part.

What we’re watching play out in the streets of our cities are the results of continuous neglect from parents, particularly fathers. Now is the time, and we can’t afford to wait another hour, day or years for certain individuals to step up. The mission starts with you and you know who you are. Close the doors to your weak ways of thinking and realize how much difference it would make if you gave your children the time they truly deserve. I know change isn’t easy, and it brings about many challenges. Set aside your fears, and to prevent us from losing more of our precious children, please, Black men especially, do the right thing. Because at the end of the day, Derrion Albert and all of the other innocent children who have lost their lives didn't deserve to be taken away from us by the young men some of us are creating. If any of these children belong to you, think about their futures, your future, and the future you could have allowed Derrion Albert to have, had you been there for your child. Remember, it's not too late to make sure this doesn't happen to another innocent victim.



Spread the word and help me get this message to resonate. As always, I welcome your feedback and can be reached at brendahampton_1@netzero.net.


Brenda Hampton
Essence Magazine Bestselling Author
www.brendamhampton.com

Novels:
Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right
The Dirty Truth
SLICK
How Can I Be Down?
No Justice No Peace
The Naughty Series
Girls From Da Hood 5-Trick Don't Treat

Humor Break

Christian Humor

This is one of the best clean jokes I've seen in awhile!

Jesus and Satan were having an on-going argument about who was better on the computer. They had been going at it for days, and frankly God was tired of hearing all the bickering.

Finally fed up, God said, 'THAT'S IT! I have had enough. I am going to set up a test that will run for two hours, and from those results, I will judge who does the better job.'

So Satan and Jesus sat down at the keyboards and typed away.

They moused.

They faxed.

They e-mailed.

They e-mailed with attachments.

They downloaded.

They did spreadsheets!

They wrote reports..

They created labels and cards..

They created charts and graphs.

They did some genealogy reports.

They did every job known to man.

Jesus worked with heavenly efficiency and Satan was faster than hell.

Then, ten minutes before their time was up, lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, thunder rolled, rain poured, and, of course, the power went off.

Satan stared at his blank screen and screamed every curse word known in the underworld.

Jesus just sighed.

Finally the electricity came back on, and each of them restarted their computers. Satan started searching frantically, screaming:

'It's gone! It's all GONE! 'I lost everything when the power went out!'

Meanwhile, Jesus quietly started printing out all of his files from the past two hours of work.

Satan observed this and became irate.

'Wait!' he screamed. 'That's not fair! He cheated! How come he has all his work and I don't have any?'

God just shrugged and said,


JESUS SAVES....

Love Thyself, First

This week’s morning affirmation

Love thyself, first. I will not be able to provide anyone in my life the kind of love they need or deserve until I love myself whole.

We get so caught up into deadlines, goals, to-do lists, and quotas that we can’t find five or ten minutes to affirm our love to ourselves.

Everyone wants to love and be loved, but what about the most natural love of all --loving ourselves? My first affirmation of love, strength and hope each day goes to myself; however, this has not always been the case. There was a time when I thought affirmations were not necessary or just some silly life coach's way of trying to make a buck, but the truth is simple. I must feed my psyche with positive words, daily.

The way humans are programmed in the millennium; we can go a long way for a long time without nurturing our inner spirits. However, externally, people feed us with all types garbage that has the ability to slant our perception of ourselves. Whether it is that super slim model on TV, your husband's idea of the perfect housewife, or how your family or friends think you should act, our psyches will be fed. There will always be someone that appears to have it all, whilst you have not. There will also be people who thrive on making you feel inferior or inadequate in order to make themselves look and feel better.

There will always be moments of disappointment in ourselves, moments of spiritual mayhem, moments of distrust and confusion. These things are inevitable. However, it’s your choice whether to fall into that dark abyss of nothingness or be the master of your own universe. The choices are slim, but you must determine which side of the road you want to stand on when it comes to your life. Take your pick!

The breakdown of hope, strength, love, and the ability to have healthy relationships begin with the breakdown of hope, strength, love and ability to love one’s self. This is a vicious cycle that each of us must play an active part in if we want to keep the love for ourselves strong.

Finally, the aura that comes from the inability to love ourselves whole resonates like a drummer boy tip tapping, tip tapping at his drums and affects everyone that we come into contact on a daily basis. They hear your spirit. The question is do you want them to hear whimpers of internal misery or songs of joy.


Love thyself, first. I will not be able to provide anyone in my life the kind of love they need or deserve until I love myself whole.

Shani Greene-Dowdell (c) | 2008

Shani G. Dowdell was interviewed by SG Boutique

Check out the interview here:

http://sgboutique.blogspot.com/2008/12/on-come-up.html

Just a Taste: Bronze Princess by Joi Marsh

Joi Marsh is a Tuskegee, Alabama native. She graduated from both Tuskegee University and Auburn University and is a certified rehabilitation counselor. She is a pure writer at heart and once she shares her gift with the world she will be a force to be reckon with. She has hopes of completing her first book of poetry in late 2008.

In the short story, The Bronze Princess, Joi Marsh introduces infatuating Tula and sexually free Benet' to her readers. After spending a week in Hotlanta with her best friend Jack, Benet' comes over to finalize details for decorating his house. Instantly, Benet' and Tula are attracted, but will the long distance relationship work? After a hot weekend tucked away in a cabin, it might.

Brief Excerpt from The Bronze Princess by Joi Marsh After gathering herself, Tula looked into Benet's eyes, kissed her ever so softly on both her eyelids and proclaimed it was "now my turn." Tula covered kisses over her entire body. A true romantic at heart, she kissed her fingertips, the palms of her hands her elbows and knees, leaving not a spot untouched. Tula held Benet and whispered sweet melodies in her ear as she nibbled and held her close.

Benet laid there, almost swimming with desire, becoming one with Tula with every touch. Tula, a master with the female body, knew exactly where to touch Benet to make her soul vibrate. She knew how to spread her legs and taste her sweetness, how to use her fingers to bring forth her juices. She knew exactly how to please Benet' and did everything imaginable to bring her Bronze Goddess to climax. After making her new lover cum for a third time, Tula reached in her goodie bag and spotted the beads. Visit Joi at

Wanna read more?

Hazel Mills speaks on her book Bare Necessities

Click here to read more from Hazel --> Promoting Reading, One Page At A Time: Hazel Mills speaks on her book Bare Necessities

Just a Taste: Smooth Moves by Landis Lin

Excerpt of SMOOTH MOVES byLandis Y. Lain: Featured in Mocha Chocolate: Taste A Piece of Ecstasy.

Shirley: "FAWN, I SAW SOME HUSSY DRIVING YOUR CAR! "

Fawn: "He wouldn't do that." Fawn typed back.

She glanced down at her new wedding ring and shook her head in denial, locks dancing with the motion. She'd left her car at home this morning, because it wasn't running right. She would catch the bus home. Amir had promised to fix it.

Fawn: "There must be some explanation." Fawn's fingers flew over the keys.
Shirley: "UH-HUH."
Fawn: "Stop shouting." Fawn typed back. She could mentally see Shirley roll her eyes, gather her patience and hit the caps lock key on her keyboard.
Shirley: "I'm telling you, I saw the license plate. Besides, how many people drive a gold 1996 Honda Civic with a Clinton/Gore bumper sticker pasted to it?"
Fawn: "I don't believe it."
Shirley: "Girl, I know you so damned soft hearted you don't want to believe water is wet unless you drown, but don't be soft headed, too. If Amir's got a good explanation for this one, then I'll eat my weave."
Fawn: "What should I do?"
Shirley: "Take the afternoon off and check up on a brother."

Landis Lin Bio:
Landis Lain, a native of Detroit, Michigan, began her writing career in the first grade. She has worked as an Assistant City Attorney, a Hearing Officer with the Michigan Department of Corrections, an Assistant Attorney General as a Federal Civil Rights Defense Litigator and an Administrative Law Judge. Her short story Rusty Feet was published in Chicken Soup for the African American Soul and Color Him Father. Correct Madness: Diary of a Mad Corrections Officer is her first full length publication. She writes creative non-fiction, inspirational, contemporary romance, young adult fiction, and short stories. When Landis is not writing, she can be found teaching Legal Issues in Criminal Justice to college students or coaching track and field. She enjoys reading, dance, sports, adventure and romance movies. She especially loves spending time with her children - when they squeeze her into their busy social lives. She resides in Michigan with her husband, Frank, who she considers her own personal Prince among men. Contact Landis atLandis.Lain@comcast.net.