The question on your mind should be what is meant by “the time is long over”? We as Black people are living in a very critical and crucial period of time, more than ever. Some of us will say the period of slavery was more devastating than now, but let’s compare.
Black males were denied the opportunity to be a man and compelled to suffer indignities that if he dared to complain he could be killed.
However the year is 2014 and it is imperative to the future of the Black race that the male become a strong Black man and father. If you are employed you have the obligation to project yourself as a strong positive Black man by doing your job to the best of your ability. You provide a good day’s work for a salary and if the job is unbearable you begin to look for another, but you just don’t walk off. Always conduct yourself in a positive manner. You come to work regularly and on time, show up for work after pay day and do not allow yourself to get caught up in what your co-workers are doing that you realize is wrong. It is generally not beneficial to you to do what the other boys are doing. It takes strength to do what is right and not what everyone else is doing.
There may come a period in your life that you become a father and you must become stronger, because your responsibilities have increased. The time may be now for you to obtain a better job, go to community college or pursue a skill craft, but always stay focused that you have a family.
It is important that you become a positive role model for your family, they grow up so fast and you will ask yourself “where did the years go.” It is important that you introduce the family to religion and yourself to the influence of politics, because politicians affect every aspect of your life. Instill in your children that they can do all things well if they prepare themselves.
As their father you can become their role model—not a musician or ball player. Our children are dying every day so it is mandatory that fathers become stronger than ever so that we will have more knowledge and control over what our sons and daughters are about.
At this period of time we have become super strong loving fathers. Our sons and daughters are now adults, we no longer sit them on our laps; take them to amusement parks, the zoo, Carnegie libraries or the museum. But if the situation arrives “Daddy the Protector” is first on the scene.
I witnessed a football player who had knocked his wife unconscious and drug her off the elevator appear on a television special. I almost cried because by his side was his wife (protecting the money), his mother-in-law and of all persons his father-in-law. There is no question that the wife’s father is a weak colored man and father and definitely not a “super strong daddy”. Those of us who fit that category have a lifetime commitment to protect our daughters.
Christmas is coming, be sure to send a donation to the Kingsley Association.
(Louis “Hop” Kendrick is a weekly contributor to the Forum Page.)
