An excerpt from Pride "Family Unit"
As many cells within make up the body, similarly, the family is the essential component to the community. When the cells become sickle, cancerous, and attacked by viruses, the symptoms are evident, and the body evidently weakens. Likewise, when a family is void of a parent, neglected because of selfish ambitions, or compromised because of recklessness, the community will remain stagnant, unable to arise to its potential and God- given position.
We can no longer afford to undermine each other. Us men should no longer equate our manliness by the amount of women that we can conquest and impregnate. Being a man has nothing to do with the amount of women one has sexed, impregnated, and left the seeds with to be fatherless. Rather, to be a man means that you love that one woman; and you love, protect, discipline, and if need be, you give your life for that family that God has entrusted you with. Remember that women and child or children, and of course you brother, y’all are what our community consists of. You, I, our children and women are our community.
“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” In this illustration, the chain represents the community. The link signifies the family. Once each family is functional and operates in harmony as a unit, then the community can and will be a linkage, and a lifeline to those who are attached to it.
I can’t point fingers because once upon a time I had the mentality that I would be “the man” if I had children and women all over the place. With maturity, better understanding and a consciousness, I came to the realization that “the man” was, and is, the perpetrator, guilty of sowing seeds of dissention, oppressor of the oppressed and guilty of physically and mentally enslaving the brother man and sister woman. Only then, when my mind was released from the bondage of the slave mentality, was I able to realize that “the man” was the very embodiment of the destructive behaviour that plagues the community. And I sure didn’t want to be that man.
The nucleus of the family is the relationship between the man and woman. It is only when these two individuals – male and female – realize that their relationship is the core of the family unit, will we, as a people, excel excellently. In turn, each individual family makes up the community. Subsequently, the community will dictate the incline or decline in the progress of our people. It is only when this fundamental truth is grasped by both the male and female will we see the healing of our people.
Brothers, we have to give the ladies the love that they deserve. Our women have been the backbone of our community more often than not, being both mother and father for our seeds. A certain amount of gratitude is due to them for tirelessly labouring with a part of our responsibility. Let’s treat them like the queen and empresses that they are. Despite the faults that they may have.
To our queens – Some of y’all need to understand your worth. For your affection, we brothers will move mountains. With your support, we will be able to lavish and adorn you as you deserve to be. If you carry yourselves with respect, then we have no choice but to respect you , and fulfill our obligations. Not all brothers are out to harm you. There are still some good brothers left.
