Young, Black and On Track: How Mentoring Can Help African-American Boys Succeed

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 8/10/03 | Tavares Stephens

[freedumb2003]

As much as I hate to admit it, you MEN are the key to turning our society around.

Excuse me? I like the rest of your post but this is a little distressing (unless of course you meant it as a joke). Other than that, this would sound like a Feminazi saying "OK, I hate to admint it, but I need a man to change the tire on my car."

But your conclusion is 2/3 accurate. The BM problem is a problem that can only be solved by M, since F is considered to be weak and to be used. But F are needed to provide an overall environment that will not tolerate anything less than the best any guy can give. Remember, the rich athletes always say "Hi Mom." How many Black Male success stories are out there where the major influence was a grandma who wouldn't take any crap from the kid?

That milleu need to be established by the women in the world. That is the environment that will allow mentoring to succeed.

[happygrl]

I think you're on a rant and projecting.

I am acquainted with a number of young black men who LOVE reading books, even difficult books, and constantly questioning me about what I'm reading.

This thread is not about black's anti-intellectualism; it's about mentoring.

Start your own thread if that's what interests you.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

"As much as I hate to admit it, you MEN are the key to turning our society around."

Femi-nazi, I certainly am not! I used the phrase as sort of a way to ease the female ego and at the same time as a filler whenever you don't want to just come right out and say something. Consider the phrase struck down from the sentence. I am coming right out and saying this "You, MEN, are the key to turning our society around."

The role of a good woman in the home is certainly very invaluable and irreplaceable. Behind every good man is a good woman. The point of the post is to lift the men up but without pushing women down. The ideal family is still composed of a father, a mother, and kids.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Barna Research Group
www.barna.org

Lots of interesting stuff there.

[JimRed]

55 vs. 15% is a significant difference.

It refers to church attendance later in life, and maybe the difference is in the delivery. Mom says "come to church with me" while dad says "you're COMING to church with me"!

[freedumb2003]

Femi-nazi, I certainly am not!

Great to hear it. The "I hate to admit it" part rankles -- it turns a (I believe valid) observation into damning with faint praise.

[nyconse]

What a great community. I wish I lived in a place like this. LOL

[LibertarianInExile]

Thanks!

[LibertarianInExile]

I think it's also true about parenting in general--it is not difficult at all for me to believe that maternal nurturing is more likely to produce useless slackers, and paternal nurturing is likely to produce independent, conservative thought.

I've long believed that the appropriate solution to end the single parent situation in this country is to award the children to the DAD. Then men would be A) more likely to contest paternity and B) more likely to AVOID paternity...

and women would be more eager to put out. :)

[happygrl]

It is obvious that you are commited to this line of thinking.

Carry on if you think that this will solve any problems///eyes rolling.

[mafree]

I'm Black, female, and do tutor and mentor Black students, including boys. I have a whole program for doing it. I've been tutoring younger kids since 4th grade and feel that there is more and more of a need to do it in order to help more Black children counter the anti-intellecutalism that is much more common now than it was when I was growing up.

I don't mind tutoring males because I don't take nonsense from any kid and I make that known, but I do wish more males would come forward and tutor/mentor.

[Luke Skyfreeper]

I don't mind tutoring males because I don't take nonsense from any kid and I make that known, but I do wish more males would come forward and tutor/mentor.

Thanks for helping make a difference in kids' lives. I wish there were a lot more folks like you.

[mafree]

Thanks for the compliment- God knows I wish there were more doing it. I'm starting to ask every Black adult to tutor/mentor a child.