Dear Black Men – I Am My Brother’s Keeper

Dear Black Men,

Boy what a week we've had!

We have dealt with a white woman in NYC making a false police report claiming that one of us was causing her harm when he wasn't.

One of our brothers George Floyd was murdered in Minnesota by having his breathing compromised by a cop positioning his knee on his neck while telling him “I can’t breathe.”

Not to mention another white man in Minnesota called the cops on some young brothers working out in a gym who turned out to be a group of entrepreneurs who had their company in the building.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired, frustrated, and overall MAD!

At this present time, I am in conflict between my Dr. Martin Luther King spirit where I want to practice non-violence and my Malcolm X spirit where I will defend myself by any means necessary.

I must admit!  As I hated to see the riots and burning buildings in Minneapolis and the protesting from surrounding areas, and states....I understand!

Reason being my brothers I am sure you just like me are tired of the racism, bigotry, and police brutality must stop.

I have a friend on social media and I read his recent post saying

“Whether you think it’s right or wrong…I BET THEY HEAR US NOW!”

After seeing his post I had to simply remind him that our voices will be officially heard when the houses of racism, police brutality and any other form of discrimination against African-Americans is burned to the ground.

So, until that day my brothers I want to say to you first that I love you!  I respect you!  I value you!

I recognize your pain, your troubled mind and I salute you for still standing while the world continues to knock us down.

Continue to be providers and examples for your children, families, and communities.

We deserve better and as long as I have breath in my body I will continue to be your mouth piece when you feel like you have no voice.

Let’s stop the fighting within ourselves and let’s unite and repair to unity fence that was broken between us.

Together we can definitely make it happen…..

I am my brothers keeper.

Shawn Knight