Having conversations with black men make me realize how behind they are in the conversation on blackness.

All believe power and domination in these institutions are the keys to liberation.

All believe the ability to do what they want without consequences is liberation.

so much of their ideas on liberation and freedom are tied to the personal but rarely does it extend beyond them.

That goes for empathy too.

That's why they suggest entrepreneurship as the key to freedom. It upholds their belief that financial freedom=personal independence. Yet, they see black people with wealth and education like Skip Gates get arrested and don't think whiteness will threaten that freedom...

I hate wasting my brain cells and engaging in conversations that require me to do so much work in bringing folks up to speed. I hate doing it with men because they think they are right and will speak confidently and be wrong.

In my personal life, I know of only one cis black hetero man who sees blackness as expansive as I do. The rest will do whatever they need to be a credit to their race, and call that black liberation.

This is why I encourage reading. Being a black straight man isn't enough to discuss the breadth of blackness. Taking that position actually stunts you.