my experience, the difference between Brothahs and white men is, since Brothahs in this society typically have no power, they attempt to overtly exert power in their relationships w/ Sistahs, their children, and each other. Unfortunately, this exertion often takes a negative turn, and results in abuse, or most recently here in Baltimore, death(some dude just smothered his 2-mo. old, and dumped her in the trash dumpster). White men are the ones you USUALLY see supporting feminism, and striving to be more 'in touch w/ their feminine side', because they know they already HAVE THE POWER in society. They don't lose anything in showing support for their women, by say, staying home while she works(I know a lawyer who does this, and only works temp assignments periodically). I am not saying ALL white men are like this, of course. But just listen to the music they put out these days (I Am Barely Breathing, and all those John Mayer tunes). Could you IMAGINE Ja Rule, Jay Z, or DMX rapping about,
"I am barely breathing, I can't feel the air," "She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly" or even, "It's your turn to cry, I don't wanna cry no more"? I mean, don't Brothahs find Brian Mc Knight and Kenny Lattimore to be wimpy? Even ?uest stated on VH-1 that he acknowledges Maxwell 4 "trying". WTF U MEAN trying?!?! If THAT Brothah does not succeed @ what HE does, then NO ONE does. It takes a Sistah 2 appreciate that though, and that says a LOT.

I am ranting. The point is, Black machismo DEMANDS that Sistahs be powerful undercurrents, NOT crashing sea waves when we deal w/ them, IF we intend on being effective when we deal w/ them. I don't know if U listen to Erykah Badu, but I declare I think that Sistah is a prophet(notice how I don't make the assumption that you have 2 B male 2 B a prophet). She explains the whole thing her song, Orange Moon: "I'm an orange Moon, reflecting the light of my Sun." That is it right there. EVERYbody knows how powerful the Moon is, and how it affects the tides, women's menses, AND people's behavior. Yet, when does the Moon come out? At night. When people are sleeping, the Moon quietly affects the earth, in a most powerful way. The Moon represents feminine Energy. How does the Sun do it though? BRILLIANTLY. During the day, so everybody can see. And what is the shining Moon lit up by? The Sun, which represents Male Energy. Yin and Yang. Anima, and Animus.

That is how Sistahs need 2 B. SILENTLY powerful. Not in competition w/ the Brothahs, cuz their Energy is a different kind of Energy, and they need<for various reasons> 2 express it a certain way. And believe U me, I'm no pro @ this. I'm still learning myself, and have my moments when I become lost in a lower self, and throw all of this out the window. Invariably, the results are DISASTROUS when I do, though. But check it, this Muslim Sistah/Elder I used to hang around would always tell me: "It is the woman who brings the man to good things." I can assure U that she was not suggesting doing this by dragging a Brothah around by a gold ring through his nose, like a bull.


>>>I felt you on everything but:
>
>>THAT is how
>>women best exert our power: SILENTLY, and SUBTLELY. It's
>>taken me 3 decades to learn that.
>
>This point right here. What makes you think that?