Thursday, June 27, 2013

Threatened By Intelligence

My youngest son told me that one of his instructors, a Caucasian, female instructor, told the school administrator that she felt "threatened" by him. At first, I laughed! And then my parental authority kicked in and I asked "What exactly did you do or say to her to make her feel threatened?". When he explained to me the circumstances surrounding her making this statement, I realized that what she felt threatened by was his level of intelligence! My son had come face to face and was dealing with what most every other intelligent, well spoken black man has to deal with.  You see, my son, Samuel, is very articulate. Sometimes to a fault. Even more so, if he is right. I can say this, because for 19 years I have been challenged by this very fact myself.  He has the ability to express himself so well verbally, that he can make you think that you are wrong even when you are not.

It dawned on me that his instructor was not prepared for an intelligent response, what she expected was rudeness, anger and maybe even vulgarity, but not intelligence! To feel threatened, means to feel fear and so she should! An intelligent, educated black man  is a powerful force to be reckoned with! Bravo Samuel!

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