I am a black man with a college degree, a couple of certifications and a loving wife and two kids. For years I have associated my anger with either strength, or my ability to cope with stress. I believed (wrongly) that if there was anything wrong with me, I could fix it simply by adjusting my outlook on the situation. For the past two years, I have consistently yelled, threatened and cussed at my two children for what I perceive as serious indiscretions. The truth is, after a couple of hours and some deep reflection, the reasons I gave for being so destructively angry were bogus. You see, I am always bothered by the “fact” that being black in this country is to be a second class citizen. Now I know this isn’t true, but I am on a one man crusade to prove that blacks are as good as anyone else or perhaps better. My mother told me that a black man must be twice as good as any white man or else he could forget being happy and successful. I push my children to be better than I, on practically every level.
 
Just recently, my oldest daughter came home with her grades for the second semester. She had achieved all A’s, that is what she is supposed to do. But, instead of being supportive and happy for her…

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