Getting Under The Skin

missing menDid Benjamin Watson have any idea that his comments would be so effective at getting under the skin of the pro-abortion crowd, causing such a social media firestorm?  I doubt it, but two things are for sure. One. He’s not backing down. Two. Protecting Black Life has his back.

In celebration of today being Book Lovers Day, I highlight Benjamin Watson’s first book, Under Our Skin, for your reading pleasure.

In the book, he covers some tough issues like violence, race, Ferguson, and many other things that divide our citizens. And of course, anytime you mention abortion you’re always going to get more flak and feedback than almost any issue.

Ben Watson has been very outspoken recently about Margaret Sanger; her connection to Planned Parenthood; and the idea that Blacks are being targeted for genocide. Now you see why PBL has Watson’s back.

Benjamin Watson, as a Tight End for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, will avoid being tackled on the field, but off the field he’s relentlessly tackling tough issues–and that’s why I want him on my team. “A lot of the women wouldn’t be having abortions if the men would step up…” is what he said in a recent interview with Turning Point.

A subsequent Facebook post caused a huge fire storm, but the firestorm had very little to do with his comments about men. Did they intentionally miss that boat–or maybe we actually don’t want to talk about real solutions?

This is a huge problem that I have when it comes to this conversation. So many people are trying so hard to avoid being wrong that they come across as dismissive of the pain and struggle of others, while at the same time wanting their pain acknowledged and remedied. Most people are just throwing around talking points, stats and opinions, and nothing gets accomplished other than greater division among the people.

Still, almost everyone is avoiding the problem pointed out by Watson–the role of men in this war on abortion.

Is anyone willing to talk about that?

Super Bowl–winning coach and bestselling author Tony Dungy knows the importance of men showing up during difficult times. In his book Uncommon Manhood, Dungy highlights character, integrity, and courage, as virtues that radiate from the heart of men who, like Watson, know the value of family and faith, and who are willing to stand up for what’s right even when they are the only one standing. Dungy proposes that these kinds of men are truly uncommon.

I think that is unfortunate.

I’m hoping that one day a change will come where we can actually have real conversations with people that allows for a greater space of acceptance. I’d love to see this change occur in my lifetime and it seems like Ben Watson does too.

There’s lots of work that needs to be done in rebuilding the black family and that is going to take plenty of conversations that many people are uncomfortable with.

Abortion. Teen sexuality. Race relations. Poverty. Family. It’s all connected.

What about you?  Won’t you do your part, as you read through the books that I’ve highlighted today, to make your voice heard on these critical life issues? I hope you will.

And I hope you begin to, more and more, be willing to go deeper…to get under the skin…to see that deep down inside each of us there is a singularity of purpose.

We all want to be valued…significant…uncommon, not merely in our ethnic race…but in the human race.

If you enjoyed this blog, then you may like these:
Missing Fathers on Father’s Day
Father’s Day Facts
David Daleiden Defeats the Giant
National Best Friend’s Day
Name Your Poison Day
When She Tells You… “I’m Pregnant.”