Category: Essays

No, I Don’t Accept Your Apology

LeRon Barton
No, I Don’t Accept Your Apology

When I was younger, I would do and say things out of anger. I’d get mad and yell. I would regret the things I said and after some time, I would apologize. My Mother would accept my apology, but as I continued to do those things, she would get tired of my routine. One day after throwing a tantrum and apologizing after, she said, “You know, you keep saying you are sorry, and at some point it doesn’t mean anything.” I thought about that. I wanted my word and actions…

Poking the bear: Khabib, Conor, and The Act of Restraint

LeRon Barton
Poking the bear: Khabib, Conor, and The Act of Restraint

On Satuday, October 6, 2018, I like many people had their eyes and ears on UFC 229, and it’s main event, Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor. I had attended my partner’s high-school reunion and was unable to watch the fight, but I had my face glued to my phone, constantly viewing Twitter for updates. MMA, or mixed martial arts, has (very) slowly moved from a fringe sport once described as “human cock fighting” by recently passed Arizona Senator John McCain, to an extremely popular event that garners millions in attendees…

Reject the Emmett Till/Brett Kavanaugh Comparison

LeRon Barton
Reject the Emmett Till/Brett Kavanaugh Comparison

Apparently, there is a meme going around showing Emmett Till’s body saying “Women do lie about rape” to defend Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Okay, there is a lot wrong with this and it s triggering for me. As a Black man, one of the many things I have to worry about is false rape accusations. These things happen, especially when we are involved with white women. People’s lives have been ruined, taken, and entire towns have been destroyed because a white woman accused a Black man of rape….

Allyship is a verb

LeRon Barton
Allyship is a verb

Black folks are tired. I mean worn out, depleted, and exhausted. The marathon of life and the hate we experience has got us debilitated. Drained of power and desire to talk with white folks about what it means to be Black, our struggle, and attempting to justify why we should not be terrorized. We are out of ways to tell white America why we are deserving of respect and peace. Black people cannot describe our lives enough. We have said everything and done everything. It is over. This is the…

#Permitpatty and #BBQBecky: 911 is a joke

LeRon Barton
#Permitpatty and #BBQBecky: 911 is a joke

There are not too many Black people walking among us today that can tell you they have avoided contact with the police. It is an almost inevitable collision. You can be walking down the street, driving a car, entering your own home, or performing everyday life tasks, and eventually you will interact with the cops. This is something Black parents try and prepare their children when they give The Talk, a conversation our Mothers and Fathers have with us about how to act when confronted by the police and how…

Working – An Excerpt from Straight Dope

LeRon Barton
Working – An Excerpt from Straight Dope

Here is an excerpt from my first book, Straight Dope: A 360 degree look into American Drug Culture When I graduated high-school, I was finished with going to class. I had enough of being told what to do, what place I had to report to, what time to be there, and what kind of man I was shaping up to be. I just had enough of that shh, so after I graduated, I said, “F college, I am going to take a break, get a job, and make some money.”…

#LivingWhileBlack

LeRon Barton
#LivingWhileBlack

For while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard. There isn’t any other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness.” -James Baldwin, Sonny’s Blues If I were to ever be asked, “What is life as a Black person?” I would be totally aghast. Not because I couldn’t answer the question, but because of how vast it is. Where would I start? Would it be with our current…

Does America really love Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ?

LeRon Barton
Does America really love Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ?

Between the months of January and April, there are endless tributes and praises of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Rightfully so, the slain civil rights leader, winner of the Noble Peace Prize, and recipient of a doctorate in theology inspired many people through his non-violent approach to racial harmony and economic fairness. King was a fantastic orator who could touch people with his words; his many speeches including “I Have A Dream” are heralded as the greatest to have ever been written. The Montgomery Bus Boycott, which King helped…

The Long Fight: Parkland kids vs. America

LeRon Barton
The Long Fight: Parkland kids vs. America

I admire the Parkland kids: students who were a part of one of the worst mass school shootings, now turned activists. They have taken their pain and tragedy and turned it into a movement for gun control. While most people would still be reeling from the tragedy (and rightfully so), Emma Gonzales, David Hogg, Alex Wind, Jacyln Corin are among others who have decided to fight for more sensible gun laws. That is strength that most, including myself, do not possess. I love these kids and for the first time…

Talking to Learn and Not To Respond

LeRon Barton
Talking to Learn and Not To Respond

I love talking to people. It is one of my favorite pastimes. Having a great conversation where you learn about the person or people, sharing ideas, and gaining a new outlook is one of the things that makes me smile. It ranks right below reading and writing as something that I absolutely love. Dialogue fits my naturally inquisitive nature. If you have ever had a conversation with me, I would probably be the main one asking the questions. It’s not because I don’t like talking about myself or that I…