Due to the way the week and the holiday fall this year, I have to wish you all a happy Bermuda Day this week. But, this week’s epidemic is the emasculation of black men. I have labelled 2011 as the Year of the Woman, because it truly is the year of the woman.Women are running things! I fully support women as equal partners and women should not be ill-treated, discriminated against, paid less than men for doing the same work, offended, etc. Instead, they should be treated like queens, princesses, dames, royalty, etc.However, we have gone from a space where women were treated as second-class citizens to too far in the other direction we are now seeing the emasculation of the black male. This is a HUGE reason why we have problems.More on this after the Top 20.Taking over the top spot is ‘Higher’, by Taio Cruz featuring Kylie Minogue and Travie McCoy. Up to #2 for the moment (excuse the pun) is ‘Moment For Life’ by Nicki Minaj. Advancing to #3 is Rihanna’s current hit, ‘S&M’. It seems like everything she does or touches turns to gold. Falling to #4 is ‘Who’s that Chick?’ by David Guetta featuring Rihanna. Climbing to #5 is a former essential new tune, ‘Born This Way’, by Lady Gaga.Slipping to #6 is ‘Memories’, by David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi, one of my faves. Improving to #7 is this week is ‘Look At Me Now’ by Chris Brown featuring L’il Wayne and Busta Rhymes. Climbing to #8 is ‘ET’ by Katy Perry featuring Kanye West, a former essential selection. ‘Walking’ by Mary Mary jumps to #9.Climbing to #10 is ‘6 Foot 7’ Foot by L’il Wayne featuring Cory Gunz. I still just love the beat of this hit. Slipping to #11 is ‘Hold It Against Me’ by Brittney Spears. Advancing to #12 is ‘On The Floor’ by Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull. Tumbling to #13 is ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry. Improving to #14 is this week’s essential hew dance hit, ‘Judas’, by Lady Gaga. Up to # 15 is ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ by the Black Eyed Peas. This is such a creative outfit that I dread the band falling apart and going their separate ways for those of us who enjoy creatively produced music will be the losers.Slipping to #16 is ‘Aston Martin Music’ by Rick Ross featuring Drake and Chrisette Michelle. Falling to #17 is ‘Grenade’ by Bruno Mars. On the way up at #18 is last week’s essential new hit, ‘Till The World Ends’, by Brittney Spears.New at #19 is this week’s essential new tune, ‘Beautiful People’, by Chris Brown featuring Benny Benassi. Tumbling to #20 and finally on its way out of the chart is ‘What’s My Name?’ by Rihanna featuring Drake.Now back to this week’s topic, the emasculation of the black man. I’m very proud that Bermuda is so far ahead of other countries in that we have already had three female leaders of our country, when supposedly great countries like America have had none and probably will not have one for a while. In Bermuda we have gone from one extreme to the other.Years ago men ran stuff, led families, companies, social clubs, etc. Today, our boys grow up seeing women in all the leadership positions in the country. Does anyone see what this does to a boy? Let me throw in the fact that men must own some responsibility for this, but hear me out.A boy grows up with his mom as head of the house, with no man around; a female principal; mostly female teachers; he may have a male gym teacher.If he is blessed to go to college, more female teachers/professors, a female president at our college here, female this, female that, female ministers in places of worship if they even go to church, which is highly unlikely in this day and age lots of female cabinet ministers and senators; we have another female Premier, female presidents and vice presidents of companies, more female middle managers ... where are all the men, one has to ask?When he finally gets a job, his boss will probably be a female. The only time he may have seen a man, or multiple men, in leadership positions during the first 22 years of his life is probably at football or cricket! So what message do you think all of this is sending? The message is that men are insignificant, don’t matter and are not needed.This is one of the many reasons why dudes are running around shooting each other. They don’t see too many men in upstanding lawful leadership positions so they don’t think they can ever aspire to such lofty legitimate existences. But they do see men running things and being aggressive, assertive and in charge in the drug business.Then, a young boy of 18 to 22 is fortunate and blessed enough to be conscripted into the Bermuda Regiment, where, perhaps for the first time in his entire life, he comes face to face with a real man, in a leadership position disciplined, smart, proud, alert, immaculately dressed, fearless, knowledgeable and definitely in charge. The young man simply does not know how to react to this and is either threatened by it such that he resists and fights against it, or he will admire it, love it and aspire to the same standard of leadership and brilliance.But society is excluding men from the equation. The few men, especially black men, who have leadership ability and may show promise are being cast aside as the theme of ‘girl power’ runs roughshod through our community, not only in Government, but in the private sector and in other sectors of society.It has gotten ridiculous and nearly laughable. People are put in positions not because they are the best person for the job, but simply because they are friends of the person making the decision-appointment, and because that person is not willing to trust other, better candidates for fear that the better candidate will not be a ‘yes man’ or ‘yes woman’.Then there are certain types of males and females who prefer to hire weaker males or ‘yes men’. I’ve heard horror stories of persons being the best qualified person for a job, having the best interview, yet not getting that job because someone on the interviewing panel or in authority didn’t want them or was holding something against them from a high school or elementary school disagreement. No, I’m not joking.We need to grow up and hire and promote the best candidates, irrespective of their sex, colour, sexual preference, religious or political association even if the person beat us up or bucked us in school, even if they are smarter than we are, even if they are likely to disagree with some of our decisions. Because at the end of the day, if you do not hire the best person for the job, you are doing yourself and the stakeholders you serve a disservice because you are settling for less than the best available talent, which means you will always get less than the best results-success, all because of your ego.Silly and childish! Grow up already! We must also stop the emasculation of the black male. Instead we must celebrate him, encourage him, love him, respect him, teach him, preach to him, pray for him, develop him, train him, promote him and encourage him to turn away from a life of crime and lawlessness.We must encourage him to turn to a life of peace, honour, education, industry, work, family, faith, community, leadership and example; to being a role model and ultimately continuing that positive cycle of history, as opposed to having history repeat successive generations of black men engaged in negative, antisocial, criminal behaviour.Make them leaders of industry and the country as opposed to leaders of gangs! Many of these brothers are some of the best and brightest among us. They are dynamic, creative, born leaders, but because of decisions made by themselves and-or others who influenced their lives, they’ve ended up in a particular space. We can fix it. Yes we can. Let’s just do it. Peace..…. DJLT