“What do black women want? The truth? They are looking for Denzel Washington. They have been so thoroughly brainwashed, that black women don’t know what a good black man even looks like… The brothers out there know exactly [what] I’m talking about.
Every time you turn around sisters say they just want a good black man, but being good is never enough. If it was, there would be no complaining, because there are good black men everywhere… We can’t all be in jail, on crack, trudging through natural disaster areas with plasma TVs strapped to our backs, raping newborns two at a time, sick with the DL, Jungle Fever, or otherwise afflicted.
This book is all about my life, sifting through unreasonable expectations from certain kinds of women… This is a personal journey I’m putting out there in hopes that women will read my experience and maybe it will help them find themselves, wake up, and find one of the good brothers who are far less the exception than the rule.”
— Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. 16-19)
Seems like black folks must be craving relationship advice, based on the number of self-appointed love gurus publishing how-to books aimed at the African-American community. This latest one, The Denzel Principle: Why Black Women Can’t Find Good Black Men, was written by a brother who seems like more of an embittered casualty of the battle-of-the-sexes suffering from post-traumatic street syndrome, than a leading authority in the field with legitimate credentials.
A Bachelor’s degree from Cleveland State and a Master’s in Fine Arts from Spalding University doesn’t sound like the appropriate background, but that hasn’t discouraged Jimi Izrael from passing himself off as a cultural critic. And he’s apparently met with considerable success, given his numerous TV appearances as a pundit around the dial on a variety of national cable news networks, at least when he isn’t busy lecturing as a lecturer at Case Western Reserve or other colleges in the Cleveland area.
That fair warning out of the way, you might be surprised to hear me say that I found Professor Izrael’s expletive-laced tome, thoroughly entertaining, if not exactly politically-correct or ready for prime time. For this twice-divorced father is obviously still angry at his two exes (“Both of them were crazy [b-words]!” and he sees them as responsible for the failure of their marriages.
Author Jimi Izrael
At first, I thought this book was just Jimi’s way of getting even, and settling a score in a very public fashion with ex-wives Frances and Leslie. But no, he sees their discontent and behavior as par for the course, since in his eyes black females in general set their standards too high and exchange vows with unrealistic expectations of brothers. So, it is no surprise that he would also blame the fact that two-thirds of all African-American marriages end in divorce “less on black men and more on black women and their inability to make good choices.”
I doubt that this is the definitive primer on how to find a good black man, unless you’re inclined to take advice from a guy who, for instance, would discourage you from falling for an ex-con by simply saying “That’s [bleep]-ing stupid! Holy [bleep]!” However, as the colorful, comical and relentlessly-raw reflections of a miserable two-time loser with some serious unresolved anger issues, this memoir rates an A+. But when it comes to dating do’s and don’ts, you might want to get a second opinion.
The Denzel Principle:
Why Black Women Can’t Find Good Black Men
By Jimi Izrael
St. Martin’s Press
Hardcover, $22.99
320 pages
ISBN: 978-0-312-53485-1
Tisk Tisk the review on this book is highly inaccurate as it is one of the best books ever written. Though the writer tends to go off on Tangents that are a little too wordy, nothing else is wrong about the writer's perspective on the subject. He speaks from experience, what better teacher on any subject wouldn't you agree? There is no formal education to deal with he pressures of a relationship with a black woman so, that point being made, Jimi Israel has done the next best thing, he wrote a book, not based on theory, not based on propaganda but on cold hard facts and personal experience. Not to mention his clear and direct way of speaking to his audience, though profanity is included, you must remember that this book was meant for the African American audience, who though publicly deny an appreciation for this language secretly relish it. However this book is for every black man and for every black women, who should beyond the shadow of a doubt read it and learn from it.
I have not read the book yet but I already know from the reviews that Jimi is right on point. "When an invading army or Power wants to conquer a tribe or a race people they will first subjugate the woman." They have done a fabulous job. They disenfrancize the man and elevate the woman. How's that for 'DIVIDE AND CONQUER"