There Is No ‘Human Decency’: The Young Man Accepted to 20 Schools Needs to Get Over Critics

When I first heard about the young man that was accepted to 20 of the nation’s top schools, I thought that was great. It’s always gratifying to hear about young people—especially young black men—excelling academically. And Micheal Brown, who has a 4.68 GPA, is certainly excelling.

But now that I hear he’s asking for a public apology from a Fox news anchor whose comments aren’t worth the time of day, I fear there’s something lacking in his education: when to leave well enough alone.

No ‘Human Decency’

Micheal recently asked on Twitter, regarding the Fox news anchor’s insensitive and insulting comments, “Where’s the human decency?”

I’m afraid I can answer that question: There isn’t much.

It’s wonderful to encounter human decency—but it’s rare. Be grateful and thankful when people are kind and recognize how wonderful you are. When they don’t, leave them alone. Don’t carry a chip on your shoulder. Don’t require apologies and special treatment.

The fact is, not everyone is going to like us, and it diminishes us when we go around pointing out how others have disrespected us. It gives the original offense much more mileage and exposure, and it makes us look weak—as if we need others to constantly validate us.

I’m afraid black people fall into this trap pretty often—and I do think it’s an intentional trap. There are certain words (you know them), certain situations, that will definitely set things off. But what some fail to realize is that the trap says more about the person setting it than it says about you. How you respond does expose a side of our character, however.

We’re strong people. If you don’t think I’m awesome, that’s OK. I’m not going to stew in your insults and disrespect because frankly, I’m too busy doing important things, things that really matter, things that are changing lives and making the world better.

Your effort to diminish me only works if I play along. And I almost never do.

Viral video of Micheal Brown, the young man accepted to 20 schools: 

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