Are women just too picky?

I would like to shout "Amen!" in response to Sabrina Lamb's moving article, "We Count Black Men, Don't We?" in "Two Sides: Is There A Shortage Of Black Men, Or Are Women Just Too Picky?" (April 2007).

I, along with three of my closest girlfriends, would gravitate toward dating college-educated Brothers during our 20s and early 30s. However, as we headed toward our late 30s and early 40s, we began to wonder if we would ever meet, fall in love and marry our "Prince Charming."

After much soul-searching and discussion, we realized that perhaps we were overlooking some top-quality Brothers, who just happen to work in blue-collar professions.

We pretty much decided to just "Let go, and let God be in control," because this journey was becoming much more than we could handle alone, or collectively. Within a three-year period, I am proud to announce, that all four of us are now happily married to blue-collar Brothers, who treat us like absolute royalty.

Our ages range from 38 to 45 (I am the eldest of the group), and we could not be happier. Also, as Lamb stated, men of African descent are not limited to America. My husband, who happens to be 12 years younger than I am, hails from the Motherland of Africa, and he makes me feel like a "Black Cinderella" on a daily basis.

Sisters, please open your eyes, minds and ears to love. Then ask God to be in control. Trust me, it works.

Mrs. Charlesetta L. Nganga

Atlanta, Ga.

In the many years I have subscribed to EBONY, I have never felt compelled to respond to an article. But I had to respond to "Is There A Shortage Of Black Men, Or Are Women Just Too Picky?"

I truly believe there is not a shortage of Black men, but there is a multitude of Black men who I feel are looking for a "free ride." This is coming from personal experience.

I have dated Black men who made less money than I have, and they have always felt threatened by my success.

Over and over again, I've dated many Black men. Am I looking in the wrong places? I was raised to not base nay qualities on a man's salary, and I find the men I have encountered have done that. My solution is to remain single, continue to prosper in my career and hopefully, one day, that one true Black man I meet will love me for me. I don't count Black men; I count the number of times I have been hurt by men.

Name Withheld

Wilmington, Calif.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Johnson Publishing Co.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning