AN OPEN LETTER FROM “THE BEAR”

Shawn Gullatt
Apr 17
3 min read

Hello Everyone,

My name is Barry.

Yeah, I know… “Barry the Bear.”

Save it. I’ve been getting cooked about that name since I was a cub.

Anyway, I’m writing this letter to tell each and every human:

KEEP MY NAME OUT YOUR BULLSHIT!

And I mean that with the same energy Will Smith had at the Grammys after he slapped the taste out of Chris Rock with Lupita in the background looking like she didn’t know whether to blink, be aroused or mind her business.

See, it seems like every time a human man be on some violent bullshit, women of all races suddenly want to “choose the bear.”

Baby… we don’t want you.

You’re complicated. And keep it a buck, you don’t want us!

We’re broke.

Like… literally don’t have a pot to piss in.

You won’t even go 50/50 at Cheesecake Factory with your own kind so what makes you think you’re about to hike upstream with me catching salmon?

Be serious.

Now today, I’m seeing folks bring us up again because of the tragic loss of Ashlee Janee

and suddenly, timelines are flooded with think pieces, hot takes, and rage bait with women claiming bears like we’re some safe haven.

Meanwhile, Black men in the comments looking like Doughboy after his mama smacked him

confused, hurt, and still scrolling.

Yes, I have a smart phone, I snatched it off a camper last summer & my Nigga Cory jail broke it.

And as a bear I gotta ask a few questions:

Why do y’all go at each other like you don’t need each other?

And you notice how white women always want you to choose me against men but never speak on the Ashlee Janee’s of the world?

And ladies—real talk—

Instead of going at your brothas, for what Mr Big, I mean Goldberg, I mean Joe McCann

why aren’t you checking your sistas about the choices being made?

Because some of y’all will overlook every red flag in the world for a man with status, money, or a nice car. Black card or Black Benz, it don’t matter.

And your homegirls?

The same ones who swear they got “women’s intuition”? They be the loudest ones clapping and hyping up your bad idea relationship

But now suddenly, it’s “choose the bear” because men are dangerous?

While you’re figuring out how to get money for a Chris Brown or Usher concert with a man who got a history you conveniently forgot.

(Yeah… that’s two Chris’s catching strays. They’ll be alright.)

And Black men—

Don’t think you getting off easy either.

Put the Memes of yo step daddy Kevin Samuels down.

This ain’t funny.

You need to be checking your brothas about the violence happening against Black women. While I’m writing this I just found out a a former LT Governor Justin Fairfax killed his wife & himself over HIS indiscretions.

The rate of violence by men towards women is so astronomical! Another Million Man March needs to happen just to discuss this topic.