As if my hat wasn’t a clue, I’m a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan. My Uncle Frank used to play for them, too. So, it makes me quite proud to see a current player use his success for something positive.

Wide receiver Dez Bryant isn’t letting his $70 million contract with the Cowboys go to his head. He is capitalizing on that success and name recognition to encourage others in the black community to make something of themselves no matter their situation. The biggest hurdle to success for many blacks, Bryant said, is too much focus on racism and not enough on personal responsibility.

He also criticized the idea that being “sophisticated” is seen as not being “black enough.” Bryant said tearing down those obstacles and ending the deadly cycle of victimhood is how to get on the path of “the straight and narrow.”

It’s a powerful message and one I think a lot of folks in the black community needs to hear. They’ve heard it before, but they don’t want to hear it.

How long before the race provocateurs rain holy hell on Bryant? That is always what happens when a prominent black person wanders off the liberal plantation script of “blaming whitey” and advises black people to stop with the whining and look in the mirror to find the source of their problems.

I’m encouraged to hear Bryant talk about the cultural dysfunction that keeps many black folks mired in generational poverty like a lack of education, chronic unemployment, questionable lifestyle choices, drug use, gang involvement and leaves too many young black kids without responsible dads in their lives.

Why can’t Black LIES Matter talk like this? If they did, I would have been a charter member and wouldn’t have had to coin the phrase Black LIES Matter.

Another famous Cowboy of a different sort put it like this. John Wayne once said, “Life is tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid”. He must’ve had Black LIES Matter in mind.

Read Dez Bryant’s powerful words on Instagram:

1-4 I love to express my thoughts and feelings A post shared by Dez Bryant (@dezbryant) on Apr 9, 2017 at 11:21am PDT

2-4 A post shared by Dez Bryant (@dezbryant) on Apr 9, 2017 at 11:23am PDT

3-4 A post shared by Dez Bryant (@dezbryant) on Apr 9, 2017 at 11:23am PDT

4-4 have a blessed Sunday A post shared by Dez Bryant (@dezbryant) on Apr 9, 2017 at 11:24am PDT

And here’s a final slide to see how Bryant has put his words into action:

Whenever GOD give you an opportunity.. you better take advantage of it and BUILD #x A post shared by Dez Bryant (@dezbryant) on Apr 9, 2017 at 12:21pm PDT

Photo credit: Seatacular via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA