After Charlottesville, our country is,
yet again, discussing slavery and race via the hateful Confederate statues. Those
CINO's (Christian In Name Only), who revere and are fighting to keep those
statues up, have not heeded the 1st Commandment that we shall not have any gods
before the Most High GOD, our Heavenly Father (Exodus 20:3). Yes, within the
New Testament, there are Scriptures that mentions slavery, however, that was
for a different time, it does not say that slavery is okay nor does it address
the evolution of societies; so that argument is moot. We have a responsibility
to truths: spiritual first and then the physical. Every CINO lives and thrives
on "the commandments of men (Matthew 15:8-9 & Mark 7:6-7) and not
according to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Colossians 2:8 warns us
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit
according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the
world and not according to Christ." The Bible is very clear in stating
that Heavenly Father is "no respecter of persons" (Acts 10:34 &
Romans 2:11). We all must be mindful with whom we congregate or worship with
because we are warned "even Satan disguises himself as an angel of
light" (2 Corinthians 11:14). I make this point because Satan quoted
Scripture, the 91st Psalm, prayer of protection to Jesus via the temptations
(Matthew 4:6 & Luke 4:9-11). We, as Human beings, have a tendency to not
understand the deeper aspects of Father's Words. We are told that Father
"uses the foolish and the weak" (1 Corinthians 1:27) to make changes,
not those with large bank accounts or those with titles that we hold as
esteemed. Jesus healed all who asked of Him, Gentiles and Jews alike. Far too
many believe only they have that connection to Father and our Savior, without
recognizing the deepness of the spiritual. Example(s): Father did
"not" send His angels to the conservative political and religious
leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, no, He sent them to those at the bottom of
the socioeconomic ladder, the shepherds. Father did not send the Star to those
Jewish leaders, He sent the Star to three Gentile kings/Mags. In the first
Chapter of Matthew, that details the physical genealogy of Jesus, three women
are named: Rahab-a Gentile prostitute who saved the spies Joshua sent into
Jericho: Ruth-another Gentile; and Tamar-she had children with her
father-in-law. Finally, we must all be careful because on that Day, there will
be those who say to Jesus that they "cast out demons and healed in His
Name" but He tells them He knows them not (Matthew 7:21-23). At the end of
the day and the end of time, it is about what we do for those Jesus calls
"the least of these" our fellow Human beings. He takes it so
personally, He tells us that what we do or not do, to "the least of
these", we do or not do, to Him as well (Matthew 25:40-45). Remember this; every
minister/pastor/televangelist, as well as the rest of us, are servants of Jesus
Christ, as well as being His disciples and He is our Teacher. "No servant
is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent
him" (John 13:16) & "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a
servant above his master (Matthew 10:24).
Friday, August 18, 2017
Sunday, November 8, 2015
America is in Danger and We Are Laughing
“When
fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.”
(Sinclair
Lewis)
America, we sit and
listen to the inane remarks of some of the Republican candidates and laugh. We
post on Facebook and we joke about the [seemingly] lack of mental capacity they
and their followers have. At the end of
the day, we are laughing at what has been dubbed “the clown car”, but America,
we are in danger.
Have you not been paying
attention to what has happened and is happening in states that Republicans control?
We know that they have started and continue to take away voting rights of our
fellow citizens and the rights of women to make decisions for their own body.
Are these things funny? Let me explain
what kind of danger we’re in especially since their M.O. (modus operandi) is
too frigging close to that of Hitler.
First, the regurgitated
lies. Hitler said “Make the lie big,
make it simple, keep saying it and eventually they will believe it.” Yes, they
have done that with great success. Many Democrats are now calling themselves “Progressives”
because the GOP has tarnished the term “Liberal”. Many of us don’t have the backbone to embrace
being a “Liberal” despite the many positive accomplishments for our country by
the Liberal way of being. I am not one;
I am a Liberal and very blessed to be one.
That’s only one lie, there is so many I would need more pages to cover
them all. Another well-known lie is that the government is too big when it
comes to helping citizens that need help.
However, they don’t have a problem when their owners [big corporations]
want legislation that benefits them.
[Former] Defense Sec. William Cohen said it well “Government is the
enemy until you need a friend” and we all know that many Republicans made it to
where they are via the same federal government they are attempting to destroy.
Second, Hitler said “All
propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension
of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.” Republicans have this covered like white on
rice and we make fun of their supporters.
One of their propaganda is the gun rights issue and their alleged 2nd
Amendment right. Albeit said Amendment
speaks of a “well-regulated Militia” per state and that well-regulated militia
is called the National Guards. The NRA
and their Republican flunkies have spun this propaganda as expertly as a spider
spins a web. Their greatest propaganda is racism and those who believe it are truly
less intelligent but this is applicable to those with degrees as well. This
propaganda is also entrenched in the third M.O.
Third, Hitler said “Hate
is more lasting than dislike.” Racism
never left, it just lurked in the deep dark recesses of our society until the
election of Barack H. Obama and then it exploded like the bursting of a sewage
drain. We’ve all heard it and seen it. Many
citizens were taken aback by it but for those who live it every day, there was
no surprise. The putrid verbal onslaught
against our President is beyond vile. The bloviators, Black and White, did not
leave it only to his policies; they went after the man and his family. Demanding
from him to “prove” who he is; something no other President has had to do. They took it to the extreme by (1) inviting a
man just as hateful, to speak before Congress; (2) writing a letter to Iran in
an attempt to undermine our President; and finally, how can we forget the
infamous words of Senator Mitch McConnell that their only job was to make him a
one term President. While they did not succeed on that aspect, they have
succeeded in blocking the many good things he wanted, needed to do for this
country and its citizens.
Fourth, Hitler said “As a
Christian, I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to
be a fighter for truth and justice.”
This evil man, who murdered thousands, had the audacity to say this yet
we hear and see Republicans following this pattern. Republicans follow their own interpretation of
Christianity and not as it was intended. I found it interesting that [former] Speaker
John Boehner spoke of “false prophets” (Matthew 7:15-16), as one who knew best
yet Christian conservatives paid no heed to his words. The issue of religion and Republicans is that
“All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish
[or Islam] appear to me no other than Human inventions set up to terrify and
enslave mankind and monopolize power and profit” (Thomas Paine). Republicans have nullified the 1st
Amendment and we let them.
America, if we want
change it starts with us: “We, the people”.
A revolution means nothing if we don’t get off our derrières, as a
collective, and say “enough”. “If
everyone howled at every injustice, every act of barbarism, every act of
unkindness; then we would be taking the first step towards a real humanity”
(Nelson DeMille). This is what we need to, have to do in order to change what
is going on in our country. Why do Republican supporters have more
determination than Democrats {Liberals and Progressives}? At the end of WWII,
many German citizens said they did not know what was happening to Jews. We know
what’s happening yet we laugh. Are we truly prepared for what may be coming? Far too many have died for minorities, women,
the disabled and the poor. Are we going to allow Republicans to erase it all?
“The only thing necessary for the
triumph of evil is for good men [people] to do nothing” (Edmund Burke).
Saturday, May 30, 2015
The Tie That Binds
“Ignorance breeds monsters to fill up the
soul that are unoccupied by the verities of knowledge” (Horace Mann)
The protagonists are Caesar (Ape) and Malcolm (Human) who both realized that they had to give the other a chance to prove their mettle. They saw each other as equals in intelligence and the need for their species to survive despite the differences. Some could say that Caesar had an advantage as he experienced both sides of the Human coin while Malcolm was uncertain. Their bond was cemented more in what they had in common than the differences; their bond was cemented in recognizing the good they saw in each other and holding to that despite obstacles. They made a choice to get past the stereotypes and fears; they made a choice not to give in to hate.
Before I go into this article, I would like to define “verities”. It is defined as (1) the state or quality of
being true; accordance with fact or reality and (2) something that is true, as
a principle, belief, idea, or statement[1]. I am currently watching “Dawn of the Planet
of the Apes (2014)[2]”
and although I recognized the binding ties of hate, it never became more explicit
than today. Why today? Because of the hate mongers who gathered outside a
Muslim mosque [with guns] under the guise of “Free Speech” to spew their hatred
of fellow Americans who are Muslims[3].
I mulled over our fellow citizens who hold to this delusion that their way is
the only way and realized just how much they are like those who have perverted
the religion of Islam – the Muslim-jackers [albeit I already knew].
(Muslim-jackers are those who have
hijacked the Muslim religion).
The antagonists in this movie are Koba (Ape) and Carver (Human) who
hate the other’s species due to incorrect and/or ignorant ideas and beliefs.
See Carver’s hatred is because he blames the Apes for a virus that man created
that ultimately destroyed the Human race and gave greater intelligence to the
Apes. Koba hates Humans because he was once in a lab and we all know what that
entails but it causes him to believe that all Humans are to be hated. They both refused to take the time to actually
see the truth that there is good and bad in both species and thus their beliefs
are based in ignorance. The only “truth” for them is through the lens of hate
that their respective species is better than the other. This is how I see the Muslim-jackers and the
Muslim-haters; each in their corners, like boxers, under the false assumption
that the other does not have the right to be in existence.
The protagonists are Caesar (Ape) and Malcolm (Human) who both realized that they had to give the other a chance to prove their mettle. They saw each other as equals in intelligence and the need for their species to survive despite the differences. Some could say that Caesar had an advantage as he experienced both sides of the Human coin while Malcolm was uncertain. Their bond was cemented more in what they had in common than the differences; their bond was cemented in recognizing the good they saw in each other and holding to that despite obstacles. They made a choice to get past the stereotypes and fears; they made a choice not to give in to hate.
There is a point in the film where Caesar tells his oldest son, Blue
Eyes, that he realized just how much Apes where like Humans. Humans are at the top of the food chain and
like our fellow mammals we connect via clans, families, etc. Unlike our fellow
mammals though, we teach hate, we purposely choose to hate and we allow that
hate to be the fuel in the way we discriminate against, demonize and kill each
other. Isn’t it interesting just how
much Muslim-jackers and Muslim-haters are alike in their hatred? It is in the differences that cause some to
hate the American existence; it is the differences in religious beliefs that
cause many to hate each other; it is the hatred of another’s skin color that
fuels faux justifications in killing another Human being; and it is hatred of
whom one loves that justifies pompous blowhards denial(s) of their sentient right
to live in peace. The [willful] choice
to hate binds all those who lack the intelligence to find the truth; the
[willful] choice to hate binds those who are actually weak. Anyone who practices hate of another Human
being is weak because it is easy to do bad/evil in thought(s) and deeds. It takes real strength to do what is right; it
takes real strength to choose not to hate especially if one is part of a group that
assumes they have that right. Yes,
Muslim-haters and Muslim-jackers are tied by that bondage of hate. The hatred that stews inside both groups goes
beyond an immense dislike of another; it is a darkness that surpasses what
makes us Humans; they are the monsters among us. American society-at-large should be very
afraid of the evil of hate that disguises it as a “right” and society acquiesces. The monsters are among us nationally and at
our door globally.
Friday, May 15, 2015
My Perspective on Muslims & Christians
“Do you have faith? Have it to
yourself before GOD” (Romans 14:22)
“Faith in GOD’s revelation has
nothing to do with an ideology which glorifies the status quo” (Karl Barth)
“No human race is superior; no
religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists
make them” (Elie Wiesel)
As a very flawed Born-Again Christian, I find the hate from both sides
of the religious issue of Muslims vs. Christians to be abhorrent. The arrogance of non-Muslims to disrespect a
revered figure of Islam is not only immature; it is a violation of rights accorded
to all sentient beings. The Muslims who
resort to violence are weak pathetic beings who do not have the intelligence to
prove or disprove the stereotypes heaped against them. The non-Muslims who demean the Muslim faith
are no better, especially those who have the audacity to call themselves “Christians”. The word Christian means followers of Christ
and there were many other religions when Jesus Christ walked this Earth yet
there is no mention of Him demeaning any of those other religions in the four
Gospels of the New Testament. Indeed, He oftentimes repudiated the conservative
religious and political leaders of Israel regarding their hypocrisies. Apologies, I digress. We as Christians are taught to be peaceful,
to live in peace and to treat all peoples the same because “in truth, I perceive
that GOD shows no partiality” or more plainly, GOD is no respecter of persons
(Acts 10:34 & Romans 2:11). Specifically, we are told to “love your (our)
enemies” (Matthew 5:44 & Luke 6:27-36).
I found this article[1]
extremely interesting. The perspective that caught my eye was the author's
statement that "People in the Muslim world place a higher value on their
cultural identity, which is often defined by their religion." I find the statement to be less than objective
because if one examines the conservative Christian movement in the U.S.; one
will find the very same. We hear at least once a week some Christian
conservative bemoaning the faux attack on their religious and political
ideologies while violating some of the legal aspects of the Constitution
against certain groups of the citizenry. Conservative Christians place a very
high value on their cultural identity and it is highlighted by the current slew
of presidential hopefuls within the Republican Party. Their hateful rhetoric defiles the Christian
religion and are not representative of the religion just as violent Muslims are
not representative of the religion of Islam.
Having said all of that, the words "respect" and “honor” are
missing from the allowance of Free Speech. Be it in France or in the U.S., the
perpetrators of disrespecting the holy man of the Islamic faith are
predominately Caucasians. I don't know what “certain” White French citizens
hold dear but in the U.S., if someone desecrates the American flag, those
conservative Christians who choose to demean the Prophet Mohammad get violently
upset. They also become violently upset to things that violate their religious
beliefs [same sex marriage]. What gives them the right to be outraged at these
things yet Muslims cannot become outraged at the defilement of their religion’s
holy man? Free speech, as in everything else, [should] have boundaries and only
the ignorant and hatemongers disregard the respect in the freedom allotted to
many. Violence is never the answer or response to anything that inflames our
sensitivity. Violence is the response of the weak, those who feel they have no
control and like naughty little children, they do evil to be noticed. Religion
has always been at the base of the most infamous wars of mankind; whether or
not the religion was/is valid. The Crusades, Spanish Inquisition, the
Catholic/Protestant issue of Ireland and even WWII are just some of the
examples. Those who decry the fact that nonviolent Muslims say nothing forget
that non-conservative Christians say nothing. Here in the U.S. those who say
something against and/or about conservative Christians are demeaned and
ridiculed. So even if nonviolent Muslims come out against the violence
committed by those who have hijacked their religion, the conservative
Christians would denounce such statements and that is what network news report
on which gives conservative Christians a broader platform. Bottom line,
conservative Christians are no different from extremist Muslims except for
their religion and the language they speak. They are both cut from the same
cloth of hubris and hate; their religion is just a vehicle to drive that hate. *Note:
While conservative Christians don’t use violence like extremist Muslims, they
use the laws to subjugate certain groups of the citizenry with violence being a
component.
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Line of Sight
“Hypocrite!
First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to
remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
(Matthew 7:5 & Luke 6:42)
I have listened for the
last few months as those who see themselves as some form of paradigm of
religious and political virtue(s) are verbally [and in writing] attacking
President Obama’s foreign policies with Cuba and Iran. They stand in front of their ‘selected’
constituencies preening themselves like peacocks walking back and forth,
opening their mouths, making noise but saying nothing. They demean both
aforementioned countries with three words: human rights violations. They have yet to address the human rights violations
in their own back yard. They try to hide
behind their ideology of dehumanization because that is the only thing their
ideology stands for and does, dehumanize.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines dehumanization as “to
deprive of human qualities, personality, or spirit.”[1]
Their first group of
victims is the poor whom they choose to see as lazy and unworthy of getting any
form of help. They attempt to balance
state and federal budgets off the back of the poor while providing the wealthy
their own form of welfare. Mind you, one must remember that within that
categorization of the poor are children and the elderly yet as pro-life as they
feign to be; babies, toddlers, children and the elderly are not spared from the
dehumanization. I find it quite interesting that they would quote the scripture
of “if a man does not work, he does not eat” while forgetting the full context
of that scripture but that’s for another article. Anywho, they forget that
Jesus said “I desire mercy, not sacrifice”[2]
and the Creator said “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write
misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take
what is right from the poor of My people. That widows may be their prey and
that they may rob the fatherless.”[3]
Interesting that they are doing exactly
what they are told not to do to the letter.
Their dehumanization
continues in their attacks against those of the LGBT community. Before I continue, for those who are not
familiar with the Bible, in the New Testament there is a reference in Romans
about homosexuality. Homosexuality is also referenced in the Old Testament via
Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis. Here’s a kicker, there is a reason for the New
Testament and the most interesting thing is that in the four Gospels that
shares with us the life of Jesus Christ; one has to know that homosexuals
existed during Jesus’ lifetime yet I don’t recall Him saying anything about
that lifestyle or those who lived it.
Bottom line is that the alleged societal ills they bellyache about
existed when Jesus walked this earth yet all He spoke of was compassion and
forgiveness. Then there is the omnipotent
power of our Creator Whom they say they know yet denounce with their
actions. If, as they believe, the Creator is aware of all, then that same
Creator knew of those who would become part of the LGBT community yet He
created them nonetheless. In legislating
hate towards those of the LGBT community, how does that make them any different
from those in Iran or the other ignorant nations who hang and persecute those
of the LGBT community? Because we don’t hang them they assume that makes it
better? Oh, let us not forget that while they decry same-sex marriages, they
forget about the many heterosexual marriages that are falling apart due to
adultery, some being committed by their own. Or shows (My Five Wives – TLC) and people who
celebrate polygamy and live as polygamists. We definitely can’t forget those
who not only practice polygamy but pedophilia by marrying off little girls to
adult males.
The pièce de résistance in
the dehumanization process though, is racial animus. Yes, I know there are
minorities who share this twisted ideology but I just believe that they are ashamed
of the race the Creator placed them in. As this group of conservative religious
and political folks bemoan what’s going on in other countries and as those who
profess pro-life beliefs; they have yet to come out and stand against the
continued killings of Black men and boys.
They continue to remain silent yet secretly throwing their support
behind those doing the killings under the guise of “the badge”. Why? Because
they don’t recognize African Americans as human beings and/or they assume the
murdered men and boys were complicit in their own execution. Here’s a bit of
enlightenment – Russia, China and North Korea are countries where political
rivals and citizen dissidents are imprisoned yet the U.S. of A. has more
citizens incarcerated than those three countries combined. Why? Because this
group of hatemongers see through some very twisted lens, holding on to the
crude and evil thoughts of the past that “those” Blacks are inferior, lazy and
animals. Yet again, they usurp their religion because the Creator made all
mankind in His image. Not only that, the New Testament is very clear in that “GOD
[Allah, Yahweh] is no respecter of persons.”[4]
They fail in their dehumanization
process to see that “they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice” and
continue to do so. Their ignorance to old stereotypes continue to be reinforced
in the lack of opportunities to Black males who come out of prison leaving the
responsibilities of raising a family to Black women; a continuance of slavery
and Jim Crow. The lack of investments in
these communities ensures criminality and violence thus placing cops as modern
day overseers. The only form of investment is via gentrification thus the
continuance in the destabilization of the Black family especially poor families.
Many apply terrorism only to the global stage;
however, terrorism is defined as “the use of violent acts to frighten the
people in an area as a way of trying to achieve a political goal”[5]
and this is going on in our own back yard.
Michael Brown died because a White cop didn’t like him walking in the
street; John Crawford died because he was a Black young man with a toy gun in Walmart
in an open-carry state; the list goes on. How is this not similar to how Jews
were treated by the Gestapo, the Nazi police or when the KKK terrorized Black
families after the Civil War on into the 1970s? When Black parents have to tell
their sons how to be or not around cops, how is this not a state of terrorism? They
are smug in their ideology of dehumanization but they “are those who justify themselves
[yourselves] before men, but God knows their [your] hearts. For what is highly
esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”[6]
In closing, no matter the
religious belief, one cannot nor should they pick and choose what religious
verse is amenable to their perspective. As a flawed Born-Again Christian, I do
not have the right to beat others over the head with my belief, I am to live
it. Grant it, there is no perfection in
the operations of mankind but for those who claim Christianity while divisive,
derogatory and evil behavior is their cup of tea; I would be hard-pressed to
stay silent. I abhor both domestic and
foreign policies built on dehumanization and cannot comprehend for the life of
me why folks choose to be so blind. The
New Testament contradicts all that the party of dehumanizers stands for in
their domestic and foreign policy ignorance. In the foreign policy arena, be it with
Palestine, Cuba or Iran, we are told “He has made from one blood every nation
of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed
times and the boundaries of their dwellings”[7]
and “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.”[8] In the domestic policy arena, I have shared
one aspect from Isaiah. But in regards to personal favoritism, which they
practice unabashedly in glorifying the wealthy while demeaning the poor, James 2:4 closes with who they are in that “have
you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil
thoughts?” Oh, oh say can’t you see………….
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
The Right to Life and to Live
I watched the Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell on
MSNBC last night [13th Jan. 2015], he addressed the fact that there are
no “legitimate” national counts of citizens killed by law enforcement. The piece is called “Tracking Deadly Force”[1]
with Rep. Steve Cohen who is pushing legislation to track these fatal events
taking the lives of many American citizens and more specifically, African
Americans.
Many of us are armchair witnesses
to these killings with some of us participating in peaceful protests. In spite of and despite #Blacklivesmatter,
the silence from those who are quick to tout and espouse the mantra of “right-to-life”
is deafening. Also deafening is the
silence of the many ministers/pastors/priests that had no problem shouting
about their immense dislike to all things of the LGBT community. Here’s the kicker, both groups claim [faux]
religious indignation when they pursue their alleged grievances. While the hypocrisy of both groups is nothing
new, they should be called out on it. Well said is this quote by Edmund Burke “Nothing
is so fatal to religion as indifference.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a man of the cloth who saw the injustices;
not only for African Americans but for every poor citizen as well. The victory
of the Civil Rights Movement was not only in the oratory skills of Dr. King and
the determination of he and his supporters; it was also in the inclusion of
religious leaders from every religion, race and ethnicity standing with him to
let this country know that this man was not alone and they all stood on
religious principles. Many American
citizens died attempting to bring some form of equality to the lives of African
Americans. As a very flawed Born-Again Christian, it hurts me to realize that those
who allege obedience to Christian values purposely deny the fact that we are
told more than once in the New Testament that Heavenly Father is no respecter
of persons. If our Creator does not care
about skin color or what is in one’s bank account, how dare anyone of us live
contrary to that? I don’t cry much but
the death of Michael Brown caused a reaction in me that had the tears flowing.
Is it because I am the mother of two African American males; because this is
just a continued pattern in the emasculation of males of color; because so many
Christians have said nothing of the injustices; or because it affected my
spirit in a way that I had no control of? I don’t know, all I know is that it
is an evil when we allow the lives of anyone to be arbitrarily determined by
those who are supposed to enforce the law. When this arbitration is focused on a
particular racial group, this historically continued pattern borders on
genocide. In the refusal to charge officers especially when the victim was
unarmed and/or the criminal justice system; those who remain silent are supporting
legally sanctioned killings and incarcerations. We have more citizens
incarcerated than countries that imprison their political opponents and
dissidents.
Is crime an issue in
African American communities? Of course it is but why? National and local
politics do not take the time to invest in the communities who need it most due
to wrong thinking. The American society
is Dr. Frankenstein creating (and re-creating) the ugliness they blame on the
residents of these communities that border on Third World living. “The world we have created is a product of
our thinking; it cannot be changed without changing our thinking” (Albert
Einstein) but far too many refuse to change their way of thinking. It’s easier
to think in the terms that “those” people deserve what they get without taking responsibility
for creating the environment. This
racial animus can be seen in the fact that within poorer communities, schools
cannot afford new textbooks[2],
teachers have to use other means to procure the necessary items to teach their
students[3],
and most disturbing is that teachers in these schools are paid less than their
counterparts in the suburbs[4]. How can anyone stand up for “life” while
quietly aiding in the denial of life and living to the descendants of the
African slaves who helped many Caucasian families become wealthy? “At the heart
of racism is the religious assertion that GOD made a creative mistake when He
brought some people into being” (Frederich Otto Hertz) and this is the
foundation for the total disregard of Black lives.
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Obama and Ferguson: Why He Doesn’t Get It
Since the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson,
I have heard voices from within the African American community commenting on
what President Obama needs to be doing to “represent”. I clearly remember that conservatives are
waiting for an opportunity to impeach him, so from a political standpoint, not
a smart move. I also remember during his
first win in 2008, that he vowed to be President to all of America, even those
who did not vote for him. Even though we
know that conservatives have no such moral inclination to be fair; it would be
detrimental if President Obama stooped to their level.
However, I want to address
this matter from a more personal perspective; I am a foreign born Black as are
my parents. Initially we lived in a predominately White neighborhood where the
best friend of one of my two brothers was Italian; my other brother’s best
friend was Pakistani. My friends were
all White from church and Girl Scouts and my older sister’s best friend was
also White. Aside from his friends at
the West Indian Club, Daddy’s best friend was a giant White man and Mommy’s
extended family were a very much older African American couple as well as the
two White families for whom she worked. I
share all of this to say that I never knew or understood the intense dislike
and distrust of White people, especially law enforcement, by African American students
I met from being bussed. I did not know because my family and I never had any experiences
that would instill such distrust. I understand
that now only because I have four African American children, including two sons.
I have lived in this community for 15 years where I have witnessed the
mistreatment by the police. My sons, who do not hang out on the streets neither
do they have criminal records, have both been stopped and questioned on their
way to work and coming home. The
identifiable factors – the color of their skin and the community they live
in. President Obama did not grow up in
urban mainland America and his mother and grandparents had no knowledge of what
awaited their son and grandson so that they could “alert” him on how or who to
be around law enforcement. Even if his biological dad had been in his life, the
man was from another country and would have lacked the same form of knowledge
for his son. As a community activist, he
saw the social and economic results of a system built on racial animus but he
did not live it in the same context as those he helped. Another way to look at this is the fact that
there are many children of foreign born parents who may not know the language
of their heritage. I have a friend who is Latina and speaks
Spanish yet neither one of her children can speak or even read the
language.
The fact that AG Holder
went to Ferguson tells me that President Obama was very aware and concerned
especially after identifying with Trayvon Martin. The difference was that the
stark reality of Michael Brown’s death at the hands of a White police officer
ripped away any fragments of mental and emotional restraint that many have used
to ignore the racial oppression going on in certain communities. The death of Eric Garner and the results of
that grand jury was the salt into the wounds of a historically long festering
and putrid cankerous sore. What could
President Obama have said that would have made this disease less
malignant? Is anyone forgetting the many
times “certain” citizens set up shop outside the White House derailing and
demeaning the President? Is anyone forgetting the fact that death threats to
this President is far higher than any other? Or the fact that many open-carry
laws have increased as did the sales of guns.
So, what could President Obama have said that would have eased the minds
of those African Americans denouncing his lack of vocal participation? Mayor Bill de Blasio is a White man with an
African American son who spoke the truth of the real for his son. Look at the
reaction of those with small minds who are charged with protecting citizens. If this is how one group reacted to a truth, what
do you think would happen if the first African American President spoke what he
really felt? I also find it incredulous that
those calling out President Obama have not called out the many ministers who
did not have a problem voicing their opinions on same sex marriages or a woman’s
right to make decisions for her body and life.
Those ministers who are supposed to be representing the compassion of
Jesus Christ and fighting for what is right and just. What happened to the voices of all those who
are pro-life? So, lay off President
Obama on this especially since no one seems to be calling out African American
churches that used to be the backbone in urban communities on social justice.
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