The Soul (and Sojourn) of Rod Garvin

Faith & Reinvention: Testimony of an Economic Survivor

2011-11-27T18:58:00.009-05:00

Posted on November 1, 2011

We live in a time of extreme economic insecurity and instability. There seem to be so many forces that are beyond our control. I have learned that working hard, surpassing expectations and adding value to employers does not make one immune to lay-offs or downsizing. Over the past decade of my professional career, I have been laid off three times. Each job loss has presented its own unique challenges that had to be overcome in order to regain employment.

I started my career in the private sector working in sales and account management. After a few years I became very stagnated and realized that I needed to shake things up. I decided to step out on faith to relocate and enroll in a graduate film program in Washington, DC. It was a difficult decision, because it required living away from my daughter who lived with her mother and was four years-old at the time. Even though I did not finish the program (I moved back to Charlotte, NC to be closer to my daughter), I was able to navigate into a more meaningful career in the non-profit arena after teaching middle school for a year.

The first non-profit position as a Youth Program Specialist ended abruptly when the organization had to let me go due to a lack of funding. Fortunately, I was able to find an even better position as an Education Outreach Manager with a history museum within a few months. After almost two years at the museum, I was hired as a Co-Director for an organization that empowered young adults to become more active citizens. But, I found myself searching for a job once again, due to staff reductions caused by the economic decline of 2008 to 2009.

This time, I was able to meet with an incredible career coach, named Nick Beamon. Nick helped me realize the importance of defining my passion and understanding my core competencies. He said having an authentic understanding of your personal and professional self and projecting that to potential employers increases your ability to attract the right career opportunity. Through the assistance of a colleague, I was introduced to the CEO of a mental health company, who asked me to draft a job description based on the value I could bring to his company. Six weeks after my last assignment ended, I had a new position as Director of Government Relations and Strategic Partnerships.

If you have been counting, than you know that there is a third lay-off in my career history. I was impacted by another financially-induced downsizing only a year after my start date. My faith in God, and in myself, have been tested and strengthened during this latest employment challenge. I finally got the push I needed to start my own business. This past year I produced my first film and founded a media production company. Becoming an entrepreneur is my most recent reinvention, but it will not be my last.

4 Lessons of Career Reinvention I Try to Live By:

1. Believe in the possible

Faith enables us to believe in the possibility of an outcome that is different than our current circumstances. It means believing that you have everything you need to begin the journey towards reinvention, no matter what the present looks like. But, we have to make the choice to acquire a life of greater fulfillment and freedom by taking deliberate steps and making the necessary sacrifices to realize our dreams.

2. Get out of the box

When you are stuck in your life or career, sometimes you just have to shake things up. Get out of your box or comfort zone by doing something out of your routine. You can go back to school, travel to a new place, or volunteer with a non-profit that needs help. Start that part-time business you keep putting off. If it feels uncomfortable, that's the point. Getting out of the box, allows you to gain a new perspective and stimulate your reinvention.

3. Know yourself

Reinvention is not about changing who we are, its about exploring and developing new dimensions of our authentic self. We must be able to define and understand our passion, gifts (our inherent strengths), and core competencies, as well as our weaknesses or deficiencies. Knowing yourself allows you to identify opportunities that you will excel in, because they are consistent with your passion, will allow you to build upon your best capabilities, and improve your weak spots.

4. Erase “failure” from your vocabulary

In your quest to reinvent yourself there will be moments when you fall short of your goals. Society calls these setbacks failures, but if you have learned and grown from these experiences, they can be considered successes. It is all a matter of perspective. Never allow your mistakes or losses to define you. As long as you are moving forward and evolving as a professional, and more importantly as a person, you are already successful.

Would Jesus Need His Head Examined?

2011-07-09T08:11:00.007-04:00

Posted on May 16, 2011

for My927Charlotte.com

During a closing monologue for his HBO show “Real Time,” Bill Maher stated in his typical sarcastic fashion that, “If you’re a Christian who supports killing your enemies and torture, you have to come up with a new name for yourself.” Ouch. Maher is a self-proclaimed atheist who is ruthlessly efficient at using comedy to highlight the contradictions and hypocrisies of Christianity in general and conservative Christianity in particular.

Maher was responding specifically to the exuberance many Americans overtly expressed in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the infamous 9-11 terrorist attacks. On May 1, 2011, President Obama announced that bin Laden had been killed by Navy SEAL Team 6 in a “kill or capture” mission authorized by the president. In his interview with 60 Minutes, Obama responded to those who have questioned the operation by saying that, ”Anyone who would question that the perpetrator of mass murder on American soil didn’t deserve what they got needs to have their head examined.” But, Obama who is a thoughtful Christian, surely realizes that based on the Bible’s accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry, it is clear that he would have some questions about anyone being killed or assassinated – even those who are responsible for massive death.

We have to keep in mind that Jesus lived in a Roman Empire ruled by those who perpetuated the death of innocent people as a way of life. Yet, according to the Christian Gospels he still instructed his followers to love their neighbors, as well as their enemies, and to pray for those who persecute them. Let’s be honest that when it comes to national defense or criminal justice, most of us ignore the verses that call us to be a peaceful and forgiving people. It’s not in our human nature to be that darn good.

That’s why we as Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, those of other faiths or none at all, should pause to reflect in this post-bin Laden period. I completely understand why people were celebrating that the leader of the hate-filled movement that has killed thousands has come to and end. I definitely did not shed any tears for the man. But, as a Christian (albeit an imperfect one) and an American, I recognize that we as Church, a country, and a world continue to fall short of our humanity.

Maher said, “Martin Luther King gets to call himself a Christian, because he actually practiced loving his enemies.” We live in a dangerous world in which evil does exist and unfortunately violence will be used to maintain our safety and security. But, we must never be arrogant with self-righteousness, because sometimes the enemy is not out there somewhere. Sometimes the enemy is within us.

From Selma to Silicon Valley

2011-05-14T12:39:00.004-04:00

Posted on February 21, 2011

for My927Charlotte.com

Alabama is one of the Civil Right’s Movements most important geographic symbols. In the struggle for Voting Rights in the South, John Lewis and about 600 marchers were beaten and tear-gassed by police, as they attempted to walk from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama on March 7, 1965, a date that has come to be known as “Bloody Sunday”. On the third attempt, the marchers (including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) were able to complete the fifty-mile journey with the help of the U.S. Army, National Guard and FBI. The Selma to Montgomery Marches were critical in building the political momentum that was necessary for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

The Voting Rights Act ensured that African-Americans and other disenfranchised groups had greater access to our political system. Over the years we have come to realize that political empowerment in and of itself has not been enough to close educational and economic disparities. In 1965, civil rights activists had to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the way to Montgomery from Selma. Today, we have to build a bridge across the digital divide that keeps so many African-Americans from accessing the information and resources they need to compete in the global economy.

According to the Pew Internet Project , only 56% of African-Americans have a broadband internet connection at home, compared to 67% of whites, resulting in an 11-point gap. Many of those without home internet access depend on their local public libraries to conduct online searches for school assignments or job opportunities. Unfortunately, due to nationwide budget cuts many community libraries have been closed, making it even more challenging for the digitally disadvantaged to achieve what’s left of the American dream.

Basic internet access is actually only a relatively small, yet significant part, of a much larger problem. In addition to expanding connectivity, we must also increase digital literacy and innovation among black folk. We may not have to protest with our feet in order to exercise our right to vote, but we are in need of a virtual march to Silicon Valley. The San Francisco Bay area is home to the nation’s most profitable technology companies such as Apple, Google, eBay and Facebook. African-Americans are grossly underrepresented in this region that generates multiple billions of dollars.

There are a few exceptions to the rule. Dr. Mark Dean is IBM’s chief engineer in San Jose. 28 year-old, Michael Seibel is the CEO of Justin TV (a live video-sharing site), based in San Francisco. Sensory Acumen, a consumer electronics company founded by my family members, is a start-up based outside Oakland. They hope to open a manufacturing facility in North Carolina in the future. Though it’s a non-profit based in Atlanta, it’s worth mentioning the Alliance for Digital Equality. ADE is working to ensure access to technology in disadvantaged communities throughout the United States. You don’t have to live in Silicon Valley to be a digital entrepreneur.

With unemployment almost twice as high for African-Americans as it is for white Americans, its time we understand that the solution is not just creating more jobs. We must also cultivate more black-owned businesses in the lucrative industries of technology and media to close the entrepreneurship gap. True freedom cannot be found if the majority of African-Americans remain in a state of economic dependency. There is always work to do in the area of civil rights, but that’s not our greatest challenge. Today in 2011, its time to start “marching” for venture capital.

Happy Holidays! Love, the Democrats

2010-12-21T13:26:00.004-05:00

Posted on December 23, 2010

for My927Charlotte.com

This holiday season should demonstrate once and for all that conservatives do not have a monopoly on faith and family values. As a matter of fact, if the holidays are about generosity to those in need and a celebration of hope, joy and peace, then this year Santa and his Elves were played by President Obama and the Democrats, and the Grinches who almost stole Christmas were casted with Republican actors. Though there were some elves that tried to go on strike, the President has marshalled enough support from his party to extend federal unemployment benefits for about one million people. But, Obama has to give the Republicans in Congress something that they care about much more than the jobless people who didn't fund their campaigns. In order to make sure our fellow Americans receive the help they need, the President has to also extend the tax cuts, that were passed under former President George W. Bush, for the most affluent members of our society.

Now, Republicans have argued since the Reagan era that any tax increase for wealthy Americans (in this case, the 2% of households making over $250,000 per year) would have a negative impact on the economy. This theory has been referred to as "Trickle Down Economics". The idea is that if you provide the best tax benefits for the richest individuals and corporations, along with government subsidies, the financial standing of the average person will gradually improve.

Democrats, on the other hand, tend to believe that those who have reaped the most rewards from our financial system should pay substantially higher taxes. In turn we get better social, health and educational programs - at least in theory - that improve the quality of life for most Americans and close the economic divide. When our economy is doing relatively well, these philosophical arguments seem rather abstract. But, when one party is willing to obstruct or filibuster any unemployment extension legislation that doesn't keep the Bush tax cuts for the top 2% income earners, than the political differences become very concrete.

Our Congress, Democrats and forward-thinking Republicans, delivered another gift to our country with the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” I remember watching the documentary Ask Not, a couple years ago and learning how discriminatory DADT was against gay and lesbian military personnel, and how it compromised our national security prior to 9-11. While the end of DADT marks a huge victory in the on-going struggle for civil rights and equality, a progressive opportunity was lost because most Republicans and a handful of Democrats (including both Senators from my state of North Carolina) refused to pass the Dream Act. The Dream Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for over 65,000 undocumented students who were brought to this country as children, if they complete a college degree or serve in the the military for at least two years.

There is a certain religious figure who looms large this time of year. We like to tell cute stories about his birth, but we really tend to avoid his convicting message. As an adult, he had a lot to say about the corrupting nature of money, and how our spiritual health as individuals and a society, can be measured by how we treat the most unfortunate and unpopular among us. He loved people from all walks of life, but recognized that those with the greatest challenges and struggles needed the most support. Watching the debates over unemployment benefits, tax cuts and civil rights, has reminded me of what this spiritual leader once said about his followers and how they will be known. He said that his constituents can be identified by their love for one another. Regardless of what religion we belong to, or even if we don't subscribe to any, everyone can agree that we need more love, no matter what the season.

Wanted: More Black Nerds & Geeks

2010-11-26T16:39:00.003-05:00

Posted November 24, 2010

for My927Charlotte.com

Jay-Z is out promoting his newest project, Decoded, which is claimed to be a personal narrative, lyrical deconstruction and hip-hop history all at once. It is fitting that the prolific rap artist has decided to write his reflections in the form of a 336-page book. Black boys who aspire to be rappers, and those who just love hip-hop, may actually read Decoded, one author suggests. Given the growing achievement gap for African-American youth, and African-American males in particular, getting some black kids to take time out from sports and video games to read something other than text messages on their cell phone is no insignificant feat.

According to a recent study only 12 percent of black male students nationally, performed at or above proficient reading levels, compared with 38 percent of white males. In eighth grade, only 9 percent of black males were proficient in reading compared with 33 percent of white males nationwide. The data speaks to an educational disaster that crosses racial lines, but among black youth, its catastrophic.

To make matters worse, too many black boys and girls who do strive to do their best in school are still ridiculed by their peers for "acting white" or labeled as nerds. There is a complex and traumatic socio-economic history behind the educational statistics and unhealthy attitudes among too many of our black students. The question is how do we resolve a paradoxical reality where there is a United States Present with African descent and millions of black youth who can't read living in the same country?

I am an African-American man who experienced being called white in school because I knew how to speak standard English and I enjoyed learning. Reflecting back, I can see how I tried to "dumb myself down", and fell into underachievement at times because of negative peer pressure. Fortunately, I had a mom who was an educator and a dad who was a corporate executive that demanded I do my best regardless of what anyone else thought or said. Now, I'm trying to help my 12-year old daughter maintain her own thirst for knowledge and develop the courage of non-conformity.

It was not until college that I truly felt free to indulge my intellectual curiosity and began to fully realize that it was cool to be smart - and black. That's the message that our black children desperately need. As an undergraduate in the 1990's, Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson showed me that being a black nerd could be quite lucrative and fulfilling. Before Facebook, Twitter and even MySpace, there was a social media website called BlackPlanet.com that was founded by cool black geeks like Omar Wasow. African-American kids must not only be taught their heritage of literary, scientific and entrepreneurial achievement, but they have to be exposed to and even mentored by contemporary representations of that legacy.

There is a popular saying by Charles J. Sykes that encourages "Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one." We shouldn't just be nice to nerds who look like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg, the founders of Microsoft and Facebook respectively, but also to those black youth who could be the tech billionnaires of the future with more support and opportunities. The bottom line is this: We need more black nerds and geeks. The first step is making sure African-American students can read.

The Rapper and the President

2010-11-26T16:08:00.009-05:00

Posted November 15, 2010

for My927Charlotte.com

I remember watching the concert for Hurricane Relief sponsored by NBC after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in 2005. I was just as shocked as everyone else when Kanye West went off-script from the teleprompter and stammered out these words: "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Comedian Mike Myers, who had been trying to stay on message, looked at Kanye in disbelief. It was an awkward moment that lead to some important dialogue about the government's mishandling of the Katrina relief effort and how our country addresses racial and economic disparities.

Now five years later George W. Bush calls Kanye's infamous comments, "the worst moment" of his presidency, in his new book Decision Points. In an interview with Matt Lauer on Dateline NBC, Bush became emotional as he recalled West calling him, in so many words, a racist. Who would have thought that out of all of the low points that occurred during the Bush presidency such as 9-11, the Iraq War, and the financial crisis to name a few, a misstatement from a rap artist would make his top worst memories list.

Kanye was also given face time with Lauer on the Today Show to own up to the Bush episode, the Taylor Swift meltdown and other verbal indiscretions. Lauer was determined to pull an apology out of West, for his racial commentary on Bush, which Kanye did provide in his own way. While he was talking about the Swift episode, the Today show producers ran the footage of Kanye storming the stage to interrupt Taylor's MTV Video Music Awards acceptance speech, because he thought Beyonce' was more deserving. Kanye became irritated by the audio from the video clip that was played while he was talking and demonstrated once more that he's never afraid to speak his mind about anything - including a production mishap.

Who would have thought that an off-the-cuff outburst would indelibly link a popular rapper and a former GOP president. West has already secured his spot as one of the greatest hip hop artists of all time, but he may want to follow Ron Artest and get some some counseling to maintain his balance, and avoid repeating his public relation disasters. I never voted for Bush, but he's still on my short list of presidents I would most like to have a beverage with, behind Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Both Kanye and W. should seriously consider meeting in person to share their experiences with the glory of fame and the pain of controversy. In the end, despite their differences, they may discover that they are actually kindred spirits.

Message to Progressives: Don't Worry, Stay Hopeful

2010-11-13T14:04:00.012-05:00

Posted November 8, 2010

for My927Charlotte.com

The tide that carried many Democrats and progressives into office in 2008 was reversed this year on November 2nd. History tells us however, that the opposing party of a sitting president usually gains Congressional seats during mid-term elections. If the Democrats maintained power it would have been a historical exception.

One blogger summarized the reason for Republican victories with three words: Fear, Vengeance and Ignorance. Conservative politicians don't have a monopoly on pandering to fear and ignorance, but they seem to be much better at it than liberals. Republicans and Tea-Partiers managed to convince a majority of the electorate that the first two years of the Obama Administration were both a socialist takeover and an utter failure. We live in a political culture where those who yell the loudest and have the most clever sound bites win.

The biggest failing of the Obama team was their inability to adequately communicate their accomplishments. While Obama may not have been able to generate as many new jobs as Americans would have liked, his American Recovery Act saved millions of jobs and provided multiple billions in tax cuts. Many of the people who voted against the Democrats were recipients of the unemployment benefits that were extended three times. Obama may have inherited the Great Recession, but today we are on the slow road to recovery.

Obama’s Health Care Reform will extend coverage to over 30-million uninsured Americans. Young adults can now stay on their parent's healthcare plans until they are 26 years old. On the foreign policy front, the President ended official combat operations in Iraq and has restored dignity to the United States on the national stage.

However, when the voters’ top concern is jobs, its tough to run campaigns with the slogan, "Things may not be great, but they could be much worse." For progressives there is still reason for hope. Now Republicans have to be more than the "Party of No," because they share responsibility of actually solving the country’s problems. And if Obama and Company learn from their mistakes, they'll be more prepared to win in 2012.

Personhood and the Pursuit of Freedom

2010-08-14T15:25:00.010-04:00

I was introduced to the philosophy of Personalism as a Master’s candidate at Hood Theological Seminary, in a course entitled “The Theology of Martin Luther King, Jr.” Prior to taking the class, I had already developed a substantial admiration for King’s synthesis of religious devotion and political activism, which were rooted in his Christian faith and Constitutional sensibility. The course explored the spiritual and intellectual evolution of this preacher who altered our national history. King’s religion and politics were initially shaped by the prophetic black church and the historically African-American, Morehouse College. King’s graduate studies at Crozer Theological Seminary and Boston University reinforced King’s blossoming desire for social change. King encountered the philosophy of personalism, which fortified his conceptual and rhetorical ability to challenge the forces of racism and segregation. I believe Personalism can also inform and inspire today’s post-colonial conversations and movements.

The Personalists, a distinguished group of theologians and philosophers primarily based at Boston University during the first half of the twentieth century were far ahead of their time in regards to their understanding of God, human dignity and equality. They believed that “personality,” more accurately identified today as personhood, was the key to all reality [1]. Bordon Parker Bowne, a foundational Personalist said we live in “A world of persons with a Supreme Person at the head...” [2]. The basic traits of personhood, according to the influential Albert Knudson, can be summarized as “conscious unity, identity and free activity” [3]. Edgar Brightman, one of King’s Personalist mentors, stated “A person is an agent, not a thing; a whole...” [4]. A person is also “a purposer - an embodied purpose or system of purposes” [5]. Consciousness, individuality and the freedom of agency is God’s desire for every human being, regardless of ethnic, religious, socio-economic and gender distinctions.

As Americans who often pride ourselves on our constitutional ideals of self-identity and freedom, these tenets of Personalism may seem intuitive or even obvious. Our history has demonstrated however, that these ethical ideals that are consistent with the highest moral teachings of the world’s religions, have been anything but “common sense” values. Like other religions, Christianity has sacred texts, theological traditions and social practices which have both confirmed and contradicted essential virtues, such as love, justice and freedom. On matters of slavery and segregation; abolition and civil rights, Christians were polarized on these issues and appealed to the same Bible to support their contrasting positions. The same book that proclaims that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus,” (Galatians 3:28), also instructs “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord,” (Colossians 3:22).

We have settled the moral and legal dilemmas of slavery and segregation, but some debates were never resolved. Questions of personhood and human dignity are as relevant today as they were in our nation’s past. The humanity of immigrants (documented and undocumented), same-gender loving persons, Muslims, and the underprivileged is currently questioned through words, actions and policies. Once again Christians stand at odds when it comes to determining the meaning of equality and freedom in our context. Author, Karen Armstrong says we have a choice to make at this “crossroads of history.” She explains, “We can either emphasize the exclusive and chauvinist elements that are found in all our traditions, religious or secular or those that teach us to celebrate the profound interdependence and unanimity of the human race” [6]. The labels of Christian, Jew, Muslim, or Hindu are insufficient descriptors. We must now define what kind of [fill in the blank] we seek to be.

One of the most important perspectives that King adopted from Personalism was the notion that God is a rational being who created the universe with a moral logic and direction [7]. The natural flow of Creation is towards increasing dimensions of love and its outpourings of equality and freedom. The degree to which a person or society participates in any form of dehumanization such as prejudice, discrimination and exploitation is the extent to which that individual is swimming against the cosmic current and that system is striving against the grain of divine will. If it seems that hate, violence and oppression are still normative, it means there is much progress yet to be made in the pursuit of freedom.

Ralph Tyler Flewelling wrote almost seventy years ago that “We cannot, in the present state of world-wide enlightenment, go back to embrace the ancient slaveries; we can only go forward or perish in a general holocaust.” [8]. The ultimate or ideal world must be founded upon “the personalistic and Christian principle of the intrinsic worth of the individual which is the basis of all true democracy,” [9]. Personalist ethics can be found in the democratic ideals of the United States that are informed by both the Bible and the Enlightenment, and can be found in other faith and philosophical traditions. While no human system will ever achieve absolute equality and freedom, democracy has made it possible for personhood to evolve over time in a way that is not possible under an authoritarian government.

Personhood allows us to be “aware of ends, ideals, conceptions of a possible future, and of its power to apply freedom to purposive control of the future” [10]. The freedom of personhood is “the power to choose from among the given possibilities” [11]. Our embodied purpose is to participate in God’s perpetual creation project. Our individual and collective purpose is to form a world where all members of the human family experience the freedom to choose the most fulfilling and meaningful life the universe has to offer.

On the 40th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, then Senator Barack Obama commented on King’s perspective of the moral universe and the agency that we all have in the expansion of freedom and justice. He remarked that "Dr. King once said that the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends towards justice. It bends towards justice, but here is the thing: it does not bend on its own. It bends because each of us in our own ways put our hand on that arc and we bend it in the direction of justice..." [12]. The God of history has created the universe with a certain pattern. It’s a pattern that interweaves the threads of love, peace, justice and freedom. Once we become conscious of the pattern, all we have to do is follow it.

Our souls at their best yearn for the same world that God desires, but the degree to which these ideals are realized in our moment on the cosmic timeline, is dependent upon the role that each of of us plays in attaining our own personhood and everyone elses. Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of the Acumen Fund (a global anti-poverty venture), says that “in a world where everything is connected, the most important thing we can do is treat our fellows with dignity” [13]. As long as countless persons are oppressed spiritually, socially and economically, the post-colonial world we dream of remains a shadow of our moral imagination. Let us begin the transformation of our individual freedom into global personhood.

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[1] Albert C. Knudson, The Philosophy of Personalism (New York: The Abingdon Press, 1927), 237; Edgar S. Brightman, “Personalism as a Metaphysical Principle,” Personalism in Theology (Boston: Boston University Press, 1943), 42.

[2] Bordon P. Bowne, Personalism (Boston/New York: Houghton, Miflin and Company, 1908), 277-8.

[3] Knudson, 87.

[4] Brightman, 58.

[5] Brightman, 59.

[6] Karen Armstrong, “Empathy,” What Matters Now (http://sethgodin.com/sg/free_stuff.asp, 2009).

[7] Rufus Burrow, Jr. God and Human Dignity: The Personalism, Theology and Ethics of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Notre Dame IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2006), 103-4.

[8] Ralph Tyler Flewelling, “Personalism and the Trend of History,” Personalism in Theology (Boston: Boston University Press, 1943), 177.

[9] Flewelling, 186.

[10] Brightman, 59.

[11] Brightman, 58.

[12] Barack Obama (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABdDSxI6eSY) April 4, 2008.

[13] Jacqueline Novogratz, “Dignity,” What Matters Now (http://sethgodin.com/sg/free_stuff.asp, 2009).

The Measure of a Father

2008-06-15T17:53:00.009-04:00

Published Wednesday,

June 11, 2008

by Ryanne Persinger for

The Charlotte Post

PHOTO/ADAM BATTAGLIA
Rod Garvin and his daughter Ayanna share a special relationship.

“The relationship between a father and daughter is unique,” Garvin says.

Rod Garvin was 23 years old and had just graduated from college when his daughter was born. He was not married to Ayanna’s mother, whom he still has a good relationship with, but that didn’t stop him from taking a very active role in being a good dad.

“It’s been my greatest blessing and my greatest challenge,” the 33-year-old said. “My child became the most important thing in my life.”

Garvin said he and his 9-year-old daughter share a special bond.

“The relationship between a father and a daughter is unique,” Garvin said. “A lot of people prefer to have a boy, but I think they underestimate what the relationship could be. There’s a certain type of connection (with a girl).”

Until Ayanna gets married, Garvin said he’ll be the number one man in her life for a long time.

They see each other throughout the weekday and on weekends.

“We do a lot of activities together, we go to parks, trips with family, to church and the movies,” Ayanna said. “He’s a good dad.”
Teresa Farmer, a recreation attendant for Sistas Gonna Work It Out, a mentoring program for girls 9-16, said it’s unfortunate that while many fathers are absent from their children’s lives, there are many more who are present.

“When the dads are there, the girl’s attitude seems to be a little different,” Farmer said. “You see that daddy’s girl type of situation...and it’s been positive for them.”

Farmer, a single mother herself, said when fathers drop their daughters off at the program, she notices the girls are well-rounded and believes they may become less sexually active when they get older.

“The dads are a lot more on top of things,” Farmer added. “It’s been positive for me to see that so many dads are involved.”

BOYS

Robert Wayne is a dad raising his 17-year-old son, Robert Wayne III, who has been living with him for 10 years.

Wayne’s father was taken from him when he was young, which is why it was imperative for him to raise Robert III in a stable environment.

“I think having a (father) is very important because without that a kid can get lost,” Wayne said. “There’s a lot of confusion with right and wrong. I didn’t have a father growing up. I wanted to be here for my son as he grew so I could give him the things that I missed that affected my development as a man.”

Robert III said he and his father are real close.

“He’s taught me almost everything,” the teenager said. “He’s taught me how to be a man.”

Aaron Means, the executive vice president of programs for 100 Black Men of Charlotte, an organization aimed at being role models for African American youths, said anybody can be a father but it takes a special person to be a dad.

“Being a dad is being there for the child, teaching them the right road, and being there when the child needs you,” Means said.
Means said what a child sees is what they will become.

“A lot of people just need to understand that black men care because we do,” Means added.

Wayne, who speaks very highly of his son, said their relationship is great. His son is talented athletically and is very special to him.

The best advice for any single father or new dad Wayne and Garvin said, is this:

“It’s very important to communicate with the child...and don’t give up because the child is always looking up to you,” Wayne said.

Garvin added: “It’s unfortunate that I have heard so many stories that say the father is not involved. But I embrace the relationship with my daughter. I even have different ways of thinking about womanhood now.”

Media Blitz

2008-05-28T17:25:00.002-04:00

After a long semester of seminary I'm taking a much needed break - from school that is. My work with GenerationEngage is speeding up as this year's election season continues to increase excitement and political participation. Like previous primary states, North Carolina experienced a high level of youth-voter-turnout on May 6th. The challenge will be to keep that energy going past the 2008 General Election in November.

GenerationEngage in North Carolina received some great press through a Charlotte Observer opinion-editorial , the Observer's politics video blog, and an interview I did with our local Fox News affiliate.
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Back in April, I attended the Inter-American Development Bank's Youth Conference in Miami. As the nation reflected on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. 40 years after his assassination on April 4, 1968, it was fitting that young people were gathering to discuss how they can become agents for change and social justice today. Here is a video clip on that very subject between myself and Rafiq Kalam Id-Din.

Engaging young adults for activism

2008-03-10T18:41:00.015-04:00

Published Thursday, February 28, 2008
by Ryanne Persinger
for The Charlotte Post

Photo by Calvin Ferguson

Decker Ngongang (left) and Rod Garvin are Charlotte Outreach Coordinators at Generation Engage, a nonprofit that seeks to boost political and social activism among young adults.
__________________________________________

A civic organization is trying to keep young people interested in politics long after November when the presidential elections are over.

Decker Ngongang (left) and Rod Garvin are Charlotte outreach coordinators at Generation Engage, a nonprofit that seeks to boost political and social activism among young adults.

“We get politicians to come speak to young people,” Decker Ngongang, an outreach coordinator for the Charlotte based Generation Engage, said. “We want (youths) to care about the issues even after the elections are over.”

Generation Engage, which connects youths to political leaders and other organizations, focuses on creating a dialogue between youth and politicians.

The group allows youth to think for themselves and to understand what it is they like about a candidate.

This year especially, Ngongang said young people are interested in politics.

“If the election was held today, a black man could be elected president,” said Ngongang. “Any historic moment brings young people out (to vote).”

It is the first time in U.S. history that a woman – Hillary Clinton – or an African American – Barack Obama – have a good chance to become commander in chief.

“There is an excitement about Barack Obama,” Ngongang, 26, said. “It can’t help but to invigorate young people. We love new stuff.”

Twenty five year-old Varsay Sirleaf said he has always been into politics, he was even the student body president in college, but he says there is something special about voting in 2008.

“If you look at the demographics of youths that are supporting Barrack Obama that age range is between 18 to 30,” Sirleaf said.

“Look at that participation now compared to 10 years ago.”

According to Generation Engage, 50 percent of young adults voted in the 2004 presidential election, compared to 41 percent in 2000. But this year could bring a record number of voters under age 30 in the presidential election, or even in North Carolina’s May primaries, said Charlotte’s Rod Garvin, a Charlotte outreach coordinator.

“The excitement is early in the primaries and the caucuses,” Garvin, 32, said. “Voting is important to the overall democracy which is always evolving.”

In Garvin’s own opinion, he said until the first non-white male president is elected, America is unable to say that democracy is evolving as it should.

“We want to keep democracy growing,” Garvin added. “It’s about that sustainability, it’s about being informed and participating in dialogue to make democracy happen.”

Generation Engage reaches out to all political parties whether it’s Republican, Democrat, Independent or other.

That is something that Tonya Simmons appreciates.

“They don’t force anything on you,” Simmons, 26, said. “It’s all just informational.”

Simmons attended her first Generation Engage Ambassador meeting last year when the group held an internet chat with former secretary of state Colin Powell and local politicians.

“I really wanted to get our demographic here involved,” Simmons said. “It was good to hear about an organization that focused on being active in politics here in Charlotte.”

Generation Engage specifically targets ages 16 to 30. The organization focuses on those without a formal education, because they seem to be the most disconnected, Garvin said.

“You want to engage people in politics before they turn 18,” Garvin said.

Generation Engage has chapters in New York, Florida, California and Raleigh. The Charlotte chapter was chartered in 2007.

The group hosted an event at Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, “Hip-Hop Politics,” this month promoting politics and reaching out to the young. Every year the Charlotte based group hosts a local block party for candidates running for local office.

“Young people need to understand why the school board race and county commissioners race affects them,” Ngongang said.
Sirleaf, who was born and raised in Liberia, agreed. Aside from elections, he was interested in the city’s new light rail system and tax increases.

“For (youths) who are not as aware of important issues ...Generation Engage bridges the gap. They gear it toward my generation.”

Ngongang is a graduate of North Carolina State University and majored in political science. He left a job at Bank of America to become more involved in leadership.

Garvin, once an educator at the Levine Museum of the New South, also left his job to work for the organization. He is a graduate of University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is currently working towards his master’s degree at Hood Theological Seminary.

King, Hip-Hop and the New Movement

2008-01-21T20:30:00.000-05:00

Excerpts of speech given at Scotland County, NC N.A.A.C.P. Youth Council's MLK Birthday Celebration - Jan. 15, 2008.

I must start with a confession and some of you may relate to what I have to share. It is only in the past 7 to 8 years that I have truly begun to appreciate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As part of that first generation to grow up with the influence of hip-hop, I was more drawn to Malcolm X than Martin King. Hip-Hop at its best has been a means of cultural and political expression for young people; especially those struggling to survive at the bottom of society. Hip-Hop is known to be raw, gritty, uncompromising and unconcerned about what those on the outside think about it.

Malcolm X (or El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, his Arabic name) is believed to share these same characteristics and during hip-hop’s golden era of prolific, artistic innovation and heightened social and political consciousness, from the late 1980’s to the mid-1990’s, he was the revolutionary symbol that inspired many young people. Spike Lee’s film Malcolm X (1992), solidified Malcolm’s status as the patron saint of hip-hop as many young people rushed to purchase “X” baseball caps and t-shirts, including myself. It’s not that there was no respect or appreciation for Dr. King among youth, but the federal holiday created in his honor in 1986, signed into law by President Ronald Reagan under pressure from Congress and the American public, made some in the hip-hop generation feel that King’s memory had been co-opted by the mainstream society that they wanted to challenge, because for them, Dr. King’s dream of a racially inclusive democracy where every individual could achieve their God given potential was yet to be realized, despite the gains the Civil Rights Movement made possible.

Theologian, Dr. James Cone believes that the hip-hop generation has made a mistake in viewing Martin King as irrelevant in comparison to Malcolm X. He writes that, “They rap about Malcolm’s profound analysis of America’s racism without even mentioning how Martin organized a movement to fight against the racism that Malcolm analyzed.”[1] Both men were religious leaders who were also revolutionaries. Malcolm was a cultural revolutionary who had a political impact. He directly inspired the Black Power and Black Consciousness Movements by challenging black folk to be proud of their ethnic identity, physical appearance, and African heritage, while he verbally attacked the ideology of white supremacy with his incredible intellect and wit. Martin on the other hand was primarily a political revolutionary. He lead the Movement that abolished racial segregation and secured voting rights for African-Americans and other minorities, with his eloquent speech and moral courage. Though the two men only met once, and though their public comments about one another were not always friendly, they inevitably had an influence on each other’s social philosophy.

In his annual address at the 11th Convention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, entitled “Where Do We Go From Here?” (Atlanta, GA; 1967) King made an appeal to black consciousness that surely would have made X proud and should resonate with African-Americans in the hip-hop generation. Here’s what he said:

As long as the mind is enslaved, the body can never be free. Psychological freedom, a firm sense of self-esteem, is the most powerful weapon against the long night of physical slavery. No Lincolnian Emancipation Proclamation, no Johnsonian civil rights bill can totally bring this kind of freedom. The Negro will only be free when he reaches down to the inner depths of his own being and signs with the pen and ink of assertive [personhood] his [or her] own emancipation proclamation. And with a spirit straining toward true self-esteem, the Negro must boldly throw off the manacles of self-[contempt] and say to himself and to the world, ‘I am somebody. I am a person. I am a man with dignity and honor. I have a rich and noble history, however painful and exploited that history has been. Yes, I was a slave through my foreparents, and now I’m not ashamed of that. I'm ashamed of the people who were so sinful to make me a slave.’ Yes, yes, we must stand up and say, "I'm black, but I'm black and beautiful.

...Hip-Hop (a cultural art form that emerged in the mid-1970's) was an attempt by African, Afro-Caribbean, Latinos and others to find their voice and identity in post-Civil Rights Movement America. Though legal segregation and voter disenfranchisement had ended, young people in urban and rural areas suffered under de-facto segregation, felt estranged from the democratic process and trapped in a cycle of poverty and economic stagnation. Social service programs and public education budgets were cut, including funding for art and music programs.

Rhyming and freestyling over instrumental beats looped by two records on turntables (an invention by D.J. Kool Herc, an Afro-Caribbean immigrant from the West Bronx) replaced choir rehearsal and band practice. Breakdancers or “b-boys” and “b-girls” expressed the hip-hop attitude through gravity defying, bodily movement. Graffiti artists who were unable to create visual art in school made the urban landscape their canvass, and in a time of growing gang territorialism they crossed hostile borders to leave their mark by “tagging” their names on city walls and subways in an effort to escape the invisibility of their existence.[2] It’s as if they were using graffiti to echo Dr. King’s proclamation that we heard earlier, “I am somebody. I am a person,” or to paraphrase French Philosopher Rene’ Descartes, “I ‘tag’, therefore I am.”

Hip-Hop at its inception was primarily about the sheer enjoyment of the music, the dance and the art. Originally, MC’s would rap to get the party started or would engage in freestyle “battles” to determine who had the most lyrical prowess. Though hip-hop emerges in part as cultural response to certain socio-economic realities, it’s political or protest tradition did not commence until 1982. This is the year that song called “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five with lead vocals by Melle Mel opened a new artistic frontier. Some of you may be familiar with the hook of the song that goes:
Don’t push me, cause I’m close to the edge... [Audience starts to sing along]

Oh, can we sing that together? [Laughter]

Don’t push me, cause I’m close to the edge
I’m trying not to loose my head
Its like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under

For the first time their was a popular song on the radio, as well as a music video, that did not boast about the lyrical skills of the rap artist, or provide a clever run-down of party life, but instead spoke to the poverty, educational inequity, and rising crime and drug use that plagued the inner-city.

***

Like the larger society, hip-hop has been a male dominated space with some notable exceptions. Artists such as MC Lyte, Queen Latifah and Lauryn Hill have made significant cultural and political contributions. Salt-N-Pepa, one of the most successful rap groups of all time cast a spotlight on racial profiling in “Negro Wit an Attitude” (1990):

Porche, Benz, and BM's are all suitable
For people who sell pharmaceuticals
That's a stereotype, that's the hype
Don't ask me why I have an attitude (all right)…
The cops are surprised to see a minority
Behind the wheel of this car, it must be narcotics
How else could she have got it?
A brown-skinned female with two problems to correct
Wrong color, wrong sex

Salt-N-Pepa gave voice to an issue that has affected young people since before the Civil Rights Movement, and after, while also acknowledging gender discrimination, which they have surely experienced on both sides of the color line. In his, “I Have a Dream” Speech, King observed, “There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, ‘When will you be satisfied?’ We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.”

In 1991, Rodney King was beaten by officers of the Los Angeles Department of Police. The subsequent acquittal of three of the four officers in 1992, set off a devastating riot while I was on the other side of the country in my high school in Greenville, North Carolina. I wanted to discuss the trial and the events that were unfolding in South Central L.A., but my history teacher said the situation had nothing to do with us. I can not remember exactly what I said, but I remember thinking, “You may not feel that this has anything to do with you, but a U.S. court has just said that it’s okay to beat a black man for speeding. It has a lot to do with me.” The youth of L.A. were dissatisfied and so was I.

But, were Dr. King alive then, he would have denounced violence as a means to oppose the racial and economic injustice that preceded the South Central riots, and had erupted in the Watts section of L.A. and other urban areas across the country in Dr. King’s own lifetime. King did not just challenge the violence committed by the black youth of his day, he confronted what he perceived as the unnecessary aggression of the government as well. The following is a passage from one of King’s most important speeches, called “Beyond Vietnam,” but is seldom quoted during our holiday celebrations:

As I have walked among the desperate, rejected, and angry young men, I have told them that Molotov cocktails and rifles would not solve their problems. I have tried to offer them my deepest compassion while maintaining my conviction that social change comes most meaningfully through nonviolent action. But they ask -- and rightly so -- what about Vietnam? They ask if our own nation wasn't using massive doses of violence to solve its problems, to bring about the changes it wanted. Their questions hit home, and I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today -- my own government. For the sake of those boys, for the sake of this government, for the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent.

This is the King that makes us uncomfortable, yet this is the King that the Hip-Hop generation is waiting to discover.

***

I work for an organization called GenerationEngage that is working to get young people more involved in our democracy through voting, civic education and access to political leaders so that they can participate in the dialog that makes democracy possible through the exchange of ideas and political solutions. As a graduate student of theology, I am inspired by the role that the church has played in our history to bring about a greater level of justice for all citizens. I am hoping that more people from all religious traditions and those who claim no religion at all will ask themselves, “What can I do, to make my community, my country, and my world a little bit better?”

We need not wait any longer for a Movement to come or a Leader to emerge. Dr. King talked about a revolution that was on the verge of erupting and still rages today. He said:

I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights, are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies.

During his lifetime Tupac surveyed the political landscape and concluded in his song "Changes": "…although it seems heaven sent / We ain't ready, to see a black President," (1998 Release). Whether or not that analysis holds true today remains to be seen. But, regardless of who becomes our next president, whether it is an African-American, a woman or yet another Caucasian man, there will be work for all of us do. We must hold our political leaders accountable to the promises they make. We have to vigorously educate ourselves, and each other, about the social and political issues of our day so that we can be informed citizens. After studying and deliberating on public policy, we must applaud that which makes us a more equitable, peaceful and prosperous nation and critique that which does not. Sometimes, we have to agree to disagree, but do not let anyone ever tell you that disagreement or dissent is unpatriotic. King represented the minority opinion on Civil Rights and on the War question. Many called him unpatriotic then. Today he is celebrated as an American hero.

The Hip-Hop Generation must join the world revolution by mobilizing around those issues that each individual feels most passionate about, whether it be reducing homelessness, providing healthcare coverage for every American, and or ensuring that every child not only here, but everywhere, has food to eat and books to read. But, we also have to work together to bring about the change that we want to see. One of my favorite songs of 2007 was “Make Me Better” by Fabolous and Ne-Yo. In the chorus Ne-Yo sings:

I'm a movement by myself
But I'm a force when we're together
Mami, I'm good all by myself
But baby you, you make me better

And my favorite line is when Fabolous says, “I'ma need Coretta Scott, if I'm gonna be King.” The Civil Rights Movement was bigger than Dr. King, and the New Movement is bigger than us. King knew that he could not make the sacrifices he was called to make without the support of his wife Coretta. He also knew that although he became the symbol of the Civil Rights Movement, were it not for the masses of people across the country marching to the same drumbeat of justice, his efforts would have been in vain. So vote, but do more than vote. Mentor a child (that child may be your own). Give to somebody in need. Join an organization that is making a difference in your community. Lift up your voice and let the world know that you are ready to take your rightful place in the New Movement.

Thank you.

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[1] Cone, James H. Risks of Faith: The Emergence of a Black Theology of Liberation, 1968-1998 . Boston: Beacon Press, 1999: 100.
[2] Chang, Jeff. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of the Hip-Hop Generation. New York: St. Martins Press, 2005: 73-79.

Re: My Hiatus

2007-11-20T10:38:00.000-05:00

I know many of you are wondering where I have been for the past few months. Well, in addition to working full-time, I am a full-time graduate student and a father. I started a new job several months ago, so work has been especially demanding.

Things should slow down somewhat during the holidays, so I'll try to post some thoughts that have been percolating in my mind and maybe share some lessons learned in my personal life. As always, I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my humble words. Even when I'm not blogging, please be confident that I'm always striving to do the Lord's work, and gaining the experience and inspiration I need to become a better writer.

Grace and Peace,
Rod

Hip-Hop: I Still Love Her

2007-08-11T16:09:00.000-04:00

I might've failed to mention that the chick was creative
But once the man got to her, he altered the native
Told her if she got an image and a gimmick
That she could make money, and she did it like a dummy
Now I see her in commercials, she's universal
She used to only swing it with the inner-city circle
Now she be in the burbs lookin' rock and dressin' hip
And on some dumb shit, when she comes to the city
Talkin' about poppin' glocks, servin' rocks, and hittin' switches
Now she's a gangsta rollin' with gangsta [chicks]
Always smokin' blunts and gettin' drunk
Tellin' me sad stories, now she only [messes] with the funk
Stressin' how hardcore and real she is
She was really the realest, before she got into show-biz
I did her, not just to say that I did it ...
But I'ma take her back hopin' that the [bull] stop
Cause who I'm talkin' bout y'all is hip-hop

- Common, "I Used to Love H.E.R."

I just finished reading Michael Eric Dyson's new book Know What I Mean?: Reflections on Hip-Hop. Dyson is the first bonafied hip-hop intellectual (or at least the first one with a PhD to obtain a national platform). I read his first book, Reflecting Black, back in 1997 while working on a research paper for a graduate school preparation program created to encourage more minorities to pursue Doctorates in Philosophy and teach in the academy. Dyson's latest offering reminded me why hip-hop continues to be such a vital part of my life, despite it's questionable attributes, and why hip-hop is an art form worthy of critical, objective analysis.

Dyson speaks to the pathologies of hip-hop, but only within the larger context of American society and highlighting it's connections to other cultural institutions. For example, when examining oppressive patriarchy and sexism he draws a parallel between hip-hop and the church:

If hip hop has a theology, it's pretty consistent with the biblical justification of male misbehavior by blaming the seducing female. Now that's not to deny that there's female complicity. We have to ask the hard question of why certain women conform to the vicious images of female sexual identity promoted in misogynistic masculinity. Of course, that's not simply a problem that shows up in hip hop; it's a culture-wide phenomenon. When women go to religious institutions where they hear clergy justify their second-class citizenship, they are conforming to the dominant images of a religious culture that aims to subordinate them. But it's easier to jump on hip hop videos than it is to target sermons of ministers, bishops, imams, and rabbis who reinforce a culture of male privilege and strident patriarchy (110).

While many may reflexively dismiss what Dyson has to say on such matters, if they take time to absorb his reflections, perhaps a little self-criticism will follow not just on a personal level, but on an institutional one as well. Complacency is the failure to recognize that the status quo can always be made better, and by better I mean more equitable and just. This is why the political undercurrent within hip-hop is so important.

In my new role as an Outreach Coordinator with GenerationEngage, I am charged with finding creative ways to get more young adults, 18-29 (and especially those without a traditional college education) more involved in the democratic process. We plan to leverage hip-hop culture, through music, spoken word, film and curriculum to reach young voters and potential voters where they are and help them see how politics is not external to their lives, but is rather an intrinsic part of it, whether it be in the form of music or actual policy. Dyson expounds upon the political capacity of hip-hop in this regard:

At their best, hip hoppers have the potential to raise people's awareness. And I think hip hop, if it will challenge and renew itself in the cycles of history and social struggle, can continue to play a vital role in inspiring young folk to become politically astute human beings and citizens. At its best, hip hop can challenge young folk to fight for what they believe in. And it's important for young folk to understand that unless they contribute to their own freedom and self-determination, that freedom and self-determination will mean little (86).

I believe art like religion, should be judged on the best of it's traditions, not the worse; even if those better manifestations are outnumbered by those of a lesser quality. This is why I still love hip-hop.

Searching for Ms. Philadelphia...

2007-06-05T11:27:00.000-04:00

I was born in Philadelphia, a.k.a. "Philly", a.k.a. "Illadelph". I lived in Philly during my early years and spent many summers there when I was growing up in Michigan. Musiq (a fellow Philadelphian and one of the most talented and soulful singers in the music industry) has a song called "Ms. Philadelphia" that has me reminiscing about my birth town, but also thinking about the woman he describes. My favorite part is when he sings, "We spoke forever on topics like religion and politics." I'm definitely feeling that.

Fabolous' new joint with Ne-Yo, "Make Me Better, " expresses what I dream of saying to my wife one day:

I'm a movement by myself
But I'm a force when we're together
Mami I'm good all by myself
But baby you, you make me better

And the line that really resonates with me is when Fabolous says, "I'ma need Coretta Scott, if I'm gonna be King." Powerful stuff.

Ms. Coretta Scott Philadelphia, where are you?

Insurgent Capacity

2007-05-22T17:18:00.001-04:00

Move over Cornel West and Michael Eric Dyson, because here comes Melissa Harris-Lacewell. Dr. Harris-Lacewell is Associate Professor of Politics and African American Studies at Princeton University. She has a PhD in Political Science from Duke University and is currentley enrolled at the prestigious Union Theological Seminary in New York - 'nough said. I just learned about this phenomenal sister when watching Bill Moyers Journal this past weekend.

I found myself identifying with most if not all of her perspectives on the issue of race as it plays out in the political and cultural spheres. What really intrigued me was what Harris-Lacewell referred to as the "insurgent capacity" of hip-hop. Take a look at this exchange from the transcript of her interview:

BILL MOYERS: So, how do you expect change to come?

MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL: Slowly and through pressure. So--

BILL MOYERS: But kids don't go out and protest the way they did in the '60s.

MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL: Oh, have you listened to hip-hop?

BILL MOYERS: Well, I've tried to, and I've had people try to explain it to me.

MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL: Yeah.

BILL MOYERS: But what do you mean? Why is hip-hop bringing this change?

MELISSA HARRIS-LACEWELL: Well, I think that hip-hop has the insurgent possibilities and capabilities. Now there's a little bit of a problem with hip-hop, and that is it's a commodity that's bought and sold. And any time you're a commodity that's bought and sold, you-- have at least one aspect of your culture that can sort of go in a profit motivation.

But I will say that hip-hop music like Gospel music, like Blues music, like jazz music is the voice of a generation. And it has within it the insurgent capacity, the capacity to say, "Look, I'm not happy here, this is not enough, I expect more, I'm worthy of more." And over and over again in hip-hop from the mid-1970's until today, there's a strain of it that is saying that.
Read the full transcript here.

I have always been drawn to this insurgent capacity within hip-hop, that persists in spite of the misogyny, crass materialism and glorified violence that plagues so much of it. But, even with those artists who are perceived to be the least redemptive in their lyrical content, at times - in moments of divine grace perhaps - exhibit an uncanny ability to affirm and uplift a segment of society that would be completely forgotten were it not for the hip-hop community. They manage to challenge the injustices that they themselves may be complicit with, just as we who have any degree of privilege are complicit in the oppression of others, on some level, whether we know it or not.

The insurgent capacity of previous generations was cultivated in the church, and the black church in particular in reference to the Civil Rights Movement and liberation movements around the globe (though often with the help of Marxist critiques of the darkside of capitalism). There was a certain theological perspective; a particular understanding of the Gospel that made the birthing of revolutionaries possible. Jesus Christ may be a King who reigns in glory from heaven, but when he walked this earth, he was a man of modest means who was officially executed as a political criminal by the Roman Empire.

Once you move beyond the Protestant/Catholic divide and the infinite denominational borders, the church can really be separated in two primary groups based on their understanding of Christ (or Christology). There is the church of the Insurgent Jesus and the church of the Imperial Jesus. There is the Jesus who says "No" to empire, aggressive militarism and economies that make poverty and suffering inevitable and there is the Jesus who says "Yes" to these structures and policies. Which one is the real Jesus and which one do you serve?

Creative Revolutionaries

2007-04-15T12:43:00.000-04:00

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

Creative work in fact is downright subversive, since it disrupts existing patterns of thought and life. - Richard Florida (The Rise of the Creative Class)

I am currently participating in a local project called the Knight Creative Communities Initiative which has been established to stimulate greater economic prosperity for all citizens by attracting more creative people in science, technology, architecture, the arts and "thought leadership" (i.e. intellectuals and opinion-makers); while also cultivating the creativity of the current population. The project which is part of a much larger creative economy movement has been inspired by the socio-economic research and theories of the highly regarded Richard Florida, who is not without his detractors. Florida asserts that any vibrant regional economy must be strong in certain key areas that he refers to as the "4 T's": Talent (people), Technology, Tolerance and Territorial Assets (buildings, transportation, parks, public art, green spaces etc.).

I am one of 30 Community Catalysts in the Charlotte area who are tasked with starting several initiatives which relate to the aforementioned categories in an effort to make a region that already has some very attractive qualities and a relatively robust economy even stronger. It all sounds reasonable enough, but what makes Florida controversial is the premium he places on artistic talent and tolerance - which is not just about ethnic and religious acceptance and appreciation, but also takes sexual orientation into consideration. As a matter of fact his Tolerance Index is based on the percentage of gay and lesbian people in a population, because in his estimation, if members of this community feel welcome, there is a high probability that other types of people will as well. The level of artistic creativity (whether it be visual, musical, theatrical or dance) is important because it creates a more stimulating environment for everyone and can serve as an outlet for scientists, engineers and business people and/or feed their creativity in their own fields through consumption of art and interaction with artistic people. The debate on this front is primarily related to the use of tax dollars in funding art programs in schools, as well as other arts based organizations and initiatives.

As a Christian and a creative person by nature, Florida's theories resonate with me on many levels. Tolerance (or equality and inclusion) in particular, should be integral to a faith that claims a Jewish peasant who was crucified for his creative interpretation of his religious tradition as their Lord and Savior. It was Jesus' creative and prophetic impulse which compelled him to embrace those who were discriminated against by the larger society - including women, the poor and the sick - and placed him on a path that could not have ended anywhere other than a Roman cross, because neither Caesar nor his underlings would tolerate any competition from creative challenges by outsiders. Jesus knew intuitively what Florida has learned from his own Roman Catholic upbringing and his years of research, and that is the fundamental acknowledgement that everyone has value. Florida emphatically stresses that everyone is creative, but we need an economy which allows all people to utilize that God given talent, especially those in the service and manufacturing sectors, so that they can contribute more ideas, and hopefully improve their compensation as well.

The kind of conversations I am having as a part of this initiative should be happening in the church, and a few congregations are having this dialog. But, are Christians as a whole ready to tackle some tough and uncomfortable questions? What happens when society becomes more accepting of gays and lesbians than the church? Racism and ethnic separation is a global problem, but churches are far more segregated than most corporations and many neighborhoods. Poverty and low wages are driven by economic structures and policies, though personal choices can play a role. Do we have the courage to ask if our capitalist economy can be made better and turn scarcity into abundance like Christ? How do these issues affect our ability to bear witness to the Good News of God's Kingdom? How can Christians become the creative Revolutionaries we are called to be?

Black Love and Liberation

2007-03-05T19:14:00.000-05:00

For you, brethren, have been called to [liberation]; only do not use [liberation] as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. - Paul ("Galatians 5:13")

Making the choice to love can heal our wounded spirits and our body politic. It is the deepest revolution, the turning away from the world as we know it, toward the world we must make if we are to be one with the planet--one healing heart giving and sustaining life. Love is our hope and our salvation. - bell hooks (Salvation: Black People and Love)

I've been thinking about love a lot lately on it's various levels: the divine love of God, self-love, romantic love, familial love, friendship love, and communal love. My contemplations on this topic are born out of my own internal paradox. On one hand, God drowns me with infinite and undeserved love daily, and my family and friends constantly bless me with loving words and actions. Even co-workers and classmates humble me with love in the form of affirmation and encouragement.

Yet on the other hand I am stung by the absence of love in particular areas of my life and ethnic identity. As much as I would like to pray it or wish it a way, the longing to connect with a woman who would be my wife will not die; nor will my hunger for all black folk to embrace each other and be fully loved by the larger society be alleviated. In the documentary SoulMate, I learned that over 42% of African-American women have never been married, and like me, many suffer from the pang of loneliness. I was dismayed by the revelation that we had more two-parent households under slavery than we do now. I am distressed by the black self-hate (Jim Crow's most insidious and enduring fruit) that causes our artists to perpetuate images that come right out of the Ku Klux Klan propaganda book. Young African-American men destroy each other with bullets and brothers and sisters kill each other with words derived from the stereotypical seeds that were planted in our collective memories so many years ago. With so much negative energy turned inward and against each other, how can we fight the conditions that keep too many of us poor, ignorant and physically unhealthy?

We have to find the love again. We have to find the love that slavery and segregation could not extinguish. However, we failed to realize that the sin of white supremacy could not be fully exoricised by a change in laws and public policy; and while we were lulled to sleep by getting more crumbs from the master's table, our love was crucified. In no way do I seek to overly romanticize the unity of African-Americans in the past, but clearly when we look at the stark reality of our broken families and relationships - the antagonism between black men and women and the growing gulf between the black poor and working class and the more privileged members of our community, we can clearly see that much of the collective love we did have is simply gone.

Our particular problems have always been rooted in the soil of the larger plantation that is the United States of America. This love deficiency is certainly not unique to black folk, but is rather the thorn in the flesh of an entire nation that has claimed to be a land of liberation and equality for all people since its founding. Instead of serving one another, we have far too often oppressed one another. But, the love of God that gave the Israelites an Exodus out of Egypt and gave Africans in America salvation from chattel slavery, can also free us from the hate, conflict and division that plagues us today in our interpersonal relationships, community, our society - and in our religious congregations. If love has been crucified as it was over 2000 years ago, then it will be resurrected again, because the revolution of God has already lifted Love on high and the power of sin, spiritual and social, has already been defeated. The question is, will we continue to live in the darkness and deception of the old empire or the light and truth of the New Creation?

A New Year for New Orleans

2007-01-22T11:01:00.000-05:00

2006 was a year full of challenge and opportunity, but through it all God's grace was more than sufficient. Back in the fall of the previous year, one of my closest friends, James ("Jay") Ingram and I discussed our plans for New Year's. I had been thinking about incorporating service with vacation travel and when he suggested that we do some volunteer work to assist the rebuilding efforts in New Orleans I knew - God willing - that our year would end and our new year would begin in the Gulf Coast.

This was my first trip to "the N.O." and Jay's fourth, so in addition to doing something meaningful, I also looked forward to experiencing a city with such a rich history and culture. New Orleans is a unique microcosm of American life; full of cultural beauty, deprivation and contradiction. Though the city is still a shadow of what it was, the tourism industry is being revitalized and money is being spent, the streets are being refilled with music and dance even as the homeless roam and thousands of residents remain displaced. The people of the city we encountered are full of faith, hope and hospitality making it possible to create sacred spaces even in the midst of explicit imagery and drunken revelry. When we shared with inquiring residents that we had come to New Orleans to volunteer with Habit for Humanity and celebrate the New Year, we were shown a genuine appreciation and humility that neither of us had experienced before.

We worshiped at Greater St. Stephen's Full Gospel Baptist Church on New Year's Eve, where Bishop Paul Morton is Senior Pastor. We were well received and had an opportunity to interview Elder Constance Carter, First Assistant Pastor and Elder Mark Hurdle, a Marine who has been in New Orleans for several years and is now moving on to another assignment. Elder Hurdle even gave us a ride back to our hotel so that we would not have to catch a cab - yet another demonstration of true hospitality and brotherhood.

It was beautiful to join the other individuals and families who had come to work in the Ninth Ward, which is the most devastated area in the Gulf Coast. We were among a handful of African-Americans who were there, but I must say I was duly impressed with the large numbers of "white"/European brothers and sisters who decided to spend their hard earned money and vacation time to assist in the building of homes, so that the people can come back. There has been overwhelming death and suffering in New Orleans. But, according to the Christian faith, we believe that death is only a precursor to resurrection. Through continued prayers, financial support and service, New Orleans will live again and hopefully more abundantly and equitably than before.

Reflections from James Ingram:

I didn’t know what to expect seeing the N.O. for the first time since June 2004. As I waited for Rod’s plane to land, I prayed that our efforts would be substantive enough to help a city that needed all the humanitarian relief it could get. Most importantly I prayed the man above would use us as conduits, conveying our thoughts and experiences to friends, families, colleagues and even acquaintances upon our return to our respective cities.

Our 5 day stint in New Orleans was a journey filled with educational experiences of a city and a people, shaken but optimistic. I won’t forget the gratitude from people like Troy, a Ward 9 resident, who couldn’t thank us enough for coming down to his city, but specifically, volunteering in his Ward, the hardest hit area of the city.

I won’t forget Liz and Andrew, a couple from Boston who decided to cancel their vacation in Mexico City to do Habitat work. And though Liz and I could often be seen having conversations expressing our discontent with the current President (while her husband and Rod worked), I won’t forget that they taught us how to “truss brace” when we had no earthly idea what that entailed. {As an aside, I did ask the name of the family we were building the house for; I’d be interested in following up with them in a year to see if the infrastructure is still in tact}

In all seriousness, I won’t forget the hope in the eyes and words of the people we interviewed, nor the emotional service we attended at Greater St. Stephen’s Church. Finally, and most importantly, I won’t forget the resolve of a people neglected by all levels of government. MLK Jr. said, “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” I can’t think of many who have been more challenged than the residents of New Orleans.

Click on the following links to see video testimonies: 1. Elder Carter 2. Elder Hurdle

In Honor of St. Martin the Man and Not the Shadow

2007-01-15T15:22:00.000-05:00

Many of you have been wondering where your boy has been. I've been silent in the blogosphere, but very vocal locally in the classroom, the educational programs that I facilitate and the community projects I'm involved in. And I'm always speaking with my daughter and into her life. But, I would be remissed if I did not share what has been percolating in my mind on this particular Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

Today many words will be said in regards to Dr. King on this holiday designated to honor his commitment to equality, justice and human dignity. Some of the commentary will be eloquent and profound, other remarks will be titillating, yet rather shallow in comparison to the deep wisdom and courage of King's spiritual and intellectual thought and action. The question that I raise is, "Do we honor the man or the shadow of the man"?

Dr. King holiday is for me almost as bittersweet as the 4th of July. Though I am pleased to get a day off like anyone else, I can not truly rejoice and celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence knowing that my ancestors were languishing in the inhumane matrix of American chattel slavery. To gleefully wave a flag and eat my sumptuous grilled cheeseburger with no second thought to the glaring paradox of the holiday would be to dishonor the memory of those who suffered, so that I might have an opportunity to be all that God created me to be in these here United States of America.

Likewise, my celebratory mood on this particular day is tempered by the domesticated, sentimental representations of Dr. King I see paraded on the television or the video streams of the internet. Perhaps we need to stop making speeches about the man and instead recite his actual words at length, similar to the way in which the ancient Jews would read from the Books of the Prophets, and many still do. Then we would see how revolutionary King's faith was and how interwoven it was with the prophetic lineage of Jesus Christ. Let us start with a passage from his sermon on Romans 12:2 ("Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,)" from his classic text, Strength to Love:

Nowhere is the tragic tendency to conform more evident than in the church, an institution which has often served to crystallize, conserve, and even bless the patterns of majority opinion. The erstwhile sanction by the church of slavery, racial segregation, war, and economic exploitation is testimony to the fact that the church has hearkened more to the authority of the world than to the authority of God. Called to be the moral guardian of the community, the church at times has preserved that which is immoral and unethical. Called to combat social evils, it has remained silent behind stained-glass windows. Called to lead men on the highway of brotherhood and to summon them to rise above the narrow confines of race and class it has enunciated and practiced racial exclusiveness.

We preachers have also been tempted by the enticing cult of conformity. Seduced by the success symbols of the world, we have measured our achievements by the size of our parsonage. We have become showmen to please the whims and caprices of the people. We preach comforting sermons and avoid saying anything from our pulpit which might disturb the respectable views of the comfortable members of our congregations. Have we ministers of Jesus Christ sacrificed truth on the altar of self-interest and, like Pilate, yielded our convictions to the demands of the crowd?

Many of the young men and women of the hip-hop generation tend to gravitate more towards Malcolm X than Martin King, because they see X as someone whose image and legacy is beyond the control of the state. He remains uncut and uncensored. Yet, when we look at the totality of King's words and work, he is no less revolutionary than X and we who still believe that we are called to turn the world upside down can embrace both men as teachers and mentors. As a Christian, I have a special affinity to King because we share the same faith tradition, which in no way diminishes my love and respect for El Hajj Malik El-Shabazz (a.k.a "Malcolm X").

If we Protestants followed the Roman Catholic, canonical tradition of sainthood, than surely Dr. King would be the patron saint of racial and economic justice in the church of the United States*. Dr. King was supposed to be in my city of Charlotte, North Carolina supporting the gubernatorial campaign of local civil rights activist, preacher and dentist, Dr. Reginald Hawkins, when he was assassinated. He decided to postpone his trip to Charlotte in order to assist with an African-American sanitation worker's strike in Memphis. Of course he never did make it to Charlotte, but instead died the death of a true martyr. Today, we ask St. Martin to forgive the injustice that we have done to his mission and his legacy and we pray to God that the same Spirit he mysteriously infused into the person of Jesus Christ and guided St. Martin with, may also lead us to live, and die if necessary, for the salvation of God's Kingdom on earth as it is heaven.

*My thoughts on the sainthood of Martin Luther King, Jr. were inspired by my good friend and brother Anthony Smith in his series, "If I could pray to St. Martin."

What's Your Addiction?

2006-11-20T15:35:00.000-05:00

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

- Romans 7:14-20

Why everything that’s s’posed to bad, make me feel so good?
Everything they told me not to, is exactly what I would.
Man I tried to stop, man I tried the best I could, but...

What’s your addiction, is it money, is it girls, is it weed? I’ve been afflicted by not one, not two, but all three

- Kanye West, "Addiction"

When the Spirit was initially calling me into the way of Jesus Christ, I was very apprehensive. I knew that the standard Christ has set is very high and though I may have been virtuous in many areas of my life, there was much unrighteousness within me - and there still is. If I was reluctant to commit myself to the Christian way of life, I was even more resistant to the idea of enrolling in seminary and preparing to be a teacher of the faith. I was and am still not worthy of such a calling. Of course no one really is, but some of us feel the need to be more transparent about our shortcomings. Recent scandals involving certain self-righteous public figures should be a reminder to all Christians, and especially those in leadership positions, that we need to exercise self-criticism and humility as we rebuke the iniquity of the world and must always strive to distinguish between the sin and the sinner, for if and when we fall we would not want to be judged only by our mistakes, but also by those things we do right.

And doing what is right can be like climbing the rough side of the mountain with fifty pound ankle weights on. Our addictions or the compulsory desires of the flesh can create a border wall between ourselves and the divine work we have been called to. We know what we should not do, yet we find ourselves doing it anyway. Some of us struggle with drug addiction which is a hellish condition. Since this kind of bondage is not necessarily common to the average Christian, it becomes easy to rail against it (similar to homosexuality). There was a time when preachers would harp on the sins of fornication and adultery even when they themselves were participating in these activities. Few are willing to be so hypocritical today and many feel that we live in such an oversexed society that strong rebukes against premarital sex do little to deter behavior and are more likely to negatively impact membership numbers.

We do not need to shy away from conversations about sexual purity, but need to do so in a more open, honest and realistic way. I am not the poster boy for chastity and I struggle with lust just as much as the next person and probably more so. All I can say to my fellow brothers and sisters is, "Let us resist the temptation of sexual impurity while recognizing that the powers of sexual corruption in our society are formidable adversaries." To condemn young people whether they be in their teens, twenties or thirties who have a natural sexual desire on one hand and an explicit culture which perverts their God given sexuality on the other does nothing to resolve the problem. It either prompts individuals to leave the church to escape feelings of guilt or it causes them to suppress their sexuality so deeply that it may explode in a very unhealthy manner when they are vulnerable to any number of constant temptations. Ignoring the topic all together allows large numbers of Christians to continue in dangerous and possibly fatal sexual practices.

I think it is safe to say (unfortunately) that we live in a society addicted to sex. As problematic as that is, I believe that money is the drug of choice that often goes unnoticed. Jesus addressed issues of money or what the Bible identifies as "mammon" much more than sex (drugs were a non-issue and wine was the beverage of choice). Christian love is not primarily about emotional connection, but is more so about economics and proximity. To what extent are we willing to share our resources and advocate for a more equitable economic system that diminishes poverty and the suffering that it produces? Are we willing to locate ourselves, so that we directly encounter those who are poor and disadvantaged so that we can affirm their humanity and not just write checks? With so many people in the middle class who also fall into that category that is known as working class, we may not have to go very far to minister to those who are under considerable financial duress.

Addictions blind us to the needs of those around us. When we become consumed with getting our next fix which money can always provide; whether it be cocaine, a woman on the side, a new outfit, a nicer car, a bigger house or a private plane we are unable to see our surrounding social reality. When our lives revolve around money and what money can buy it makes us quite useless to God no matter how good of a personal relationship we think we have with Him. So, what's your addiction and what are you going to do about it? Christ is still able to deliver us from ourselves and the oppression of the world through the Spirit of God. The church can either be the facilitator of our liberation or an enabler of our addiction.

Living in a White World

2006-10-31T11:37:00.000-05:00

I recently did a talk with Anthony Smith called “Living in a White World,” for the InterVarsity Ministries student group at Davidson College on October 26, 2006. Anthony and I share part of our faith testimony; how we became “racially conscious”; the way in which black music has captured the African-American experience; and the on-going challenges of being black in today’s society.

Listen here (Audio currently not available).

The Church of Jim Crow

2006-10-25T01:20:00.000-04:00

On Sunday morning J.C. doesn’t always mean Jesus Christ
Just walk in a random church and take a look around
The stained glass windows have more colors than the people sitting down
In the American Churches of the 21st century it should not be the case
That so many members in a given place - have the same face

The most segregated hour in America is still Sunday morning
And that fact has King Jesus and Martin Luther King mourning
Who knew that when it came to race and integration
the Kingdom that Jesus preached and the Dream of the Civil Rights Movement
would come in a much greater measure to corporations and college campuses
than it ever has to Christian churches

On the plantation black folk went to church with whites
The preacher taught that God wanted them to be slaves because they were black
They said “Amen” as they sat in the back
And planned an Exodus on the Underground Railroad track
In the North and even after slavery they had to start their own congregations
As long as they worshipped with white people they couldn’t have salvation
They had their own interpretation of the Word
their own preaching style
their own songs to sing
their own rhythm to dance to
And they still do

Cultural difference is a gift to embrace
But, it gets complicated when its mixed with race
Now most of us are stuck in our racial and cultural comfort zones
Diversity is no more than downloading a rap song for a ring tone
Or maybe an African-American turning up that song by a white singer on the radio…
if she got soul

We have to work together
Sometimes we even have to go school together
But since we don’t have to pray together, usually we don’t
Is that what Jesus died for?
Oh that’s right, Jesus doesn’t care anything about these sociological issues
God was getting lonely in heaven
Jesus just came to help more people get there
Yet he told us to pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven”
Well heaven’s not segregated
So it might be time for us to get integrated

Jesus didn’t say, “Repent for the Kingdom is at hand,
Now if you’re Greek go back home, Egyptians stay in Africa
And Jews don’t even think about minglin’ with the Gentiles”
The Jordan wasn’t divided up into sections labeled “White” or “Colored”
When people were lining up to get healed, Jesus didn’t tell certain people to
“Get to the back of the line”
With all the progress that our country has made
why is the church so far behind?

I guess its gonna take some bold black folk
who are not afraid to invade white spaces
We need some white brothers and sisters
who don’t mind being surrounded by black and brown faces
In the urban churches of America, every continent on the planet should have representation
Anything less is spiritual and theological stagnation

When I talk about integration in the Body of Christ
that means I can maintain my identity
Not get absorbed into the whiteness of the dominant society
I can take off the mask I wear to work
You can be yourself
You don’t have to keep up with the latest in Black English
I know some black people like to call each other the “N-Word”
We can talk about that, but for now, all you need to know is
Don’t say it, trust me on that

English and Spanish were the languages of colonizers
I may as well pick up another colonial tongue
If it’s gonna help make more connections
What we’ve been doing isn’t working
We have to explore new directions
Its time to send Jim Crow back to where he comes from
In the Kingdom, there’s only room for God’s Son

The Launch: Practicing Pentecost

2006-09-26T23:07:00.000-04:00

I've just embarked on a new Jesus inspired venture with my friends Anthony and Steve called "Practicing Pentecost." It's a podcast (online broadcast) about discovering the Kingdom of God in a world that is still divided along racial, cultural and socio-economic lines. Jesus and the early church depicted in the Book of Acts have shown us an alternative to the separation and conflict that keep us from being one people in harmony with God and each other.

Please visit WiredParish to subscribe to "Practicing Pentecost" and other podcasts that I know you will find to be educational, at times entertaining and maybe even a little revolutionary.

Lessons from the Civil Rights Movement

2006-09-12T10:39:00.000-04:00

Author and historian Taylor Branch has just finished the third book of his "At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Year's" Trilogy. His latest work covers 1965 through 1968; what could be called the denouement of the Civil Rights Movement. I had the good fortune of seeing him speak here in Charlotte last night at ImaginOn, which houses a children's library and theatre.

Branch talked about the miracles and myths of the Civil Rights Movement. The greatest miracle was that a people who had been oppressed for so long could rise up to claim their humanity and change the course of history in the process. The Civil Rights Movement did not just have domestic implications. It reverberated throughout the world in Africa, Asia and Europe. Before the fall of Communism, there were Polish citizens demonstrating and singing "We shall overcome," Branch informed the audience.

One of the most unfortunate myths is that the Civil Rights Movement was a male dominated struggle. When the television cameras were around and the microphones were on the men tended to be present, but when it came to much of the daily grassroots education, administration and political organization women were often much more involved. African-American men and women were vital to the achievements of the era, but the stories of women like Diane Nash and even Fannie Lou Hamer are largely unknown. The Civil Rights Movement was also vital in securing basic rights and opportunities for women of all colors and the following decade brought unprecedented changes in their lives.

There are many lessons to be learned from the Civil Rights Movement in terms of moral courage and true citizenship in a democratic society. Branch says that we should consider those thousands of paricipants to be "modern founders". The founding fathers may have helped create a theoretical framework for a democracy based on freedom, equality and self-government, but those men and women who risked their lives and in too many cases lost them, have helped to turn abstract American ideals a more embodied reality; though we still have much work to do. The legacy of non-violence is perhaps the greatest lesson we can take from this stage in our history, especially in a post-9/11 world. The fact that Branch was speaking to us on the fifth anniversary of that horrific day, made his talk all the more timely.

Branch said that non-violent engagement is the highest act of courage, discipline and citizenship. If any democratic experiment is to have any hope, it must progressively become less violent. Violence and war is the unfortunate bond that we share with totalitarian regimes and police states. We consider violence to be unhealthy in household and in communities, but we are all too willing to acquiesce to violence between nations. The nation that we have inherited was transformed by bold individuals who collectively refused to allow hatred or fear to move them to compromise their virtues. They were virtues formed in the church and the black church in particular. King was arguably the most eloquent proponent of nonviolence and stood "with one foot in the Scriptures and one foot in the Constitution" according to Branch. But the movement was lead by many people and there are many lessons to be learned.

* * *

Read my poem, "It May Sound Cliche... (Reflecting on September 11th)".

Idlewild Church of Blues

2006-09-04T10:15:00.001-04:00

Idlewild, starring Andre' "3000" Benjamin as "Percival" and Antwan "Big Boi" Patton as "Rooster" of the groundbreaking hip-hop group Outkast, cuts across multiple film genres. It's a gangster/period piece/musical all rolled up into one movie that will either astound or bewilder you. Idlewild is about two childhood friends who are pursuing their musical dreams, while facing the challenges of love and relationships, and trying to overcome the obstacles that threaten their future and even their lives. It all takes place within and around a Georgian, 1930s speakeasy called "Church", which is in the words of Percival, "everything but".

As is the case with many films, I went to see Idlewild with low expectations and learned that when it comes to Outkast, you can never underestimate them in any area of artistic expression. Much of the credit for the film's quality has to go to Bryan Barber who has directed many of the music videos for the group and is making his debut as feature film director. Just as Spike Lee has expanded the possibilities of documentaries with his intense four act film on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (Translate: "A Requiem in 4 hours," but it still manages to keep your attention as long as you don't watch the whole doc at one time); Idlewild has pushed the boundaries of interdisciplinary filmmaking. If you understand that this is an experimental film you will find a way to appreciate it, regardless of your initial visceral reaction. If not, you'll dismiss it is as an unfocused and overly ambitious effort by a group of artists who have tried to go too far out of the box.

There should be little disagreement on the superb cinematic aesthetic of the film. The camera angles and movement go well beyond the norm and the lindy hop dancing that was so popular among African-Americans during that period helps set the timeframe of the film, and is captured with a certain brilliance that demonstrates the unique contribution an accomplished, yet unconventional, music video director can bring to such a project. The dancing, the clothing and the cars all help to transport you into the black world of the early 21st century United States, but there is one anachronism that collides with the historical context. Rooster is the featured "singer" at Church, but he does not really sing - he raps. Given that Taffy (Macy Gray), another club singer and guest performer Angel (Paula Patton) provide more traditional blues performances, the hip-hop fusion comes across as a creative twist, rather than a cheap way to capitalize on the market appeal of rap music.

Initially, I found it strange that the film never addresses the racial dynamics of the segregated south. However, knowing that the movie is inspired by the actual city of Idlewild, Michigan (my home state) which was a popular vacation and resort destination for black folk who could not go to places like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina during the Jim Crow era, it makes sense why the film seeks to explore how blacks could experience a self-contained existence in which contact with the outside world could be minimal, especially for business owners who did not have to work for white people. Of course the slice of black life that we are served is highly dramatized and any black film that has sexual themes and criminal elements runs the risk of being considered stereotypical by some critics.

As a Christian and budding theologian of sorts, what I often find most interesting about popular culture is how it addresses the important questions of the human experience, particularly as they relate to spirituality. Idlewild does have some rather sexually charged scenes and some may feel that it revels in indecency at certain points, but classical blues artists and the venues they performed in were frowned upon because they did often contradict the accepted social norms of religious people (though the common sins of church folk have never been any different than "worldly" people). The sultry depiction is consistent with the night life of the real Idlewild which was known as "a playground for idle men and wild women". So, it does seem ironic that this club would be called Church. However, I would say that the naming of the speakeasy is symbolic and very insightful.

Nelson George, the writer and cultural critic has said that black folk have often lived their lives in between Saturday night and Sunday morning (and I would say that metaphor describes much of humanity in general). We can call this symbolic and spiritual space, the intersection of the sacred and the secular, which really captures a more comprehensive existence that does not place one's faith in opposition to other dimensions of life that are not explicitly religious. Now granted, as Christians we are called to be in the world but not of it (John 17:14-15) and we should never conform to it in such a way that we forsake our identity as Jesus people (Romans 12:2).

Christ spent a lot of time in the company of the blues artists of His day and some added a few gospel tracks to their album as result. The question is can we party in "Idlewild" without losing our souls? There are some places that are just too idle and too wild and we may have to avoid them all together. Oftentimes the problem is the weakness of our own flesh (I can bear witness to that). Whether we're singing the blues, gospel or both, we all need a greater serving of salvation. Idlewild shows us that the path of redemption begins wherever we are, but in order to fully experience it, at some point we have to leave Egypt behind.

* * *

P.S. I just started my second semester of seminary, so my blogging will inevitably slow down once again as I refocus my energy. I'll update as much as I can.

Grace & Peace

Books for the Mind and Soul

2006-08-29T16:58:00.000-04:00

Mark Robinson "tagged" me with the following prompts on books that I've read (and would like to read).

One book that changed your life: The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is by N.T. Wright. This was the first book I read on the historical Jesus. It helped me gain a deeper understanding of His radical message of hope and restoration which is spiritual and social, personal and political. (I would also like to give an honorable mention to The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin which has also had a tremendous impact on me as a writer, an African-American, and as a human being).

One book you've read more than once: 1984 by George Orwell. I'm not really one to read books twice, but when I switched high schools and moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Greenville, North Carolina in my junior year I was assigned 1984 for the second time (I had previously read it as a sophomore). I realized that it was just as enjoyable after the second go round and I consider it to be one of the most prophetic books I have ever read. For me, it highlights these essential truths: "Absolute power currupts absolutely," "Governments lie," and "Big Brother is always watching."

One book you'd want on a desert island, besides the Bible: Anything from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien. I was an avid reader of fantasy books growing up and if I'm stranded on a desert island, nobody can help you escape to another time and place like Tolkien (even if there aren't any people of color in Middle Earth).

One book that made you laugh: I just finished reading Birth of a Nation: A Comic Novel by Aaron McGruder (Creator of The Boondocks) and Reginald Hudlin (Director of House Party and Boomerang). McGruder's comic genious and Hudlin's talent for storytelling put a reversal on the original concept of the groundbreaking film Birth of a Nation (1915) which was saturated with racist propaganda. It's a satire, so I laughed more on the inside than out loud. The book lampoons the 2000 election by making East St. Louis the site of massive voter disenfranchisement instead of Florida and explores a wide variety of cultural and political issues in the context of the primarily black city seceding from the union.

One book that made you cry: It's a tie between The Jungle by Upton Sinclair and Native Son by Richard Wright. The former deals with the harsh and exploitive conditions that immigrants and other working class people experienced in early 20th century industrial America. The second is the sobering story of how the insidious and ubiquitous nature of racism destroys the life of a young black man in the 1930s. Interestingly enough, both novels take place in Chicago.

One book you wish had been written: The one I'm writing now that I wish was finished!

One book you wish had never been written: Anything by Ann Coulter. In all fairness I've never read any of her books, because whenever I see her on television I get nauseous everytime she opens her mouth. If someone gives me her latest book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism, maybe I'll read it... or not. Coming from one who has been labeled a liberal, let me just say, "God loves you Ann, but He don't like ugly."

One book that you've been meaning to read: Either Jazz or Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. I actually met her recently and attended a lecture, but am ashamed to say I have never sat down and grappled with her material. I will continue to feel inadequate until I do.

One book that you are currently reading: The Metaphor of God Incarnate: Christology in a Pluralistic Age by John Hick. The book challenges the dominant tendency in modern Christianity to reduce the faith to a set of beliefs or propositions at the expense of truly understanding the virtues and the way of life that Jesus embodied and demonstrated. He raises the question, "Is it possible to think about the incarnation of Jesus in less literal terms and still be a committed Christian?" It is a very provocative book and would be too controversial for most Bible study groups, but I highly recommend it for those who are ready to learn about the diverse ways that the faith, and more specifically the subject of incarnation, has been interpreted over the past 2,000 years.

You're it!: Maurice Broaddus and Phil the Bald Blogger

Postmodern Since 1619

2006-08-27T21:20:00.000-04:00

Anthony "Postmodern Negro" Smith has written an article called "The Panopticon of Ecclesial White-ness: Taking Foucault to a Church Divided," in response to the book Who's Afraid of Postmodernism by James K.A. Smith. Below are my comments on Anthony's essay and the content of K.A. Smith's book. It would be helpful to read Anthony's article if you have time, but if not, my remarks touch on some of the major issues that are raised.
________________________________________________________

First, Anthony has rather skillfully brought the issue of race (the proverbial elephant in the room) into a wonderful discussion on Christian faith and postmodernity which has been stimulated by James K.A. Smith's recent book on the topic.

As an African-American, I am both fascinated by the growing interest in posmodern Christianity and skeptical at the same time. In various conversations with Anthony, a.k.a. "Postmodern Negro" (we are close friends) I have made the observation that black folk are postmodern by default. Intuitively and intellectually we knew like Derrida, "there is nothing outside the text," (the Gospel story as received in the midst of white racial oppression and the black struggle against it); before Lyotard was born we were very suspicious of metanarratives (especially one's which sought to justify our subjugation in the name of God), and we knew that white power is knowledge to paraphrase Foucault, which meant that we had to develop our own epistomology and hermeneutics. Had we not understood these theological, philosophical and spiritual realities we would have been vanquished long ago.

In essence, we were engaging in a more sophistocated form of pre-modern religious thought, and postmodern Christianity potentially follows on that trajectory if it truly embraces the voices, traditions and experiences of all members of the body.

Which is why I am skeptical. While we have this very stimulating discussion, tens of thousands of displaced victims of Hurricane Katrina (mostly black) are unemployed and homeless; which is but a fraction of the total number of African-Americans who are impoverished and undereducated. Both the Katrina survivors specifically and African-Americans in general suffer from the historical and still present panopticon of white superiority (let's just call it what it is). There are countless numbers of other people throughout the world who struggle against the reverberations of systems of apartheid and colonialism as well. And there are many who are considered white today who were under the oppressive gaze of whiteness in the past. As Anthony has pointed out, this is not about a few bad, individual white people. This is about principalities and powers which are opposed to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and God's Kingdom.

Even the most highly educated black people will rarely use the term postmodern even if they are familiar with the concept. Although postmodernity isn't a fixture in our collective vocabulary, we are a living testimony of it. It's not a mere philosophical exercise. That's what the Negro Spirituals, Blues, Jazz and Hip-Hop at its best are all about.

The kind of hip-hop that Smith references* as highlighted by Anthony in his post is the product of white cultural and economic power. Did black hip-hop artists develop the capitalist mantra "sex sells" or violence for that matter. Were black entertainers the first to sexually objectify women of color in this country? Are the stereotypical images that black artists perpetuate created in a vacuum that has no historical precedent (who taught us to degrade ourselves?). The hip-hop that so many people rail against is financed by large media corporations that are run by white executives and unfortunately the growing number of black executives are too deceived or too powerless to challenge the white panopticon in their industry.

All that being said, I think Smith's book is an outstanding introduction for the subject at hand. Dialog can lead to and must precede effective action/redemption. Grace and peace to all who have taken the time to participate in this discourse.

* To say there is nothing outside the text is to say that there is no aspect of creation to which God’s revelation does not speak. But do we really let the Text govern our seeing of the world? Or have we become more captivated by the stories and texts of a consumerist culture? Is our worldview shaped by the narratives of a hip-hop culture more than the stories of God’s convenantal relationship with his people? (Smith, James; p. 55)

Black WebLog Awards Finalist!

2006-08-18T21:16:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who nominated me for the Black WebLog Awards. I am a finalist in the Best Original Content category for my poem, "Black, Broke and Brilliant."

Reader Demographics

I'd like to learn more about the readers of this blog. In the comments section, please provide your gender, ethnicity, age, city and state of residence if in the U.S.A. or state/province and country if you're outside of the U.S.A., religious affiliation (or indicate if you don't have one), level of education (high school grad, college student, college grad, Master's/Professional degree, etc.), and your job title and industry. I appreciate all the love. Grace and Peace.

Dialog: The Gospel, Social Injustice and War

2006-08-02T15:00:00.000-04:00

I have been having a very stimulating and enlightening conversation with Thabiti Anyabwile, one of my Reformed Christian brothers, over at Pure Church. His post entitled, "'This Day and Age' and the Church" served as a starting point for the dialog. I welcome you to read the original entry, as well as the comments below and weigh in on the very important questions that we both have raised during the course of the dialog.

Rod said...
You raise some important questions about the church's willingness to suffer physically or politically for the Kingdom of God. However, I would have to say that there is a fairly large contingent of Christians who are very vocal about issues of sexual morality, particularly as it pertains to homosexuality. Perhaps we also need to ask, can we address these issues in a spirit of love and be as adamant about the sins of structural poverty and aggressive militarism, which tends to be advocated by those who identify themselves as Christian?

FellowElder said...
Rod,You raise worthy questions in many regards. The difficulty in the questions, however, is that they tend toward two additional problems: (1) a social gospel orientation, which historically has resulted in "another gospel which is no gospel at all." So, I'd be concerned about how this question (in practice, not inherently) impinges upon the preaching of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. (2) The questions tend to become rather vague, at least in terms of how you define both key concepts and the persons who need to repent of these sins. For example, poverty (not to mention structural poverty) is a fairly relative construct. The extent to which it's useful depends on how you define the measure and where you are located. And then, exactly who is to repent of such sins or suffer in opposition to such sins? Assuming you could define them well, I'm not sure how it translates into specific, biblical Christian action or that the Scriptures define poverty or "militarism" as sin (keeping in mind, for example, that Jesus was poor by the standard of the Law and that Rom. 13 provides nation-states with the ability to protect themselves).

But ultimately, I think your question possibly confounds the kingdom of God (as I was trying to discuss in the original post) with the kingdom of this world (poverty, militarism, etc.). I could be misreading you here, but you seem to pose this question as a "counter" to the question I raised of suffering for the kingdom's sake. Am I misreading you here?

Rod said...
On the first "problem" that you raise, I will say that the gospel is inherently social, as well as personal. When Jesus reads the Scripture and says that He is anointed to preach the gospel to the poor, He is not just talking about spiritual poverty, based on the theological and social context of the time; he is also speaking to the oppressive material realities of life under Roman colonialism. The biblical references which address social and political issues are manifold and can not be read as an addendum to the faith. They are integral to it.

I was general, because these conversations can get rather lengthy. Sin is both individual and collective, which is why God says the sins of the fathers are often visited upon the children and in the Old Testament we see the nation being called to repentence. The principalities and powers that Paul speaks of operate through socio-economic and political systems that human agents help to maintain. If there are unjust elements within the social structure of a society, those who are conscious of their complicity should repent and work towards a more righteous order. The fact that the vast majority of the millions of poor people in the United States work, is the most obvious testimony that despite the virtues of this country, it is far from the Kingdom that Jesus preached about and embodied.

Hopefully, you can see that in no way do I confound the Kingdom of God with the kingdom of this world. Quite the contrary. It is interesting that Pontius Pilate, acting on behalf of the Roman empire, crucified Christ to avoid another Jewish uprising. It was the politically expedient thing to do.

Though we may consider violence and war to be a necessary evil in our world we can not say that Jesus endorses that political option. If it were only used to protect innocent people and not to promote the economic interests of nation-states or to react disproportionately in the name of self-defense we would have a much more peaceful world. These are issues that the church must address. The salvation of the individual is intricately tied to that of the community and society. So, I agree that the Christian is called to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom, but the Kingdom is much broader than what is often assumed.

Read more in the comments section of "'This Day and Age' and the Church" at the Pure Church blog.

If I Was President

2006-07-29T15:09:00.000-04:00

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:43-45

An old man told me, instead of spending billions on the war
We can use some of that money in the ghetto
I know some so poor, they use the spring as the shower
When screaming "fight the power"
That's when the vulture devoured

- Wyclef Jean, "President"

Someone once asked me if I really thought it was possible for the president or any political leader to make policy decisions that are fully consistent with the way of Jesus Christ. That is a difficult question to answer, because there are so many different interpretations of Christ's message and model that is presented in the Gospels. Many Christians feel that it is the death and subsequent resurrection of Christ that is most important, because it is through His sacrifice and victory over death that we are saved. But, a death and even a resurrection can have little meaning without a life to give it context.

Let me provide a couple of examples. An African-American by the name of Crispus Attucks is considered to be one of the first casualties of the Revolutionary War or at least the events leading up to it. Even if you learned about Attucks in a history class while in school, its not surprising if your memory has not retained his name or that he is rarely mentioned as a hero of American history. Outside of that fateful day on March 5th, which is known as the Boston Massacre, we do not know much about Attucks. Even if we consider his death to be heroic, the lack of details about his life places limitations on our ability to fully appreciate his demise.

Now let us look at Martin Luther King, Jr, another American who was murdered for a revolutionary cause. Interestingly enough King recognized Attucks as an important, yet often overlooked person in our nation's history. Unlike, Attucks however, we have an abundance of written materials, television footage and testimonies which enable us to thoroughly understand the man and his ideas if we desire. We know that King was committed to the non-violent method of resistence to the dark forces of oppression, which he and other civil rights leaders saw modeled by a prophetic, peasant from Galilee who also inspired Ghandi and India's liberation movement. King truly believed in loving his enemies, which is always best displayed in not causing phyical harm or death to one's adversaries.

I see two distinguishing characteristics which set Jesus apart from other great religious figures: His radical solidarity with the poor, and his resistence to the temptation of bloodshed even when it was justified by the ethical standards of his own faith tradition and the condition of imperial occupation His people lived under. On the first point, most (if not all) of the world's dominant religions teach that one should be charitible to those less fortunate. Jesus seems to be more emphatic about uplifting the underprivileged then other religious leaders and calls us to move beyond charity to economic justice, yet we can say that concern for the poor is not necessarily unique to Christianity. Rather, it is this call to put away our swords, rocket launchers and bomber planes precisely at those times when we have a valid pretext to use them that makes Christ and his teachings most peculiar in the history of religious ideas.

Of course this is not practical advice for a country that seeks to sustain its existence on any level, and especially not for a superpower such as the United States that desires to maintain its global dominance. Given the very real threats that the world faces in this hour, I am not prepared to advocate any kind of rigid pacifist postion, but what I do feel compelled to do is take the words and life of Jesus seriously. When we refuse to deplore violence and remember the humanity of our enemies, it becomes much easier to manipulate intellegence and engage in aggressive, pre-emptive wars. By not heeding the directions of our Lord and Savior we find ourselves co-signing on the disproportionate military responses of our allies which result in massive civilian casualties. Our credibility as a peaceful mediator is grossly compromised because it is difficult to make the case that it is alright for our country to over-react to attacks on our people, but it is not alright for another sovereign state to do so.

I would never be elected president, because I am too much of a fundamentalist when it comes to Christ's sermons and dialogs on poverty and war. Christians spend their lives debating a million other issues and never really grapple with these hallmarks of their faith. If I were president though, I would re-allocate at least 25% of the Pentegon's more than 400 billion dollar annual budget. Roughly half would go to bolster anti-poverty programs and the the other half would go to creating the Department of Peace that Dennis Kucinich has courageously proposed. Eventually, over time as God's redemptive project continues to grow, the DoP. would come to eclipse the DoD.

We are not just saved by the life Christ gave, but also by the life that he lived while he walked among us. When Jesus tried to fight the principalities and powers he was devoured by the Roman vulture. Somehow His disciples had an encounter with their risen teacher and the course of history could no longer progress in its usual manner. Today, let us pray that we may live according to the example of Jesus Christ by the power of His resurrection.

The Beautiful Game and the Cup of Consciousness

2006-07-09T18:33:00.000-04:00

I have fond memories of growing up playing soccer (or what the rest of the world calls "football" for obvious reasons). I kind of became a soccer player by default. I was too short for basketball, too small for football and in the predominantly white neighborhoods that I lived in, just about everybody played on a soccer team at some point or another. So, in the fifth grade which is rather late for footballers, my mom signed me up for an AYSO team and I fell in love with the sport known as "The Beautiful Game."

Though soccer is the most popular youth sport in the United States, it still ranks far below football, basketball and baseball in terms of its adult fanbase, especially among African-Americans. While the number of black youth who play soccer has gone up considerably since I played the game, most still still prefer football and basketball primarily and baseball to a lesser extent. As with the sport that I chose to play, it has a lot to do with exposure. Soccer in many ways symbolized the racial experience of my adolescence. In all of the seven years that I participated, I was always the only black player on the team - even when I moved from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Greenville, North Carolina my junior year of high school. And before I moved to North Carolina, my sister and I were the only African-American kids living in our middle class neighborhood. In school I was usually the only black male in my advanced or "academically talented" English courses.

At least in Michigan, my white teammates liked hip-hop and oftentimes they were introducing me to rap artists I had never heard of. In Eastern North Carolina I experienced the culture shock of tobacco chewing and country music. I learned that there were different kinds of "whiteness."

One day one of my more adventurous southern teammates decided to put his hair into an assortment of small round balls held together with rubber bands. I had never had any racial problems with my coach up to that point, so I was thrown off when he jokingly told the young man to "Take those nigger naps" out of your hair." I had already been getting into daily debates with my ultra-conservative history teacher, and did not have the energy to say anything. At least my history teacher never made that kind of statement in front of his students.

That incident seems minor compared to happenings in European soccer in the past few years, leading up to the 2006 World Cup in Germany. There was a sharp increase in racist actions at soccer matches targeted primarily at players from African and Arab countries. Aside from racial taunts, it has not been uncommon for some European fans to make monkey sounds and throw banana peels onto the field when the opposing team had blacks on the roster (regardless of whether the home team had someone of African descent). Star striker Thierry Henry (Pronounced "Tee-AIR-ee ON-ree"), who plays for France, pressured his sponsor, Nike, to start an anti-racism campaign called “Stand Up, Speak Up.” The French team consists primarily of players with African backgrounds and is indicative of the rapidly expanding diversity of European football. Thanks to Henry's leadership along with organizations such as Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) there was much less overt racism than expected during the tournament, except for a few rallies that Neo-Nazi groups tried to organize.

I rooted for France against Italy in the championship, but the Italians managed to win after a long, hard-fought match. Henry and the French team should be proud that they they played a truly beautiful game in the same Berlin stadium where Jesse Owens won four Olympic gold medals seventy years ago, as Adolf Hitler watched. The cancer of racism in Europe may not be completely uprooted, but perhaps it is being driven back into remission.

The defining moment of this year's World Cup for me was the United States/Ghana game in the first round. It symbolized, to borrow a phrase from my friend the Jazz Theologian, what it means to live on the hypen between African and American. I was torn in deciding who I should root for. Soccer is one of the few sports that Americans have not mastered and therefore have historically been underdogs at the World Cup. African nations have also had a difficult time in rising the ranks of international football. As someone who typically likes to pull for the David against the Goliath, in this case there were technally two Davids.

I have never been one to say that "I am proud to be an American," but I have love for my country. I also identify with my African heritage and especially the struggle of African people here in the United States. Most of my ancestors were from West Africa, and I am sure there were at least one or two in my family tree who came from the area now known as Ghana. If it's important to support those who share a certain ethnic and geographic connection, I could not ignore the handful of African-American brothers who were on the United States team. I never resolved who I should pull for, I simply decided to be satisfied no matter what the outcome. As it turns out Ghana won.

Soccer is the most universal of sports. It is a poetic language that is shared by children in the poorest of developing countries to those in the most prosperous of nations. Its a game that requires patience on the part of the spectator. There's very little instant gratification, but that's what makes each goal that much more exciting. In much of the world soccer is almost like a religion and as is the case with all expressions of faith, fanaticism has at times lead to violence.

Violent religious fervor was not to be found at this World Cup. What I found especially interesting were those who brought their religion to the game. It was not uncommon to see players make the sign of the cross during competitions. Some people think that religion has no place in sports and could care less who wins a trivial sporting event. Yet for the faithful, we do not typically ask God to guarantee us victory, but simply to let us do our best and maybe to allow grace to fill in when we fall short despite our diligent preparation and because of our limited abilities. I remember when I would surprise myself by making that perfect pass to a teammate or striking the ball with just enough force and accuracy to send it flying past the goal keeper's outstretched hand into the back of the net. Regardless of the number of times I would make a spectacular play, I knew I could not take full credit. I did not pray much then, but I would think to myself, "God is smiling on me today."

Epistle to an Ex-???

2006-07-07T13:35:00.000-04:00

Scripture teaches us that we must forgive, because Christ forgave us. India.Arie sings “If Jesus can forgive crucifixion; surely we can survive and find a resolution.” I do not know if we can ever recapture our friendship, but we can ensure that there is no resentment between us. Forgiveness does not happen in a moment. It’s a process. Today, I choose to begin that process. The completion of that journey will not happen tomorrow or next week, but hopefully soon.

I can not take back the day that we met when you made quite a first impression on me with an unexpected act of kindness and you sparked my curiosity with your intellect. I can not take back those lengthy e-mails when we were just starting to get to know one another. I can not take back all of the time we spent together despite our busy schedules and the labor I put into carving out space for you in between my roles as father, full-time employee and student. I am not sure if I would take any of those things back even if I could, but the reality is - I can’t.

What I can do is forgive you. I forgive you for what you did knowingly and unknowingly to stir my emotions and then freeze them with your startling decision to only be friends, leaving me with a frost-bitten heart. I forgive you for keeping your true feelings and motives from me and allowing ambiguity to lead me astray. I forgive you for trying to let me down gradually, which made the closing of our season that much harder.

“Ultimately, our feelings for each other were not comparable,” you said so succinctly and callously, in response to a detailed account of why I felt wronged and hurt. E-mail is probably not the best way to discuss these matters, because it can be inherently cold and lifeless unless we make special efforts to use it as a more vibrant form of communication. However, expressing emotion online or off is not your forte’. You warned me of that, so I tried to read your actions more so than your words. I could not deconstruct your complicated text, and by the time you translated, the damage had already been done.

Yet, I have to take responsibility for my own choices. I should have used greater caution and restraint. I could have paid closer attention to the neon messages on your proverbial wall that are so clear in retrospect. Perhaps that was your way of making your vocabulary more remedial. Though I could have studied more diligently, I was in need of your tutoring. I also could be reaping the harvest of my own transgressions.

In the end it was not the fact that you were older and I was younger that brought our “relationship” to an impasse or our differences over intimacy in terms of what is and is not appropriate for Christians in these situations. I always respected your desire to grow in faith and live righteously, for I share that goal. This is about the all too common challenge of emotional imbalance and the age-old stumbling block of miscommunication. Usually it is one party who bears the burden of loss much more than the other. This letter is a part of my healing process. You too have wounds that are still in need of mending from previous experiences and I pray that you would be made whole.

As I write these words my spirit is being lifted and renewed, moving me from a state of sorrow to a sense of joy. Like Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, I post this letter to the door of my heart in the hope that it will spark a reformation – no a revolution – of love in me, you and everyone else who reads it. Could it be that I had to go through this heartache just to write this epistle, so that others might be blessed? All I know is that God can turn any misfortune around for His glory and the edification of His people. To that I say, “Praise be to the Most High and Amen.”

May the grace and peace of Christ be with you always.

Love,
Rod

Life and Love In Balance

2006-07-04T10:35:00.000-04:00

Nas said, "Life's a b**** and then you die
That's why we get high
Cause you never know
When you're going to go"
Now I try to avoid using the b-word (or the n-word) these days
Though its a struggle to change your ways

I can relate to what he's saying though
You start to get use to feeling low
Hurt and disappointed more times than you can count
Swimming upstream and getting nowhere
Running out of faith and can't say another prayer
It becomes easy to drown your woes at the bottom of a bottle
or light that stuff and go full throttle

When you lose your balance its hard to get it back
In the race of life, when you're last on the track
It all seems pointless when you look at the facts
That could have been the perspective of American blacks
Thank God it wasn't or my hope would be hollow

Love can be a tough pill to swallow
You know its good for you
But there might be some side effects
It can never be fully controlled
Yet still needs to be regulated with balances and checks

Equilibrium can be found in various conditions
You can have two people of the same age and color
or an older woman and a younger man
One's ancestors came from Europe and the other from Africa
Culture can be a bridge or it can tear people apart
Its about what's in your head and what's in your heart

In relationships you can never take things too slow
Though you can go too fast
Try to take it easy and watch your velocity
Even that won't matter if you have no reciprocity
If we truly want equality of the sexes
We have to unlearn some outdated reflexes

Cats like to run and dogs like to chase
We're human beings so lets assume our place
Nothing wrong with a man making the first move
Or taking the lead and covering the cost
I understand sister on your job you're the boss
and you want to take a break from that role
Just realize that when the man always has to make plans
and affirm you without getting a return, it does take a toll

Infinity plus one equals the number of times brothers fall short
If we as men and women could honestly address our issues
more of us could step into holy matrimony and stay out of divorce court
In order to have contentment
We need more romance than resentment
There has to be some mutual affection
with our mates if we want a deeper connection
When it comes to healthy relationships between significant others,
family members or friends you need an overdose of love
and a balance of giving and receiving

Despite the heartaches of life and love I'm still believing
The harsh reality of existence is that
we can not know pleasure without pain
The only reason we know we're in our right mind
is because of those times we thought we were going insane
With the exception of my daughter
Every dream I've had is still unrealized
I'm wise enough to know that unrealized only means delayed
The Lord reassured me of that today when I prayed

Tryin' to Catch Me Ridin' Dirty

2006-06-15T15:42:00.000-04:00

Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" - that they might accuse Him.

– Matthew: 12:9-11

Turn on my blinker light
And then I swang it slow
I put up a show
Cause they think they know
That they catching me with plenty of the drank and dro
So they get behind me to try to check my tags
Look in my rear view and they smilin'
Thinkin' they'll catch me in the wrong, and keep tryin'
[Bleep] steady denyin' that it's racial profilin'

Chorus:
The see me rollin'
They hatin', patrollin' and tryna catch me ridin' dirty
(tryna catch me ridin' dirty)
My music's so loud
I'm swangin'
They hopin' that they gon' catch me ridin' dirty

- Chamillionaire, “Ridin”

Like many black men I tend to get paranoid around police. I will be perfectly honest here. I hate seeing the blue and white cars when I'm out driving. The only thing that gives me relief about cops is when they are driving past me to catch the "bad guys."

My anxiety towards the "law" started when I was in my last year as an undergrad and was pulled over for an expired tag. Next thing I know I have two cops (we used to call them "po-po" back then) with their guns drawn, ordering me to get out of the car. At which point I'm thinking "What the [bleep] is this about?!!!!"

They told me to put up my hands and spread my legs, because I was wanted for cocaine trafficking (and yes, this is a true story). Here I am a college student, a member of the "talented tenth" in a J. Crew turtleneck sweater and khakis being accused of dealing illegal drugs. I was fuming, but smart enough not to make the situation worst by openly expressing my anger.

They put the cuffs on with my hands behind my back and then put me into the rear of the police car. I very calmly told the officers that there had to be a case of mistaken identity and if I was taken to jail I would have no choice but to sue their department and the entire university. Because of my very cool, collected and reasonable approach, they figured they had better double check their files.

Turns out that when they ran my driver's license number it pulled up a list of names and they read the wrong line. They had the wrong Garvin and the wrong gender on top of that. It was the most humiliating experience of my life. Later I met with the campus police chief and he made a formal apology. I thought about suing. I thought about starting an anti-harassment and racial profiling rally, but I knew that it would be difficult to prove that the police officers had engaged in misconduct or negligence.

Last Thanksgiving I was driving to VA on I-85 North to see my parents. I saw a police officer in my rear view mirror. I looked at my speedometer to see how fast I was going. I was under the speed limit, so I was fairly confident that I was okay. The police car pulls up beside me and instead of passing; it slows down to the same speed that I'm driving! A police officer and a fire fighter sitting shotgun are staring at me. Naturally, I decelerated because I was completely taken aback by this strange behavior by the officer and his passenger.

A few moments later the police car drops back and follows me for a few minutes. I'm concerned, but I have not violated any laws, so I try not to become too anxious and give the policeman a reason to stop me. Just then, I hear the "woop-woop" and see the flashing blue lights. The officer and the fireman come over to the passenger side of my car after I pull over. The officer asks if I have been drinking. I literally laughed in his face, involuntarily, because of the ridiculous nature of the question (That response could have gotten me killed or beaten just 45-50 years earlier). He said my driving seemed suspicious, because apparently when people are intoxicated they either speed up or slow down. How do you argue with that logic and I didn’t try. I thought to myself, “I slowed down because you and your friend here were driving next to me and staring like you were hunting for nigras!" They were trying to catch me riding dirty, but they came up short.

I realize that most police officers are decent people who genuinely want to make our communities safer. However, I become very uncomfortable when I see police cars every five minutes when I'm driving through town. I start to wonder if we are in the United Police States of America. As a member of a group that has been historically and unjustly targeted by officers of the law that is not an appealing prospect.

When the Pharisees would ask Jesus about whether or not it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath or whether or not a faithful Jew should pay taxes to Caesar, they were trying to catch him thinking and teaching "dirty" ideas. The Pharisees were like the Thought Police from Orwell's 1984. Their goal was to entrap Jesus on charges of blasphemy and treason, which were the allegations that ultimately lead to his crucifixion.

In a time of perpetual war, which is the War on Terror, dissent with the government can be considered unpatriotic, especially in regards to matters of national security. One often has to choose their words very carefully less they be accused of abetting terrorists. If Jesus were alive today, he would not be a very popular guy if he instructed people to love Al-Qaida (Matthew 5:44, Luke 6:27-35) and he forgave the sins of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, because even murderous insurgents “know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34).

If being an African-American man means I'm still at the bottom of the social heap, then I take refuge in the fact that Jesus identifies with the outcasts. If disagreeing with my government brings accusations of sympathy for terrorists, I am encouraged by the fact that I serve a Lord who was wrongfully executed as one. And they'll just have to keep tryin' to catch me ridin' dirty.

Breaking Down the Da Vinci Code: Part Deux

2006-06-09T10:03:00.000-04:00

Director Ron Howard actually tried to minimize the controversy of "The Da Vinci Code" by emphasizing that there are at least two sides to every discussion and more than one way to interpret history. He and scriptwriter Akiva Goldsman “added dialogue that makes Langdon something of a spokesman for Christian orthodoxy – which isn’t in the book,” [5] informs Gillespie. Sir Tiebing, who endorses the idea of Jesus Christ being a sexual being (heaven forbid!) with Mary Magdalene as his companion and the true Holy Grail of lore, as well as the continuation of the pagan adoration of the “sacred feminine” turns out to be a complete lunatic, albeit an ingenious one, thereby debunking much of the historical interpretations that he argued in the film. That being said there is more than enough content in the movie to stir stimulating dialog in regards to the origins of Christianity, the canon of Scripture and the propensity of Mary being the romantic partner of Jesus.

Medievalist and Catholic Journalist, Sandra Miesel addresses some of Brown’s principal sources which include The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels, The Goddess in the Gospels: Reclaiming the Sacred Feminine by Margaret Sarbird, and The Templar Revelation: Secret Guardians of the True Identity of Christ by Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince [6]. Brown, like the authors of his sources, relies heavily on what are known as the Gnostic Gospels. These accounts have been traced to the second century, decades after the gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and John. Christian Gnostic communities as well as non-Christian ones were very diverse in their beliefs, explains Bart Ehrman, but they shared “the fundamental notion that gnosis (the Greek word for “knowledge”) was necessary for salvation,” [7]. The Gnostic Gospels about Jesus, allegedly written by his disciple Phillip, his female companion Mary and his twin brother Thomas. The early church rejected Gnostic teachings as heretical along with credibility of its Gospels. Brown apparently believes that the canonical Gospels are not worthy historical sources and ignores them all together.

If we want to take Langdon’s (or Howard’s) advice to heart we should definitely look at the real life Catholic organization Opus Dei from more than one perspective. Why not see what they say about themselves? The Opus Dei website actually has a section which addresses the film’s depiction of the organization as well as some of its historical and theological claims. In regards to the monks in the organization, apparently they are non-existent (especially self-flagellating monks like Silas). “Opus Dei is a Catholic institution for lay people and diocesan priests, not a monastic order,” the website reads. Instead of giving the faithful a place to withdraw from the world, Opus Dei “helps people grow closer to God in and through their ordinary secular activities.” This information, which could have been gathered beforehand, did not find its way into any of the film’s dialogue.

Howard also keeps some of Brown’s questionable portrayals of two other groups – The Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar. The Priory of Sion, which registered with the French government in 1956, proclaims ancient origins and to be the “real” power behind the legendary Knights Templar, as well as an impressive list of Grand Masters including Leonardo da Vinci and Issac Newton; all of which is extremely debatable according to Miesel. She writes that the Templars were prosecuted in 1307, but not for blackmailing Pope Clement V with the Grail secret and it was not Clement who levied the charges. King Phillip the Fair brought the charge of sodomy against the Templars and about 120 were burned by French Inquisitorial courts. Not a proud moment in church history to be sure, but Brown seems to have engaged in some historical hyperbole in regards to the extent of the persecution of the Templars and possibly missed the mark on some of his people and dates. It is interesting that Howard uses the same desaturated color of certain character’s childhood flashbacks as he does for the historical revisions which subtly convey that the personal memories of the characters are as tangible and trustworthy as the various myths and legends that are being endorsed.

In the film, Tiebing alleges that the Council of Nicea formed the Christian canon in 325 A.D. which is not completely accurate as Langdon suggests in response. The canonization process began in the second century in response to the docetist Marcion who was compiling his own list of authoritative books [8], but it is not until 367 A.D., “almost two and a half centuries after the last New Testament book was written, that any Christian of record named our current twenty-seven books as authoritative canon of Scripture,” [9]. The editor of the New Testament as we know it today was the Egyptian Bishop, Athanasius.

Whereas the matter of the Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity on his death bed rather than 312 A.D. when he adopted Christ as his patron is plausible though unsubstantiated (if he ever fully converted at all) [10]; but the notion that he concocted the divinity of Jesus Christ simply flies in the face of overwhelming historical evidence that at least some Christians began to conceive of Jesus as divine in the first century [11]. Brown does grasp rather acutely that a marginalized religion of the persecuted did become imbedded with the Roman Empire when Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the empire and therefore a very powerful political tool.

The primary theological thrust of the “Da Vinci Code” is the revival of allegedly suppressed concepts of the sacred feminine or the female dimensions of God and the divine, which predate Christianity. Believing that Leonardo Da Vinci was a member of the Priory of Scion, and that this group knew the truth about the Holy Grail, Tiebing develops an elaborate theory about da Vinci’s famous painting, The Last Supper. Tiebing claims that the Apostle John in the painting is really Mary Magdalene, because of his effeminate features, and the reason there is not a chalice or Holy Grail in the painting is because the grail is actually Mary Magdalene who carried the bloodline of Christ. After the crucifixion of Christ, Mary fled to France where she gave birth to Jesus’ daughter. The descendents of Jesus and Mary became the Merovingian dynasty of France. The patriarchy and misogyny of the church (and for Brown that primarily means the Catholic Church) has mustered all of its power and resources, including the mischaracterization of Mary as a prostitute; to keep this revelation from the wider world in an effort to continuously oppress women.

Supposedly, Sophie Neveu is the last surviving descendent of Jesus. Her first name is derived from the ancient Greek word sofia, which means “wisdom” and her French last name which ironically translates as the masculine “nephew” sounds very similar to the French word nouveau meaning new. Wisdom is portrayed in the feminine in ancient Jewish literature and in Brown’s narrative Sophie represents the female dimension of divinity which is being liberated from centuries of oppression. The film is honest enough to acknowledge that even if Sophie is who some believe she is, her identity can not be proven empirically.

What Brown gets most correctly, historically and theologically is the uncomfortable truth of the church’s (both Catholic and Protestant) dehumanization of women, even if we can debunk some of his theories and conspiracies. Tiebing in a moment of failure and frustration emphatically declares that the disclosure of the Holy Grail’s true identity would uplift not only women, but the poor, people of color and all other marginalized people – in essence those individuals who Jesus seems to identify with in The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25 referred to as “the least of these.” This is the most theologically rich statement of the movie, yet it seems to be completely ignored by most Christian commentaries of the film. The church has had many glorious moments, but has far too often sided with the powerful at the expense of the more vulnerable members of society. The most unfortunate legacy of Constantinian Christianity is not the number of books we have in the canon (though that is worthy of discussion as well), but in the rampant imperialism that has characterized much of church history observed through colonialism, chattel slavery, racial apartheid, and uncritical endorsements of global capitalism.

Finally, I want to raise the issue [12] of the ironic racial identity of Jesus Christ and his heirs. For a narrative that seeks to be zealously iconoclastic, it is interesting that the mythology of the white Christ is one convention that is not challenged at all, but rather reinforced. Perhaps there is certain inevitability here because Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic representations like most medieval European art depicts biblical figures as white or Caucasian. Substantial scholarship and even a documentary by the Discovery Channel have given ample evidence that the historic Jesus of Nazareth was anything, but white in terms of how we would think about that racial classification today. The Israelites were a multiethnic people and based on Jesus’ genealogy in Scripture, his background includes four Afro-asiatic women [13].

It is this image of the white Jesus that provided the theological logic upon which the ideology of white superiority was and is based and thus played a pivotal role in oppressive acts towards people of color throughout the world. Propagating the legend that Jesus’ descendents are French royalty definitely helps keep the mythology of the white Christ alive and well. Maybe there is an aspiring author or filmmaker out there who will one day seek to challenge the racial hegemony of the church and instead of relying on limited and somewhat shaky sources, this artist will take advantage of a rich and vast historical record. Such an artist could learn much from the storytelling techniques of Brown and Howard, but when it comes to theology and history they may be better served to look for other role models.
________________________________________________________________

[5] Gillespie, Eleanor Ringel (2006, May). ‘The Da Vinci Code’ lacks urgency, but still entertains. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, accessatlanta.com.
[6] Miesel, Sandra. (2003, September). Dismantling ‘The Da Vinci Code’. Crisis, reprinted by catholiceducation.org.
[7] Ehrman, Bard D. (2004). The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings (Third Ed.). Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press, p. 185.
[8 Ehrman, 11-12.
[9] Ehrman, 13.
[10] Cohen, Shaye I.D. The Path to Victory (From Jesus to Christ: Why Did Christianity Succeed?). Frontline, pbs.org.
[11] Ehrman, 169-170, 279.
[12] Anthony "Postmodern Negro" Smith first brought the racial question to my attention, before I saw the film on his blog.
[13] Goodacre, Mark. (2001, January) Jesus as a Person of Colour. The New Testament Gateway, ntgateway.com

Breaking Down 'The Da Vinci Code': Part 1 (or "Un" in French)

2006-06-06T12:40:00.001-04:00

Commentaries on the 'The Da Vinci Code' have been made ad nauseum, especially by Christians. I am taking a History of Christianity in Film class, and my first assignment was to watch the film and write an extended review. In this course we are instructed to analyze movies for their artistic, historical and theological content. I'm going to post the first portion of my paper which provides an artistic critique. Since the historical and theological issues are so intertwined, I'll address those elements in Part Deux.

“The Da Vinci Code” is Ron Howard’s adaptation of Dan Brown’s best-selling novel of the same name. The screenplay is by Akiva Goldsman who collaborated with Howard on his critically acclaimed films “A Beautiful Mind” and “Cinderella Man”. The story begins with two juxtaposed sequences. In one sequence Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a Harvard professor of religious symbology is giving a lecture and slide presentation in Paris on exactly what one would expect – symbols. He presents a series of familiar images to the audience, but challenges conventional interpretations. One picture appears to be a depiction of the biblical Mary and her son Jesus, but it is actually a much more ancient portrayal of the Greek goddess Isis and her son Horace.

In the parallel sequence a curator (Jean-Pierre Marielle) at the Louvre museum is being chased by a psychopathic, albino monk named Silas (Paul Bettany) and then killed by the assailant after revealing what seems to be an important clue to a holy secret. Later we see the corpse of the curator, whose name is Jacques Sauniere, with a pentagram painted on his torso and a coded message written next to his body. The Parisian police captain (Jean Reno) makes Langdon his prime suspect, but cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) believes otherwise and joins Langdon on a brain-teasing adventure to solve the death of Sauniere and uncover the secret that Opus Dei (a supposedly shady Catholic organization) is willing to kill for.

In a film of average to good performances, Ian McKellen as the aristocratic historian Sir Leigh Teabing, outshines his fellow cast members. Eleanor Gillespie observes that “the movie only really comes alive when McKellen appears,” [1]. It is McKellen who provides the most controversial theory of the film, which centers around the proposition of Mary Magdalene as the mother of Jesus’ child and is therefore the true Holy Grail of legend rather than the chalice used at the Last Supper. McKellen also delivers the most hilarious line of the film when his character is surrounded by police officers: “Did that old cannibis charge finally catch up with me?” Hanks’ interpretation of Robert Langdon was sufficient, but far from extraordinary. Tautou actually comes across as more compelling, perhaps because the Sophie character has more texture and theological signficance.

The Da Vinci Code can be described as detective story, murder mystery and thriller. The film is so dense with religious and historical references (both credible and questionable) that it can be difficult to follow the plot, especially if you have not had the privilege of reading the book beforehand, which I had not. New York Times critic, A.O. Scott says that the “appropriately overwrought score, pop-romantic with some liturgical decoration, glides us through scenes that might otherwise be talky and inert,” [2]. The film’s score did seem to reflect the postmodern sensibilities of the film by merging the ancient with the contemporary and the sacred with the secular. However, it did little to prevent this viewer from asking “When is this film going to end?” after the second of what turned out to be multiple endings.

Like many good mysteries much of the story takes place at night which surely was not an insignificant artistic choice in a narrative where everything has a deeper meaning. During the night time sequences the lighting is always scaled back, never too bright, as if to reflect the sinister forces at work in the narrative. As uncertainty gives way to revelation and “truth” the darkness of night symbolically gives way to daylight which serves as the primary backdrop as the film picks up some pace, though still moves painstakingly to its denouement.

From start to finish, Howard does a masterful job of editing numerous parallel sub-plots with a rather wide assortment of characters, which helped to balance out the dense subject matter. Despite Howard’s extraordinary track record as a filmmaker he is not known as an auteur director in terms of having a distinguishable artistic trademark. According to Mark Horowitz, “his reputation rests on being the quintessential Hollywood director: a genial craftsman with great commercial instincts and a flexible, almost invisible style,” [3]. Yet whether it’s the adolescent dark comedy of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” or the shadowy conspiracies of the “The Da Vinci Code”, Howard clearly does off-beat and unconventional films well and perhaps better than anyone else.

The large cloud of controversy which loomed over the book upon its release seems to have been eclipsed by the one surrounding the film adaptation. Though Brown clearly acknowledges that “The Da Vinci Code” is a work of fiction (including all of the characters), he inserts a disclaimer in his book that says, “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate,” [4]. It is this allegation that is the source of contention, because the manner in which Brown represents (or misrepresents) church history provides the grounds for the advancement of very unorthodox theological ideas.
________________________________________________________________

[1] Gillespie, Eleanor Ringel (2006, May). ‘The Da Vinci Code’ lacks urgency, but still entertains. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, accessatlanta.com.
[2] Scott, A.O. (2006, May 18). A ‘Da Vinci Code’ That Takes Longer to Watch Than Read. The New York Times, nytimes.com.
[3] Horowitz, Mark. (2001, December 17). The Invisible Man. New York Magazine.
[4] Brown, Dan. (2003, March). The Da Vinci Code. Double Day Publishing, danbrown.com.

ATL (A Theology of Liberation)

2006-05-17T15:21:00.000-04:00

Saturday, May 13, 2006, James Cone, one of the greatest Christian thinkers of our time boycotted the commencement ceremony at International Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. Cone decided to fore go the honorary doctorate he was to receive because of theological differences with the very gifted, prominent and influential Bishop Eddie Long who served as commencement speaker. Before this unexpected move by Cone, a substantial faction of graduating seniors issued an open letter to the school president protesting the invitation to Long. The entire matter became very contentious, but ultimately Long did fulfill his requested role to the praise of some and chagrin of others.

The protest of the ITS students cited "questionable administrative practices, theological irresponsibility, and consistent denigration of the value of theological education" as their primary reasons for their contention. To my knowledge Cone has not made any public comments on exactly why he decided to decline his invitation, but as someone who is familiar with his theological outlook, it is safe to assume that that he took issue with Long's preaching, which some critics think is an overly financially focused message or what has commonly been referred to as a "prosperity gospel". In his defense, Long is much more well rounded than his ITS critics acknowledge in their petition. The inspirational quality of his preaching and his long list of good works surely outweighs any theological foibles and questionable financial activities. Then again, I could be biased, because my family has a special connection to the Bishop.

Given that association, I am not sure if I would have participated in the student protest. I do commend the effort, however, because I believe that the soul of the church and the black church in particular is in jeopardy. Whether or not you agree with the student's characterization of Long's theology, we can all wake up to the fact that our faith has become more and more self-serving over the years. It's not about what I can do for God, it's about what God can do for me (and maybe my immediate family and close circle of friends).

Though the number of black preachers and churches who challenged slavery, segregation and injustice were always in the minority, they were a formidable remnant that dominated the public stage similar to how the Religious Right and the fatalistic "rapture" crowd do today. Atlanta, the birthplace of Martin Luther King, Jr., our nation's most celebrated preacher, has a rich legacy of political activism on behalf of the cause of equality and justice. The black church of this country and beyond has been at the center of that struggle from its inception, because it was born to bring salvation to an oppressed people. The black church was tied to, but not bound by a black theology.

In his essay, "Black Theology and the Black Church: Where Do We Go from Here?," Cone discusses the historic relationship between prophetic, black religious thought and practice, as well as it's potential demise:

Black Theology, I have contended, is a theology of liberation, because it has emerged out of and is accountable to a Black church that has always been involved in our historical fight for justice. When black preachers and laypeople hear this message, they respond enthusiastically and with a sense of pride that they belong to a radical and creative tradition. But when I speak to young blacks in colleges and universities, most are surprised that such a radical Black Church tradition really exists. After hearing about David Walker's "Appeal" in 1829, Henry H. Garnet's "Address to the Slaves" in 1843, and Henry M. Turner's affirmation that "God is a Negro" in 1898, these young blacks are shocked. Invariably they ask, "Whatever happened to the black churches of today? Why don't we have the same radical spirit in our preachers and churches?" Young blacks contend that the black churches of today, with very few exceptions, are not involved in liberation but primarily concerned with how much money they raise for a new church building or the preachers anniversary.

This critique of the Black Church is not limited to young college students. Many black people view the church as a hindrance to black liberation, because black preachers and church members appear to be more concerned about their own institutional survival than the freedom of the poor people in their communities. "Historically," many black radical blacks say, "the Black Church was involved in the struggle but today it is not." They often turn the question back upon me: "All right, granted what you say about the historical black church, but where is an institutional Black church denomination that still embodies the vision that brought it into existence? Are you saying that the present-day A.M.E. Church or A.M.E. Zion Church has the same historical commitment for justice that it had under the leadership of Allen and Payne or Rush and Varick? Sensing they have a point difficult to refute, these radicals then say it is not only impossible to find a Black Church denomination committed to black liberation but also difficult to find a local congregation that defines its ministry in terms of the needs of the oppressed and their liberation.

Whatever we might think about the unfairness of this severe indictment, we would be foolish to ignore it.

Cone wrote these comments in 1977 (two years after I was born). How relevant are the criticisms he identifies to the black church of today? There are many black churches that do tremendous good in their communities and some throughout the world. But, does their collective theology develop more congregants into agents of justice or agents of "just me"?

Inspiration from Charlie Brown and White on White Racial Education

2006-05-16T09:53:00.000-04:00

I would like to welcome Jamey Johnson to the blogosphere. Check out his latest blogs on Charlie Brown and confronting racism on Mother's Day. From reading a few of his posts and learning that he's a Caucasian dude married to an African (American) sister, I'd say he definitely has "soul".

Soul Revival

2006-05-01T10:26:00.000-04:00

Where would I be, where would I be
(and I thank)
Where would I be if you ain't never heard a prayer from me
(I thank you lord)
What would I do
(where would I be without you)
What would I do, what would I do if I didn't have you to be there for me (and what would I do)
- Leela James, "Prayer"

If you catch me dreaming
Please dont wake me til I'm done
Just leave me sleeping until the morning comes
Just pass me over
Make believe that I'm not there
Just leave me be until the savior comes
- Anthony Hamilton, "Pass Me Over,"

If you are unfamiliar with the artists such as Anthony Hamilton and Leela James and you heard songs from their recent albums (Ain't Nobody Worryin' and A Change Is Gonna Come respectively), you would probably think that they are Gospel artists, possibly from the 1960s or 70s. But, they are actually classified as R&B or neo-soul artists. I would consider them to be soul musicians in the most classical sense of the term.

Ray Charles is known as the Father of Soul, since he was the first to blend the sacred sound of gospel music with the "secular" lyrics of blues in the 1950s. Ironically two decades earlier, gospel music was created by blues man turned redeemed composer Thomas Dorsey's merging of the blues style and ethos with the spirit and substance of the church. Charles was criticized by Christians for perverting gospel music, while Dorsey was accused of trying to bring the "devil's music" into the church; even though his lyrics were throughly inspired by biblical narratives and imagery. Sam Cooke (whose 1965 song "A Change is Gonna Come" inspired the title and music of James' album), Otis Redding, Nina Simone and ultimately Marvin Gaye would also make their own immortal contributions to the genre known as soul.

The soul artists of yesterday and the resurgence of soul singers and song writers today have often done more than just borrow the gospel sound as a musical platform for secular (i.e. romantic or sexual lyrics). These artists often carry messages of social and spiritual insight. James and Hamilton integrate their faith and church background into their music, while still covering a wide panorama of life which includes the ups and downs of love and relationships and the challenges that face the black community and society in general. Here are some samples:

Cause if I thought you were the end all in my be all
I would've never left you alone
And I wouldn't be on my own
And I never never woulda wrote this song
No no, aint no way you gone take
away My joy, my peace, my strength
No no no ain't no way you gone take away
My joy, my peace, my strength
No, aint no way
- James, "My Joy"

It’s about finding a new experience
With someone you’d never thought you’d meet
Who totally turns your life
around completely
Helping you get a job and keeping you off the street
Church on Sunday morning
Eventually I’m saving money
Sending my life in a new direction
- Hamilton, "I Know What Love's All About"

Still hear Donny playin' them keys
Sangin' one day we'll all be free
Can't even turn on my radio
Without somebody hollerin' bout a bitch or a hoe
- James, "Music"

Ain't nobody worryin' when the shots fly high
and the siren starts to ring
Ain't nobody worryin' when the kids die young
and the mothers are suffering
Ain't nobody prayin' when they kneel down low
all they doin is tyin their shoe string
Ain't nobody worryin' no more no more
- Hamilton, "Ain't nobody worryin' "

Its one thing to read the lyrics of the songs, its something else to actually listen to the music. And even then, you have not really experienced the power of these particular soul artists until you have seen and heard them live. I was recently blessed to see James and Hamilton in concert.

I was running late and I thought I may have missed the entire concert, which was in a small club that had been renovated not too long ago. I arrived in time to catch the encore performance which included, James' remake of pop rock group No Doubt's song, "Don't Speak." James reminded me of the blues singers from the early 20th century who poured their hearts all over the stage, as a form of both self-therapy and spiritual release. Her voice is incredibly strong and seems to come from a very deep place. Regardless of whether or not James ever becomes a household name, she has the potential to have a long and meaningful career.

Hamilton mesmerimized the audience with the energy and conviction he brought to his music. He creates a santuary scene midway into his show with altar, organ and stained glass windows to sing his more spiritually intense songs like "Pass Me Over." He had no problem talking about his faith in a rather direct manner with the audience. When he sang "Ain't Nobody Worryin," He stomped up the aisles through the audience, demonstrating that he not only breaks down the wall between the sacred and the secular; he also dismantles the barrier between artist and audience. I felt the presence of God and think some people may have met Jesus for the first time in that space which became sancified, if only temporarily. I thought to myself, "If only church could be more like this, I'd be more excited to get up and go on Sunday morning."

In many traditional African societies, before colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, there was no word for "religion." There was no separation between sacred and secular or between the spiritual and the natural. Life was an integration of the seen and unseen and God could be encountered anywhere on any day of the week. Soul music at its best can provide us with a theological metaphor that helps us expand our spiritual horizons and liberate ourselves from the false dichotomies that prevent us from seeing the grace of God at work in the larger world.

We need a soul theology that allows us to experience the redeeming value found in certain cultural and artistic expressions even when it does not have a "Christian" label on it. It's not an easy task, for we are still called to be in the world, but not of it. Yet, we follow a Lord who spent more time in the streets than in the synagogue. Let us do likewise.

My (Un)Orthodoxy

2006-03-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

I know what its like to lose your religion (like R.E.M.)
I can't say I found it again
Rather, I was found by Him
Or Her as some prefer
That offends my patriarchal sensibility
For we all know God is Father and Son
but, what about Spirit?
Spirit is neither male nor female
which means God is my father and mother
The Word of God is my sister and brother
who just so happened to manifest
in the form of a man named Jesus of Nazareth

When it comes to the Lord's work
I wanna be prodigious
I don't mind if people call me religious
Religious means I try to practice what I preach
There's only one Teacher, but we all have to teach
Too little time and too many souls to reach
Don't always have to quote Scripture
give a sermon or speech
If Christ is the best example
Then maybe I can be a sample

Valerie was right in V for Vendetta
God is in the rain and I'd like to add
Water from heaven makes life a lot better
Maybe that's why I've been baptized twice
One for the Parent, one for the Progeny
Might do it again for the next Person of the Trinity
I'm a bonafied Baptist though that's not all of me

God saved me in a little non-denominational/Pentecostal
church in a Hilton Hotel with a diverse congregation
Understanding the rich complexity of the faith is my mission
There's a lot to be learned from Catholic tradition
and I study with many Christians of the Methodist persuasion
United and African-Episcopal Zion in particular
I've been known to worship with white Prebyterians
who are trying to emerge beyond their "whiteness"
I'm even willing to transcend my "blackness"
Though my heart will always beat
to the sound of the African drum
It's not about escaping our identity
It's about not being bound by it

On the day of Pentecost we were all one in God
If we want to have that kind of unity now
We all have to be a little pentecostal
We have to make room for the Spirit
So we can experience true community
that includes all nations, tongues and colors
No longer divided by party politics
One people indivisible in Jesus Christ
with enough love for those who don't believe as we do
And before I go let me say that I'm not just a Christian
I'm a Christian Jew

Ain't I a Christian?

2006-03-23T13:24:00.000-05:00

A high school student from Colorado challenges the notion of conservatism as the true political expression of the Christian faith. Even if you don't agree with everything she has to say, we should all be encouraged that there are young people who are thinking critically about their faith and trying to demonstrate the love and justice of Jesus Christ.

From 1851 to 2006: Ain't I a Christian
By Emily Spearman

In the mid-1800s, the United States was in the middle of a culture war. Slavery and women's rights were the hot issues, and progressive, forward-thinking men and women played instrumental roles in the struggle for equality.

One such person was Sojourner Truth, a brilliant public speaker who dazzled audiences with her powerful speeches, the most famous of which is "Ain't I a Woman?" from 1851.

Today, as many right-wing talk show hosts will tell you, we are also in a "culture war." As a liberal Christian living in a time when the most outspoken Christians are conservative, I can empathize with Truth, a black woman in a white man's world.

Here, written in the style of Sojourner Truth but using my modern-day thoughts, beliefs and experiences, I would like to ask my right-leaning brethren: Ain't I a Christian?

Read more...

From Exodus To Exile

2006-03-14T15:48:00.000-05:00

In that day the LORD will thresh from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you, O Israelites, will be gathered up one by one. And in that day a great trumpet will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled in Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem
- Isaiah 27:12-13

Ironically, Zimbabwe got its political independence from Britain about 25 years ago, but over 1.7 million Zimbabweans have followed the British, believing they will, at least be treated with a degree of human dignity. To be sure, these Zimbabweans would rather live and earn a living in their own country, but faced with the political vampire which has caused literally thousands to disappear permanently, and millions to abscond, they have opted to accept any menial jobs abroad. What will turn everything around is when the meaning of true liberation begins to dawn.
- Gwinyai Muzorewa, "Some Thoughts on African Liberation: From Independence to True Liberation - PART II"

Dictionary.com defines exile as "a. Enforced removal from one's native country," and "b. Self-imposed absence from one's country." I have been thinking about exile a lot lately. Exile can be defined both as a condition and as a person in such a condition. There are millions of political exiles in the world today who have been forced (or have "chosen") to leave their native lands because of corrupt, repressive and in some instances genocidal governments. Millions of people have fled the Zimbabwe and Sudan, among others, out of fear of death or unjust imprisonment for challenging their governments or for simply belonging to the wrong ethnic group and living on a piece of desireable land. Masses of individuals from the Middle East have left their countries because of authoritarian regimes. There are ex-patriates from all over the globe, including the United States. Former member of the Black Panther Party, Assata Shakur is still in exile in Cuba, because of her inability to get a fair trial in her home country. She is just one of the more popular examples of Americans who were compelled to escape the dark side of our own nation.

In the case of many African exiles, they have a similar experience, to the ancient Israelites. In the exodus story, the Hebrews are delivered out of Egypt through the prophet Moses. They find themselves liberated from the yolk of their oppressor, much like African people's were relieved of the burden of European colonialism. In the wilderness that always follows the elementary stages of salvation, we learn that slavery and colonialism is internalized. When a people have been suppressed for so long, it is difficult for them to muster the faith and resolve to press forward in their freedom, even after witnessing the miraculous works of God. It is easier to create new idols to be enslaved to and rule over one another in the same way as the former master's. Nevertheless, post-slavery and post-colonialism is typically preferable to the previous state for at least one has a morsel of salvation.

The Hebrews would eventually settle into their own nation, "the promised land," they called it and enjoy periods of peace and prosperity (always for some more than others), punctuated by frequent wars, invasions, and myriad afflictions. The prophets and scribes of the Old Testament believed these times of adversity were caused by the sin of the people, primarily their idolatry and mistreatment of one anther, the poor and vulnerable in particular. After exercising tremendous patience and extending countless opportunities for repentence, God decided to allow his chosen people to be overtaken by foreign powers, first the Assyrians and then the mighty Babylonian empire, yet in know way were the imperialists excused from their own transgressions and acts of injustice. Some fled back to Egypt and other parts of the ancient world to find a more tolerable form of ubordination. The people of God had gone from exodus to exile, just as many African brother and sisters have done today.

African-American history could be described as a story of exile, for if our exodus experience occured with our emancipation from American chattel slavery, we became exiles in our land soon after. We were treated as unwanted immigrants in the home land that was forced upon us. Even though we were living in the country of their birth, it was a life of psychological, emotional and social dislocation caused by hate, racism and segregation. Poverty is the space from which many exiles flee and the place at which many exiles arrive. Hurricane Katrina has demonstrated that the exilic experience is alive and well for far too many African-Americans, in an even more literal sense. They have been forced from their residences and their return seems dubious at present because of certain monied interests and racialized conceptions of the displaced.

Since I have begun this walk of faith in Jesus Christ, there have been times (like now) when I have felt as if I am in a kind of spiritual exile. I was delivered from my own sin and dislocation into the holy Body of Christ, yet the community of God oftentimes seems to push me away. When I go to church I should not feel oppressed by the individualism, materialism, and indifference of the larger society. There is so much good to be found amongst the saints, but I am haunted by our inability to truly identify with the exiles of this world, which is strange because we are supposed to be exiles - sojourners who are only passing through this realm, trying to bless as many as we can. We seem to have more of a stake in the rewards of this world than the treasures of heaven.

Do I have to assimilate to the ways of Babylon to fit into the gathering of the faithful? In much of the black church we have historical amnesia and forget from whence we have come, making us complicit with the larger American society's desire to forget the past and ignore how it continues to impact the present. This brings us to a situation where our religious distinctions are more cosmetic (i.e. the color of the congregation and style of the music and preaching) than substantive (prophetic theology and counter-cultural liturgy). In the white church, I may have to be willing to foresake my ethnic identity and cultural sensibilities to become a part of that community. In the more multi-ethnic churches, which are making a serious attempt to "practice pentecost," the theology may be caught up in the rapture and disconnected from the concrete socio-economic realities that give context to our salvation. I realize I am making very sweeping statements, but I just want to highlight the major stumbling blocks that make me a "homeless" seminarian at present.

Yet, I am still hopeful. I feel like the Israelites who just heard that King Cyrus has given them permission to leave Babylon and rebuild the Temple. I feel like a political exile who has just read that the brutal regime in their native country has been ousted by a massive non-violent uprising. I feel like a Katrina survivor who is surprised by the just policies of New Orleans, which will make it possible for them to go home after the city has been restored. I am still in exile, but I shall return.

Hood Theology

2006-02-22T17:23:00.001-05:00

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' "

- Matthew, 25:34-40

I always try to look at the world through the cross, through the least of these - the 25th chapter of Matthew. [I] look at any society from the vantage point of those who are catching hell - the children, the prisoners, the elderly, the disabled; victims of whatever it is - male supremacy or homophobia, corporate domination or white supremacy... That's just the angle of vision that I adopt.

- Cornel West at the National Constitution Center, September 12, 2005.

When describing how I came to the point where I felt led to enroll in seminary, I say to those who would understand the reference, "Like Jacob, I wrestled with the angel of the Lord - except in my case, the angel won," (Genesis 32:22-32). Perhaps the angel (who many Christians believe was a representation of Christ or a theophany) won in Jacob's case too, because the whole reason he came was to propel Jacob into a deeper dimension of God's purpose.

I have written before about how I left Charlotte to go off to film school in D.C. only to realize that it was not in the cards for me to take that path (at least in terms of my graduate education). What I have not really discussed is how there have many words spoken over me in regards to a calling for ministry before that excursion and afterwords. I have been very reluctant to embrace the notion of serving in the church, in God's kingdom, in any kind of leadership capacity. I am all too aware of my weaknesses and imperfections and I am uncomfortable with the demands that are placed on ministers and preachers. Some of these expectations have more to do with religious tradition and others simply come with the territory.

I got the urge to pursue theological study about two years ago, while I was living with my parents in Richmond, Virginia during that transition time between film school and the rest of my life. Vocationally, God was directing me into the role of an educator although my work experience up to that point had been in the business world. Now that I am back in Charlotte and have settled down somewhat into my present job as a museum educator, the time seems to be right (though far from ideal) for me to begin this new process. Currently, I am enrolled in the Masters of Theological Studies at Hood Theological Seminary. Here's a brief synopsis of the school's history from the website:

Hood Theological Seminary is named after James Walker Hood who was a Bishop of the A.M.E. Zion Church. During much of his career, Bishop Hood cherished a dream of training qualified Negro youths for the Christian ministry. Others in the denomination embraced his dream, and in 1879 a group of ministers from Concord, North Carolina and the surrounding area created the Zion Wesley Institute. In 1882, the citizens of Salisbury persuaded the Institute to move twenty miles north to that city. Since that time Salisbury has been the home of the Institute and its successors.

As one who has a developed a deep appreciation of the role of the Christian faith in the African-American experience, I consider it an honor and a privilege to attend the only historically A.M.E. Zion seminary in the country. Like the A.M.E. denomination, A.M.E.Z. congregations were formed as a result of the racism and discrimination experienced in the North in the early 1800s, as slavery continued to be the dominant reality for black people in the South. It was the beginning of what came to be called "the black church".

Hood Seminary, though still predominantly African-American in the make-up of its student body, has become increasingly diverse. There is a large percentage of Caucasian students and the faculty is about half "white" now. All seminaries are not created equal and there are tremendous discrepancies in how theology is taught from place to place. Hood seems to be an institution where men and women are being trained to think critically about their faith and learn how to serve Jesus Christ in a complex world. Additionally, for me, it is an opportunity to further cultivate my understanding of "hood theology".

For more than a few years now I have come to understand that one of the primary tasks of the Christian is to serve the most disadvantaged members of our society and those across the globe. Those individuals can be found in the hood or the trailer park; the cities or the shanty towns. James Hood had a vision of equipping Negros to be competent ministers of the Gospel who could help elevate the race. Given the tremendous inequalities that still exist for black folk in the U.S. and throughout the world, there is still considerable uplifting to be done. Yet, we as African-Americans can not become so preoccupied with our own problems that we forget about our Latino, Asian, Native, and European-American brothers and sisters who are also suffering in numerous ways.

Some seminaries may be more conducive to the development of hood theology than others, but it is a perspective that can not be fully taught at any school. As we receive the Spirit of God, repent of past, present and future sins, are baptized and begin to commune with Jesus Christ and study the words that have been written about Him and His Kingdom, only then can we begin to "look at the world through the cross, through the least of these..." to use the words of Cornel West. This is what it means to be a hood theologian and by the grace of God, that's who I'll be.

Transition Time

2006-02-20T09:06:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to give my readers/friends an update and explain why there has been so much lag time since my last post. I started seminary about a month ago and its kicking my butt already, just with the required reading. Taking three classes on Saturday, working full-time and taking care of my responsibilities as a Dad is taking some serious time management and I am still getting acclimated to my new schedule.

I may not be able to post as much as I have in the past, but I do want to keep this space of reflection and community going. My man Anthony, a.k.a. "The Postmodern Negro" has suggested that I try to integrate what I'm learning in school with "The Soul of Rod Garvin." That makes sense given that the purpose of this blog is to express my thoughts and spiritual development in hopes of creating a dialog and giving others the opportunity to share their ideas and experiences.

Up next: Hood Theology (Stay tuned...)

In the meantime check out Anthony and Maurice Broaddus (these are some intelligent Negro Christian brothers who are worth reading.)

Tonex Takes the Red Pill

2006-02-03T14:49:00.000-05:00

I'm done with the fakeness, I took the "red pill" and I'm out the "Matrix". And I hope other people can see it too and find out that it's not about churches anymore. It's not about the industry anymore. It's really about the Kingdom. Because revival is really about to hit the earth, so I'm jumping off of this Titanic before it sinks.
- Tonex

Tonex is an icon of what I like to call imperfect Christianity. I saw this brother at a church I was attending in Richmond, VA. He is truly gifted. Read his testimony, listen to the interview and pray for the the Kingdom to come, because church as we know it is on life support.

* * *

My Sister's Commentary

Tonex's testimony was real and much of us know the outcome of trying to mold ourselves into what society expects us to be. I like the comment, "Lauryn Hill said it best: 'You superstar, you stupid star they hail you to nail you no matter who you are.' " We as a minority talk a good talk when the “white man” isn’t around but then as soon as he comes back, “it’s yes sir, no sir.” From Tonex’s standpoint he stood for what he believed in long enough and determined it to be emotionally draining physical and emotionally so he’s leaving. Is he giving up??? Simply not conforming??? Or determined that his energy is better used elsewhere. Maybe a little bit of all three.

Kanye West, slightly different from Tonex, whereas he ties in his creativity on social issues, but makes it popular enough for high records sales and MTV heavy rotation. (Of course being tied to the ROC! Doesn’t hurt either). He said in an article that he has to pace himself as an musical artist. Carefully choosing what social and political standpoints and issues he chooses to speak about either through his songs and/or words. This is simply because he feels if he out lashes too strongly or too often against society the majority will begin to treat him as more of an outcast and may attempt to take his creative powers away as an artist away. He confirmed this same standpoint in a recent interview with Ananda Lewis on BET.

But my question is, if I abide by the law and accept the modern industrial society in which I live and continue to live life by it’s standards, does that make me a “sellout” or “jumping on the bandwagon”, because I’m afraid of the rejection society can place on me? Now I’m not talking about rejection from certain friends, which I have no rhyme or reason to accept what they believe to be true, I’m taking about the sold called “rule creators” who can take away certain privileges of mine if I don’t live by their system (i.e. agencies controlled by our government). My fear of being labeled as deviant or rebellious ties into a classic theory of Howard Becker on labeling, which states, “Those persons who are prone to rule-breaking behavior see themselves as morally at odds with those members of the rule-abiding society.” Tonex seems to feel he’s at odds with the music industry.

Touching deeper on what Tonex digresses about on the topic of the music company trying to categorize him into a box… I was just having a convo with someone today about how many times I’m asked, “What are you?” Now I know their asking me about my nationality, but of course I feel they can fine better words to articulate the proper phrase and question. I’m sarcastic at times and make something up like I’m Italian and Puerto Rican (and they believe me!). They think because I’m light skinned with green eyes I can’t possibly be black, or all African-American by their standards. When they ask me the question, “What are you?”, they are trying to place me in a box. They’re trying to figure out what nationality I am so they can ultimately fit me inside this box.

Most people feel more comfortable if they know where the person is from so they can assume how they rest of the conversation should go. If I’m just black to them then all their prejudices of black people will unconsciously formulate into their minds and they feel like they know who I am and are now comfortable talking to me. I’ve also jokingly said I was part Latino and they start ranting about how they went to Cancun or something like that - LOL - assuming I’ve been there and can relate (I guess they think being Latino and the country México are somehow instantly connected). Or if I’m honest and say I’m black, then they’ll ask if I’ve heard the latest Jay-Z CD. It’s crazy.

Goodbye Mrs. King

2006-01-31T19:28:00.000-05:00

I'm holding out for my Hillary Clinton,

Betty Shabazz, Coretta Scott King

Now those are women who earned their wedding ring

They say they don't make make women like that anymore...

- Rod Garvin, "De Facto Celibacy"

Race, Religion and War

2006-01-23T11:38:00.000-05:00

Though "white" and "black" Americans can not be discussed in monolithic terms, traditionally the respective groups have often differed tremendously in their support of war. Since World War II, there has not been a large consensus between African-Americans and Caucasian Americans on the legitimacy of large-scale military operations. Many African-Americans were among the first citizens to oppose the war in Vietnam, while most whites maintained their support. We have found ourselves in a similar situation today with diverging views on the war in Iraq along racial lines.

Charles Marsh, in his op-ed, "Wayward Christian Soldiers" brings the significance of race and religion into focus on the question of war. Marsh notes that white evangelical Christian (non-Catholic or Protestant) leaders such as Franklin Graham and Jerry Falwell wrote what he describes as "war sermons" leading up to the Iraq War. According to the data Marsh has collected, 87 percent of white evangelical Christians supported the presidents decision to go to war. Despite all of the dubious claims about Iraq's WMD programs and connections to al-Qaida, that were made to justify the war and have proven to be false, 67 % of white evangelicals still support the war.

To be fair, if you were to ask the average person of any color why they are behind the war effort, they would say that the world is safer now that Saddam Hussein's regime has been toppled and democracy has come to Iraq and "it is better to fight them over there, than over here." Both those who stand by the war efforts and oppose them, are in agreement that we all have to support the troops, though some do not believe it is possible to be against the war without opposing the soldiers as well. For Christians who support war, theological gymnastics are always necessary to ignore Jesus' teachings on peace and loving thy enemy.

According to a 2005 CBS News Poll, 8 out of 10 African-Americans do not support the war in Iraq. The vast majority of African-Americans identify with the Christian religion and could be classified as evangelical even if they do not use that term. So, why is there such a schism between blacks and whites in general, and black and white Christians in particular, when it comes to war?

African-Americans can be some of the biggest proponents of federal legislations and programs on one hand (i.e. public education and healthcare), and some of the strongest critics of government on the other. The same government that abolished slavery and issued the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, was the body that allowed thousands of blacks to be lynched and allowed the Jim Crow system to persist far too long. While many blacks supported and fought in World War II, recognizing perhaps that Nazism abroad was an even greater threat to their security than white supremacy at home, they were disillusioned to find that their sacrifices did not yield greater equality and opportunity once the war was over.

In the tragic, moral miscalculation that was the Vietnam War, African-Americans again lost their lives on foreign soil, while they continued to be treated as second class citizens in their own country (despite the accomplishments of the Civil Rights movement). It has also not gone unnoticed that most of America's wars have been against people of color and in the case of World War II, the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan, not Italy or Germany. As a people who have directly benefited from the power of peace and non-violence, as practiced by Civil Rights activists who were primarily black and Christian, it could be that we are more hopeful about alternative methods for resolving political conflicts.

White Americans have not experienced history as African-Americans have, and consequently tend to view both history and war in a much different way. For most white Americans (though certainly not all), the United States is without question the greatest country of all time and for many white Christians, it is the manifestation of God's kingdom on earth. In order to have this this interpretation of America, the hypocrisy and injustices of the country have to be minimalized or completely overlooked. Therefore, a nation which is so righteous and morally superior to the rest of the world must be justified whenever it decides to wage war. This is a troubling mindset for Christians, because we are supposed to be a people who believe that all fall short of the glory of God, and none are righteous when held in comparison. Jesus said it was impossible to serve God and money. The same could be said for God and country if you try to love them equally.

American mythology and historical amnesia conspire to cloud the judgment of far too many Christians in this country. The virtue of an African-American perspective, if there is such a thing, is in the ability of our community to embrace our "twoness," as Americans and African-Americans. The moral significance of Christians also depends on our ability to negotiate our dual identities as Americans and servants of Jesus Christ. DuBois said the existence of African-Americans is one of "two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals..." That should be even more true for those of us who have dual citizenship in the American empire and God's Kingdom. If our allegiance is first and foremost to our Lord and Savior, than we should usually find ourselves reluctant supporters of war at the very least and active opponents of it, more often than not.

Honoring Martin Luther the King

2006-01-17T13:30:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday I visited an alternative, predominantly white church that is making efforts to become more diverse and reach out into the predominantly black and poor community that it is located near. As I walked in, it was refreshing to hear an audio segment from one of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s speeches. The following words seem to speak to the church now just as much as they they did when they were originally spoken:

If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalt of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with now meaning.

Yesterday, for the King holiday, I had the pleasure of going to the annual prayer breakfast here in Charlotte, North Carolina. At the breakfast awards were given to recognize those members of the community who are carrying forth King's legacy. The "Spirit Award" was given to a man named Dr. Reginald A. Hawkins, who was a dentist, minister and influential civil rights leader. In a city that has historically preferred back room negatiations and court rooms to protests and marches when it came to civil rights, Hawkins was considered a radical because of his rejection of the status quo. On the day that King was assasinated he was schedule to be in Charlotte later that day to support Hawkin's in his bid as the first African-American in United States history to run for the office of Governor. It was humbling to be in the same room with such a man.

Finally, I would like to leave you with these comments from Anthony Asadullah Samad's article, "The 'Promised Land' - Why We're Still Waiting":

King spent the last years of his life, as did Malcolm, constructing an intellectual basis through which future generations would interpret his mission and his messages. He was not ignorant to the fact that if he, himself, did not craft the meaning of his life and his work, it would be left to historical revisionists to tell and it would be a whole lot different than he intended. Great men understand that they can never leave it to history to tell their story - that they must tell their own story. When you read the two aforementioned books, you quickly recognize what King was doing. Both books are rare, and extremely hard to find - even in reprint - but you can find all kind of "dream" books that romanticize both King and his message. King didn't talk about any dreams in the last years of his life. He talked about realities, and the principal question of equality and social justice ever coming about in America because of the ignorance of the (black and white) masses and the stupidity of the racially twisted ideas of supremacist ideology in circles of power throughout the institutions and social systems of America. He recognized the danger in trying to bring about a revolution of conscience in America, and resigned himself to America not getting where it needed to be, a land honoring the promise of equality, before they got to him. But he had enough faith to believe that we, as a people, would get there - with or without him - if we believed, and continued to be faithful in the struggle for equality. Instead, we settled for a holiday, and time has almost stood still.

[Guest Post] Is Your Diversity Big Enough for Africa?

2006-01-11T21:46:00.000-05:00

by Amin Cyntje

I usually don't believe in coincidences , but over the past 2-3 weeks I found myself having many conversations about diversity in some form or fashion. What it means to be diverse and more importantly how one can begin to embrace diversity. As you can imagine diversity as a concept by itself can mean almost anything, but the diversity that I'm speaking about is a proactive mindset which allows one to reach out beyond demographics familiar to those that are not so much so.

What brought on these conversations you may ask? Many things, but mostly my realization that there are many people that I know with some backward perceptions about folks from other cultures, most sadly... African cultures. Now this paradox becomes even more interesting because the folks that I am talking about describe themselves as African-Americans and for the most part are conscientious of the struggle. But still there remains a rooted perception, shall I say bias against people from the continent.

When asked about people from Africa I have heard the following:

1. They're stuck-up/arrogant/nasty.
2. They don't like us (black Americans).
3. They're unattractive and I don't like their features.
4. We don't have anything in common.
5. The men are possessive and the women are mean.

And the list goes on and on, but after hearing these things I couldn't help but wonder how Africans came to be the sole possessors of these traits. What is it about us that makes it so easy for us to asperse people that we share such a rich history with? I see African features in every black person I see (remember Africa is a vast continent with Berber, Nubian, Arab etc. peoples) and I can certainly think of several Washingtonians I know that fit into the above stated stereotypes.

Sadly I think it comes down to obliviousness and arcane, obsolete views of the world but mostly of ourselves. Let's not be philistines. We are a people that can love Italian cuisine, be enamored with Asian characters and folklore, intoxicated with the exotic enticements of Latin American but NOT love Africa and her people? That's just surface diversity and we can do better than that for, dare I say our long lost home and family? Ghana definitely thinks we can.

My New Year's resolution is to embrace real diversify and I would challenge you to do the same.

New Revolutions

2006-01-05T09:57:00.000-05:00

I never was one to make New Year's resolutions
This year I'm praying for new revolutions
Sure losing weight is good
So is bringing healthcare to everybody in the hood
Quit smoking and you might prolong your life
Stop cheating and you might keep your wife
Love our enemy and we can stop war
Love our neighbor and no one has to be poor

I'm praying for new revolutions
Not the kind where the oppressed become the oppressor
Not the ones where the abused become the aggressor
Not the type where victim becomes transgressor
We need a revolution where the greater become lesser
and people are not crushed by economic pressure
A revolution where deferred dreams no longer fester

I'm not talking about spreading democracy at the drop of a bomb
We should learn our lesson from Vietnam
This revolution is not of this earth
It can not be measured in terms of individual net worth
Christmas just passed and we celebrated our Savior's birth
We should also honor 3 years of sermons and signs
God was in those details and the revolution between the lines

Before Sojourner Truth and Frederick Douglas, there was Christ
Before Susan B. Anthony and Angela Davis, there was Christ
Before Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., there was Christ
Before Mother Jones and A. Phillip Randolph, there was Christ
Whether you are Christian, Muslim or Jew
Atheist, Buddhist or Hindu
All revolutions will ultimately fail without Christ

Resolutions are nice, but revolutions are better
It doesn't matter whether you wear
a button down with argyle sweater,
a suit and tie, t-shirt and jeans, or the latest in urban style
We can all participate in the revolution
and we don't have to walk single file
You just have to believe its possible and maybe wait awhile
You will not see the revolution at the movies, online or on T.V.
because the revolution is happening inside you and me

Celebrating the Prince of Peace

2005-12-25T10:10:00.000-05:00

Passages from Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "A Christmas Sermon on Peace," - the last Christmas message he delivered, (December 24, 1967):

Peace on Earth...

This Christmas season finds us a rather bewildered human race. We have neither peace within nor peace without. Everywhere paralyzing fears harrow people by day and haunt them by night. Our world is sick with war; everywhere we turn we see its ominous possibilities. And yet, my friends, the Christmas hope for peace and good will toward all men can no longer be dismissed as a kind of pious dream of some utopian. If we don't have good will toward men in this world, we will destroy ourselves by the misuse of our own instruments and our own power. Wisdom born of experience should tell us that war is obsolete. There may have been a time when war served as a negative good by preventing the spread and growth of an evil force, but the very destructive power of modern weapons of warfare eliminates even the possibility that war may any longer serve as a negative good. And so, if we assume that life is worth living, if we assume that mankind has a right to survive, then we must find an alternative to war?and so let us this morning explore the conditions for peace. Let us this morning think anew on the meaning of that Christmas hope: "Peace on Earth, Good Will toward Men." And as we explore these conditions, I would like to suggest that modern man really go all out to study the meaning of nonviolence, its philosophy and its strategy.

Now let me suggest first that if we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone; no nation can live alone, and as long as we try, the more we are going to have war in this world. Now the judgment of God is upon us, and we must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools.

Yes, as nations and individuals, we are interdependent. I have spoken to you before of our visit to India some years ago. It was a marvelous experience; but I say to you this morning that there were those depressing moments. How can one avoid being depressed when one sees with one's own eyes evidences of millions of people going to bed hungry at night? How can one avoid being depressed when one sees with ones own eyes thousands of people sleeping on the sidewalks at night? More than a million people sleep on the sidewalks of Bombay every night; more than half a million sleep on the sidewalks of Calcutta every night. They have no houses to go into. They have no beds to sleep in. As I beheld these conditions, something within me cried out: "Can we in America stand idly by and not be concerned?" And an answer came: "Oh, no!" And I started thinking about the fact that right here in our country we spend millions of dollars every day to store surplus food; and I said to myself: "I know where we can store that food free of charge? in the wrinkled stomachs of the millions of God's children in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and even in our own nation, who go to bed hungry at night."

Now let me say, secondly, that if we are to have peace in the world, men and nations must embrace the nonviolent affirmation that ends and means must cohere. One of the great philosophical debates of history has been over the whole question of means and ends. And there have always been those who argued that the end justifies the means, that the means really aren't important. The important thing is to get to the end, you see.

So, if you're seeking to develop a just society, they say, the important thing is to get there, and the means are really unimportant; any means will do so long as they get you there? they may be violent, they may be untruthful means; they may even be unjust means to a just end. There have been those who have argued this throughout history. But we will never have peace in the world until men everywhere recognize that ends are not cut off from means, because the means represent the ideal in the making, and the end in process, and ultimately you can't reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.

It's one of the strangest things that all the great military geniuses of the world have talked about peace. The conquerors of old who came killing in pursuit of peace, Alexander, Julius Caesar, Charlemagne, and Napoleon, were akin in seeking a peaceful world order. If you will read Mein Kampf closely enough, you will discover that Hitler contended that everything he did in Germany was for peace. And the leaders of the world today talk eloquently about peace. Every time we drop our bombs in North Vietnam, President Johnson talks eloquently about peace. What is the problem? They are talking about peace as a distant goal, as an end we seek, but one day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. All of this is saying that, in the final analysis, means and ends must cohere because the end is preexistent in the means, and ultimately destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.

Now let me say that the next thing we must be concerned about if we are to have peace on earth and good will toward men is the nonviolent affirmation of the sacredness of all human life. Every man is somebody because he is a child of God. And so when we say "Thou shalt not kill," we're really saying that human life is too sacred to be taken on the battlefields of the world. Man is more than a tiny vagary of whirling electrons or a wisp of smoke from a limitless smoldering. Man is a child of God, made in His image, and therefore must be respected as such. Until men see this everywhere, until nations see this everywhere, we will be fighting wars. One day somebody should remind us that, even though there may be political and ideological differences between us, the Vietnamese are our brothers, the Russians are our brothers, the Chinese are our brothers; and one day we've got to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. But in Christ there is neither Jew nor Gentile. In Christ there is neither male nor female. In Christ there is neither Communist nor capitalist. In Christ, somehow, there is neither bound nor free. We are all one in Christ Jesus. And when we truly believe in the sacredness of human personality, we won't exploit people, we won't trample over people with the iron feet of oppression, we won't kill anybody.

If there is to be peace on earth and good will toward men, we must finally believe in the ultimate morality of the universe, and believe that all reality hinges on moral foundations. Something must remind us of this as we once again stand in the Christmas season and think of the Easter season simultaneously, for the two somehow go together. Christ came to show us the way. Men love darkness rather than the light, and they crucified him, and there on Good Friday on the cross it was still dark, but then Easter came, and Easter is an eternal reminder of the fact that the truth-crushed earth will rise again. Easter justifies Carlyle in saying, "No lie can live forever." And so this is our faith, as we continue to hope for peace on earth and good will toward men: let us know that in the process we have cosmic companionship.

A Christmas for Sinners (and a Holiday without Hell)?

2005-12-19T22:10:00.000-05:00

"I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world."
- Jesus Christ (John 12:46-47)

"...we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. "
- St. Paul (1 Timothy 4:10)

For those of us who celebrate Christmas for religious and not just sentimental or commercial reasons, it is always worth considering what it means to call Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. Most Christians do not believe that Jesus really came to save the whole world. He was sent to save the people who acknowledge his status as Savior and Lord. Everyone else is clearly going to hell.

That last point has never been very obvious to me. More and more Christians are questioning what salvation means and how hell fits into that broader spiritual equation. If "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life," (John 3:16) does that mean that whoever does not believe in Christ will burn in the eternal furnace? Given that the majority of the people in the world do not buy into the Christian formula for salvation far more people are going to hell than our going to heaven based on our doctrine.

A large part of the problem is how we think about salvation. I was listening to a national radio program where Christianity was being discussed and our vast, rich, and profound faith became reduced to whether or not there was a hell and if there was one, who was going there. I was deeply disturbed because so many of my brothers and sisters have a very narrow understanding of what it means be saved and more importantly what it means to follow Christ.

There is an ethical theory known as Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development. There are six stages in this model and Stage 1, which is the lowest point of moral development, is called "Obedience and Punishment." It is at this stage that moral or ethical decisions are made in an attempt to receive a reward or avoid punishment. Children learn basic moral behavior through this method. Moral reasoning on Kohlberg's highest stages (5 and 6) is driven by a desire to create a society that is good and just. Theologically, Christians tend to operate on Stage 1, but by the grace of God and the spirit of Jesus Christ we are oftentimes motivated more by love then our determination to make it into heavenly bliss and avoid hellish flames.

Yet because so many of us are consumed by our fear of hell, we are not able to think about salvation as the unleashing of God's righteousness or justice on the world and within us. We can not imagine a world without poverty and war, so we make excuses and justify their reality. We can even go so far as to say that it is God's will for some people to be poor and for the nations and the nationless to wage war. We can not fathom a Savior whose blood is pure enough and far-reaching enough to cover the sins of the entire world, even those who do not believe His words. So, we assign billions of people to an eternal torture chamber far worse than anything Hitler or Hussein could have ever constructed.

Did Jesus come so that a fraction of the world's population would get to go to heaven one day (whatever heaven really is)? How do we celebrate a savior who could not overcome the sin of man? How can we tell people that we serve a just God when we say that if they do not accept our interpretation of truth, they will be sentenced to perpetual wailing and gnashing of teeth?

Most Christians agree that the Lordship of Jesus is not contingent upon who believes in Him and who does not. Well what if salvation is not dependent on what certain individuals believe? What if the deciding factor is God our Father and His perfect, unintelligible love who sent His Son so that all sinners would be saved? What if this Christmas, some of us acted like Jesus really came to this earth so that everyone could have joy, peace and prosperity now and in eternity? How would this change of perspective enable us to serve God more fully in the New Year and every year?

What if there was no heaven or hell? Would you still serve God?

There's a Thin Line Between Salvation and Suicide

2005-12-08T09:42:00.000-05:00

If it weren't for a welfare plan called "Grace"
I would have lost my hope and my mind
Thank God I'm not unstable
or you might see me in hand cuffs for blowing
something up the next time you're watching cable
or read about me in the paper,
cause I blew my brains all over the kitchen table
But, I ain't goin' out like that
I'm a little wild, but I've never been a crazy cat
- Rod Garvin, "Give unto little caesar"

Most people if they are honest, will admit to having either considered suicide or contemplated what it might be like. The reasons which lead people to choose religious faith or take their life are essentially the same. In both cases, individuals simply seek to be free. We all want deliverance from the pain, suffering, oppression, disappointment, stress, and heartache of life. To be human is to experience all of these conditions on some level, in some form.

I am one of the many people who have entertained suicide, in at least a hypothetical sense. As my life descended into depressing circumstances which were at times beyond my control, God was the thin, yet impenetrable line that kept me from crossing over into eternal despair. My hope comes from Jesus Christ and so many of his faithful followers, including my ancestors who endured adversities that I have been spared from. When I feel that the world is too much to bear, I remember how my predecessors endured whips and chains, torture and lynching, discrimination and humiliation. And I remind myself that He who is in me, is greater than he who is in the world.

God has always been my refuge even when I was ignorant of the fact. Sometimes the church has been a sanctuary, and other times it has felt like a foreign country with a language and customs that I could neither relate to, nor understand. My zeal for life and creativity are vast and the God who blessed me with these gifts is so much greater than the limitations we try to place on him with our services and programs. The activities of the church are often well and good, but often too predictable and routine. We serve a God of surprises, yet how often are we overcome with the spontaneity of the miraculous?

Vincent Van Gogh must have been having these thoughts and asking these questions before he committed suicide. He wanted to be a theologian, but was a terrible student. He was a passionate preacher who was dismissed for taking Jesus' teachings on the poor too seriously (he gave away his possessions). He is considered one of the greatest painters in history and happened to be a prolific writer as well. Here is a sample of Van Gogh's reflections on God and the church found in a letter to his brother Theo, written on December 21, 1881, four days before Christmas and nine years before he ended his life:

The Jesuitisms of clergymen and devout ladies no longer have any hold on me now. You see, for me that God of the clergy is as dead as a doornail. But does that make me an atheist? Clergymen consider me one – so be it - but you see, I love, and how could I feel love if I were not alive myself, or if others were not alive; and if we are alive there is something wondrous about it. Now call that God or human nature or whatever you like, but there is a certain something I cannot define systematically, although it is very much alive and real, and you see, for me that something is God or as good as God…

Having been rejected by the church for trying to follow in the revolutionary footsteps of Jesus Christ and failing to see the vibrant spirit of the Creator and His Creation which inspired his art, in the church, he was left to make sense of his faith or the lack thereof on his own, in the spiritual wilderness that eventually became his grave. How many people are dieing in the wilderness today because they do not fit in with the conventional models of what we call church? How many Van Gogh's are we losing in this generation, because they think too critically and their minds too visionary? But, by the grace of God, I too would be one of those lost souls, because when I go to church I usually feel more like a stranger than someone who has come back home.

Becoming Jewish: My Response

2005-12-05T16:27:00.000-05:00

Please read the post, "I think I wanna be a Jew" first.

SmartBlkWoman,

You ask many of the same questions that I pondered before I began to embrace the way of Jesus Christ and I continue to contemplate these matters. As a Christian I am encouraged that you are developing such a deep appreciation for Judaism, for as we know Jesus was a Jew, as were his disciples. The followers of Christ considered themselves to be a particular sect of Hebrews who received a revelation of God in Christ that most of their counterparts would not accept. I'd say one of the biggest problems with contemporary Christianity is that it has lost too much of its "Jewishness".

As far as the proclaimed virgin birth and divinity of Christ, the concept of original sin, and hell, volumes have been written on all of these subjects. It is too much ground to cover at one time. However, I would like to point out that during Jesus' day Caesar was also believed to be born of a virgin and was called the Son of God and the Prince of Peace. By making these same claims about Christ, the Gospel writers were challenging the authority of Caesar and the legitimacy of the Roman Empire. Christianity was and in many ways continues to be a very revolutionary religion (despite what you see on T.V.). Much of the thinking on original sin for Protestants (non-Catholics) comes from medieval theologians such as Martin Luther and John Calvin. Unfortunately, a lot of Christian theology does not stem directly from the bible or the ideas and practices of the ancient Jews and first century Christians.

Our concept of hell is largely derived from ancient Greek interpretations (i.e. "Hades"). Jesus sometimes borrowed the language of the larger culture to illustrate his spiritual and social teachings. He co-opted the symbols and vocabulary of the empire for His own purposes.

For Christians, the paradox of Jesus' humanity and divinity is a mystery, just as the virgin birth is for those who believe it. In both cases, if God is truly God we would have to say that He could bring about those occurrences if He so chose. I have heard compelling cases for the truthfulness of these aspects of the Gospel story, but there is no way to really prove them. This is why becoming a follower of Christ is not simply an intellectual decision. It is a spiritual calling. As someone who once doubted that I would ever become a Christian, I'll say this: God has His own plans.

Becoming Jewish

2005-12-05T15:47:00.000-05:00

There's a new sister I have had a chance to dialogue with named "SmartBlkWoman," and she definitely is. In her post, "I think I wanna be a Jew," she raises some very thought-provoking questions about Christian doctrine and the potential benefits of being Jewish.

I think I wanna be a Jew
by SmartBlkWoman

Ok, so I've been doing a lot of research lately on different religious faiths and what not and I am really feeling Judaism. Not in faddish Madonna kind of way but the more that I learn about the religion the more I start to think I could really see myself as a Jew.

I want to raise my daughter with some particular religious belief cause raising your kids to be "spiritual" like my dad did with me doesn't work. The kids grow up without any particular faith in anything, they don't have a ready moral code to base their lives around, and they think that everything is A-OK as long as it doesn't hurt them. I don't want my daughter to end up being one of those holier-than-thou Jesus freaks either who swear up and down they been saved but doing everything the Bible tells they azzes not to do. Everybody knows that woman who spends 20 hours a week at church and her daughter is 20 with 3 kids and never been married. I don't want to be that woman.

I started seriously reading Christian influenced books first because just about everyone in my family claims to be a good Christian. Well Christianity confuses the hell out of me on some issues and sounds outright idiotic on others but I will admit that is does have its virtues if you truly understand it and practice what it preaches.

There are several things that really bother me about Christianity and stop me from giving my life to Christ. First of all, I don't really understand the idea of the trinity. Black folks be up in church worshipping Jesus like he's God, which in a way he kinda is but then he kinda isn't? Second of all I don't fully believe the idea that a virgin woman got pregnant. Science tells us that virgins do not get pregnant and God created the rules of the universe so why on earth would a virgin get pregnant? Third of all, I don't like the idea of original sin. I don't believe that a newborn baby who has no concept of what sin is, but is really just a blob of reflexes, is already born with "original sin". Fourth of all, Christians say that if you do not repent and give your life to Christ you are going to hell. So what if a person does nothing but good all the days of their life are they still going to hell or what if they have never even heard of Christianity?

Read more...

That Special Feeling

2005-11-29T11:51:00.000-05:00

There's a new songwriter-singer who goes by the name "Ne-Yo," whose getting ready to burst onto the music scene. His hot first two singles "Stay" (an uptempo track) and "So Sick (a midtempo ballad) got me thinking about that special feeling...

That Feeling

You know that feeling you get
when you first hear a song
that becomes a favorite for life
You're only in junior high thinkin' "I'd like to have a wife"

Billie Jean, Bonita Applebum, Biggie rapping
over the Isley Brothers classic in Big Poppa
Too many songs to list
But I think you catch my drift

Music is the language of love
That's why I still get goose bumps
when Kissing Game comes on the radio
I know what Anthony Hamilton means when he sings
"No matter what the people say, I can't let go"
Our song was You're My Lady by D'Angelo
K-Ci and Jo Jo expressed my sentiments perfectly:
"I'm going crazy, crazy, crazy
just thinkin about you lately"

You know that feeling
When tomorrow's too far away
and yesterday isn't soon enough
Its that funny feeling you get
But, ain't nothin' really funny
Like when you fell in love in college
and didn't have any money

Scraping together your change to buy groceries
Happy to introduce her to your Mama
Then started the relationship drama
Telling everybody you're not a couple
and livin' like Betty and Barnie Rubble
When you play Mommy & Daddy
You might end up with a baby
Graduate and move into the same spot
Get cold feet, and don’t tie the knot

Now the mother of your child is getting married
Didn't work out with you two, so you can't be mad
Though you do get a little sad
thinkin' about that feeling you once had
You're sitting at home with a beer in one hand
and a remote in the other
No need to lie, you'd rather be with a lover

Not just anybody, you got to have that feeling
You don't need a playmate
And even though you're sobered by the divorce rate
You still believe there's a special woman in your fate
God might not deliver when you want Him to
But, he's never too late
So, pick up your Bible and hurry up and wait

Apples and Oranges (Pt. 2): The Produce of Progress

2005-11-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase."
- 1 Corinthians 3:6

I do it for the people, I do it for the love
I do it for the poet, I do it for the thug
This is for victory, and this is for the slaughter
I do it for my mother, I do it for my daughter
Promise I'll always love ya, I love to kiss and hug ya...

My pretty black princess smell sweet like that incense
That you buy at the bookstore supporting black business
Teach her what black is; the fact is her parents are thorough
She four reading Cornrows by Camille Yarborough
I keep her hair braided, bought her a black Barbie
I keep her mind free; she ain't no black zombie
- Talib Kweli, "Black Girl Pain"

In Paul Rogat Loeb's article, "The Real Rosa Parks" we are reminded and/or enlightened about the larger context of the civil rights activist's life. Parks' life tends to be reduced to a singular (albeit monumental) moment in time void of any background or post-script. It is almost as if she arbitrarily and completely out of the blue, on a random day, decided to stay in her seat and risk going to jail or possibly worse. Surely she was tired, but that feeling of fatigue would not have been different than any other day after laboring as a seamstress. Loeb adds some pertinent, yet often overlooked details to the story and furthers our insight:

Before refusing to give up her bus seat, Parks had been active for twelve years in the local NAACP chapter, serving as its secretary. The summer before her arrest, she’d had attended a ten-day training session at Tennessee’s labor and civil rights organizing school, the Highlander Center, where she’d met an older generation of civil rights activists, like South Carolina teacher Septima Clark, and discussed the recent Supreme Court decision banning “separate-but-equal” schools. During this period of involvement and education, Parks had become familiar with previous challenges to segregation: Another Montgomery bus boycott, fifty years earlier, successfully eased some restrictions; a bus boycott in Baton Rouge won limited gains two years before Parks was arrested; and the previous spring, a young Montgomery woman had also refused to move to the back of the bus, causing the NAACP to consider a legal challenge until it turned out that she was unmarried and pregnant, and therefore a poor symbol for a campaign.

There were other people who played a pivotal role in Parks' development as an agent for social equality including her husband Raymond who encouraged her to join the NAACP, Montgomery NAACP head E.D. Nixon who was a mentor and JoAnn Robinson, a professor at a local black college who helped mobilize the people for the boycott after Parks was arrested. All of these people planted seeds in Parks' soul and engaged in actions that made Parks' historical refusal to give up her seat to a white man possible. In return she inspired and influenced countless people both directly and simply by her example. It has been said that Parks served as a spiritual mid-wife for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955, became the catalyst which propelled the then 26 year-old Baptist preacher into an international figure and champion of human rights.

As an educator, I have to constantly remind myself that every word and deed can impact a young person in a positive or a negative way. Will a student that I instruct or advise be someone who helps change the course of history for the better and allow millions to experience a greater level of freedom - a more robust dimension of salvation? We all have the potential to make such a contribution to society, by investing love, wisdom, time and resources into the lives of our children. One plants, another waters and God gives the increase.

I gave my daughter an African name which means "beautiful flower". I have never been into gardening, but I do know that flowers need substantial sunshine, fertile soil and water to grow and remain healthy. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices to properly nurture the flowers in our garden. We may have to deny some or our own desires or even needs and take away time from other projects or areas of interest for the sake of the flowers. Children are the reflection of not only their parents, but of their communities and society. If we question the quality of the fruit, we need not look any further than the tree for an explanation. Pathological trees produce sick fruit. Healthy trees yield abundant produce that feeds the soul and makes progress possible.

Apples and Oranges (Pt. 1): The Fruit of False Prophets

2005-11-02T20:21:00.000-05:00

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
- Matthew 7:15-20.

"And Lord who they think they jiving by singing these songs full of glory
then out in the world it's a different story
I'm running out of people to pray for me
I'm not trying to act like I'm the perfect man
but if you speak about it, you should be about it
not just preach about it all day
cause if you do you run the risk of chasing some of the most beautiful people away"
- Lyfe Jennings, "Made Up My Mind"

There is a lot of self-righteous talking and pontificating these days. Our leaders claim to have moral authority, not just in their communities and country, but in the world. As Christians we have a terrible track record of arrogance and hypocrisy when it comes to practicing our faith, which makes it that much easier for us to become errant messengers of God instead of vessels of truth. We denounce gay people while we sleep around with multiple partners. We tithe without even thinking about how much of our money actually goes to the poor. We look down upon people of other faiths, when ironically they are oftentimes more like Christ than ourselves.

In terms of timeliness, there is no better comparison and contrast between the good fruits of integrity and the bad fruits of dubious behavior, than the life of Rosa Parks and certain actions of the Bush Administration. Bush has chosen to wear his faith on his sleeve if you will and exploited religion for political gain. Part of this expression is sincere and part of it has more to do with Karl Rove's brain. We need not go through the laundry list of false allegations and distorted intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq. Nor is it necessary to rehash the correlation between the White House's virtual dismissal of the Geneva Conventions and the torture that is taking place under U.S. watch througout the world. What is sad is that many Americans (of which a majority claim to be Christian) still find no fault with the President or his administration, because they are blinded by ideology and nationalism - mindsets which are foreign to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

War and preferential treatment for the rich, which are the dominant themes of this administration are not the fruits of the Gospel. Where Bush has acted consistently with his proclaimed faith I commend him. Though filled with flaws, "The No Child Left Behind Act" is a noble effort which has brought positive results along with the unfortunate drawbacks of an overly standardized and inflexible curriculum that has been imposed on many public schools. Yet just when I want to give Bush some credit, he goes and undermines my best efforts to do so.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration waived government contracting rules that required a miniscule five percent of government contracts to go to minority-owned businesses. This action was done despite the fact that the percentage of African-Americans and other people of color is considerably higher in the Gulf Coast than in other parts of the country. Weeks later, when Bush laid a wreath on Rosa Parks coffin in honor of her non-violent commitment to justice and what she would call the duty of a Christian, his symbolic act did not overshadow the fruit in his orchard.

If we were to judge Sister Rosa by her fruit, I think we would all agree that she bore good fruit. Neither Democrats nor Republicans; conservatives nor liberals, can dispute the product of her labor. I heard a preacher say just this past Sunday that before you know what's false you have to what's true. We recognize false prophets by comparing them to the true prophets in our midst. Truth like fruit is not born in a vacuum, even if immaculately conceived. Good fruit comes from good trees, which ultimately come from good seeds.

Like Good Coffee

2005-10-24T12:36:00.000-04:00

What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
- Mark 4:30

Few things are easy in the world, but good fellowship and good coffee can help us all move forward.
- David Robinson

Baseball legend and civil rights hero Jackie Robinson's extraordinary life came to an end at the age of 53. At that same age his youngest son David is continuing his father's legacy off of the baseball diamond and outside of the United States on a coffee farm in Tanzania. David Robinson was recently interviewed by Bob Costas on his program "Costas Now" in Tanzania, his adopted home. Robinson explained to Costas that "I’m in Africa because of my parents’ vision of wanting to have their son understand his race’s role and place in the world community.” He also talked about how returning to Africa was his way of becoming whole, because so much of his history as an African-American was lost when his ancestors were brought to this country as slaves.

Whereas Jackie Robinson dedicated his life to integrating professional sports and American society in general, David is an advocate of what he calls "economic integration." Like most of the world's poor, which make up 80% of the world's population, coffee farmers in Africa and Latin America make less than two dollars a day, despite the fact that coffee is a multi-billion dollar global industry. In an effort to help Tanzanian farmers get more of their fair share of the market, Robinson leads a cooperative of over 300 coffee growers called Sweet Unity Farms. Through unity this collective hopes to create a more integrated global economy by selling directly to consumers and retailers, so that large coffee wholesale and distribution companies are not the only entities who prosper from the product.

In hearing Robinson's story and the importance of coffee in developing this poor African country, I began to think about the growing importance of coffee in the church. Those ministries that seek to be culturally relevant have either added coffee houses to their facilities or used them as meeting places. Like the wine of the ancient world, coffee has become the beverage of choice for the purpose of conversation and fellowship. When you think about the demographics of the people who go to coffee stores, they are extremely diverse in terms of race and age. Due to the high cost of specialty coffees, poor people are often priced out of the experience and are the one group that is consistently absent from this cultural space.

However, the coffee shops of our society tend to be much more diverse than our churches overall. I wish I could say that at least the poor are accommodated better in the church, but unfortunately we often prefer charity over actual integration when it comes to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. When I take inventory of the ways in which the world reflects God's will more consistently than the church, I am reminded of how His grace can never be limited to the walls of religious institutions.

The church is ideally a foretaste of God's coming kingdom. If coffee can serve as a means for economic integration, could it also facilitate racial and cultural integration for the church, so that it can better fulfill it's role in society? If Communion is that time where we drink wine and break bread in honor of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for all of humanity and remember that through Him unity among all peoples is possible, then perhaps coffee can indeed serve as a supplement for the Eucharist outside of Sunday services and help build bridges where we find ourselves divided by race, class and culture. Then let us say, the kingdom of God is like good coffee shared among friends from many places.

P.S. For more reflections on church, race and culture visit a Jazz Theologian at Theomoments and Anthony Smith at Postmodern Negro.

Brother to the Fight

2005-10-19T12:33:00.000-04:00

Remember when Darius performed
that poem, "Brother to the Night" in Love Jones
with Nia Long sitting in the audience looking so good
She won me over in Boyz N the Hood

I wanted to be that smooth brother
who always knew the right things to say
I've always had a serious side
but when it came to women I just wanted to play

I remember when I first got my swagger back in high school
I had the flyest rayon shirts and man I thought I was cool
I had a bad habit of falling for other guys' girls
They would play the flirt and I would play the fool

So, in college I kept the romantic on the leash
It was time for the nice guy to rest in peace
It was uncomfortable at first, trying to be something you're not
After some practice though, that other guy was soon forgot

I was having fun, life was a ball
Then I felt my soul start to fall
One day Jesus gave me a wake-up call
Got a name change like Paul who use to be Saul

So, who am I?
Well, they call me Brother to the Fight
Not like a boxer and I've never been an Army of One
I don't go lookin' for trouble
and I don't carry a gun

Actually, I'd rather love than fight
In a world of violence, divorce and hate - to love is to fight
I'm so fresh and clean, don't wrestle with flesh and blood
Why should I be like a pig rollin' in the mud?

I'm at war with the powers-that-be
The ones in dark, high places - the ones you can't see
You may think I'm crazy, but that's okay
I know before the marches the people would pray

Who am I?
They call me Brother to the Fight
Don't get me wrong
I can still be that Brother to the Night

He's like the little brother you can't let out of sight
He looks up to his big brother to learn how to fight
Little Night put up his toy sword
Now he's learning how to write

The pen is the right way to fight
Sure I've been known to make love all night
Will you still love me if tonight I choose to write?
Timing is everything and with God everything will be alright

[Satire] How to Diversify Your White Church

2005-10-12T23:06:00.000-04:00

Damali Ayo has created thought provoking controversy with her website rent-a-negro.com. Given everything that African-Americans still have to endure in the face of racial ignorance typified in questions and comments like "Can I touch your hair?", "You're so articulate" and "Some of my best friends are black", Ayo thinks black people should be paid for entertaining such absurdity. The website is not meant to be taken literally or seriously for that matter, but she has been provided with an abundance of material for her new book, because so many people have tried to actually rent a Negro. I was thinking that if there are white people out there who want to hire a token black person for their social events and business functions to appear cool, cutting edge or tolerant, wouldn't it make even more sense to have a "Rent a Christian Negro" service for churches? After all, the church is supposed to be the true melting pot of the world right?

Disclaimer: If you have a poor sense of humor or are easily offended, please do not read any further. If you fall into the aforementioned categories and proceed anyway, you can't say that you haven't been warned.

Christian Negros for Rent by Type

Richard Allen 3000 - The Richard Allen 3000 Negro type will come to your church and sit in the back. He'll look around to observe just how white your church is and then spontaneously and conspicuously get up and walk out. Allen 3000s are great if you want to strongly convict your congregation into taking more proactive steps to diversify. Warning: If you happen to have a handful of rebels in the congregation, Allen 3000s will recruit them to help start a global revolution.

Ms. Jackson (and we ain't talkin' bout Janet) - Are you tired of singing the same old Medieval European hymns or do you want to expand your worship service beyond Christian knock-offs of secular soft rock bands? Then a Ms. Jackson can give your church the soul that it needs. Ms. Jacksons sing so passionately that they will send a chill down your spine and make grown men weep. Warning: The holy spirit does have a tendency to show up when there's an abundance of soul in the house, thus causing some congregants to act out of character by shouting, dancing and/or throwing up their hands.

Jethro Green - If you are a white mega-church, a Green is a good starter Negro. He will not say anything controversial or even raise any significant racial or social issues. If your church is looking to get to that next financial level, he is the perfect brother for the job. Warning: Greens preach so well and are so non-threatening to white people, some of your parishioners may end up leaving to join one of their churches, which will have a negative impact on membership numbers.

Marcus LeRoy King - MLK's will meet your church half-way when it comes to race-relations, as long as you give them a chance to preach. MLK's will need your church to expand the half hour window for sermons to two and half hours, so that they have time to bring down those racial strongholds. If you take the right steps to diversify in a timely manner they can be the most faithful of supporters. Warning: Delay too long in your actions toward racial progress and MLK's can turn into a major pain in the posterior by picketing and organizing boycotts of your church.

Prophetess Bind M. - The Bind M. type will enable your white congregation to experience the full black gospel-pentecostal-charismatic experience. They will have the whole congregation prophesying and speaking in tongues. In the midst of the glory cloud those members who have been harboring some unhealthy views toward black folk and other people of color may repent of their racism. Warning: Bind M.'s are able to discern racist demons and may attempt to heal the possessed by touching their forehead and causing them to pass out temporarily.

Please contact us for details on pricing. Your church's diversity will increase by 20 percent or your money back. Rent a Christian Negro for your next service today.

Harriet Miers and the Myth of Meritocracy

2005-10-06T10:20:00.000-04:00

In the spring of 2003 I just so happened be in Washington, D.C. at Howard Univesity during the gathering political storm of two Supreme Court cases (Grutter v. Bollinger and Gratz v. Bollinger) that challenged the constitutionality of Affirmative-Action in higher education. The University of Michigan's law school and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts served as the battleground for these cases in which the law school was exonerated, but the undergraduate program was not. Howard's law school produced the unparralleled legal genius of late Justice Thurgood Marshall who lead the NAACP Legal Defense Fund team that won the monumental Brown v. The Board of Education case. Marshall, of course, was also the first African-American to serve on the Supreme Court (The debate is still open as to whether or not an African-American serves on the Supreme Court today).

Howard law students, along with many other graduate and undergraduate students staged a rally on campus with African-American congressional representatives, including Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.'s non-voting member of Congress. It was inspiring to see all these young black people united and mobilized over a worthy cause, which in this case was the preservation of a policy which was ironically signed into law by a Republican by the name of Richard Nixon. Affirmative-Action is defined as "a policy or program that seeks to redress past discrimination through active measures to ensure equal opportunity, as in education and employment." The program was also created as a way to provide more equal opportunities for African-Americans, women and other minorites. To put it another way, Affirmative-Action served to counter centuries of white male nepotism and cronyism that was the result of generational racism and sexism.

America like all nations likes to tell itself stories. The stories are often presented as historical fact, but they are always infused with mythological fantasies. We're the greatest nation ever. Why? Because we say so. We are a merit based society, wherever anybody who works hard can be whatever they want to be. You know, the whole "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality. Compared to many other countries there is some truth in this statement, but it's grossly overstated. The reality is many people can not be whatever they want to be because of the legacies of racism, sexism and the obstacles of poverty that millions of (hard working) people have to contend with.

Many people can relate to going out into the world with or without a college degree and being told that you do not have enough experience for a job. We're told that we have to pay our dues by putting in long hours at relatively low pay if need be. If you want to be a Marketing Manager, you're going to have to work in the field for awhile. If you want to be C.E.O. you're going to have to learn as many aspects of business as possible. You may even have to get an M.B.A. But if you want to be a judge on the highest court in the land, apparently you don't need any judicial experience! Many politicians and pundits are trying to tell us this is a good thing. All of sudden having too much experience in the job that you have been appointed to is a negative in the case of Harriett Miers, who will most likely be the replacement for the Supreme Court's first woman, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

Well, she's a born again Evangelical Christian, so perhaps this is just God's divine favor. I'm not mad at her, because if I was in her shoes I would be smiling it up and trying on black robes right now (since I would have never had a reason to wear the uniform before). I suppose however that when you are appointed by a president who would not be the huge success he is without his family name and financial clout, it makes perfect sense to appoint someone based more on their friendship than their experience. Now Miers has accomplished some extraordinary things in her career, namely the first woman to be elected to the State Bar of Texas, and history shows that great justices need not have been judges. My problem is with the hyprocrisy of double standards.

George W. Bush filed a "friend of the court" brief siding with the plaintiffs who wanted to dismantle Affirmative-Action at the University of Michigan. The brief opposed what was decribed as quotas, but the admissions process actually incorporated a point system which assigned points to applicants of various minority groups that would help contribute to a diverse learning environment. Bush seems to be very skeptical of any program that directly uses race as a factor in college admissions or hiring in the workplace. He represents those that are either indifferent to or in denial of the lingering effects of a racialized past. Bush understood the importance of replacing Justice O'Connor with another woman (at the behest of his wife in part), yet overlooks the fact that Miers comes form his overwhelmingly white inner-circle (Condi Rice being the exception to the rule). Surely, there are numerous qualified African-American or other women of color with judicial experience and conservative credentials who could have been appointed.

The lesson in this matter is that despite all of the talk of meritocracy, ability is not enough. People continue to elevate in this society based on who they know or more importantly, who knows them. White Americans still dominate positions of power in business and in government and due to favoritism, whether it be based on relationship, race or both, Affirmative-Action as a matter of law or common practice is needed to balance out the equation for those who are not as privileged in terms of network and/or skin tone. For African-Americans we know that we must continue to live by the mantra that in order to be equal with our white counterparts, we have to be two times better.

P.S. Harriet Miers withdrew as a nominee for the Supreme Court on October 27, 2005 in face of mounting criticism from Senators of both parties and requests from the Senate Judiciary Committee to review internal documents related to Miers work as White House Counsel - documents which President Bush wanted to protect as privileged. We may never know which was the primary deciding factor: Miers' unimpressive qualifications for the Supreme Court or a very secretive administration's desire to withhold legal documents.

Black, Broke and Brilliant

2005-10-01T17:11:00.000-04:00

Lorraine Hansberry said it's wonderful to be young and gifted
but in times like this, double that,
to be young, gifted and black.
What happens to the young, broke and gifted
Many smoke weed cause they want to get lifted
They can't see past their block
So they sell that rock
How many would-be C.E.O's are trapped in the hood?
How do we sit in our plush pews like everything's good?

Meet a broke Negro with a college degree
Somebody lied cause a degree don't make you free
It might be a one way ticket into the Matrix
Drinking every night tryin' to get that fix
Once a sister finds out my income is low
Don't matter how smart I am or how much I know
I ain't sayin' she's a gold digga
But, she ain't messin' with no broke nigga
It's funny, men will do anything to get the girl
We'll lie and steal to buy her the world
Whether you sell drugs
or embezzle millions and buy Persian rugs
If it's hard out here for a pimp
It's even harder for brothers
tryin' to make a few hard earned cents

Don't be fooled by my suit
Cause if you look in my wallet you'll see no loot
You see I pay my child support
Nobody had to take me to court
Mom and Dad I hate to ask, can you help me with the rent?
What can I say, my family's heaven sent
I know I couldn't have made it on my own
That's why I bow down to God's throne
Even when I'm singing the blues like Nina Simone
I want to rise like stock prices above this debt
When I want to quit, the Lord says "You can't give up yet"
Matter of fact, you can't give up at all
Never forget that you've been called"

What happens to the black, broke and brilliant?
Well we have a history of being resilient
We have to draw inspiration from the past
and remember "This too shall pass"
Can we go to college without putting
all our faith into a degree?
We need God to truly be free
Let us remember salvation is a process
And if you chase money you'll get a whole lot less

If you copy and distribute any portion of this content, please identify the author as Rod Garvin and the source as RodGarvin.com. Thank you for your support.

Divine Will and Human Choice Pt. 2: Pharaohs, Traitors and Persecutors

2005-09-25T19:55:00.000-04:00

Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
- St. Paul (Romans 9:21)

In his letter to the Christians in Rome, Paul references the enigmatic act of God recorded in the Exodus story in which He hardened the heart of Pharaoh to demonstrate His signs of wonder, so that the people of Israel and Egypt would know that He is Lord. Given the multiple plagues and afflictions that were visited upon Egypt, it seems that any leader in their right mind would have acquiesced to the demands of the prophet Moses and let the slaves go free. Yet, in this particular text it seems that Pharoah's choice in the matter was taken away, so that God's will could be done.

Another example of God seemingly imposing his will over or upon the individual can be seen with Judas Iscariot who infamously betrayed Jesus Christ. Judas was the treasurer of the limited monetary resources that Jesus and the disciples shared amongst themselves and the poor. The Book of John says that Judas was a thief and collectively the gospels indicate that Judas' betrayal of Jesus was motivated by financial gain. It is also clear that Judas had a role to play in God's divine plan for redemption of humanity. After conspiring with the chief priests to ensnare Jesus, Luke writes that Satan then entered Judas (22:3). This verse brings to mind the relationship between God and the devil in the Book of Job, in which Satan is portrayed as being somewhere between semi-potent pawn and rabid dog on a leash. The devil can not do anything that God does not allow, but in the case of both Pharaoh and Judas, human agency seems to set the stage for a hostile takeover of one's faculties. Pharaoh was a symbol of idolatry and rebellion against God, as well as oppresor of His people. Judas was selfish and short-sighted at best and deviant and greedy at worst before his personal choices were usurped by providence.

Through the eyes of the Gospel writers, Paul was no better than Pharaoh or Judas, for he was responsible for the killing of the disciple Stephen and the wrongful imprisonment of many early Christians. When Paul (formerly Saul) is dismounted from his horse on his way to Damascus by the power of God's spirit, Jesus asks him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (Acts 9:4). Yet Paul's destiny was not to be one of dishonor. Instead Paul would be called out of his unrighteousness to glorify God and serve His people as an apostle. He neither asked for, nor deserved the grace and mercy he received and could have been left in his iniquity like Pharaoh or Judas. When his eyes were opened to the truth of Jesus Christ, he determined to be a faithful servant to the best of his ability.

But, what of the Pharaoh and Judas? Did they go to hell? Well we know they both died tragic deaths according to Scripture. That seems to be punishment enough to me. Is it necessary for God to torment these individuals and many others who do not fall within our rather narrow understanding of salvation for all of eternity? The Bible is much more ambiguous on the issue than many Christians would have us believe. We have a much greater preoccupation with hell (and heaven) than the ancient Jews or the early Christ followers. Even when Jesus used images of hell and fire he was making important commentaries about socio-economic injustice and making clear his identification with the most disadvantaged members of society (Matthew 25).

Some theologians believe the hell-fire language of the Bible is primarily rhetorical while others read it more literally (It's worth noting that modern thinking on hell tends to be influenced by the ancient Greek concept of "hades"). If Scripture is correct in depicting some individuals as chosen for grace and others for wrath and if the former translates into eternal bliss, while the latter denotes everlasting torture, than we Christians will continue to have a heck of a time trying to explain why and how God is just. It is one thing to say that in the midst of human sin and imperfection, God exercises divine prerogative to leverage our sin for a higher purpose. It is something else all together to say that God creates some people specifically for iniquity to fulfill His will, and then subsequently assigns them to eternal damnation.

People come to a variety of conclusions when it comes to the question of divine sovereignty and free will. Our theological assumptions tend to be based on our religious traditions. What is most important for Christians to realize is that had God not chosen to send His only begotten Son, we would have no choices. The only reason we can choose Him is because He first chose us.

Divine Will and Human Choice Pt. 1: My Testimony

2005-09-19T11:46:00.000-04:00

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you...
- Jesus of Nazareth (John 15:16)

A friend has asked me to tackle the question of God's sovereignty and people's free will or the lack thereof. Though there are those much more qualified than myself to address this issue, I will make a humble attempt to do so. Actually, it is a subject I have been contemplating since I came to embrace the Christian faith which will be seven years ago in the month of October. Perhaps a brief synopsis of how I came to be a Christ follower is the best place to start, because our theology is inevitably influenced by our experience.

This same friend was also my roommate for three years in college and we would get in very passionate discussions about politics, culture and spirituality. By my junior year in college I was becoming more and more agnostic in my outlook on matters of faith. Liberal Arts majors are taught to question everything and to proclaim beliefs simply because they were passed down by one's parents and family was simply irrational. Of course there are just as many university students who do not leap to that conclusion as there are who do. I happened to be one who did suffer a crisis of faith, if you will, for a variety of reasons.

In addition to the intellectual concerns, I initially had a hard time reconciling my growing interest in issues of justice and equality with the seeming indifference and silence from the Christians and churches that I was exposed to. My mother was an educator and by this time a devout Christian, but I traced my burgeoning curiosity more to the love for learning she instilled in me, than the faith that she so earnestly prayed for me to submit. This disconnect between my righteous sensibilities and those of popular religion was compounded by the illogic of dominant teachings on salvation and the knowledge that black people practice a religion that was introduced to them through their oppressors. As a young man growing more conscious of history, society and my own intuition I could not ignore these realizations.

Deep down in the soul that I struggled to recognize, I knew that there was a creative, cognitive, even spiritual force infinitely greater than myself at work in the universe. But, God knew that I was (and am) a hard-headed child and it would take something very drastic and dramatic to get my attention. The first wake-up call came from the news that I would be a parent. Agnosticism and borderline atheism are poor foundations for parenthood. My nihilism left me ill equipped to offer any coherence to a child who would be born into a world void of meaning. Since I never completely disavowed the reality of God, the season was ripe for once again exploring that possibility.

A young minister who would later become both trusted friend and mentor in the faith persistently invited me to visit his fledgling church started by a small band of people who had sojourned cross country from Washington state. It must have been the Holy Spirit that prompted me to go, because though I was becoming more spiritually open, institutionalized religion was still very unappealing to me. I went to this church, this fellowship, that was meeting in a Hilton hotel at the time and was forever transformed.

This was a Pentecostal leaning, non-denominational church that fully believed in prophecy and baptism by the Holy Spirit, so the atmosphere was fertile for a tangible experience with God. The pastor extended an invitation for people to come to the "pulpit" for prayer, but I of course did not leave my seat. As he prayed for those who responded to his call, an overwhelming, almost violent force began to swell in my chest which felt as if it were about to burst open. I remember having to physically constrain myself lest I be tossed out of my seat. My girlfriend and mother of my unborn child was sitting next to me and I desperately did not want her or anyone else to know that I was in the midst of a fierce battle with some unknown cosmic entity. After a couple of minutes, which may have only been twenty to thirty seconds, the volatile current within subsided and I quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was not over however. The pastor insisted on praying for my girlfriend, the child and myself. Given that it would be rude to say no, and what did we have to lose, we complied. As the pastor prayed over us, I was shaken by that same force I experienced earlier except this time I was moved to uncontrollable sobbing. I was weeping like a baby as they say. The pain and anguish of 23 years of life and all the confusion, frustration and disappointment that comes with it poured out of me through my tears. I could deny Him no longer. This was God revealed to me in this little, insignificant gathering of Christ followers, who were strangers from a distant place.

One may ask did I have a choice in accepting God in my life and acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, so that I might receive the gift of salvation? Where was the choice? My illusory reality was vigorously disrupted, thereby shattering the deceptive lens through which I interpreted the world. Everything I had believed was not a lie, but these other truths had to now be subjected to God's ultimate Truth. Was there a choice between drowning and grabbing hold of the rope which will save one's life? Not for me. The choice is found in what I do with the gift that the Lord has given me.

A So-Called Christian Nation

2005-09-16T14:52:00.000-04:00

Passages from "The Christian Paradox: How a faithful nation gets Jesus wrong" by Bill McKibben (Harper's Magazine):

Three quarters of Americans believe the Bible teaches that “God helps those who help themselves.” That is, three out of four Americans believe that this uber-American idea, a notion at the core of our current individualist politics and culture, which was in fact uttered by Ben Franklin, actually appears in Holy Scripture. The thing is, not only is Franklin’s wisdom not biblical; it’s counter-biblical. Few ideas could be further from the gospel message, with its radical summons to love of neighbor.

* * *

In 2004, as a share of our economy, we ranked second to last, after Italy, among developed countries in government foreign aid. Per capita we each provide fifteen cents a day in official development assistance to poor countries. And it’s not because we were giving to private charities for relief work instead. Such funding increases our average daily donation by just six pennies, to twenty-one cents. It’s also not because Americans were too busy taking care of their own; nearly 18 percent of American children lived in poverty (compared with, say, 8 percent in Sweden). In fact, by pretty much any measure of caring for the least among us you want to propose—childhood nutrition, infant mortality, access to preschool—we come in nearly last among the rich nations, and often by a wide margin. The point is not just that (as everyone already knows) the American nation trails badly in all these categories; it’s that the overwhelmingly Christian American nation trails badly in all these categories, categories to which Jesus paid particular attention. And it’s not as if the numbers are getting better: the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported last year that the number of households that were “food insecure with hunger” had climbed more than 26 percent between 1999 and 2003.

* * *

Are Americans hypocrites? Of course they are. But most people (me, for instance) are hypocrites. The more troubling explanation for this disconnect between belief and action, I think, is that most Americans—which means most believers—have replaced the Christianity of the Bible, with its call for deep sharing and personal sacrifice, with a competing creed.

In fact, there may be several competing creeds. For many Christians, deciphering a few passages of the Bible to figure out the schedule for the End Times has become a central task. You can log on to RaptureReady.com for a taste of how some of these believers view the world—at this writing the Rapture Index had declined three points to 152 because, despite an increase in the number of U.S. pagans, “Wal-Mart is falling behind in its plan to bar code all products with radio tags.” Other End-Timers are more interested in forcing the issue—they’re convinced that the way to coax the Lord back to earth is to “Christianize” our nation and then the world. Consider House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. At church one day he listened as the pastor, urging his flock to support the administration, declared that “the war between America and Iraq is the gateway to the Apocalypse.” DeLay rose to speak, not only to the congregation but to 225 Christian TV and radio stations. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “what has been spoken here tonight is the truth of God.”

* * *

The apocalyptics, however, are the lesser problem. It is another competing (though sometimes overlapping) creed, this one straight from the sprawling megachurches of the new exurbs, that frightens me most. Its deviation is less obvious precisely because it looks so much like the rest of the culture. In fact, most of what gets preached in these palaces isn’t loony at all. It is disturbingly conventional. The pastors focus relentlessly on you and your individual needs. Their goal is to service consumers—not communities but individuals: “seekers” is the term of art, people who feel the need for some spirituality in their (or their children’s) lives but who aren’t tightly bound to any particular denomination or school of thought. The result is often a kind of soft-focus, comfortable, suburban faith.

* * *

... Since the days of Constantine, emperors and rich men have sought to co-opt the teachings of Jesus. As in so many areas of our increasingly market-tested lives, the co-opters—the TV men, the politicians, the Christian “interest groups”—have found a way to make each of us complicit in that travesty, too. They have invited us to subvert the church of Jesus even as we celebrate it. With their help we have made golden calves of ourselves—become a nation of terrified, self-obsessed idols. It works, and it may well keep working for a long time to come. When Americans hunger for selfless love and are fed only love of self, they will remain hungry, and too often hungry people just come back for more of the same.

It May Sound Cliche... (Reflecting on September 11th)

2005-09-11T10:53:00.000-04:00

It may sound cliche
but it was just another day
A day like any other
Hit the snooze bar
got back under the covers

Driving thinkin' about how much I hate my job
even though I had two cool VP's named Bob
Sat down to check email and read the news online
only to find out that our nation was the victim
of an international crime

I watched the footage on CNN
Was this the terrible act of mad men?
The Temples of Mammon fell before my eyes
Few were able to say their last good-byes
The Fortress of Defense did not escape the wrath
In order to understand I had to do some math

Blaming the event on gays didn't add up
Politicians said the attackers hated our freedom
I didn't bother to drink from that cup
Were the chickens coming home to roost?
Better not ask that out loud
When everyone else is floating on a patriotic cloud
In the midst of fear and confusion
it's important to keep a clear head
I did some algebra before I went to bed

If X = Extreme Religion
and B = Bad Foreign Policy
then X + B = Hate
and X × B = A Violent Fate

It was just another day
A day like any other
except for the dieing of
3,000 sisters and brothers
in one unfortunate moment in time
and for the rest of America tragically sublime

Church attendance rose
at least for awhile
Our faith is weak compared to
the people of the Nile
How many Christians are willing
to take up their cross?
Are we willing to die for the lost?

No suicide bombs from below
or carpet bombs from the sky
will ever bring the peace that we seek
'Less we forget, the earth is for the meek
But, no one really believes in turning the other cheek
We say Jesus is Lord, yet His example we ignore
everytime we rush into war

It was just another day
A day like any other
A day to thank God
for sons and daughters, fathers and mothers
Just another day except for the one or two
atheists who decided to pray
If we learned nothing else, hopefully we
learned to treasure each day

God, Nature and the Sins of Man

2005-09-08T18:46:00.000-04:00

You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred.
- Paul (2 Timothy 3:1-2)

A friend of mine brought the above Scripture to my attention to my attention on his devotional email list. Biblical prophesies and revelations can be controversial topics, because we are often unsure about how we should interpret such texts. The dangers that Paul discusses with his disciple were just as relevant in the early first century as they are now. What's powerful about the Bible is that it's teachings have a way of pertaining to the both present and the distant future. In the case of the New Testament, the parallels between Rome, the empire of that day, and America can be very striking.

Some Christians are interpreting Hurricane Katrina as the wrath of God for the "sins" (read: fornication and homosexuality) of the country and New Orleans in particular because it's a city known for licentious behavior and overall immoral indulgences. Biloxi is considered a "baby N.O." and therefore equally deserving of it's fate. Problem with that line of thinking is that there are many Christians who live in the Gulf Coast - "Good church going folk" as we like to say. Many of the people whose lives have been devastated did not even live either of the cities called into question. So, what would God's motive be in killing them or disrupting their lives? Bad things happen to good people I guess.

The fact of the matter is this: New Orleans is not Sodom, Biloxi is not Gomorrah and nobody in that region deserved death any more than the rest of us. We should be talking about sins hower, but let's focus on the sins of neglecting the masses of poor, primarily black folk which have been most affected by the catastrophe. Us Jesus followers tend not to take Jesus's teachings on the poor too seriously. Many Christians are standing up and mounting a noble response to the disaster, but how much death and loss could have been avoided in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and places where poverty detroys people's lives everyday, if we could have simply treated them like they were Jesus himself? Would we make sure everyone had reliable transportation to get to work as conveniently as we do and flee before disaster strikes. Would we make sure that the levees were renovated to protect the poor who are always "left behind". No rapture for them this time.

Any attempts to blame these acts of God or nature or both on the sins of a handful of people, whether they be gays or gamblers is just bad theology. There is one sin we all need to atone for, or maybe two. God has two primary commandments for us: Love Him above everyone and everything else and love your neighbor as yourself. The failure to properly meet the needs of the poor, which has been addressed, is a violation of the second commandment. The worship of idols such as national flags, money (what the Bible calls "mammon") and our own flesh is gross disobedience of the first directive from the Lord. If we're honest with ourselves, we can probably identify one or more of these iniquities in our lives. The sins of the nation are many and we all bear responsibility for them in some way. Love of God and neighbor is the path to repentence.

Kanye's Complex

2005-09-03T16:33:00.000-04:00

"It's about imperfection. Everybody can relate to that."
- Kanye West to Che Smith, friend and co-writer of "Jesus Walks"

Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
- Walt Whitman, "Song of Myself"

At a time when hip-hop was plagued with oversexed M.C.'s and superficial rhymes you could say that Kanye West flew onto the scene like an angel out of heaven. His smash first single "Slow Jam" would pre-empt any chances of being mislabeled as a Gospel artist, but the inspirational, non-preachy "Jesus Walks" earned him a place next to other Patron Saints of Imperfection and prophetic reflection, such as John Coltrane ("Love Supreme"), Marvin Gaye ("What's Going On?") and Tupac Shakur (Too many songs with spiritual force and social relevance to name just one). Hua Hsu of the Village Voice had it right when he wrote in his review of West's first album The College Dropout, entitled "The Benz or the Backpack?", that self-conflict was in. With his second album, Late Registration, West proves that he is the king of cognitive and spiritual dissonance, which helps him capture the complex nature of the human condition better than any of his peers in hip-hop and perhaps better than anyone in music - period.

Kanye's complexity is fueled by a mother who is a retired English Professor and a father who is a former Black Panther and is currently a Christian marriage counselor. Pedigree may have given him his uncanny blend of intellecualism, spirituality and revolutionary disposition, but his middle class upbringing contributed to his preppy sense of style. Sprinkle on some hip-hop pathos and you have one of the most original musical artists ever. It is this hyper-awareness of his unique stature that boosts West's ego and causes some critics to paint him with the "arrogant" label.

Artistic contradiction, West's masterful formula for success, is precisely what causes Time reporter Josh Tyrangiel to question the revolutionary potential of Kanye in his article, "Why You Can't Ignore Kanye West." "Revolutions require moral certainty, and West's default position is doubt," writes Tyrangiel. "What he's up to is more like a reformation." Another conflicted Christian by the name of Martin Luther has taught us that reformations can have revolutionary implications, but Tyrangiel does have a point. If Hsu is correct in his assessment that, "Rather than sort through his life's ethical messes or compromised alliances, West peddles self-conflict as an end itself," than we have reason to be cautious about Kanye's role in a larger social movement. In all fairness, Hsu made his comments in reference to West's first album. The question is, has Kanye become more secure in the positions that he takes on various issues (keeping in mind only one year has past between his new album and his last one)? Let's take a look at some lyrics that touch on race and class, which are among West's favorite topics:

She's so precious with the peer pressure
Couldn't afford a car so she named her daughter Alexus [a Lexus]
She had hair so long that it looked like weave
Then she cut it all off now she look like Eve
And she be dealing with some issues that you can't believe
Single black female addicted to retail and well
But I ain't even gon act holier than thou
Cause fuck it, I went to Jacob with 25 thou
Before I had a house and I'd do it again
Cause I wanna be on 106 and Park pushing a Benz
I wanna act ballerific like it's all terrific
I got a couple past due bills, I won't get specific
I got a problem with spending before I get it
We all self conscious I'm just the first to admit it

- "All Falls Down," The College Drop Out

My chain, this ain't conflict diamonds
Is they Jacob [jeweler for many celebrities]? Don't lie to me, man
See, a part of me sayin', "Keep shinin"
"How? When I know what are blood diamonds
Though it's thousands of miles away
Sierra Leone connect to what we go through today
Over here it's a drug trade, we die from drugs
Over there they die from what we buy from drugs
The diamonds, the chains, the bracelets, the charmses
I thought my Jesus piece was so harmless'
Til I seen a picture of a shorty armless
And here's the conflict
It's in a black person soul to rock that gold
Spend your whole life tryin' to get that ice
On a Polo rugby it look so nice
How can something so wrong make me feel so right?
Right? 'fore I beat myself up like Ike
You can still throw your Roc-a-Fella diamond tonight

- "Diamonds from Sierra Leone (Remix)," Late Registration

In each of the previous songs, taken from from the artist's freshman and sophomore albums respectively, we see the theme of conflict and contradiction at work. Kanye will deconstruct a personal or social ill that he observes and just when one thinks he is going to make a definitive moral claim he digresses into a disclosure of his own imperfection to reveal internal struggles and possibly to avoid hypocrisy. "I'm pretty calculating," West admits (Tyrangiel). "I take stuff that I know appeals to people's bad sides and match it up with stuff that appeals to their good sides". As an example, he cites verses from Diamonds from Sierra Leone: "Life movin' too fast, I need to slow down/ Girl ain't give me no ass, she need to go down. 'All right, that's really crass, right? Really bogus,' West explains. 'So what comes next?' "My father been said I need Jesus/ So he took me to church, let the water wash over my Caesar' [haircut]. I go back and forth all the time." West seems to be motivated as much by his business savvy as his sense of integrity.

On the song "Roses" (Late Registration), we actually do see unequivocal righteous indignation at the injustice of disparities in health care quality. Kanye tells the story of his grandmother who passed away, in part because the family could not afford better medical treatment for her. West pours out his pain in the following lyrics:

If Magic Johnson got a cure for AIDS
And all the broke muh'fuckers passed away
You tellin me if my grandma's in the NBA
Right now she'd be okay? But since she
was just a secretary, worked for the church for 35 years
Things 'sposed to stop right here

While watching "A Concert for Hurricane Relief on MSNBC" (the program was shown on all NBC broadcast stations), I witnessed the moment that may have thrust Kanye into the stratosphere of controversy that few artists manage to reach. West deviated from the script on the teleprompter to denounce the media for their alleged racial bias in covering the hurricane's aftermath. "I hate the way they portray us in the media," lamented West. "You see a black family, it says, 'They're looting.' You see a white family, it says, 'They're looking for food.' Then there was the moment of "shock and awe": After declaring that the United States "is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible [emphasis mine]" (though he did exempt the Red Cross from critique), Kanye secured his place in the "bad ass" hall of fame. He said and I quote "George Bush doesn't care about black people!" Wow.

West has just become Enemy Number 1 in the eyes of many (white) Americans and the hero for masses of poor black folk. For those Kanye was speaking on behalf of, it doesn't matter if some of Bush's best friends are black like Condoleeza Rice and Clarence Thomas. Bush is merely a symbol of a government and a society who often overlook their own suffering people in order to extend a helping hand to people abroad. A friend brought to my attention the fact that our government responded to the 2004 Tsunami in Asia faster than the victims of Hurricane Katrina. "How could it be racism?" one may ask, "We're talking about two groups of people of color". The history between African-Americans and the larger society is a complicated one. Thank God so many Americans are stepping up to alleviate the plight of Asia and Africa, but many of our citizens (including a lot of Christians) turn a blind eye to the poor blacks in the hood across town, while they get in planes to fly food and medicine across the ocean. Those brothers and sisters in the ghettos of America are painful reminders of the legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and the lingering effects of institutional racism.

I may not have used Kanye's same words if given the opportunity to speak on behalf of African-America, but then again I may not have had his courage to say anything off script at all. He did stumble over his words because of nervousness, but the magnitude of what he managed to say will reverberate far beyond this moment. We can not gage the evolution of Kanye West by just listening to his music. We have to look at the artist as well as the man. Move over Tupac, it looks like you've got some competition.

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Rod Responds:

Kanye's comments were neither bold nor truthful. Everyone in the media was scrambling over each other to blame bush and conservatives for what they saw as a lack of response. Truthfully, it was bush who pleaded with the black mayor of NO to implement the evacuation and disaster plan to no avail and then seriously considered taking over the disaster relief from a mayor and gov. who were incompetant at best. We should not jump on the band wagon and look to the federal government to be a savior to a problem that was largly caused by a lack of action of the local governement. The federal government has done admirably well once they got the ok from local authorities to respond to a disaster that no one could have predicted.
~jeremy

Jeremy,

I appreciate your provocative comments. It has prompted me to do some additional research on the Katrina situation, but first I would like to address your assertion that Kanye's statements were "neither bold nor truthful." I think it would perhaps have been more accurate to say that his remarks were unwise or even foolish, because when someone deviates from a scripted message on a telepromter during a national relief effort to, in so many words, call the president a racist a lot of courage is needed. Now the comment as framed may not seem truthful on it's face, but when put into proper historical context and taking into consideration, the symbolic nature of the presidency and recognizing people's tendency to associate presidents with the state or society in general, we then become able to see the elements of truth in Kanye's message. His criticism of the racial bias of the media and the characterization of blacks as "looters" and whites as "finders" is already documented sufficiently, so I won't spend any time here on that observation (Even if you exclude the controversial photos that were posted on Yahoo! News, the media in typical fashion chose to highlight the criminality -both real and perceived- of a small percentage of black people, while the overwhelming majority were simply trying to survive and many were engaging in heroic feats to save themselves and others.)

By reviewing the State of Louisiana's press releases, we learn that Governor Blanco declared a "State of Emergency" on August 26th two days before Bush called for evacuation and asked Bush to make a federal request for evacuation on the 27th one day before Bush actually did so. Sunday, August 28th Mayor Nagin issued his mandatory evacuation and should have done so sooner, just as he should have used the school buses to help transport his citizens. Bush also should have responded to Louisina's prior requests for help in upgrading the levee system, since their budget like many other states have suffered due to massive tax cuts over the past several years. Either way you spin it though, the federal government has a role to play in disasters of this magnitude and could have acted more quickly as we all know.

Thank you for warning me about the dangers of jumping on band wagons. Let me me also suggest that we don't fall victim to goverment rhetoric and propaganda. White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan has faithfully followed orders to characterize any reporter who raises questions about the Bush Administration's compentency and discretion in responding to the disasters as "playing the blame game." Why is it playing the blame game to ask why the president took two days to come back from vacation while Katrina was raging against the Gulf Coast (Interestingly enough, he was finishing up a month long vacation when another disaster struck - 9-11. Only in that case he managed to make his way to Ground Zero by the next morning. No symbolic monuments of American economic dominance and not too many powerful financial tycoons in "Nawlins" though. Just a city which is 65% black and 25% poor.)

As far as messianic duties not being in the federal governments job description, they did not have a problem trying to be a "savior" for the Iraqi people, so why shouldn't they exercise the same grandiose scheme for their own citizens when it doesn't even require tanks and bombers to do so? And since when does Bush need permission to do anything? Yes, the federal government is finally getting mobilized around the relief efforts in a responsible way, and will probablly be even more effective now that Michael Brown has resigned as FEMA Director (Can we say "Check the references next time Mr. President?" and maybe get someone who actually has experience in emergency management). Unfortunately, the victims of Hurricane Katrina will be recovering long after this president leaves office. It's up to all of us to continue to support our displaced neighbors when the media have turned their cameras to the next big story.