I was raised in a Christian home, attended Sunday school, and was active in my church. An active faith is something I’ve always had (except for those first couple years of college). Since my mid-twenties, I have considered myself an evangelical Christian. Evangelical defined as one who spreads the good news of Christ’s teachings—salvation, redemption, love one another, among others. That was until 2007 when conservative Christians began their power-grab with refashioning the Jesus of the Bible—the itinerant Jewish rabbi who railed against the powerful, the self-important, and the Haves, and taught the importance of caring for the marginalized, the oppressed, and the disenfranchised—into a political savior of their own making.
America
The House That Slaves Built (A Scandalous Rhyme for Tumultuous Times)
This is the house that slaves built.
This is the con
Who lives in the house that slaves built.
This is the tart
Who screwed the con
Who lives in the house that slaves built.
This the goon
Who wasn’t that smart
And paid off the tart
Who screwed the con
Who lives in the house that slaves built.
Bonfire of the Proprieties: Winning Friends and Influencing People in 2018
Photo by Connor Jalbert on Unsplash
So this is where we are, America. Polarized. It’s Us versus Them in a battle royale, and we’re fighting tooth and nail over just about every imaginable topic. Few people are interested in finding common ground as a starting place to facilitate healing for our nation, or more importantly, its citizenry. But if you’re not raging at either end of spectrum, there’s a path to higher middleground.
How Come Nobody Can Let the Past Go?
White nationalists led a torch march through the grounds of the University of Virginia on Friday night in Charlottesville, Va. Credit: Edu Bayer for The New York Times
How come nobody can let the past go and learn to love and respect each other?
A friend of mine who supports leaving Confederate memorials where they are posed that very question a few days ago. And it’s a good question. Why can’t Confederate sympathizers let go of the past? There’s a faction of Americans who believe that removing these memorials is an attempt to erase history of those who fought and died in historic battles. I disagree.
Liberty and Justice for All: the Battle Continues
Image by Jacob Morrison, at unsplash.com
July 4, 1776. King George of England versus Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton, and a band of patriots. Back then, the game was a fight for our independence. And America won its freedom from England, a world-class superpower. Decisively.
“Who Wants to Be the Leader of the Free World” Season Finale and Moving On
Wow. That season finale of
“Who Wants to Be the Leader of the Free World”
was a shocker.
I, for one, certainly didn’t see that coming.
Am I disappointed? Yes. I’m disappointed in several of my Democratic, Republican, and Independent friends who displayed unbridled
With Black People It’s Either-Or
Earliest known photograph of the White House. The image was taken in 1846 by John Plumbe during the administration of James K. Polk. (Library of Congress/John Plumbe) Found at: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/white-house-was-fact-built-slaves-180959916/#hk54Pm4MdSwWPvkh.01
Why is that when positive references are made regarding Black Americans, our accomplishments, or our contributions to society, certain people feel the need to add the proviso (condition) “they didn’t do it alone,” but when negative references are made about Black Americans the underlying caveat (condition) is that the grouping is reserved exclusively for Black Americans?
Case in point—
Why I’m Lifting My Self-Imposed Ban on Discussing Politics
Flag by Jasper Johns
I have a burning passion for optimism, character, and faith. If you’ve read any of my posts, those are recognizable themes. For the longest time I didn’t talk about race relations in America, and it dawned on me that to keep silent on this topic would be to betray myself, my heritage, and my faith. For an even longer time, I avoided discussing politics, except in certain politically homogenous circles.