blackmanspirit

Body and Soul

2012-01-18T05:30:00.001-08:00

Body and Soul

January 18th, 2012 • Category: Healthy Living
Are you in the process of learning to live healthier? Maybe your New Year’s resolution was to eat better, exercise, or in some other way improve your physical health? Join us for the next few days as we offer scripture, insight, and encouragement to help on that journey.

Today’s scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12, 19-20 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

I just had this vision of how easy it would be for all of us to make a mess of our sanctuary at LifeJourney Church. We could eat pizza in the sanctuary during service, throw food at the pastor when he tells a bad joke, and put our muddy boots up on the sanctuary chairs. On Saturday nights we could take all the chairs out of the worship space, roll in some bars and hang a disco ball from the ceiling and have wild dance parties all night. We could sling our beverages all over, smoke cigarettes on the altar and roast a hog over the candles. I mean, we could… but all of us have learned to respect, in varying degrees, God’s house. In our reading today Paul explains that just like the four walls we commonly refer to as “God’s house,” our bodies are also a holy, sacred dwelling place for God.

If you are like me you may have set out to start 2012 committed to healthier living through regular exercise and changes in your diet. And if you are also like me, you may have set out on this path many Januarys of years past. So the question I have for all of us is, “How is this year going to be different?” How do I include God, who is the source of my will power and strength, in this journey?

I believe we have found it easy to compartmentalize God. We tend to treat the body as an appendage and the soul as what is most important, at least as it relates to what we bring to God. Many of us have been taught a kind of duality as it relates to our bodies and souls — that the body is sinful, lustful, of the earth, while the soul is, or at least attains to be, high, noble, lofty, and of the spirit realm. It seems part of our Christian nature to place the soul over the body.

But as I read our scripture for today, I believe Paul is calling for a shift to our old beliefs. Every soul needs a body, at least for right now, and the quality of the body affects the quality of the soul. How we treat our body directly affects our soul! I dare to believe that body and soul are one — neither is greater and neither is lesser. Despite the fact that the soul is eternal, body and soul are two sides of the coin of this life.

In our scripture the Greek word used for temple is naos. This term is not the word for a pagan temple, or even for the Jewish temple structure and grounds; rather, it refers to the Holy of Holies, the most sacred place for the people of God in the Old Testament. Paul is saying that God is resident within us. Your body is God’s mailing address and God dwells in YOU!

You would never consider trashing or disrespecting a church sanctuary, or letting it fall into disrepair, right? Our bodies deserve that same type of respect. We honor God by maintaining healthy strong bodies. It is a sacred house, a dwelling place for God.

Thought for the day: Do I see my body as special and sacred?

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.

Boring Haircuts and Sensible Family Sedans

2011-12-15T06:39:00.000-08:00

Boring Haircuts and Sensible Family Sedans

December 14th, 2011 • Category: Advent and Christmas

This is the third week of Advent, the Christian season of preparation for Christmas. We’re looking at some of the traditional themes of the season. This week: Hope and Joy.

Today’s scripture: Zephaniah 3:14-20 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

God is coming — look busy!

Whenever I hear that I laugh to myself. If you have ever worked in an office environment you can identify with the fear that the boss is coming to chop our heads off if we aren’t bent over our keyboards staring intently at some “life altering” project. It’s a fear based reaction that we learn early on and often we can so easily apply it to our Christian walk.

In today’s reading the prophet Zephaniah was speaking to the nation of Israel in a time of great national uncertainty. Israel was at war, losing badly and literally on the verge of being destroyed. The economy was tanking, death was everywhere around them, and peace and well-being were quickly disappearing. Exactly what was there to be joyful about? And here is the prophet saying, “Rejoice, God is here with you!”

So the idea of God being right here in our midst could be very troubling if all you have ever heard is that God’s wrath has fallen upon you. But today we are given a different image of our God.

I recently shared with a family member that I have been operating out of fear for most of this past year: fear of dying alone, fear of never finding love, fear of losing my job and fear of my health taking a turn. Fear is a powerful motivator, but it motivates fast solutions. Fear is what lands people in jobs that they don’t like in order to be sure that bills can be paid. Fear leads to boring haircuts and sensible family sedans. Fear leads to security. And while those things aren’t necessarily bad, I don’t want to be afraid of God looking into my life, entering my heart and taking over this body.

I want to be motivated by desire. Desire is much more powerful. Desire means working harder to do incredible things. I desire to be closer to God and I am anxious in this advent season for the coming of the Christ. As we prepare for Christmas day we should be mindful that being prepared for Christ has nothing to do with gifts and trees but has everything to do with preparing our hearts and minds to follow Christ! Rejoice! God is with us!

Thought for the day: Now is the season to acknowledge, once again, that God is with us. And, if we’ve never done so, to welcome and receive God into our lives, to make room for the One with all power in heaven and on earth — the mighty warrior with a quiet voice and a loving touch, the gentle parent.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, December 14th, 2011 at 12:01 am and is filed under Advent and Christmas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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2011-10-21T05:47:00.000-07:00

I Love the Lord
October 21st, 2011 • Category: Encouragement
Today’s scripture: Psalm 116 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. Psalm 116:1-2

Have you ever heard Whitney Houston and the Georgia Mass Choir sing I Love the Lord? (Take a listen below.)

It stirs my soul every time I hear it. That song and the reading for today always remind me that God is ever-present and listening to our hearts when they cry out!

We live in fearful times. We watch the news nervously to see what the next earth shaking calamity will be. Will it be terrorism, natural disaster, a worsening economy, or a violent criminal on the loose? And on top of what happens outside of our homes we also tend to remain fearful about our own Christian walk and faith. Oh God, I want to believe that your grace and mercy are forever but what about my sin, what about my walk, what if I get so far off track that you no longer want to be bothered with me? What will I do then? Where is God in all of this?

Let me share a powerful lesson I learned years ago. When you get real with yourself and with God, you will discover closeness with our Creator that you may have never known before. I may not get everything I want in just the exact way that I want it and there are rough days, but one thing I know and abide in is that God is keeping me and making a way for me every day.

What are you afraid of today? What keeps you awake at night? Please hear me clearly on this point: You are not less of a Christian for being afraid!

It’s OK to talk to the Lord about it. Cry out to God and even shout if you need to. These are the moments that you will develop a deep love for the Lord. In this age of uncertainty there is one thing that is absolutely certain: The Lord will respond when you cry out.

Thought for the day: Listen to the song I Love the Lord. As you listen to this song, think about what troubles you today and take it to the Lord. Rest and be secure in God’s presence.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 21st, 2011 at 12:01 am and is filed under Encouragement. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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When The End Is Actually The Beginnning

2011-09-23T07:33:00.000-07:00

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Today’s scripture: John 20:1-10 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

Have you ever been faced with a problem that you just knew was impossible to solve?

Perhaps it made you feel overwhelmed, like this-is-it-there-is-no-way-out-I-am-going-under. Has a doctor ever shared the results of medical tests and the prognosis they gave was guarded at best? As you walked out of the office you felt a wave of despair and thought, “I’m not going to make it. This is the end.” Maybe your dead-end experience concerns your finances. The bills keep growing and growing and you think there’s no way out — you’re headed for the shame of bankruptcy. Or, maybe its child-rearing that has made you feel this way. You used to have a great relationship with your son or daughter, but when they hit adolescence things changed. Now, all you do is fight and from your perspective the relationship has gone down the tubes. You feel like quitting. It’s a dead end that you can’t avoid.

When I read the verses for today that is exactly how I imagine Mary, John, and Peter must have felt. This is the end. One-hundered-percent of the time, the problem with that thinking, as it was with Mary and the disciples, is that we forget that God’s plan is at work in all of our lives. Who can argue with Mary’s loyalty to care for the dead body of Christ and her right to mourn his passing? But clearly we can see that Mary believed that Jesus’ life was over. Peter, confused by what his eyes were telling him, did not know what to believe. And as for John, the text only says that he believed. What exactly John believed we aren’t told, but I believe that in that empty tomb John found hope! No grave robbers leave clothes intact or fold kerchiefs neatly in the corner. There had been no struggle at this scene — there really was only one logical conclusion. Christ must be alive! And if that be true then hope must live as well! If Christ can defeat the grave then what in this world could God not deliver us from and give us strength to conquer?

Did you know your sorrow can become joy and your disappointment can become hope? Did you know your guilt can become a cleansed heart and your fear can become love? The resurrection teaches us that the mission of Jesus was divine, and his willingness to enter into suffering on our behalf would bring healing. The resurrection assures us of God’s unchanging character and our own eternal life.

Thought for the day: The resurrection of Jesus is a down payment and assurance of our own resurrection; and the resurrection is Christ’s pledge that we can trust the goodness of Jesus and the truth of His message.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.

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2011-09-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

IN A LITTLE WHILE!

September 7th, 2011 • Category: Gospel of John
Today’s scripture: John 16:16-33 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

Today’s scripture: John 16:16-33 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

I love the way Jesus uses imagery and parable to teach us. In our reading for today we are instructed that just as a woman must suffer and grieve before childbirth, we too will suffer. However, on the other side of suffering, after the pain there will be great joy! Joy so great that we will soon forget about the pain, much like a mother casting her eyes on her newborn child.

Clearly Jesus is attempting to prepare his disciples for what is ahead — the grief and suffering of his impending death and the joy will come at the resurrection when he and his faithful disciples will see one another again. We know the disciples didn’t factor the resurrection into their thinking about this Jesus, just as they had not factored in the cross. But as the story unfolds, we see them struggling to cope with the brutal death. We also see there surprise and joy at the news of his resurrection. In our lesson today Jesus is attempting to prepare them and us for both eventualities.

Eventually it seems as if the disciples get it! And in our own limited understanding, we too may believe that we get it. But if we were to read ahead a little further we might understand that the disciples did not get it, and while they struggled through their grief and disbelief they seemed to forget his promises. There will be grief but “in a little while” you will rejoice and no one will take away your joy!

Our understanding of the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ must be viewed as an example to each of us. Yes, there is life and with that life will come trials and challenges but in every situation there is resurrection! When we grow through our struggles, learn from our mistakes, keep our eyes focused on God, and continue to put one foot in front of the other Jesus promises us today that their will be joy, great and unspeakable joy!

Thought for the day: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.” Jesus purpose is not to shame or humiliate; it is to lead us into his peace even while we’re in the teeth of the storm!

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Why I Build Muscle at the Age of 45

2011-08-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Why I Build Muscle at the Age of 50

even though I am only 45 right now I believe this article still holds some
key principles and I hope to be building muscle for the next five years
and beyond:

http://www.muscleandhealth.org/Why_I_Build_Muscle_At_50.html

Why I Build Muscle at the Age of 50

Lately its occurred to me that I’m in a groove, my schedule, diet, routine and rest are all in sync and its fun when everything is moving in the desired direction Naturally when its fun the inclination is to focus more and work harder, which has led me to be in the gym a lot. Enough so that some people at my gym have commented on how much time I’m spending lifting and how cool it is “at my age” to take fitness so seriously.

This got me to thinking, about why I actually work out. I mean is it because I take fitness so seriously? I never really thought about the reasons why I do what I do, it is just who I am. But in thinking I have concluded that there are 4 reasons I build muscle at 50, and the 2 biggest reasons are nowhere near what you would think. In other words, they have nothing to do with my health or appearance.

Let me start with the two obvious reasons, those would be the previously mentioned health and appearance. I could drone on and on about the health benefits of muscle building at every age but suffice it to say they are real, and it is in and of itself reason enough to do it. They say 60 is the new 40 and they are right, and it is because of a better understanding of all things related to muscle building, diet, rest, and a general devotion to a healthy lifestyle.

I am a believer in responsibility, accountability and consequence in all things life. The point is that the people you see walking around with bodies you wish you had weren’t born that way, contrary to what those that don’t have these bodies think. They have chosen to look that way and pay the price every day to do so. That price is hitting the gym, eating properly and living clean. I decided a long time ago that when I was 50 I would not look like the average 50 year old.

I don’t and I am proud of that fact. So I do work out to affect my health and appearance. But they aren’t the two biggest reasons.

Mohammad Ali, once he reached middle age was asked where the angry rebel attitude of his youth went. His response was “A man that views the world the same at 50 as he did at 20, has wasted 30 years of life”. You have to be 50 to know the wisdom of this comment. As much as you might think you will, you will NOT view things the same as you age. You do things for different reasons and you will value different things. For example, I still like and listen to the music of my youth. It makes me feel young. But that’s the music of MY youth. Not the youth of today. When I WAS young I swore I would always listen to current music. I had NO idea at 20 how I would think at 50!

Age has taught me to appreciate the journey, not the destination.

Though the destination is important, having a good, attractive, healthy body, I understand and value MORE how you get there.

The actual effort required to accomplish the goal.
The beauty is in the process, this is where the metal of a man is tested.

To have and live out the discipline to “do it right”, without the benefit of youth is hard, and because of that, it demands and commands respect. I like knowing that other people notice and respect that I do it. It is this feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment that washes over me after a tough gym session, after a long day of work, that drives me to not take days off or take it easy because of my age.

Lastly, the final reason I build muscle at this age? It’s because I still can.

Once you arrive at my age you realize and know that it's VERY possible that in the blink of an eye, that could change. So by using the other 3 reasons for building muscle I help create the fourth, and since I like still being able to build muscle, I am smart enough do know that "if it ain't broke, don't mess with it".

While Jesus Is Waiting.................

2011-08-08T08:09:00.000-07:00

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While Jesus Is Waiting

August 8, 2011 • Category: Gospel of John

Today’s scripture: John 11:1-16 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

As I studied the reading for today I could not help but be reminded of the old familiar adage: “God’s delays are not necessarily God’s denials.”

I think it is important to read ahead to verse 21. Martha, the sister of the now deceased Lazarus, rushes to Jesus and says, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.” I always find this to be the most compelling line of this story. As modern day believers we have the advantage of seeing this story played out in its completion. In our piety we may frown upon what Martha is saying here, but if we are honest, who among us has not been guilty of saying, “Lord, what is taking so long?”

We’ve probably all had difficult situations where we went to God in earnest prayer, asking for some sort of deliverance or quick healing. I encourage you today to read this passage and understand that all of the individuals in this story knew that if there was going to be a victory in the circumstance of Lazarus’s death, it would come only through Jesus.

So the primary issue for us and in this story doesn’t have to be one of faith. We have familiarized ourselves with the promises of God. We believe, or at least can believe, that God is capable of moving in mighty ways — I don’t know about you, but I have evidence of what God will do. The place where the rubber meets the road is that place where we’re stuck in the gap between the fantastic promise of abundant life and the painful reality of life in a fallen world. It’s when we look about in confusion and hope that God will show up to make things right.

But we wonder, “Why is God waiting?” It’s when God’s clear calling on our lives is to do something that is difficult, painful, or seemingly beyond our ability — it’s when God wants us to do something totally beyond our strength or ability to manage that God shows up. Let’s not be surprised that confusion and perplexity are exactly where Jesus puts his followers in today’s text and in today’s world.

It is in this place of confusion and perplexity that we find all we can do is wait on God. Today, Jesus tells us that our waiting is not in vain. Our patience and faith are necessary in order for God’s true glory to be revealed. So, in the face of confusion, when Jesus seems to be waiting to enter into our lives, this passage challenges us to respond in faith by persevering in our discipleship with Christ.

Thought for the day: Lord, teach me to wait on you!

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

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2011-07-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Was Motown also the “Sound of Gay America”?

Trapped in Motown’s Closet
by Mark Anthony Neal

Nearly 35 years before the release of Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, a Gospel singer turned Disco star, recorded a song bearing the same title, which became one of the era’s most important Gay anthems. That a Baltimore bred, African-American man, who came of age during the height of Civil Rights movement could so seamlessly wed the Gospel impulses of this nation’s most affecting social movement, with the nascent impulses of the GLBT movement—“Yes I’m gay/tain’t a fault ‘tis a fact/I was born this way”—should not be surprising. That Bean did so recording for Motown Records, a company that symbolized the push for Black integration and respectability in the 1960s and 1970s, should elicit some wonder. Bean was not alone; in the mid-1970s the Motown roster also included the vocal group the Dynamic Superiors, whose lead singer, the late Tony Washington, was an out and flamboyant homosexual. Though the musical legacies of both acts, have been largely obscured over the years, their connection to, arguably, the most prominent Black brand of the 20th Century speaks volumes about how inclusive Berry Gordy’s vision was with regards to what he called the “Sound of Young America.”

Whenever the subject of Black music and homosexuality is broached, the figure of Sylvester, the groundbreaking Disco and Dance artist, is immediately recalled. While the Dynamic Superiors and Carl Bean where contemporaries of Sylvester, it is important to remember that both acts had already broken through to the mainstream before Sylvester released his influential classic Step II in 1978. As a solo artist committed to drag performances, Sylvester became the quintessential example of Black artists who successfully challenged the boundaries of race, sexuality and gender. Sylvester was indeed peerless, but not without precedent, if you consider artists such as Billy Strayhorn (Duke Ellington’s longtime contributor), Nona Hendryx, and Bessie Smith.

Not surprisingly, even Sylvester owed some debt to Motown for his success. Sylvester’s 1977 solo debut Over and Over was produced by Harvey Fuqua, founding member of the doo-wop group the Moonglows and one-time Motown record executive, who was responsible for bringing Marvin Gaye to the label. The title track of Sylvester’s solo debut was a cover of a Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson song, featured on their 1977 album So So Satisfied. Ashford and Simpson, of course, were the well known song-writing duo behind the great Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell recordings of the late 1960s; they were also responsible for the songwriting and production on the first two Dynamic Superior recordings, their eponymous 1974 debut and Pure Pleasure (1975).

Products of the Washington DC housing projects, the Dynamic Superiors began singing with each other as high school students in the late 1960s. Their big break came when they performed at a music industry showcase in 1972 and were spotted by Motown executive, Ewart Abner, most well known for his work as President of Black owned Vee Jay Records which featured acts like Gene Chandler and Jerry Butler and distributed the initial American releases of The Beatles. The group was quickly signed by Motown and their first album The Dynamic Superiors was released in 1974. The lead single, “Shoe, Shoe Shine,” was in the vein of the popular harmony groups of the day like the Stylistics and Blue Magic, and as lead singer, Tony Washington’s falsetto was every bit the match of Russell Thompkins, Jr. and Ted Mills, respectively.
Yet, Washington exuded something more—a something more that can be easily recognized on the cover art from that first album. For a label that years earlier released an Isley Brothers album with a picture of a White couple on the cover in order to enhance crossover and in the late 1970s released Teena Marie’s debut without a photo in order to obscure her White identity, Motown's willingness to even visually suggest Washington’s queerness is striking. Whatever curiosities arose in response to that album cover would be put to rest when the group began, rather famously to perform a cover of Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones,” in concert with Washington clearly singing “Me and Mr. Jones.” Such performances quickly had the Black Press describing the Dynamaic Superiors as a “gay” group, as was the case when a 1977 feature on the group in the New York Amsterdam News was titled “Dynamic Superiors Lead ‘Gay’ Music Crusade,” of course begging the question, what exactly is “gay’ music and what crusade was it a part of? (questions that the paper had no intention of answering in 1977).''

The group didn’t make much of such descriptions; in a magazine article in 1977 (New Gay Life), simply Washington suggested that “I guess it’s because it’s me myself. The fact that I’m the lead singer. I don’t hide it on stage.” Washington’s brother Maurice, also a member of the group adds in the same magazine piece, “It was always there. We just brought it out. Tony was just another member of the Dynamic Superiors…He never did hide.” In an era when no one talked openly about Black queer identity, Maurice Washington suggests that his brother’s willingness to be “out” on stage was empowering to some audience members: “there are a lot more homosexuals there than we think. But, they don’t care to let it out. Quite often after the show they want to meet Tony and want to thank him for being as open as they wish they could be…Tony’s a great inspiration.”

However progressive Tony Washington’s band mates may have been in their views about homosexuality—it was in fact his voice that made the group so distinct—audiences were not always in sync. As Washington admitted to The Advocate in 1977, “I guess I was trying to push the clock ahead, though I wasn’t that flamboyant in the beginning…I tried to ease it on them, bit by bit. I thought to myself, man, my makeup is part of the program, so why not accept it.” Washington often made the point, as he did to the Baltimore Afro-American in 1977 that “we are everyday people…we are proud and excited about what we do, but we still have our same friends in Washington.”

The Dynamic Superiors released four albums for Motown between 1974 and 1977. Trying to find just the right musical touch, Motown hired Ashford ands Simpson to do production on the first two albums, despite the fact the duo had departed the label in 1973, in part, because the label never saw them as a viable group (Valerie Simpson recorded two solo albums for the label in the early 1970s). On those first two albums, one can hear the embryo of what would become Ashford and Simpson’s late 1970s sound; heavy indebtednes to the Motown assembly line and deeply steeped in the Black gospel tradition that formed the foundation of the couple’s professional relationship in the mid-1960s. Washington and Ashford share similar vocal traits, so a song like the dramatic “Cry If You Want To” sounds like classic Ashford and Simpson, as does “Leave It Alone,” which was later samples by Noel Gourdin on “Better Man” from his debut After My Time.

It wasn’t until their second album, Pure Pleasure (1975) that the group began to broach queer themes in their music. Packaged in the guise of the personal freedoms that marked the 1970s, their cover of the Ashford & Simpson penned Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell classic “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” (a male duet of a song most known as a male/female duet) or a song like “Nobody’s Gonna Change Me,” became anthems for all those working on the margins.

The subsequent decision to gear The Dynamic Superiors towards disco was prescient, if eventually limiting for a group that got its start as a vocal harmony group. The Dynamic Superiors didn’t really reach their audience, in this regard, until their fourth (and last) Motown album, Give and Take, which features with a Disco cover (again) of Martha and the Vandella’s “Nowhere to Run.” The song succeeded in part, because, the dancefloor became one of the primary sites where sexuality was being negotiated in the 1970s; seemingly the Disco was the only place where folk had the freedom to come out, given the rampant homophobia of the era, which was manifested in thinly veiled “Disco Sucks” rhetoric.

At the time that “Nowhere to Hide,” was released, Motown was heavily invested in Disco music, if only because Berry Gordy was always conscious of the money flow. If Disco was going to dominate the radio, and Philadelphia International Records (PIR) was building an empire, in part because of its role in creating the building blocks for Disco, Motown was, literally, going to be in the mix. Like PIR, Motown was influential in the formative years of Disco; Eddie Kendricks’ “Girl You Need a Change of Mind” (1972) is often cited as the first Disco record and his “Keep On Truckin’” (1973) was one of the label’s biggest singles in the early 1970s. The solo careers of David Ruffin, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 were all re-booted in the mid-1970s with Disco tracks, such as Ruffin’s “Walk Away from Love,” (1975) Ross’s “Love Hangover,” (1976) Jackson’s “Just A Little Bit of You” (1975) and The Jackson 5’s “Forever Came Today” (1975). Indeed the future trajectory of Michael Jackson post-Motown career was largely shaped by his desire to find his own voice within the Disco idiom.

Given the label’s commitment to Disco—even Marvin Gaye released “Got to Give It Up”—it would seem that Motown likely placed little significance on Carl Bean’s “I was Born This Way.” In fact, Bean’s version was the label’s second go-round with the song. The song, which was written by Bunny Jones, was initially recorded by an artist named Valentino and released independently by Jones. As the song topped the dance charts in England, Motown purchased the rights from Jones. When Motown botched the song’s promotion—and understandably so—Valentino’s version died, only to be resuscitated a year later by Bean, on a recording that featured veteran PIR and MFSB guitarist Norman Harris and Ron Kersey, who was a member of the Trammps (“Disco Inferno”), in an effort to give the song that PIR sheen.

Carl Bean was not new to the music industry; as an already out Black man, he began his professional career in a Gospel troupe led by legend Alex Bradford. With the group, Bean had the opportunity to perform on Broadway in shows like Your Arms Too Short to Box with God and Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope. By 1974 was fronting a group called Universal Love that was signed to the ABC/Peacock label. The group faltered, as Bean explains in his recently published memoir I Was Born This Way, because the group was “ahead of the curve. I was part of a movement looking to erase the line between R&B and gospel.” (175)

Nevertheless, Bean showed up on Motown’s radar because of Universal Love. According to Bean, in his first meeting with Motown executive Gwen Gordy, she admitted that her brother Berry thought “Bean would be perfect. It’s a message song with a gospel feel. Bean will tear it up.” (193) Besides Harris and Kersey, Motown brought in Tom Moulton for an extended mix, that was marketed directly to Discos, since Black radio stations were unlikely to support the song, even from a valued label like Motown. In the book, The Fabulous Sylvester, DJ Leslie Stoval tells author Joshua Gamson that Sylvester was “informally blacklisted because he was gay…they weren’t ready to give this gay man his place. They didn’t want to deal with it.” (127) Such was the environment that Motown and Bean faced. Nevertheless, without the support of radio, “I Was Born This Way” became a major club hit, that placed Carl Bean on the precipice of major success.

With “I was Born This Way,” Carl Bean was in position to became everything that Sylvester became, and to their credit Motown was ready to make Bean its next major start, but with a caveat. After Bean signed with the label, he was given the opportunity to record an album that was initially intended for David Ruffin. As Bean recalls in his memoir, the “tracks were smoking-hot R&B. And the lyrics were all about love and ex—love and sex between a man and a woman.” As label executives promised Bean that he could become the next Teddy Pendergrass, he choose to walk away from the deal rather record as an heterosexual.

Bean eventually found another calling, one that led him back to the church and into the role as a prominent AIDs activist. The founder of the Unity Fellowship of Christ Church in Los Angeles (which was featured in the Marlon Riggs’ groundbreaking documentary Black Is, Black Ain’t), Archbishop Carl Bean has been an important advocate for many communities, providing one of the few Christian-based safe havens for Black LGBT communities and founding one of the first AIDs hospices in the country. For Bean, his sexual identity and faith were never at odds, as he explained in a 1978 magazine article that “it’s God’s way of making a statement through me…it’s something that should have been said a long time ago.”

One wonders if Carl Bean and Tony Washington ever crossed paths at Motown; Washington is rumored to have died from AIDs, after the Dynamic Superiors broke up in 1980. Bean and Washington's legacies will forever be linked, reminding folks of the time when Motown was not only the “sound of Young America,” but perhaps the “Sound of Queer America.”

***

Major h/t to Queer Music Heritage for their postings of article about Tony Washington and Carl Bean.
Posted by MAN at 11:17 PM Email This
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Labels: Arch Bishop Carl Bean, Berry Gordy, disco, Dynamic Superiors, I Was Born This Way, Lady Gaga, Motown, Nick Ashford, Tony Washington, Valerie Simpson
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Spiritual Spring Cleaning

2011-06-21T05:42:00.000-07:00

Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.

I praise You, Lord,
For cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Your Word,
And make me pure within.
Fill me with fire
Where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire
To magnify Your Name.

Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Yours;
Fill my poor heart
With Your great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord
In me abide.

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 09:01 PM PDT

Today’s scripture: John 2:13-25 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Tommy Chittenden):

“many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing.”

This is good, right? We come to verse 23 and we think, “this is good, people are believing, this is good.” Then we start reading verse 24 which starts with the word “but.” Now that can’t be good. It’s kind of like the person who says to you, “I really like what you’re doing with your hair, but…” Isn’t there just something in us that makes us forget everything that came before the word “but”?

“But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all people… and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Anyone else asking, What’s going on here? People are believing in Jesus, but Jesus did not entrust himself to them?

Jesus’ life on earth was anchored in his relationship with the Father. Jesus’ contentment was not based on what others thought of him, or how well things were going at a given time. What others did or said did not affect him. At this time in Jesus’ ministry, he was becoming very popular, but, recognizing the heart of humans, he did not place his faith in what others thought of him, but continued to get his joy and security from his relationship with God. His joy and security was constant, whether he was being praised or persecuted.

God wants you and me to have confidence, security, and joy through a relationship with God. If our life is anchored in that relationship, always seeking God’s will for us at the moment, aware of the Spirit — then nothing can happen to take away our joy, because our joy is not based on our circumstances:

…your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. John 16:22

When our life is anchored in our relationship with God rather than in how others treat us, we will be steady whether we receive praise from others or not. Jesus knew this — that those who cried “Hosanna” and welcomed him as their king could cry out “Crucify him” a week later. Jesus wasn’t trying to win the crowd’s approval… so he was not entrusting himself to them, for he knew all men.

Today, I invite you to join me in a self-cleansing ritual, to clean the very “temple” where our Creator resides today. Open up every compartment of your heart and mind allowing the healing power of unconditional love to replace darkness with the energy of Light. Remove the masks that prevent us from being authentic, from living with integrity. Discard the poison of gossip and lies replacing it with the impeccability of our word. Replace fear with love by remembering who You are.

Thought for the day:

Search me, O God,
And know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior,
Know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be
Some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin
And set me free.

I praise You, Lord,
For cleansing me from sin;
Fulfill Your Word,
And make me pure within.
Fill me with fire
Where once I burned with shame;
Grant my desire
To magnify Your Name.

Lord, take my life,
And make it wholly Yours;
Fill my poor heart
With Your great love divine.
Take all my will,
My passion, self and pride;
I now surrender, Lord
In me abide.

Search me, O God is based on Psalm 139:23-24. It was written by James Orr in 1936.

Welcome Summer........

2011-06-17T07:17:00.000-07:00

The cut says it all..............its summertime! Time to shave off most of the hair lose the beard and embrace my youthful tanned slightly slimmer self. I have come to the decision that the beard and baby afro always represent a darker side of life for me. Winter is a very different vibe. Being a December baby I find myself being very reflective around fall and the ensuing holidays. Sometimes that reflection takes me down a bit. Perhaps its dissappointment at not having achieved all of the things I think I should have. Or perhaps its the realization that some of those "what I want to be when I grow up" fantasies will never come true. And then it gets cold and snowy and slowly the bear in me comes out adn hibernation sets in.........along with some depression and hopelessness.................BUT ALAS, Spring blossoms and the sun tends to stay out longer and the depression meds start to really kick in and suddenly there is hope and before you realize it its summer...time for rollercoasters, swimming pools, family reunions, and outdoor concerts!! I praise God today for the changing seasons and His faithfullness to be there not only when the weather breaks but in the deep dark coldness of winter.......holding our hands........keeping us near and reminding us that yes indeed brighter days are coming........as they always do!

Jesse Jackson's "I Am Somebody" 40 Years Later

2011-06-14T06:44:00.000-07:00

Jesse Jackson's "I Am Somebody" 40 Years Later
By Trymaine Lee on Jun 13th 2011 3:31PM

It was 1968, not long after the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., when a young Jesse Jackson, still emotionally devastated by his mentor's death, stood amid a crowded tent city. People here were desperate for food, shelter and security.
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Jackson, who was 27 at the time, had committed himself to continuing King's poor people's campaign to advocate for public accommodations and relief for the needy. He was there that day to give the people what he could. Money was in short supply, he said, and the people that had gathered around him were hungry for so much more than he could provide.

"They were the most rejected, the most impoverished, the most needy," Jackson recalled. "I would look in peoples faces, they were looking to me and they wanted me to give them something, to say something. I had no more food to give them. I did not even have a bus ticket to get home. I couldn't offer them any material."

It was then that Jackson recalled the moment and the words that first came to his mind as he addressed them, a three-word refrain that would go on to change the way generations of African-Americans and poor people would see themselves.

I Am Somebody.

"I said say it with me. I am," he called out that day. "Somebody."

"I may be poor," he said. "I may be on welfare or unskilled. But I am somebody."

The seeds for the poem, I AM SOMEBODY, were born.

"Once I set that table," he said, people bought in, that "where there is life there is hope, and where there is hope there is infinite possibility."

While the saying had long been part of the repertoire of black preachers and ministers, it was Jackson who took it beyond the black church. In 1971 Jackson read the poem to a group of children during an episode of 'Sesame Street' (see video above), cementing it in the pantheon of popular culture. A few years later, he again took it to the masses during the now legendary WattStax music festival (pictured below) in Los Angeles. "I Am Somebody" joined "Black Is Beautiful" as a phrase that went beyond catchy to become powerful statements during a time when self-worth was synonymous with self-empowerment, both of which were desperately needed in the black community.

More than just a self-affirmation, it was a pronouncement, a willing of value by folks whose poverty or skin color or social circumstance left them marginalized and feeling less than. It touched more than just blacks, it reached people of all color who felt beaten down by mainstream American society.

"I think one constant in all of this is that people are always on a quest for self-affirmation, to be loved and to be protected," Jackson said. "With all of these changes we go through, that is a constant. There are so many signs that condemn people to nobodyness. 'I can't get a job because, I can't go to school because, I can't afford health care because, I can't live here because.' All of these abounding negatives, but affirmations trump a negative."

In 2002, the rapper Nas took a page from the Jackson playbook with the release of his chart topping song, 'I Can,' where he implores youth, in similar call and response fashion: I know I can / Be what I wanna be / If I work hard at it / I'll be where I wanna be.

Robert Ferguson, 45, a design engineer for AT&T who grew up in Indianapolis, said that as a young man the poem spoke to him "in terms that I could understand."

"I think that for me it was just a mater of pride," Ferguson said, "and the way that I carried myself." He was a fifth or sixth grader when he first heard the Jackson poem.

But by and large he said today's young people are a generation obsessed with itself and not the collective community which has shied away from the kinds of affirmations and self-awareness that helped others open doors for them.

"I think it's generational. I don't think that this generation or the time that we live in now, I'm not sure that message resonates with us," he said. "I think now it's I can have, I can attain, I can achieve, I can have more. I can get more material things. That seems be the mantra for today, as opposed to I am somebody, I have worth."

And the Rev. Jesse Jackson's stock has fallen amid various controversies and assaults on his character over the years. So, it is likely that as many people have distanced themselves from Jackson as a public figure, they have also distanced themselves from many of his messages, I Am Somebody, included.

But Jackson, who still tends to speak in rhythms and prose, created a canon of phrases to address social needs. There was "Down With Dope, Up With Hope," "Stop The Violence, Save The Children," and perhaps most famous, "Keep Hope Alive."

There was a time when Jackson was viewed as cool, an activist and minister that was as trendsetting as any activist could have been. He was often seen on the covers of popular black magazines of the day, wearing denim jean jackets, dashikis and medallions.

"I remember having his poster on my bedroom door and I remember that, for my mother and my grandmother, Dr. King and Rosa Parks and Abernathy, that was kind of their civil rights heroes. I remember thinking those people were so old and out of touch," Ferguson said. "But Jesse Jackson was kind of cool to me, he had the big afro and the dashiki and he was just kind of speaking to me."

Even this reporter's mother used I Am Somebody as a way to motivate her young son each morning before school, to send him out into the world with a head held high.

"You were two or maybe three. I was just taking you to school one morning and I said I AM," she recalled, "and I just kept saying it until you could respond, that I AM, Somebody. Just knowing that your situation was not going to be the easiest I wanted to give you the weapons and tools that you would need."

"I think it really worked," she said, "that regardless of what the situation was, you knew that you were somebody."

Forty years after Jackson first read that poem on 'Sesame Street,' he says he is still asked to read it no matter what country he is in or what kind of group he is addressing, black or white, young or old.

"Wherever I am in the world, in our country or Britain or South Africa, it resonates," Jackson said.

WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD

2011-06-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, EPH 6:12.

I feel like lately I have been under attack. I feel that I have been able to speak peace into my life through God in every area of my life...............but I wrestle with my attraction to the flesh! Even when I know something isnt good for me......I keep going back! if satan were attacking me...........I'd say he knows my weakness!

Ezekiel 28
17 Your heart became proud
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.

So today I am battling the strong desire to call this beautiful one who surely could be called "the most beautiful angel' thrown to the earth.

I want to direct your attention to the first part of our text (EPH 6:12). Let's center our thoughts around wrestling with flesh and blood, which is the first portion of that verse. Satan does not want you and me to know the true character of God, but God's Word does teach the true character of Satan.

Through Satan's devices, the true character of God is concealed from us. On the contrary, God's Word speaks very specifically to let us understand the true character of Satan. I believe it is very important to understand the true character of Satan, as well as the character of God.

Satan deceives his victims about the true character of God to keep them from returning unto God. I believe deceit is something Satan will use to conceal the true character of God. This wrestling match with Satan is a sharp, life-long combat, which no Christian can escape. When scripture says, "...we wrestle not against flesh and blood." This teaches us that we are in fact wrestling. It will be a very strong combat between us and Satan. Every Christian will encounter this combat.

let's consider what is meant by the term "WRESTLE", and how to wrestle.

let's consider how we are not to wrestle.

lets consider the fact that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood.

The first point I want to deal with is what is meant by the term "wrestle", and how to "wrestle." Wrestling is not a team sport. In a ball game, you see teams. If one seems to be overcome, there is another member of the team who can relieve him from combat. Then they are able to recover strength and go again. In a wrestling match it is one-to-one. When we start dealing with this subject of wrestling with Satan, we are dealing one-on-one. There are no teams.

In 1SA 17:8, we read about Goliath and David. Stop and analyze the armies of Israel. They were confronted by the armies of the Philistines. When they were confronted, Goliath went out and asked, "Why put these armies in array? This would put our whole armies in jeopardy. Let me have one man, and I'll war with one man. If I win, you'll be servants. If your man wins, we'll be servants." Goliath suggested this in 1SA 17:8, "And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? Am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? Choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me." He was saying to put the battle in array one man to one man.

That would be a very personal warfare. We have to understand that Goliath is a type of "the old man of sin." Warfare is going to become a very personal matter between you and "the old man of sin."

You will find that you are fighting a personal warfare, one-to-one. We don't go in as an army or a unit. We don't go in to try and gain a victory as a combined, organized team. We must go alone. We find we are in a one to one battle. When an army engages in a battle, some men may come out without a scratch. When the battle is one-on-one, you are the sole object of your challenger's fury. Your challenger's fury is directed to you personally. You are the sole object.

In 1SA 17:9 we read, "If he be able to fight with me, and to kill me, then will we be your servants: but if I prevail against him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve us." Think of the challenge for David. He had to go face Goliath alone. They had the understanding that if he was slain, the armies of Israel, the armies of the Lord, would become servants to "the old man of sin." That was a tremendous challenge. He went in the name of the Lord. It will be in the name of the Lord that you and I will come against "the old man of sin." We must come against Goliath.

That battle becomes personal. It is not a team warfare anymore. It becomes very personal. "The old man of sin" in us wants to succumb to the powers of sin. This is what we mean by wrestling. We are meaning it is a one-to-one warfare.

The whole issue of your spiritual destiny is personal and particular. You must understand it is a warfare between you and "the old man of sin." The wrestling must become personal and particular. It is not what becomes of him or her, but what becomes of me. It is a one-to-one warfare.

You give Satan a dangerous advantage if you see his wrath and fury against the saints in general, and not against yourself in particular. You give him a horrible advantage, because you are caught off guard. He can have some tremendous advantages on you before you stop to realize you are his target. It is you personally. Satan hates me! Satan accuses me! Satan tempts me! We don't look at this in general terms, but in personal terms.

I'm struggling now for my own spiritual survival, so I do not succumb under the power of Satan.

Parallel to that, Satan wants us to look at God's promises in general. We don't have to look at Satan's accusations and attacks in particular. We have to parallel that to one of Satan's attacks. He wants us to look at all the promises of God in general. We now have all the promises of the church. Does that automatically include me? No!

Thus we fail to see God's providence and promises as personal. When God's providence brings a trial in our life, we must see that God, in His providence, will bring us through the furnace. Then every promise has to become personal for me. When the Lord says, "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith," my eyes must look unto Jesus in the trial of faith He has sent upon me. It becomes personal.

Every saint must come to say, "God loves me!" He must say, "God loves me!" Every saint must come to the point that he understands when God pardons him! He must say, "I need a pardon for my sin! I have brought reproach upon His name.

When I have wounded a brother or a sister, I must realize that I need that balm of Gilead in every wound. [It becomes personal.] I see every sin that I have committed against God's honor and every sin that I have committed against one of His saints. I see that it becomes personal. I need a pardon for that sin." This is what we need to understand. The word "wrestle" is not used in a general sense.

Wrestlers grapple hand-to-hand. The enemy actually has a hold on you. It's not just a mystic thought of something. You're in a wrestling match and you make physical contact. That opponent actually takes hold of you; he has a hold of you with an objective to put you down and gain a victory over you. It becomes a wrestling match. You either resist or fall shamefully at his feet.

If you think you can go through these wrestling matches without resisting the devil, you are going to fall shamefully at his feet. He is going to crumble you. If you're one of the Lord's loved ones, that doesn't mean he'll eternally gain the victory. Oh, beloved, he will bring you to shame. He will bring many wounds and bruises upon you.

We have to understand what we read in JAM 4:7, "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." We may not give place to the devil. How do we do this? When we allow a tempter, we "...hatch cockatrice' eggs, and weave the spider's web: he that eateth of their eggs dieth, and that which is crushed breaketh out into a viper," ISA 59:5.

You have to tear down those strong holds of Satan instead of allowing a tempter to rule your heart and to captivate your soul. If you allow these things, you aren't resisting the devil. Satan moves in close. He takes hold of your very flesh and corrupt nature. He takes hold of those corrupt inclinations within you and uses them to slaughter you. He uses your own temper, pride, and covetousness to destroy you. He gets a hold of your very flesh and corrupt nature and tears you to shreds.

This should cause you to draw nigh to God. It says in JAM 4:8, "Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. [Isn't that beautiful?] Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded." This means we must resist the devil, and he'll flee from us. We may not give place to the devil.

Our text says, "WE WRESTLE." The apostle thereby included himself. There isn't one person who is excluded from this. The quarrel is with every saint. Satan is not afraid to quarrel with the pastor. He is not too proud to quarrel with the poorest saint. Satan doesn't forget anybody's address.

If a pastor is preparing a message, Satan loves to get a little deceit there. He loves to see us claim a little comfort from something that is outside the Word of God.

Satan tries to keep the pastor from reproving a sin that needs reproving. Satan will caution that this can cause a stir in the church. He says, "You better not do that, that will cause dissension!" That's how he gets a hold of the very corruption in the hearts of the pastor and of the poorest saint. He knows just where to find it. He'll take a hold of that and pick a quarrel with it.

Christ does not send one part of His army into the battle and leave the other to bask in the sunshine of idleness. Every saint is going to understand what it means to "wrestle" with Satan. This wrestling match is going to include everyone.

In HEB 12:6-8 it says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. [Every son doesn't leave any go free!] If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? For if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons," then you can't claim God as your Father.

If you don't understand what it is for the Lord to use that purging process of the furnace, then you are not to be called a son. The warfare is for the rest of your life.

As we grow in grace, the spiritual warfare only increases. As we go forward and become mature Christians, the warfare doesn't get won; it gets greater. In GAL 5:17 we read, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

We can sit calmly and relax sometimes, picturing exactly how we would like to handle a situation. Then we get in the heat of the battle and lose our cool. Then tensions come out. Before we know it, we're not doing what we thought we would. We find that we are not able to do these things.

The Lord has a reason for this. He does this so we become more dependent upon Him. The Lord wants us to be where we are as a little child, so we learn to eat out of His hand daily. The Lord is using the process of persecution and chastisement to make us become smaller and smaller in the flesh. No condition in the flesh is a place of rest.

In prosperity, Lot's righteous soul was vexed by the filthy conversation of the wicked. We read this in 2PE 2:7-8, "And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)" He had no place of security or peace in a state of prosperity, neither did he in a state of adversity.

In adversity Job was vexed. JOB 23:8-10 reads, "Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."

Job saw that he was in the way of adversity. He was vexed. Why? The Lord had withdrawn from him. He was wrestling against principalities and power. He was threatened and he was wrestling, but not with flesh and blood.

The Psalmist understood the days of darkness and of light as a result of his spiritual warfare. Listen to what he says in PSA 139:7-11, "Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me."

He saw he could not find a place where he was not under the observation of the Lord. He saw the Lord was there observing and leading him in every step of his life.

We wrestle with the body of sin as well as with Satan. We have to understand that we have a body of sin. We don't need Satan to instigate every evil thought. We're fallen creatures ourselves. We have to understand also, that Satan likes to be the author of these thoughts.

Satan likes to seed them in our minds, but he can't cause us to act upon it. This takes our own deceitful heart. Satan loves to instigate and tempt, but we are the ones that are guilty of acting upon it. When we go forward and act in behalf of Satan's council, we have to see what it says here in ROM 7:18-20. "For I know that in me [that is, in my flesh] dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."

Christ admonished us to deal a death blow to that body of sin. Our tongue is part of that body of sin. Our hands that are swift to do and to exercise those evil thoughts that come in our minds are part of that body of sin. Our feet that are swift to run to do evil are part of that body of sin. These are all part of that body of sin. They all have to be crucified. Christ admonished us to deal a death blow to that body of sin.

Let's see what it says in MAT 5:30, "And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, [that is, dealing a death blow to that body of sin] and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell."

The same is true with the lustful eye. It has to be plucked out. The foot that is so swift to run to iniquity has to be cut off. That doesn't mean that we physically cut off our arm, leg, or pluck out our eye. It's the body of sin that has to be plucked out. Those members of that body of sin which draw us into those temptations have to be dealt with, and Satan will flee from us. Draw nigh unto God, and he'll draw nigh unto thee.

let's consider how we are not to wrestle. When we wrestle with Satan, we wrestle for God. When we settle into complacency, we are in a passive resistance to God. We must be very careful against wrestling against God or the things He sends in His providence.

When God sends a trial in providence, we start fighting the trial. Instead of seeing the Lord's hand in the trial and profiting from it, we are wrestling against God. You have to be careful of this. In ISA 45:9 it says, "Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! [Let's stop and analyze this in that light] Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?"

The Lord is telling us we may not strive with the Lord's providence, which He has sent upon us. We are the clay in his hands. What He wants to make of us or do with us, we are not to resist. We may not strive with our maker. We may not strive with His providence. He says to let the potsherd strive with potsherd of the earth. Does the clay resist the hand of the potsherd? No.

We are as the clay in the Father's hand! When we resist that which He brings upon us in providence, we start striving with the Lord. We may not do this. We may not wrestle against the Lord.

Beware of striving against the Spirit of God. In GEN 6:3 it says, "And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that He also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years." The Lord is grieved with man striving against the Spirit of God, striving against His will and Word. We may not wrestle against the Lord. At times we become Satan's strongest accessory. We start murmuring against the Lord. We murmur against what the Lord has sent upon us.

The Lord is so gracious to those whose heart is tender in His fear. We find this in ISA 30:21, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left." When we are walking in ways that are not pleasing to the Lord, the Lord speaks by His Spirit.

We hear a word behind us saying, "Don't do that." It's an inclination in the heart, and the conscious. It's the Spirit of God.
He admonished and reproves us.

It is something that comes through by instinct. Sometimes it is by the Spirit passing a passage of Scripture through our heart to reprove or instruct us. That's the Word of God. We must watch that we don't strive against that. When the Lord comes and graciously directs us, we must be careful that we don't wrestle against it.

The Lord reveals His will to us as He did to Joshua. Listen to what He said to Joshua in JOS 1:7. "Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest."

The point is that he shall prosper by obedience. That remains the same today in the New Testament. If we are walking in subjection, if our heart is reconciled unto the Lord, we shall prosper. The Lord said, "Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law...that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest." We may not obey Satan by disobeying the revealed will of God and expect to prosper.

When we resist that which God clearly gives us to understand, we are striving with the Spirit. In ACT 7:51 it says, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye." The word "circumcised" means taking away the rebellion of the flesh.

We can see this very clearly in COL 2:10. It says, "Ye are circumcised in Christ by the removing of the flesh," it is by the removing of that rebellion. The circumcision of the heart is the work of regeneration. ACT 7:51 says, "Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears."

Isn't that beautiful? This admonition against rebellion extends to our refusal to hear as well as to do. We are cautioned not to resist when the Lord speaks to us--we must hear!

There is an expression my father often used. "If you can't hear, then you must feel." In other words, if we neglected hearing his admonitions, we felt the rod. The Lord often uses the rod until we are willing to hear that voice behind us saying, "this is the way walk ye in it." This is if we hear.

We wrestle against God when we wrestle by our own rules. If you're going to be a professional wrestler, there will be rules you'll have to go by. Sometimes we forget those rules. We start wrestling according to our own rules. Then we get ourselves into trouble.

2TI 2:5 says, "And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully." We need to strive according to the Word of God. The Word of God beautifully sets forth every weapon we use. They are the Word of God looking onto Jesus. This is the purpose of all these things. We must strive lawfully.

Some, while they wrestle against one sin, will hide another. We need to examine our hearts for this. Sometimes we are struggling with such a monster of a sin that we use another sin to try to overcome it. You may hide your wrath but never forgive.

Others wrestle with sin, but do not hate it. You may act very loving and peaceful, but in your heart you've never forgiven. Then you are using one sin to hide another. This false love is also sin.

We can wrestle with sin, because we can see its consequences, but if there were no consequences, we could cherish it with our whole heart. What do we have? We have a legal religion.

We are only concerned with going to heaven so we can escape hell. We want the blood of Christ to pay the penalty of sin, so we can escape the consequences. If there were no heaven or hell, we could enjoy that sin and drink it in with delight.

A legal repentance is evident if we never have learned to hate sin. Until the love of sin is quenched in the heart, the fire will never die out. That sin has to be hated. The fire of that sin will kindle in our hearts until we learn to hate it.

We will never get Satan to flee as long as he knows that in the inner thoughts of our hearts we still love him. As long as we cherish a sin in our hearts, we really do not understand what it means to hate that sin.

Only the love of Christ can quench the love of sin. ROM 2:4 says, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" It is the love of God that gives us the power to quench sin. We need the Lord's help to wrestle.

If we can venture without Him, we have more courage than Moses. In EXO 33:13-15 it says, "Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people. He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence."

We cannot come against our enemy bare handed. We cannot conquer the old Goliath, "the old man of sin," without the strength of the Lord. When David went forward, he went forward in the name of the Lord.

Listen to what we read in GEN 32:24-26. "And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me."

Jacob could not go forward to fight his own war. Jacob needed the help of the Lord. He saw that it was the Lord that brought him into this trial. Jacob saw that it was the Lord that told him, "return onto thy land and thy kingdom."

This became his pleading ground. Jacob said , "Lord, I am doing what you told me to do. I'm returning to my land and to my kindred. Here comes Esau and four hundred men with him. Deliver me I pray, from the hand of my brother." He saw that he needed the Lord's help.

Strive to put off that old man by wrestling in prayer. In PSA 18:32 we read, "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect." It is the Lord's hand we need to help us.

FOR OUR THIRD POINT, let's consider the fact that we are not wrestling against flesh and blood. When the Apostle said, "WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD," he was saying, "Stop looking at the instrument and look at the hand that moves the instrument. When God says He'll send chastisement, it was the Lord who sent those instruments against us. He did this to bring us in the right place before the Lord.

MAT 10:34-38 says, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

The Lord's sending is something we have to see through. We are not wrestling with those people. They were sent by the Lord. What for? I read the answer to that from HEB 12:11-12. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness." It brings us into submission and subjection to the will of God.

David understood that he was not wrestling with flesh and blood. He said in PSA 56:4, "In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. David was exposed to so many trials by the unjust pursuit of King Saul, but he saw God's hand in it all.

Satan loves to instigate contention among the saints, as long as the seeds of corruption dwell in the hearts of men. Abraham had to separate from Lot because of contention. Aaron and Miriam quarreled with Moses. Christ's disciples quarreled about who should be the greatest. Satan loves to seed contention. All for what purpose? It is to gratify the flesh.

In these contentions among saints, Satin is the great unseen instigator. For this reason we are admonished in EPH 4:25-27," Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil."

When you allow the sun to go down on your wrath, you are giving place to the devil.

Evil thoughts run through your mind like an eight-lane street. You can't even count or follow them. They bring contention in your heart. The results are you quarreling with flesh and blood. The Lord has not yet accomplished His purpose in you.

We have to learn to see we aren't contending with flesh and blood. If someone has come against us, we have to understand it's what the Lord sent. When we learn to see this, the war is over.

I've been through this. Oh, beloved, I speak from experience! The Lord spoke to me from MAT 10:34-36, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. and a man's foes shall be they of his own household."

When I saw this, the war was over. The war of the people that were coming against me ended that day. The Lord can stop the wars as easy as He can allow Satan to set them on fire.

The Lord can stop these after He has accomplished His purpose. Satan takes every coal of contention he finds among the saints and fans them until they become white-hot.

How foolish and spiritually insane we can be to allow Satan to work on our emotions. He takes a hold of our flesh and blood in a wrestling match. Flesh responds, and he kindles the fires of hell in our tongue. The evil thoughts are hatching in our minds. We start striving with flesh and blood. Satan likes nothing better. My Bible says, "We wrestle not with flesh and blood."

Our own inner man, by nature, has a continual warfare with flesh and blood. GEN 5:3 says, "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image." It is this image and likeness of Adam that Satan uses to ignite his flames of contention in our breast.

When the Apostle said, "WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD," he was not saying that the war is over between your old and new nature. GAL 5:17 says, "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."

If there were no devil, we would still have to wrestle against our own sinful nature. Satan uses our own sinful nature. He excites our sinful inclinations. He brings our rebellion into exercise against the power of God. The battle is the Lord's.

We have only one consolation in the battle; that is looking unto our Saviour who has trodden the way of the cross before us. "Wherefore seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God," HEB 12:1-2. Amen.

Teach Me How To Pray

2011-05-31T08:15:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 30th, 2011
Today’s scripture: Matthew 6:5-13 (NRSV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

One of the most challenging aspects of this Christian walk (for me, anyway) is the instruction to pray daily and dedicate some of my time for conversation with God. For many years I have struggled with exactly how to pray, what to say while I am praying, and how to listen for responses from the Holy Spirit.

Our verse for today begins, “and when you pray”, an assumption that all of us surely do know the importance of prayer and act upon that. However, between the daily chores of life and the demands that others put on us we are sometimes hard pressed to find even a few quiet moments for time with God.

Event though we understand that the benefits are great, it seems like a daunting task. I have found that the early morning hours are the best time to sit down and talk with God. When we find a quiet time and go before God in sincere and earnest prayer God will deal with us directly, calm our minds, and prepare us for the everyday challenges that may lie ahead. Matthew encourages us today to find a private space, close the door, and speak to God.

When I was younger I felt unworthy to talk with God. I believed the only people who could pray to God were people in white robes — or at the very least, people in big hats. As I’ve gotten older I understand that God wants to hear from my heart. God wants an honest, genuine conversation with me without formalities and hype. It is so easy to get caught up in “proper” language and the “proper” position and the “proper” order of the words. But God tells us that when we pray, pray with sincerity of heart and a genuineness of spirit.

When I was 10 years old, my father moved out of our home. I lived for those times when he would come to visit me. I felt special and important. I was so excited when he would visit that I would talk his ear off, bringing him up to speed on all the happenings in 6th grade. During our long conversations, I wasn’t particularly concerned with the fact that he was my Dad and I was his son. I was more concerned with the fact that he wanted to listen and cared about my well being. That is how I should talk to God.

Free flowing conversation — my gratitude for another day, what it is that I should do with this day, my disappointments, my concerns for others, my accomplishments, my shame, my fears, and my dreams. Most importantly, we need to discuss with God what it is that God desires for us. We can talk about all these things with God just as easily as discussing the day’s events with a loved one.

Thought for the day: Have I dared to talk to God like I would my best friend?

Falling in love can be easy............

2011-05-27T11:04:00.000-07:00

Staying in love is too tricky..........~Raphael Saadiq

How to Attract Abundance

2011-05-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

How to Attract Abundance
Ten steps to feeling successful in your life.
BY: Wayne Dyer
Reprinted with permission from "The Power of Intention" by Wayne Dyer, published by Hay House.

Step 1: See the world as an abundant, providing, friendly place. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. When you see the world as abundant and friendly, your intentions are genuine possibilities. They will, in fact, become a certainty, because your world will be experienced from the higher frequencies. In this first step, you're receptive to a world that provides rather than restricts. You'll see a world that wants you to be successful and abundant, rather than one that conspires against you.
Step 2: Affirm: I attract success and abundance into my life because that is who I am. This puts you into vibratory harmony with your Source. Your goal is to eliminate any distance between what you desire and that from which you pull it into your life. Abundance and success aren't out there waiting to show up for you. You are already it, and the Source can only provide you with what it is, and, consequently, what you are already.
Step 3: Stay in an attitude of allowing. Resistance is disharmony between your desire for abundance and your beliefs about your ability or unworthiness. Allowing means a perfect alignment. An attitude of allowing means that you ignore efforts by others to dissuade you. It also means that you don't rely on your pervious ego-oriented beliefs about abundance being a part of or not a part of your life. In an attitude of allowing, all resistance in the form of thoughts of negativity or doubt are replaced with simply knowing that you and your Source are one and the same. Picture the abundance you desire freely flowing directly to you. Refuse to do anything or have any thought that compromises your alignment with Source.
Step 4: Use your present moments to activate thoughts that are in harmony with the seven faces of intention [creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, abundance, and peaceful receptivity]. The key phrase here is present moments. Notice right now, in this moment, if you're thinking that it's hopeless at this stage of your life to change the thoughts that comprise your belief system. Do you defeat yourself with thoughts of having had such a long life practicing affirmations of scarcity and creating resistance to your success and abundance that you don't have enough time left to counterbalance the thoughts that comprise your belief system?
Make the choice to let go of that lifetime of beliefs, and begin activating thoughts rights now that allow you to feel good. Say I want to feel good whenever anyone tries to convince you that your desires are futile. Say I want to feel good when you're tempted to return to low energy thoughts of disharmony with intention. Eventually your present moments will activate thoughts that make you feel good, and this is an indicator that you're reconnecting to intention. Wanting to feel good is synonymous with wanting to feel God. Remember, "God is good, and all that God created was good."
Step 5: Initiate actions that support your feelings of abundance and success. Here, the key word is actions. I've been calling this acting as if or thinking from the end and acting that way. Put your body into a gear that pushes you toward abundance and feeling successful. Act on those passionate emotions as if the abundance and success you seek is already here. Speak to strangers with passion in your voice. Answer the telephone in an inspired way. Do a job interview from the place of confidence and joy. Read the books that mysteriously show up, and pay close attention to conversation that seem to indicate you're being called to something new.
Step 6: Remember that your prosperity and success will benefit others, and that no one lacks abundance because you've opted for it. The supply is unlimited. The more you partake of the universal generosity, the more you'll have to share with others. In writing this book, wonderful abundance has flowed into my life in many ways. But even more significantly, book editors and graphic designers, the truck drivers who deliver the book, the auto workers who build the trucks, the farmers who feed the auto workers, and bookstore clerks. all receive abundance because I've followed my bliss and have written this book.
Step 7: Monitor your emotions as a guidance system for your connection to the universal mind of intention. Strong emotions such as passion and bliss are indications that you're connected to Spirit, or inspired, if you will. When you're inspired, you activate dormant forces, and the abundance you seek in any form comes streaming into your life. When you're experiencing low-energy emotions of rage, anger, hatred, anxiety, despair, and the like, that's a clue that while your desires may be strong, they're completely out of sync with the field of intention. Remind yourself in these moments that you want to feel good, and see if you can activate a thought that supports your feeling good.
Step 8: Become as generous to the world with your abundance as the field of intention is to you. Don't stop the flow of abundant energy by hoarding or owning what you receive. Keep it moving. Use your prosperity in the service of others, and for causes greater than your ego. The more you practice detachment, the more you'll stay in vibratory harmony with the all-giving Source of everything.
Step 9: Devote the necessary time to meditate on the Spirit within as the source of your success and abundance. There's no substitute for the practice of meditation. This is particularly relevant with abundance. You must have an understanding that your consciousness of the presence is your supply. By repeating the sound that is in the name of God as a mantra, you're using a technique for manifesting as ancient as recorded history. I am particularly drawn to the form of meditation called Japa. I know it works.
Step 10: Develop an attitude of gratitude for all that manifests into your life. Be thankful and filled with awe and appreciation, even if what you desire hasn't arrived yet. Even the darkest days of your life are to be looked on with gratitude. Everything coming from Source is on purpose. Be thankful while empowering your reconnection to that form from which you and everything else originated.
. . .

The energy that creates worlds and universes is within you. It works through attraction and energy. Everything vibrates; everything has a vibratory frequency. As St. Paul said, "God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance." Tune to God's frequency, and you will know it beyond any and all doubt!

Read more: http://www.beliefnet.com/Holistic-Living/2004/03/How-To-Attract-Abundance.aspx#ixzz1NOUrMDOq

2011-05-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am Ready for Love

2011-05-24T12:03:00.000-07:00

Dear God, I am ready to have a relationship
With a wonderful person,
Who truly gets me, loves me, and adores me,
And is ready to build a life with me.

I know in my heart there is a special person out there for me.
My name is written across his heart.
Please put me on the right track toward true love.
And lead me to a place of committed love.

I am willing to work on myself and
To make myself ready for love.
Please grant me the power to look
At love through spiritual eyes, and to
Remain sincere about finding the relationship
I have longed for.

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

10-10-10

2010-10-19T11:43:00.001-07:00

It was a Vegas wedding!

2010-10-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

CROSS IT OFF THE BUCKET LIST!!!

2010-10-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

2010-10-19T11:11:00.002-07:00

2010-10-19T11:11:00.001-07:00

2010-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Deacons for Defense and Justice

2010-04-27T12:16:00.000-07:00

On July 10, 1964, a group of African American men in Jonesboro, Louisiana led by Earnest “Chilly Willy” Thomas and Frederick Douglas Kirkpatrick founded the group known as The Deacons for Defense and Justice to protect members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) against Ku Klux Klan violence. Most of the “Deacons” were veterans of World War II and the Korean War. The Jonesboro chapter organized its first affiliate chapter in nearby Bogalusa, Louisiana led by Charles Sims, A.Z. Young and Robert Hicks. Eventually they organized a third chapter in Louisiana. The Deacons tense confrontation with the Klan in Bogalusa was crucial in forcing the federal government to intervene on behalf of the local African American community. The national attention they garnered also persuaded state and national officials to initiate efforts to neutralize the Klan in that area of the Deep South.

The Deacons emerged as one of the first visible self-defense forces in the South and as such represented a new face of the civil rights movement. Traditional civil rights organizations remained silent on them or repudiated their activities. They were effective however in providing protection for local African Americans who sought to register to vote and for white and black civil rights workers in the area. The Deacons, for example, provided security for the 1966 March Against Fear from Memphis to Jackson, Mississippi. Moreover their presence in Southeastern Louisiana meant that the Klan would no longer be able to intimidate and terrorize local African Americans without challenge.

The strategy and methods that the Deacons employed attracted the attention and concern of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which authorized an investigation into the group’s activities. The investigation stalled, however, when more influential black power organizations such as US and the Black Panther Party emerged after the 1965 Watts Riot. With public attention, and the attention of the FBI focused elsewhere, the Deacons lost most of their notoriety and slowly declined in influence. By 1968 they were all but extinct. In 2003 the activities of the Deacons was the subject of a 2003, “Deacons for Defense.”

Robert Hicks, Leader in Armed Rights Group, Dies at 81

Someone had called to say the Ku Klux Klan was coming to bomb Robert Hicks’s house. The police said there was nothing they could do. It was the night of Feb. 1, 1965, in Bogalusa, La.

Associated Press
Robert Hicks in 1965, the year of a sit-in by blacks at a cafe in Bogalusa, La., where he lived.
The Klan was furious that Mr. Hicks, a black paper mill worker, was putting up two white civil rights workers in his home. It was just six months after three young civil rights workers had been murdered in Philadelphia, Miss.

Mr. Hicks and his wife, Valeria, made some phone calls. They found neighbors to take in their children, and they reached out to friends for protection. Soon, armed black men materialized. Nothing happened.

Less than three weeks later, the leaders of a secretive, paramilitary organization of blacks called the Deacons for Defense and Justice visited Bogalusa. It had been formed in Jonesboro, La., in 1964 mainly to protect unarmed civil rights demonstrators from the Klan. After listening to the Deacons, Mr. Hicks took the lead in forming a Bogalusa chapter, recruiting many of the men who had gone to his house to protect his family and guests.

Mr. Hicks died of cancer at his home in Bogalusa on April 13 at the age of 81, his wife said. He was one of the last surviving Deacon leaders.

But his role in the civil rights movement went beyond armed defense in a corner of the Jim Crow South. He led daily protests month after month in Bogalusa — then a town of 23,000, of whom 9,000 were black — to demand rights guaranteed by the 1964 Civil Rights Act. And he filed suits that integrated schools and businesses, reformed hiring practices at the mill and put the local police under a federal judge’s control.

It was his leadership role with the Deacons that drew widest note, however. The Deacons, who grew to have chapters in more than two dozen Southern communities, veered sharply from the nonviolence preached by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. They carried guns, with the mission to protect against white aggression, citing the Second Amendment.

And they used them. A Bogalusa Deacon pulled a pistol in broad daylight during a protest march in 1965 and put two bullets into a white man who had attacked him with his fists. The man survived. A month earlier, the first black deputy sheriff in the county had been assassinated by whites.

When James Farmer, national director of the human rights group the Congress of Racial Equality, joined protests in Bogalusa, one of the most virulent Klan redoubts, armed Deacons provided security.

Dr. King publicly denounced the Deacons’ “aggressive violence.” And Mr. Farmer, in an interview with Ebony magazine in 1965, said that some people likened the Deacons to the K.K.K. But Mr. Farmer also pointed out that the Deacons did not lynch people or burn down houses. In a 1965 interview with The New York Times Magazine, he spoke of CORE and the Deacons as “a partnership of brothers.”

The Deacons’ turf was hardscrabble Southern towns where Klansmen and law officers aligned against civil rights campaigners. “The Klan did not like being shot at,” said Lance Hill, author of “The Deacons for Defense: Armed Resistance and the Civil Rights Movement”(2004).

In July 1965, escalating hostilities between the Deacons and the Klan in Bogalusa provoked the federal government to use Reconstruction-era laws to order local police departments to protect civil rights workers. It was the first time the laws were used in the modern civil rights era, Mr. Hill said.

Adam Fairclough, in his book “Race and Democracy: The Civil Rights Struggle in Louisiana, 1915-1972” (1995), wrote that Bogalusa became “a major test of the federal government’s determination to put muscle into the Civil Rights Act in the teeth of violent resistance from recalcitrant whites.”

Mr. Hicks was repeatedly jailed for protesting. He watched as his 15-year-old son was bitten by a police dog. The Klan displayed a coffin with his name on it beside a burning cross. He persisted, his wife said, for one reason: “It was something that needed to be done.”

Robert Hicks was born in Mississippi on Feb. 20, 1929. His father, Quitman, drove oxen to harvest trees for the paper mill. He played football on a state championship high school team and later for the semi-professional Bogalusa Bushmen.

He was known for his generosity: at the Baptist congregation where he was a deacon, he bought new suits for poor members. As the first black supervisor at the mill, he helped a young man amass enough overtime to buy the big car he dreamed of. Children all over town called him Dad, his son Charles said.

A leader in the local N.A.A.C.P. and his segregated union, Mr. Hicks was the logical choice to head the Bogalusa Civic and Voters League when it was formed to lead the local civil rights effort. He was first president, then vice president of the Deacons in Bogalusa.

Besides Valeria Hicks, his wife of 62 years, and his son Charles, Mr. Hicks is survived by three other sons, Gregory, Robert Lawrence and Darryl; his daughter, Barbara Hicks Collins; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

By 1968, the Deacons had pretty much vanished. In time they were “hardly a footnote in most books on the civil rights movement,” Mr. Hill said. He attributed this to a “mythology” that the rights movement was always nonviolent.

Mrs. Hicks said she was glad it was not.

“I became very proud of black men,” she said. “They didn’t bow down and scratch their heads. They stood up like men.”

AMEN!

How to Live Without a Cell Phone

2010-04-21T10:24:00.000-07:00

How to Live Without a Cell Phone

Why would anyone ditch their cell phone?
We see more advertisements in one year than people of fifty years ago encountered in their entire lifetime.

In 1971, the average American saw 560 advertisements per day.

Today, we see around 3,000 advertisements per day. What’s more, we now encounter around 5,000 distractions by constantly checking messages from phones, emails, IM’s, wall posts, tweets and more.

This is a massive increase; an increase that is not healthy–and yet, we’re still adding more and more distractions to our lives. We’re now adding iPhones, iPad’s, iPods and anything else to drive our dopamine-driven lives.

The human mind has 60,000 thoughts per day. In 1971, distractions controlled about 1% of our minds; today, advertisements and distractions control 13.33% of our minds. With distraction, and multitasking, your pre-frontal lobe falls into a sleepy, deteriorating state. As your distractions increase, your intelligence, focus and mood decreases.

In an effort to extricate myself from this growing trend, I decided to give up my cell phone.

What living without a cell phone feels like
Whenever you go on a relaxing vacation to a tropical destination, the first couple of days are a struggle–a struggle because there’s typically no cell phone service or internet. It’s odd, and almost unbearable. After the initial withdrawal from the digital world, life feels great. Life feels peaceful. There’s no phone, or distraction that enables you to stop what you’re doing and shift your focus.When you’re waiting in line, you’re not burying yourself into the digital cesspool or app store, you’re forced to interact with your surrounding environment. You suddenly become aware of everything around you.

This is how I live my life every single day. I duplicate the environment one typically experiences when on vacation. I do this in order to become a more focused, action-oriented person. I also do this in order to better enjoy life.

You can travel the world and live a nomad lifestyle; however, if you’ve still got an iPhone or clients buzzing at you constantly, you’ve escaped nothing. You’re just asking for attention.

You can live in New York City without a cell phone and gain more peace-of-mind than you could if you were in Argentina with an iPhone and needy clients barking at you.

My experience thus far
In a prior chapter I discuss my decision to ditch my cell phone. It’s been about a half-year since I’ve ditched my cell phone, and it’s been both wonderful, and weird. You have to learn to react differently in simple situations. It’s like writing with your left hand. At first it feels weird, but over time it expands your mind and increases focus. As discussed in the concept of flow, this type of activity significantly stretches your mind.

If you want to add both peace and challenge back to your life, ditch your cell phone.

For an example on the challenge, I was meeting up with my family at a hotel. I got to the building where they were staying, and suddenly it hit me–I had no idea what room they were in. In front of me sat about 14 rooms. And I had no cell phone. In the past, I’d simply make a quick call or text to figure it out.

Now, in front of me sat not 14 rooms, but 14 possibilities. So what did I do? I knocked on all 14 doors, and told 13 people, “Sorry, wrong room.” It was fun. It was simple. It got the job done. But this type of activity definitely takes a commitment. It’s not easy. At all.

Pro’s to a cell phone-free life:

Freedom
More productive
Better peace of mind
Allows you to focus on what’s really important; not get distracted with tweets and noise
Sense of humor (when in a stressful situation, you laugh because of the path you’ve decided to take. You take a joyous approach to life)
Con’s to a cell phone-free life:

Prevents simple fixes (like the quick communication above)
Can be dangerous if you don’t have it with you all the time
Can be ineffective if not leveraged right
10 Tips for Giving Up Your Cell Phone
1. Have a replaceable object
For a year and a half an iPhone always sat in my left pocket. After ditching my phone, it felt weird. It felt as if I was missing something. Obviously, I was. So instead of simply abandoning a device in my left pocket, I rotate different objects in there as needed: business cards, an iPod Shuffle (for audiobooks), notepad, note-cards or whatever’s needed at that time. Even though the feeling of forgetting something is all in my mind, having a replaceable object allows me to act as if I’m not missing a cell phone.

2. Have an emergency phone
Much like a fire extinguisher sits in a case, and is cracked open only upon emergency, so too is the nature of your emergency phone. It’s dangerous to not have a way of contacting anyone in case of emergency (i.e. car accident, car breakdown, etc.) For this reason, I recommend purchasing an a la cart phone plan from Virgin Mobile or Boost Mobile. Activate it, and leave it in your car turned off. If there’s an emergency, call with it.

3. Brace yourself
You’re going to encounter situations where you really need your cell phone to the point where it pisses you off. After a while, though, stressful situations will become humorous. Stressful situations without a cell phone teaches you to have a profound level of patience and trust. For instance, if you’re meeting someone at a restaurant, and they’re late, you just have to trust that they’re on their way. With my wife, we’ve established an unspoken trust that we’ll show up. And whenever we meet up, we meet up. We stick to our word of where we’ll meet, and trust that the other shows up. It’s a lot more peaceful this way.

4. Have a system in place.
If you’re really going to ditch your cell phone, don’t go into it blindly. Map out a system that actually works–a system that allows you to free yourself from the cell phone’s distractions.

My system:

When at work, I use my work phone for work related items
When on the road, I have an emergency cell phone (that sits in my car)
When at home, I use Skype or the house phone
Most people use their cell phones throughout all of those stages outlined above. They’re constantly racking up bills. Most people now reason that there’s no need for a house phone, or work phone. When you’ve got your cell phone, you can use it anytime, anywhere and now, for anything.

When you ditch your cell phone, you make a decision to compartmentalize your life. Additionally, you can leverage Google voice to catch your messages, transcribe them, and allow you to determine what needs to get done with that. Google voice (get a google voice account that emails you who called you, so that you can call them back on a work phone or a house phone whenever you’re ready to make the call). Use google voice to send text messages from your computer to their phones.

5. What about your friends?
It’s hilarious watching people’s reactions when you tell them you don’t have a cell phone–especially when you’re in the tech industry like myself. People exclaim, “What? How? Why?”

We’ve grown so reliant on cell phones that it’s somehow unthinkable to not have a cell phone.

They ask, “What about your friends? Do you just abandon your relationships?”

Obviously, ditching your cell phone bars your friends from having constant, immediate and never-ending access to you. However, when you ditch your cell phone, you’re not ditching your friends. You’re simply compartmentalizing your life and setting boundaries. You’re setting yourself up for a time where you can pay the attention that friends deserve–focused attention; not attention while multitasking.

When transitioning to a cell phone-free lifestyle, I recommend getting an account with Google Voice. Here’s the process I underwent:

Set up an account with Google Voice
Set up a cell phone message that explains your recent decision to ditch your cell phone. Here’s mine: “In order to become a more focused and productive person, I’ve decided to forego all inbound calls; however, leave your name, number, and a sweet little message, and I’ll get back to you at the appropriate time.” (Obviously, you can term it however you want).
Google Voice then transcribes your cell phone and emails you their message
Email your contact or call them back via your house or work phone when you have the time that your friend deserves
Even better, set up a time for you guys to meet up in person
This will ensure a transition that isn’t ineffective and one that doesn’t simply block calls. Plus it prevents you from needing to create a Facebook group explaining your transition. That annoys everyone, anyways.

6. Call everyone back
Just because you’ve ditched your cell phone doesn’t mean you forgo the responsibility of calling people back. Because Google Voice allows you to receive voice mails via email, I recommend chunking your phone calls into one-time windows scattered throughout the day. This likens itself to email batching (email batching is a topic I’ll be covering later).

7. The secretary syndrome
If you have a wife, tread carefully when ditching your cell phone. Try not to make her feel like a secretary. Don’t do what I did. I was selling something on Craigslist and I gave them my wife’s phone number. She was pissed. She felt like a secretary. Additionally, my parents called her to get a hold of me; that’s not a very sustainable system.

For your parents or people that will actually call your significant other to get to you, make sure they understand your new system.

8. Meet up with people in person
If you’re making a business deal, or meeting someone and they’re local, don’t half ass it through an email or even a cell phone call. I’ve gotten about four deals done in the past month because we met up in person, it allows you describe ideas, map out ideas in person and get things done. If you want to be more efficient, as well as effective, I recommend meeting up in person. Tweeting and IM chatting will only get you so far in business. Even if you work in the web realm like myself.

9. Offline activities
Replace cell phone activities with mind-expanding activities. If your habit centered on making calls on your commute to work, replace this with a book on tape or audio CD. You can even get entire courses on tape–for free–for more information check out my chapter on hacking education.

10. Baby steps
Obviously this chapter is going to humor some, but most aren’t going to take action and actually ditch their cell phone. It’s still ingrained in our minds that it’s unthinkable–and for some, due to their work nature, it is unthinkable. What I suggest is at least experimenting by giving up their cell phone for a day or two. Or, if you have an iPhone, ditch the dataplan and try your hardest to use it as simply a phone. Try some experiments with your communication devices in order to become aware of how ditching your cell phone can result in nowness and awareness.

Forgiven and Healed

2010-02-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

http://www.jesusmcc.org/bestill/archives/4256

February 16, 2010 • Category: Gospel of Matthew
by Robert Ferguson
Today’s scripture: Matthew 4:23-25 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message) What might God be saying to me?

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

Many times I keep my cell phone set on vibrate. It’s useful at work and in class so that my ringing phone doesn’t disturb others. However, lately I have noticed that I will feel the vibration in my pocket either when my phone hasn’t vibrated or isn’t even in my pocket. I thought maybe I was just going crazy until I heard a guy mention it on a commercial. So I had to investigate. As it turns out, according to a report in USA Today, quite a few people have noticed the same thing. “Phantom vibrations,” some experts say, are an example of your mind playing tricks on you. That’s comforting.

That got me to thinking about phantom pain sensations, described as perceptions that an individual experiences from a limb or organ that is no longer physically part of the body. This phenomenon isn’t only associated with amputees but also with people who have lost a tooth or an eye. Not to be taken lightly, this problem is very real and painful to many people. But I find myself fascinated that even though a limb, body part, or organ has been removed from the body, the brain often reacts as if it is still there.

As I read today’s scripture, I can’t help but focus on the holistic aspect of the ministry of Jesus. Jesus had a three-fold ministry; preaching, teaching, and healing. Christ not only forgave sin but also healed every sickness or disease; none was too bad; none too hard.

As I reflected over my own struggles, sins, challenges, and huge mistakes it seemed that even though Christ has indeed forgiven my sins I still suffer from some of the symptoms of my ailment. I recently started seeing a therapist to talk through some tough situations in my life. As we have begun to peel back some layers and really address underlying issues, it has become clear to me that so much of how I react in certain situations is rooted in events that occurred in my life as a child. Even as I am writing this, I still make decisions based on learned methods of coping.

So even as Jesus has forgiven my sin and healed my soul there are still areas in my life where I continue to act as if I haven’t been healed at all. Have I forgotten that I have been forgiven and healed?

Thought for the day: Today Jesus teaches us that He is not only the forgiver of sins but also the healer of our souls. Let us walk in complete freedom, free of the pain of past sins. Jesus has saved you and healed you.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

http://www.jesusmcc.org/bestill/archives/4256

Sometimes my co-workers kill me................

2010-02-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

.................and other times I alomost get them

Singles awareness day!

2010-02-16T10:58:00.000-08:00

Well I guess you could call it an epiphany but something became glaringly obvious to me on Valentines Day this year. I am obviously single. I know what you are thinking.....doe it really take genuis intelligence to figure that out or an unexpected movement from God? Well, no really but I have been fighting it with such energy and force that I nearly have driven myself completely crazy!

and before I go any further please let me apologize to those of you who do bother to follow this blog. I have not posted in ages and I apologize. Between almost daily facebook updates and multiple tweets per hour I sometimes find myself lacking any sufficient motivation to was poetically about whats bothering me today. But this season of times feels oddly familiar and just different enough for me to have some clarity.

Yes Valentines day sucked because along with all of my other single friends we have to constantly reminded on that single day that there is no one at home cooking a romantical valentines dinner or waiting to take you out for hot rolls and some clandestine 2 for 20 special. Sad as that may be..........

So what to do with that information? Well first lets face some facts....text message and email relationships Do NOT count as real relationships. Flirting on facebook and /or twitter doesnt count either. Online dating is for the birds and for every dude who claims that he wants more than the proverbial romp in the hay there are at least 100 who want exactly that and nothing more. The one who was honest is either totally not your type or is married. Secondly, I am hereby reserving the love word for the most ridiculously insanely cannot sleep without you next to me type of encounter or else I will hold it inside me forever.

Done with dating, flirting, hooking up, text relationshipping, and online meeting and greeting.............DONE I TELL YOU!!!

Tomorrow is Lent 46 days (40 not including Sundays) before Easter. ITs a wonderful time to prepare to start a new! Just between you and me I completely blew the whole New Years Resolution thing. So, God is faithful and knows his children, we have been given yet another opportunity to fix some stuff, clear the head, purge the old and let go of some useless GARBAGE.............

Somebody once said.....Let Go of anything that isnt useful, beautiful, or joyful..............ex relationships still smoldering just under the surface are holding me hostage...letting it go.......people who are still trying to figure out who they are serve no purpose in my life and so...........letting it go.....online connections and text flirting are all incredible wastes of time...........letting it go................anything that isnt making me a better person Has to Go!!

So as you wonder if this is the last communication you will ever recieve from me ask yourself this question......were you taking from or adding to.............

Year 5 Indiana Black Pride

2009-08-06T07:46:00.000-07:00

It is very hard to believe that another Indiana Black Pride festival is upon us! it is even harder to believe that we have been doing this for 5 years. And even though I had to be away for two of those years, it is amazing how this entity always seems to take on a life of its own!

This particular pride season has brought many more challenges than any of us believed that we would survive. Through changes in leadership and the loss of some very key board members we have also seen the addition of some very capable and enlightening young fresh board members.

So as we prepare for another exciting black pride weekend, I wanted to take a moment to invite everyone black, white, latino, asian, gay, straight, bisexual, unidentified, young, old, and ageless to come out and support this very important movement taking place in Indianapolis!

the mission, vision and goals of Indiana Black Pride are still relevant and neccessary in the world we live in. There are many African American GLBT people who do not feel that their lives and experiences are validated and honored. Though the overall black community has come a long way we are still miles away from open honest dialogue concerning inclusion and respect. Similarly, in the general GLBT community we still do need to have more conversations around the subjects of race and equality.

As a community we understand that we have a lot of work to do as it relates to educating other communities about our history, culture, and shared experiences. However, we also understand that the most urgent and neccessary work begins with us. We mut be intentional about supporting and encouraging one another. We must become a unified voice speaking out for the issues that most effect our lives. We must continue to tell our stories and speak out for those who are voiceless. We must continue to celebrate that which makes us different as well as that which unites us with black communities and gay communities around the world!

Join us this Saturday, August 8th at Oscar Charleston Park 30th and Rural Indianapolis Indiana..............12 noon-7pm Entertainment, food, vendors, and fun!!

Join us this Sunday for a fully inclusive Indiana Black Pride Community Worship Service. August 9th 11am at Jesus Metropolitan Community Church 2950 E. 55th Place Indianapolis Indiana. This event will be followed by a FREE soul food brunch. Please bring a dish to share with the community!

http://www.indianablackpride.com/ for more details!!!

A memory of E. Lynn Harris

2009-07-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

Its devastating when we lose an icon. I know that not everyone was as effected by the death of Micheal Jackson as I was but I felt as if we had grown up together. And now a few weeks later we have lost another icon. E. Lynn Harris's Invisible Life has been and continues to be required reading for every black gay man that I know. He was the first to tell our stories in colorful rich paint strokes that did not confine us to non spiritual, over sexed, dancing and jiving common stereotypes often found in black literature. His life instilled pride and he taught us that yes indeed we had a black history as well as a gay history. I remember being overjoyed and excited when he came to Indianapolis for a book signing. Afterwards he signed copies of his latest book, "This Too Shall Pass". He signed a copy for me and I am going to go home tonight and tear my house up until I find it!! One of our heroes is gone...may he rest in peace.

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2009/07/remembering-my-friend-and-frat-002141.php

Remembering my friend and dear fraternity brother E. Lynn Harris

Much has been said about the death--the passing--of my good friend and fraternity brother, E. Lynn Harris. I am certain much more will be.

What you can learn from this latest death is that--again--life is so precious and so short. First Michael Jackson at 50, now Lynn at 54. What gives?

I came to know Everette Lynn Harris when I was a television news reporter in New Orleans and working on my first nonfiction book project back in 1994. My co-author and I met him during a book signing at a New Orleans East book shop where he was autographing his new book Invisible Life. We told him about a book project we were beginning work on. He agreed to talk to us and give us some advice whenever we came to Atlanta to visit. We did a several months later, and Lynn kept his word and we met in the now defunct Oxford Books shop on Peachtree Street and thus our friendship of some 15 years began.

Over the course of those years, Lynn would become the prolific writer that we all knew him to have been. I would pen a book about the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and my coauthor also would write a self-help book for black men. Like so many other authors, Lynn played a special role for us as mentor, friend, and advisor. He made sure to introduce us to the "players" in the New York publishing world.

When I heard that Lynn had died, I really wanted to believe it was some terrible joke someone was playing on the Internet. My hope was dashed as I began surfing the net and the traditional news sources for confirmation.

So now, like millions of others, I am left with reflecting on good times shared with a loved one lost. From having fried chicken in his Chicago condo at the end of a BookExpo convention with close friends, to visiting his wonderful new Atlanta home on Peachtree Street to celebrate and promote a new novel by our friend Dr. Ian Smith, (view image) to just chatting on AOL from time to time, or in our professional capacities with me interviewing him as the morning news anchor on CBS Radio's WAOK-AM radio in Atlanta, or moderating an E. Lynn Harris Q&A session (view image) with the listeners of our station and sister station V103.

Lastly, not only did I always boast that Lynn was born in Michigan, but he like fellow author Eric Jerome Dickey, is my Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity brother. Though he did not mention it publicly a lot, he cherished being a member of Alpha, and always took pride in being a founder and president of the chapter at his beloved University of Arkansas. His son too, is an Alpha man. I hope my brothers will take note of this terrible loss and remember him appropriately. He was our generation's breakthrough black-male author with more than four million copies of his books in print. And, along with Dickey, the only Alpha man in our fraternity's 103 year history to become a 10-time New York Times bestseller. He is now a member of--what we call in our fraternity--Omega Chapter, the chapter of sweet rest.

For all of us this is just a mind-numbing loss. Even for those whose faith is strong and who are true believers, it is still hard to realize that Lynn's life story was well written before he was born. Only the Master Writer knew when it would begin, how the chapters would evolve, and how--and when--it would end.

Godspeed E. Lynn Harris. Thank you for all you did while you were here. It will never be forgotten.

Rick Blalock, a two-time Emmy-winning journalist and author, is a native of Highland Park, Michigan and lives in Georgia.

Gay is not the new Black

2009-07-16T11:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/16/granderson.obama.gays/index.html

Far from flowing rainbow flags, the sound of Lady Gaga and, quite honestly, white people, stands a nightclub just outside of Wicker Park in Chicago, Illinois, by the name of The Prop House.

The line to get in usually stretches down the block, and unlike many of the clubs in Boystown and Andersonville, this one plays hip-hop and caters to men who may or may not openly identify as gay, but without question are black and proud.

And a good number of them are tired of hearing how the gay community is disappointed in President Obama, because they are not.

In recent weeks, one would have thought the nation's first black president was also the nation's biggest homophobe. Everyone from Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black and radio personality Rachel Maddow to Joe Solmonese, the president of Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay advocacy group, seem to be blasting Obama for everything from "don't ask don't tell" to Adam Lambert not winning American Idol.

In their minds, Obama is not moving fast enough on behalf of the GLBT community. The outcry is not completely without merit -- the Justice Department's unnerving brief on the Defense of Marriage Act immediately comes to mind. I was upset by some of the statements, but not surprised. (After the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, President Ronald Reagan's initial handling of AIDS and, more recently, Katrina, there is little that surprises me when it comes to the government and the treatment of its people.)

Still, rarely has criticism regarding Obama and the GLBT community come from the kind of person you would find standing in line at a spot like The Prop House, and there's a reason for that.

Despite the catchiness of the slogan, gay is not the new black.

Black is still black.

And if any group should know this, it's the gay community.

Bars such as The Prop House, or Bulldogs in Atlanta, Georgia, exist because a large number of gay blacks -- particularly those who date other blacks, and live in the black community -- do not feel a part of the larger gay movement. There are Gay Pride celebrations, and then there are Black Gay Prides.

There's a popular bar in the heart of the nation's capital that might as well rename itself Antebellum, because all of the white patrons tend to stay upstairs and the black patrons are on the first floor.

Last year at the annual Human Rights Campaign national fundraiser in Washington, D.C. -- an event that lasted more than three hours -- the only black person to make it on stage was the entertainment.

When Proposition 8 passed in California, white gays were quick to blame the black community despite blacks making up less than 10 percent of total voters and whites being close to 60 percent. At protest rallies that followed, some gay blacks reported they were even hit with racial epithets by angry white participants. Not to split hairs, but for most blacks, the n-word trumps the f-word.

So while the white mouthpiece of the gay community shakes an angry finger at intolerance and bigotry in their blogs and on television, blacks and other minorities see the dirty laundry. They see the hypocrisy of publicly rallying in the name of unity but then privately living in segregated pockets. And then there is the history.

The 40th anniversary of Stonewall dominated Gay Pride celebrations around the country, and while that is certainly a significant moment that should be recognized, 40 years is nothing compared with the 400 blood-soaked years black people have been through in this country. There are stories some blacks lived through, stories others were told by their parents and stories that never had a chance to be told.

While those who were at Stonewall talk about the fear of being arrested by police, 40 years ago, blacks talked about the fear of dying at the hands of police and not having their bodies found or murder investigated. The 13th Amendment was signed in 1865, and it wasn't until 1948 that President Harry S Truman desegregated the military. That's more than an 80-year gap.

Not to be flip, but Miley Cyrus is older than Bill Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell." That doesn't mean that the safety of gay people should be trivialized or that Obama should not be held accountable for the promises he made on the campaign trail. But to call this month's first-ever White House reception for GLBT leaders "too little too late" is akin to a petulant child throwing a tantrum because he wants to eat his dessert before dinner.

This is one of the main reasons why so many blacks bristle at the comparison of the two movements -- everybody wants to sing the blues, nobody wants to live them.

This lack of perspective is only going to alienate a black community that is still very proud of Obama and is hypersensitive about any criticism of him, especially given he's been in office barely six months.

If blacks are less accepting of gays than other racial groups -- and that is certainly debatable -- then the parade of gay people calling Obama a "disappointment" on television is counterproductive in gaining acceptance, to say the least. And the fact that the loudest critics are mostly white doesn't help matters either.

Hearing that race matters in the gay community may not be comforting to hear, but that doesn't make it any less true.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of LZ Granderson.

2009-07-15T15:24:00.001-07:00

Celebrating! I have decided to go to Acapulco next summer. 11 months to scuplt a beach ready bod!!! Watch Out There Now!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/xxlHO

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Thank You, Michael

2009-07-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2009/07/thank-you-michael-002091.php

Recently, my daughter turned seven, and a week later I realized I was late with a very specific gift. It had occurred to me that she was ready for the Jackson Five, and I hurried to buy her the perfect CD of her own. For most of the days since, we as a family found ourselves dancing hard and purposefully to a lot of the classics, but especially "Maybe Tomorrow."

It took me a few times to get it. Then I realized that at a certain point in the song, the melody rises into a late-breaking chorus full of the sweetest soul. "You are the book that I read each day," they sing. "You are the song of my life. Let me sing it to you." There you hear a pure and uncomplicated Michael singing with his big brothers, leading yet surrounded and protected by them. Just as I'd hoped, it became my daughter's and mine, her voice like Michael's, mine like the brothers.

Then suddenly Michael Jackson died. Very quietly, he slipped away forever. I was caught having to explain to my daughter and myself the meaning of a tired soul. It meant revealing the okey doke the world played on the words and deeds that made him a soldier of love. It meant recalling where I was and what I was doing during these last forty years. His work spans at least three musical generations, before and after his own. I am his generation--the Obama generation, actually--and it means reckoning with the seasons of life someone our age has come to know. I decided to start with his voice.

Very few were as beautiful, ranging and mellifluous. His voice is one of those singular talents with its own tonal signature like Aretha's or Marvin's, Frank's or Stevie's. Yet few tried to enjoy so many different percussive ticks, scats and word sounds. It will take us a long time to catalogue how many vocal phrases and expressions Michael Jackson coined for what appeared to be the sheer fun it. (What the heck was "Jamon!" and why didn't he ever feel compelled to explain the word?) Not since James Brown's breaths has a performer owned so many hiccups and hollers, usually in falsetto whoops. And most of them emerged when he peaked, at Thriller.

Thriller is the cut-off because the world of people over 40 or so is probably divided between those who fell in (or made) love to Michael Jackson's voice and those who didn't. The love songs on Off the Wall and Thriller will remain part of the lingua franca of a generation's ripened desire. On songs like "Human Nature" and "Can't Help It," Michael conveyed all the hush and hope, the gush and whisper of a heart in full bloom, maybe for the first time.

For young ladies, "The Lady in My Life" was the song of a thousand plays and wishes; for men, an anthem of how one hoped to bring his rapture. I don't exaggerate. This was the very early 80s, still the 70s really, and it was then perfectly OK to feel with all of oneself. We would learn cynicism and cool contempt shortly. In fact, in each year since about 1985 it has been progressively more difficult for a male vocalist to express deep love, tenderness or commitment. Because Michael--who had already freed our spirits to dance--did it so perfectly, at the height of his own innocence, he had a pass to continue as long as he lived.

And that's why the vocal changes after Thriller are so meaningful. All of a sudden this sweet naïf with the electric flesh and the tremulous voice had grown a pirate's rasp and brogue. Proclaiming he was "bad" and "dangerous" when clearly he was anything but, Michael insisted on interrupting his honey tones with a ripping adult gruffness. This was the man who made the day blue, the sound of sunshine. Why was the 140-pound owner of Neverland pretending such toughness? Like a lot of songs he did in the 90s and on, it just didn't make sense.

Stuff was clearly happening at home. While I was grooving with all the swerve I could muster, while folks on dance floors across the planet were doing their best to dig into his beats (like you knew he did), Michael Jackson stumbled into adulthood. First he got burned up in the Pepsi commercial. Beyond the unfortunate Jheri-curl, there were other injuries. He soon began to transform before our eyes. Imperceptibly at first, then as the years went by, undeniably, Michael was turning whiter, his nose was shrinking, his cheeks were doing something. There was clearly a struggle going on for his racial identity, yet he seemed to be waging it against himself. The dimple in his chin became a bullet hole, his hair a Clairol Girl's, and the Glove came on.

With anyone else the Glove would have gone the way of the fedora. But the Glove was a mime's entre into some of the greatest dancing any of us will ever see. If you were there to watch the Motown 25 Special at which he first performed the moonwalk, the magnificence of the moves shooting through his body was unmistakable. His kicks alone would make Bruce Lee proud. His shoulders as syncopated as a Max Roach fill. But the hand, with that white Glove on it, always seemed to know exactly what it wanted to do with the air. Watching Michael Jackson dance you just didn't breathe so much.

I happened to be much too along with serious life to spend a lot of time with the other signs of sadness that, like the changing of his appearance, began to emerge from his private life. I heard about the failed marriages. The New York Post dubbed him "Jacko," its own abbreviation from "Wacko Jacko," which was apparently OK to keep saying. Because he was not quite as ultra successful, he was being taunted as a joke. He had all the money in the world, but he was spending it like a kid. At the same time, it was hard to know if the music was any good. Bad drum machines and cheesy keyboards dominated. They liked it in Japan, which may not have helped. Sometimes he looked desperate. But in reality, I now believe he was unprotected. Things that should have been solid for him were not. And he was being laughed at.

Meanwhile, chances were that if you happened to buy a Michael Jackson CD or attend a concert from about 1984 onward, a large chunk of the proceeds was going to a charity--usually a charity benefiting children in the most fragile states. It turned out that Michael Jackson was not just spending time with children, he was visiting them in cancer wards, hosting their last days at his amusement park, buying hospital wards or airlifting food to them. He took sick strangers to dinner and watched movies with them. Among his causes were terminal illnesses like cancer and (then) AIDS, child abuse and starvation, burn victims, education for underprivileged students, orphans, wild animals, gang warfare, disease immunization and abject poverty.

He spent time and money in India, Germany, England, Italy, the Philippines, the former Yugoslavia, Taiwan, throughout Africa and all over the United States. His love was global well before we knew globalism. Sure, his public orchestration of the celebrity song "We Are the World" was very nice and a little corny. Yet it paled compared to his private sense of responsibility to vulnerable others, giving an estimated $300 million of his own earnings in his lifetime. He dared not tell us how much the world hates children by its policies. Instead, by his own acts of courageous giving, he tried to show us.

Pause to consider the artistic challenge he imposed on himself at the same time. Social conviction is real hard to express as musical genius, yet listen to "Earth Song." Every great artist deserves one of these. Released just two years ago, it's about global warming. Michael straight rocks the chills up your spine. The melody should go down in history as just fine. Inside it his voice whispers, trembles, screams, then sails. The "whoos" on 3 are perfect accented vocal crash cymbals just showing you he gets it. He understands that it is better to dance to outrage than to merely discuss it with friends. The lyrics are only deep enough to tell you where the feelings are, and you already know the feelings. You just never knew that global warming sounded so good. To join such feeling with a cause--to even try--could not have been easy. It is exactly what we need now in order to keep avoidable issues in our heads. It came from an artist who, despite radical changes in the business of recorded music, maintained the best of soul music traditions--message and innovation--while building new ones--total artistic control and expanding the boundaries of humanitarian "pop."

I did not know all these details at the time. Like a lot of people I watched Michael from the covers of supermarket tabloids and snippets of celebrity "news." His skin color and cosmetic machinations, like his crotch-grabbing antics and marital inconsistencies now appear as a rather intriguing defiance of traditional categories--racial, gendered, parental, even fame. While propelling the lucrative careers of countless journalists, doctors and lawyers (not to mention dancers, singers and composers), Michael Jackson was rarely allowed his difference nor seen for the full range of his gifts to us. This will tire the soul of any human being, but I imagine the pain is compounded for many artists. To have so much of your personality appropriated in a cash flow of casual hatred while attempting--almost always--to contribute ever more of your creative talents to a public good must burn like nothing known.

Because of all the scary difference we did not understand, Michael Jackson risked becoming a commodity no longer fit for mass consumption. I have friends who, like so many public commentators, are sure he was a pedophile, transgender, gay, racially self-loathing, and had no business bearing children whose birth certificates stated the word "none" under mother. They know these things even though the allegations either could not be proved, were not proved or are simply irrelevant. They concern themselves still. I cannot. I cannot know, so I cannot judge. I must trust the acquittal and go on to wonder about what else I don't know. I know very little about transgender lives, or superstardom, or being the victim of child abuse, or vitiligo, or addiction to painkillers. Perhaps it is time I learn, just as we as a nation are learning about why there is a T in the acronym LGBT, the parental rights of gay couples who adopt, conceive children through surrogacy or those who seek marriage. But I do know that Michael Jackson's degree of difference, whatever its make-up, is never tolerated for long in our official culture. And I know that all the questions--every last one of them--would be answered differently by people who know just as little if he had been a woman.

Of course, not just the doubts but the hating, fueled by the parasitic publicity industries, may ultimately define Michael Jackson's legacy. And that's the okey doke. No sooner had we learned that Michael was angry about the childhood he missed at the hands of an abusive and exploitative father than his relationship with children surfaced. I am not an apologist for molestation, but I was never convinced he was a molester. What was clear was that he was a man who deeply loved children and the innocence of their company. He coveted them as a father and a friend. That devotion was not balanced by a trust or closeness with adults, so, like the monkey and the amusement park, it stood out for its difference. Settlements are not admissions of guilt, especially for famous people hoping to preserve some privacy (a fact known to plaintiffs). For me, the better evidence was his naive willingness to go on television and defend his conduct. Ill-advised people do such things, but not child molesters. His reclusiveness never hid his honesty, and his genius was never slick. It seemed he could not believe not being believed. This as much as anything else might explain why such a gentle man wore those odd military outfits. If I'm right then he was a soldier of love in an army of one.

Nothing seemed to take its toll like the criminal trial at which Michael Jackson was finally acquitted. Any litigation is excruciating. It's a good way to kill someone, and by 2003 Michael Jackson had become a target. The now-forgotten facts about his accuser's family, character and motives are truly incredible. The trial may have been the beginning of the final blow to Jackson's soul. Afterwards he seemed ruined, not relieved. His withdrawal was exile to a cloistered fatherhood I think I as a father can understand. I just wish it had been more fulfilling. I wish he hadn't felt compelled to undertake a "This Is It" tour of final exasperation. Like so many black jazz musicians of the 50s and 60s, I wish he had gone overseas and never come back.

The man was done but not yet finished off. The finish will be the okey doke for which our country is famous. All that public hating by powerful "news" organizations may achieve the final irony. Instead of teaching about how a gift can be the vehicle for overcoming pain and finding new and different ways to join with one's world, Michael Jackson goes down a pervert, a drug addict and a freak. A man devoted to rescuing kids from the kind of pains he understood could be forever cast as a destroyer of children. A man fleeing to the ends of the earth for sanctuary, a battered body so fearful of illness that he would have a doctor's care in his house with him, would nevertheless die young and unprotected there. We are thereby relieved of the challenge of his goodness and may go on creating more casualties.

There are many who could care less, I know, but I prefer to join the millions off camera, dancing, leaving flowers and still listening to Michael. I will tell my daughter that here was a brave and special boy who loved very deeply and who for many magnificent years managed to share his gift and fill our lives with unimaginable joys both simple and complicated.

I was lucky to grow up alongside him. As he grew into a man, he covered his generous genius with a mask of madness for reasons he kept private. Most of us could only see the mask, talked about it, mocked it, even while he kept trying to share joy. After a while it got like somebody who has something very special to tell you. He keeps trying and trying to say it, but you keep interrupting him or laughing at him or lying to him. Still he tries because for some reason he keeps on believing that it is important to share this message with each and every one of us.

Michael thought he could serve the whole world. Yes, it was love that made him do it, but it was also always work. And after 50 years of working hard, he had nothing left to try with. That's when his heart and his soul--the very honest and lovely and miraculous soul of soul music--gave out. But no matter how he looked, he was always beautiful and we will always love him back.

Rest in peace, Michael. A million thanks, brother.

David Dante Troutt's most recent books are The Importance of Being Dangerous and After the Storm. He is a professor of law at Rutgers University and can be read at daviddantetroutt.com.

Now He's Home

2009-07-08T10:46:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson may have had a strange relationship with his blackness, but his memorial put all the questions to rest. He was black.

In a tribute to his status as a global icon, Michael Jackson’s memorial was streamed all over the world, but if there was ever any doubt, we know with absolute certainty that he was, in the end, a black man.

The memorial turned the Staples Center into a home-going like the world has never seen, the biggest black funeral ever. Commentators on every channel seemed bemused and flummoxed at the same time. (“No reports of any incidents,” they said with great surprise.) But I could look at the screen—from the gospel choir to all the tales out of school about the deceased. And the obvious: Middle America got dosed with a little black church on Tuesday. There was no denying, as evidenced by all the black royalty that lined up to pay him tribute, that Michael Jackson belongs to black America.

With all of his problems, we were right there for the ride. We have known that while white America is quick to love a singing and dancing black man, it has been just as quick to hang him out to dry at the slightest provocation. Michael’s soul never recovered from allegations of child molestation, and many were reluctant to believe his side of the story. Blacks ribbed him, but didn’t take kindly to jokes from others. We never gave up on him, never turned him away. It was ironic to watch the coverage, to hear all the testimony, and see Michael Jackson humanized in death more than he was in life.

The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press did a study in which it was revealed that most white Americans have no idea why Michael Jackson’s death is such a big deal. After all, said Rep. Peter King, “… this guy was a pervert.” I’ve heard that sentiment expressed in certain hipster circles, and I realized that for much of America, he was just the skinny black guy who looked like a skinny white guy.

For some of us though, even with all the shots we took at him, he was a child of the Midwest—where dreams go to die—who dared to take his show on the road. He was a little black child with a dream almost no other black child could imagine. Michael was an ordinary man with extraordinary talents, but he possessed many of the same frailties and foibles as the rest of us—the same propensity to make bad choices and missteps, the same uncomfortably, dichotomous relationship with the reality of race. It may be that black people will miss the man and that white folks will merely miss the music. Because he is a black American success story, with most of it still yet to be told.

We didn’t “discover him,” like white folks did with America and breakdancing and Dave Chappelle. It seems like he was always with us. Like many other black celebrities, we know on a first-name basis, Michael grew up in our households. He was as eccentric as any other cousin at the dinner table.

We all have that family member with strange, hard-to-articulate ways. We love to make fun of them, but strangers better not, because love them we do and love them we will. No matter how they treat us, we’d never deny them a thing, whether they are just out of jail or out of the hospital or off a nod, they are still family. Our people. And you love your people, no matter what. That was Michael Jackson—our people.

He was strange, funny-acting at times, and even if we weren’t always sure where he stood, we never stopped standing by him and claiming him as our own. We loved him first, best, last. And always.

He was not just the most exciting entertainer in the history of popular music, not just a song and dance man, not merely the embodiment of human conflicts and contradictions. He was all of those things. He was loved all over the world.

But Maya Angelou did not spit any verses for Farrah Fawcett. If there was ever doubt that he was black, it’s gone now. Now we know for sure.

He’s home now.

Jimi Izrael is a blogger for The Root on The Hardline.

http://www.theroot.com/views/now-hes-home

2009-07-08T10:44:00.001-07:00

Now He's Home

Now
He's HomeI was just telling a co-worker this same thing. Mike was
oursMichael Jackson may have had a strange relationship with his
blackness, but his memorial put all the questions to rest. He was black.

2009-07-08T10:30:00.001-07:00

Let me put you up on game playa.....dont let the cool demeanor and refined presentation fool you. I will get wit cha if neccessary!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/miUii

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-07-07T09:37:00.001-07:00

Watching the hearse travel to the Staples Center is surreal...........unbelievable

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/EHeYq

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-07-07T04:10:00.001-07:00

Why do I feel like we are burying a lifelong friend today? Rest in Peace MJ!!

2009-07-06T16:31:00.001-07:00

Hit the gym tonight...............great workout.............now I am thinking abut ordering a pizza.

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/MJgLX

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-07-03T05:37:00.001-07:00

I am convinced that warm yeast doughnuts from Longs bakery are a gift directly from God's kitchen for making it through another week! YEA FRIDAY!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/vS1NA

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-07-02T14:17:00.001-07:00

All I wanted was cashews but I kept pushing the wrong button $3 later I have Famous Amos, Reeses, AND cashews.......If the OT doesnt kill thefat kid the vending machine certainly will.....

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/fpEIR

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-24T06:13:00.001-07:00

Ft. Wayne pastor arrested for selling crack to his congregation. I couldnt make this stuff up: STOP IT PEOPLE
http://ping.fm/82iH3

2009-06-16T08:00:00.001-07:00

YOU ARE THE SOURCE OF MY STRENGTH, YOU ARE THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE! I LIFT MY HANDS IN TOTAL PRAISE TO YOU..................................

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/SkNkE

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-15T08:05:00.001-07:00

I work with some busy bodies......if there is no crap to stir they will create crap AND THEN.....stir it up. Three hours into the week and I am over it already!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/x7JTb

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-15T08:04:00.001-07:00

First my bosses are too addicted to email. Some things are better communicated face to face! What am I saying???

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/39z5t

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-12T12:42:00.001-07:00

Office manager just announced that our office will be closed on July 3rd!!! 3 day weekend just around the corner. I think I will be getting out of town!!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/Mi6OC

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-12T11:02:00.001-07:00

Does anyone other than me want Dr.Jeremiah Wright to ride off gracefully into the sunset:

http://ping.fm/DpgR4

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/NsH8P

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-11T07:06:00.001-07:00

My sister called me this morning to tell me Friday is coming!!! I B'lieve I'll Run On and See What the End's Gonna Be!!!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/aTAlm

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-10T06:34:00.001-07:00

This story inspired me to make it today....

http://ping.fm/UrjzN

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/gZqIV

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-08T06:08:00.001-07:00

Godtoday Iwill yield to your Power which lives in me. I will cling to you desperately because youcan fix me, make me, and mold me!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/PjkId

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-06T06:43:00.001-07:00

Went to the drive-in last night!! Saw The Hangover and tried to watch Terminator but couldnt stay awake.Its a shame the drive-ins are a dying breed...........LOVE 'EM!

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/7oVqB

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-05T13:01:00.001-07:00

Its Friday and I'll be working overtime all weekend. So tonight I am going to go a little crazy!! I have no idea what that entails yet............but stay tuned....................

Power and Presence,
Robert Ferguson
317-418-4437

http://ping.fm/9ucUS

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in times of comfort and
convenience, but where he stands in times of challenges and controversy."

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2009-06-04T21:40:00.001-07:00

ping

2009-06-04T21:37:00.001-07:00

Posting to PING

Just what is this BEAST called RACISM??

2009-04-29T12:19:00.000-07:00

Wyatt O'Brian Evans

http://www.bilerico.com/2009/04/just_whats_this_beast_called_racism_anyw.php

Editors' Note: Wyatt O'Brian Evans is a Bilerico-DC contributor. This is part of the series "The Cancer that Slowly Consumes Our Very Souls: Racism" that we're running on Bilerico Project.

First, for one to fully understand the monster, it's critical to have an exact and detailed working definition of it.

According to Dr. Frances Cress Welsing, the distinguished African-American behavioral scientist/general and child psychiatrist who's famous for her "Cress Theory of Color Confrontation" (which explores the practice of racism), those who classify themselves as white practice white supremacy in order to ensure white people's genetic survival.

Welsing's functional definition of racism is "the local and global power system structured and maintained by persons who classify themselves as white, whether consciously or subconsciously determined; this system consists of patterns of perception, logic, symbol formation, thought, speech, action and emotional response, as conducted simultaneously in all areas of people activity (economics, education, entertainment, labor, law, politics, religion, sex and war). The ultimate purpose of the system is to prevent white genetic annihilation on Earth--a planet in which the overwhelming majority of people are classified as non-white (black, brown, red and yellow) by white-skinned people. All of the non-white people are genetically dominant (in terms of skin coloration) compared to the genetically recessive white-skinned people...Together, the system and culture of white supremacy produce the phenomenon of racism."

She added, "In the collective white psyche, Black males have the greatest genetic potential (of all non white males) to cause white genetic annihilation. Thus, Black males must be attacked and destroyed in a power system designed to assure white genetic survival."

In August, Stephen Ohlemacher of the Associated Press (AP) reported that according to new government forecasts, by the year 2042, Caucasians will no longer be the majority in America. And by 2050, it is projected that whites will make up 46 percent of the population, Blacks 15 percent (a relatively small increase), Hispanics 30 percent, and Asians 9 percent.

More Dire Straits
Michelle Singletary, personal finance columnist for the Washington Post, wrote in her recent column, "The Change That Hasn't Come," that although income for all U.S. households has stagnated, the stats are worse for Latinos and Blacks. Singletary further reported, "'They are likely to suffer first and to suffer more in an economy that does not produce widely shared prosperity,' wrote Amanda Logan and Tim Westrich in an updated version of 'The State of Minorities: How Are Minorities Faring in the Economy?' published by the Center for American Progress. From income to unemployment to health care to homeownership, Hispanics and African-Americans lag significantly behind whites, according to the data compiled by the center."

Singletary continued, "In 2007, nearly three times as many African Americans lived in poverty as did whites. Hispanics were only slightly better off than African Americans. The unemployment rate for African Americans was almost double that of whites. The differences in health-care coverage also are stark. The percentage of Hispanics without coverage was three times that of whites in 2007, while that of African Americans was twice as high as whites. Almost 50 percent of African Americans and Hispanics own their homes, while 75 percent of whites do."

She added, "I know there are some triflin' folks, of all races, who don't want to work hard and are happy with handouts. But that description doesn't fit the vast majority of those at the bottom. They want their own slice of the pie, earned by expanding the pie with their own hard work, not by slicing away someone else's wealth."

Late last summer, The Washington Post also reported that, "So far, the toll of AIDS in the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority population has mostly been overshadowed by the epidemic among African Americans and gay white men. Yet in major U.S. cities, as many as 1 in 4 gay Hispanic men has HIV, a rate on par with sub-Saharan Africa."

According to the Post, the attention the Latino AIDS dilemma has received from political and health officials has been negligible. "At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where only two of 17 approved HIV programs target Hispanic Americans, officials have added Spanish-language hotlines, confidential testing sites and other initiatives aimed at filling the gap. 'Hispanics are over represented in this epidemic, and we need to target our efforts to them,' CDC epidemiologist Kenneth Dominguez said in an interview."

This is part of the series "The Cancer that Slowly Consumes Our Very Souls: Racism." Originally published in Qbliss, the article has been modified slightly for online readers. For more information on Wyatt O'Brian-Evans, you can visit his website or check out his Bilerico-DC bio page.

Damn, can a brother get a 'cut?

2009-04-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Tolu Olorunda is a Columnist for BlackCommentator.com, and a Staff Writer at ThisIsRealMusic.com.

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2009/04/damn-can-a-brother-get-a-cut-001812.php

"More than any other place, however, the barbershop is the black man's way station, point of contact, and universal home. Here he always finds a welcome--a friendly audience as he tells his story and a native to give him the word on local doings."

--Trudier Harris, "The Barbershop in Black Literature," 1979.

If you're a Black male, chances are you frequent a Black-owned barbershop to get a tight haircut every other week, or, for some of our more high-maintenance Brothas, every week. The barbershop is the Black man's home away from home. For many-a-married Black men, the barbershop is also their refuge away from the burdens of domestic life.

It's the one place where they can kick off their shoes, yell as loud as they want, cuss in indecipherable tones, and argue the hot-button issues of the day.

In "Barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk and Black Political Thought" (2004), Princeton professor, Melissa Harris Lacewell, describes Black barbershops as "a central gathering place for African-American men." These forums, in her words, "function as racialized public spaces with the potential to contribute to the development of black politics."

It's the only safe haven, apart from the Black church, where Black men are welcomed to articulate their rage against the discriminatory practices they encounter in our, as Tears for Fears put it, "mad world."

Unfortunately, they seem to have now become fertile ground for police officers to impede upon the free speech rights of Black males. According to a recently filed ACLU report, cops in California have been raiding Black barbershops, without warrants, and intimidating the customers. The reports account incidents where SWAT teams bum-rushed the shops, with guns and bulletproof vests, randomly searching and questioning Black clients.

Peter Bibring, an ACLU staff attorney, challenged the motives, given the context that "[t]here was no evidence of criminal activity at these locations and no reason that these once-thriving businesses were singled out other than racial profiling." Under the erroneous guise of health inspections, the suit alleges, law enforcement officers invaded these shops, running criminal warrant checks on both barbers and customers. One barber who objected, says the ACLU, was detained in a police car for 10 minutes. He was afterward released.

In a news release from the ACLU, one of the barbers described the emotional and financial toll the incident took upon him. "It was sickening," he said. "I have lost good customers and had my reputation called into question in a community where I've been working for 20 years. I wouldn't wish this on anyone."

This report demands a question we must all answer: Why are police officers barging into centers of isolated Black discourse, and disturbing the peace amongst innocent people?

The answer might be that Black barbershops represent one of the last emblems of our Black community. The fact that these shops promote a cultural intimacy that other "stations," to use Harris's words, refuse to offer, can single-handedly arouse the curious eye of the FBI and other federal agencies.

Black barbershop conversations revel in proselytizing what renowned singer Sade called the "sweetest taboo." Nothing is off limits, and no holds are barred. Black men can say what they want and how they like it be said. The dominant culture that subjects Black men--and, of course, Black women--to an inferior status, gets aired out, with convenience, in these "stations."

The sacredness of this holy ground is now being threatened--just as the prophetic tradition of the Black church was, last year.

More appalling than these reports, I think, is that a mere two years ago, President Barack Obama could so easily have fallen victim to any of those unfortunate search-and-frisk practices.

In a popular clip from October 2007, Obama is seen walking into a Marion, SC barbershop, swimming comfortably in the pool of Black dialect. He starts by riffing on a Brotha's shoes: "Check out those shoes, too... What is that? You got some alligator? If I wore those shoes, I'll win in a hot second." Obama moved through the crowd of Black faces, fitting right in. He left no one doubting his familiarity with the radical tradition of the Black barbershop.

Obama's very own barbershop, Hyde Park Hair Salon, is Black-owned. For 13 years, he claims to have bowed his head to the same barber's clippers--a Black man named, Zariff. If this is true, and it sure seems so, what would have happened if, on a sunny Sunday afternoon, police officers stormed in, asking for some identification, and running search warrants on the current president of the United States? Chances are those officers would have been terminated--at once.

And with this, a final question begs an answer: Why, then, should WE put up with it?

2009-03-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Monday, March 30, 2009
Memo to Jimi Izrael: Fronting as Straight Always Pays Off
vote nowBuzz up!
This is a cross post by blksista. She blogs at This Black Sista’s Page.

I’m a mid-Boomer/Jones Generation/unmarried/straight/Nichiren Buddhist/progressive and writer, interested in just about everything live and in color. Presently, I live in Madison, WI. But not for long.

There are some days that I think Jimi Izrael of The Root doesn’t know what else to say. I wanted to reply to him forthwith about his March 12 comment about Bayard Rustin, and the beatdown he received during a famous debate with Malcolm X in the early Sixties. But I held my peace. While Izrael was supportive of a bio flick about Rustin’s life, and was appreciative of pacifist Robert Gore’s eyewitness report on the event that made him question his own politics, I went back and forth about responding on The Root’s pages, and then finally resolved that I couldn’t let this lie.

The late Rustin had promoted a political line incompatible with that of the then-spokesperson of the Nation of Islam in 1962, and that was an alliance with progressive and liberal whites to reach the goal of racial equality. Izrael rightly put forth that it was perhaps “an unfortunate incident of backseat (homosexual) passion that got Brother Rustin thrown in the pokey” that hampered his ability to get a rise out of ordinary blacks and scared the civil rights hierarchy. However, it seems as if Izrael felt that he couldn’t criticize (or conveniently forgot to criticize) the Black Prince himself, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, in light of recent scholarship, for fronting off as militantly heterosexual when his sexual history had proven otherwise. At least Bayard Rustin never hid who he was, like James Baldwin; Malcolm, though, according to one of his biographers, Bruce Perry, had far more to hide and everything to lose.

Bruce Perry’s landmark biography of Malcolm X, Malcolm: The Life of the Man Who Changed Black America, appeared in 1991, and caused shock waves among those who had taken his Autobiography as gospel truth. It wasn’t. And it’s been very hard and very painful, in the eighteen years since it was published during the resurgence of interest in Malcolm, for blacks to accept the very real possibility that Malcolm may have been bisexual or gay. Moreover, that his faith and marriage to the beloved and revered Betty Shabazz may have been a way to subsume his desires as well as his affinity for living on the edge and fit somewhere, anywhere in the world. It’s commonly known as putting up a front.

I do not, however, share the view of British gay rights activist Peter Gary Tatchell who wrote in The Guardian in 2005 that Malcolm El Shabazz was some kind of black gay hero. Furthermore, blacks still rationalize Malcolm’s previous homosexual activities as stuff that he did before he got “cleansed” through the teachings of Elijah Muhammad, and became “straight.” They see homosexuality as something close to criminality, that it was a “white (or Arab) disease,” and that it can be altered or changed through the right religion or woman. They point to Betty Shabazz’ unwillingness to work with Perry when he researched his book as proof that he had some fish to fry or some dirt to expose. I would ascribe it to a widow’s unwillingness to speak ill of her marriage bed and an inability to detach herself from a famous–and some would say, near-mythological–husband, which is perfectly apt in the circumstances. Tatchell says something, however, that I do agree with:

Was Malcolm X gay? Bisexual? In his schooldays, he was apparently a passive participant. Others masturbated or fellated him. Later, while working as a male prostitute, he took a more hands-on role in sex, especially with [William Paul] Lennon [a rich bachelor who hired Malcolm as a butler]. This part-time whoring may have been pecuniary. There is, however, plentiful research suggesting that many guys who have sex with men for payment are in denial about their homosexuality. They tell themselves they are doing it for the money. This is their way of coping with same-sex desires that they are unable to accept. Was this Malcolm’s excuse? Surely there must have been some degree of queer desire to enable Malcolm to sustain his sexual experiences with men over a period of 10 years? If this desire was within him from adolescence to early adulthood, could he have erased it completely in later life?

Sexuality is not like a newspaper–read today and discarded tomorrow. Established desires can be sublimated or repressed, but never eliminated. If people have a homosexual capacity, it stays with them for life - even if they never act on it. (Emphasis mine)

I doubt whether we would have seen Malcolm X on Oprah talking about his life on the downlow. But like many religious leaders from Henry Ward Beecher to Elijah Muhammad, their sexual behaviour off the pulpit or the lectern hasn’t always been pristine–it’s been downright weird. (The same could be said for political leaders as well.) The ways in which the Nation of Islam brought Malcolm and Betty together in matrimony seem rather distancing and has little to do with what I think of as courtship rituals. The faith showed the same fear of, and depreciation of women as with other ultra-orthodox Islamic groups. It was the same distancing that Malcolm had towards women in general, tainted by his relationship with his mother. In other words, his was an arranged marriage, made up to ensure and to confirm Malcolm’s masculinity and power in the relationship. The woman came to him, or was brought to him. And it does not imply that Malcolm did not come to love Betty. However, in pursuing gay relationships as an adult, in Perry’s book, he went after what he wanted.

I can now think of all this in light of the debate between Bayard Rustin and Malcolm X in 1962; it is what we know now against what we didn’t know then. When Malcolm died, all of his potential died with him. He remains frozen in time, the Black Prince who embraced heterosexuality as well as a black, black woman, as Alice Walker once said of him. He was also fronting. Even the Autobiography is a front, that is, a lie. This is not food for gossip magazines, but food for thought in all of our relationships and alliances.

When Bayard Rustin died, he died reviled for being an openly gay man who had few regrets for living his life, as well as being a black man and a progressive, who supposedly nearly hampered our walk to freedom. The redeemed, but hidden Malcolm was able to witheringly excoriate Rustin from a high place of judgment and superiority in everyone’s mind. He was unable to evince little empathy or even a pang of insight for Rustin across the differences, even backstage of the public arena, for fear of being exposed. It paid for Malcolm to remain heterosexual for the rest of his life, and for the life of his legend. And that is both the horror and the regret of that moment in time, in that debate between Malcolm X and Bayard Rustin, that needs to be iterated in any kind of film biography of this great, nearly-forgotten black leader.

MY SOUL IS NOT GAY

2009-03-24T08:52:00.001-07:00

I recieved this in email. I have been unale to verify the author or the source. Still it is powerful. I do believe that we have become overly sensitive to others classification of us and the opinions of who we are. First and foremost I am a child of God. Who I choose to love is secondary to that fact. Let us stay focused on Jesus and what it is that God is calling each and every one of us to do in and with this life!

Robert

"God hates fags!" This lovely utterance comes from the mouth of Donnie McClurkin. "Matthew Shepherd is in Hell" was another thought expressed by one of McClurkin's religious colleagues, a rather infamous preacher. Religious folks love to make homosexuals and homosexuality their cause celebre. But I must confess their invitation to continual sparring is terribly unappealing given their limited and sparse intellectual capacity. Inciting people based on emotional charges and incendiary speech is so sophomoric. Not interested.

I prefer instead to think on things, ponder and theorize. My latest effort has been on the nature of homosexuality. All this talk about homosexuality being a choice and a lifestyle is irritable to say the least. People need more knowledge and less superstition, more information and less stereotyping.

Human beings are complicated creatures, full of layers and textures, a work of art in nature by the hand of God. The Trinity is a reflection of God's image and we, it is reported are made in that image. Three distinct images existing in their own time and space, yet one. We reflect the same. Body, Mind and Spirit. Three distinct images existing in their own time and space, yet one.

When I get dressed in the morning, after showering and grooming my naked body, I put on my underclothes: my underwear and my tee-shirt and socks. Then I put on my shirt and trousers or a suit. Depending on the season I will top it all off with a jacket or a coat. Our existence is quite similar to this layering. We come out of God as Spirits, naked if you will. When we come into existence we then "clothe" ourselves with other layers of existence like Body and Mind. We are essentially three creatures in one, Body, Mind and Spirit. Ideally all three parts work in harmony or unison to produce our so-called activity in this world.

Of course in everyday life we do not refer to ourselves as a trinity. We appear to each other simply as individuals. And as individuals we again clothe ourselves with different traits, characteristics and identities. This conglomeration of traits, characteristics and identities we call personality. Personality is also composed of layers of sorts that cover up the Mind and the Spirit.

My homosexuality resides in my personality; it is a personality trait. My Soul is not gay. My homosexuality is one of the layers that covers my Soul, like clothing that covers a naked body. When I lay down this life, I will lay down my personality and traits along with it. My Soul will return to its nakedness. In the next life I will again take up a body with a personality and its accompanying traits.

The Soul is a thing of God, the primordial spark of pure Spirit. It cannot be touched by impurity. It absorbs only that which is eternal, that which is "good, true and beautiful." As the prophet, Isaiah says of the Way of Holiness, "no unclean thing" may enter. Men think their Souls experience happiness and sadness and the vagaries of human existence. This is not so. The Soul is steady, it is constant. Its vision and existence is grounded in eternity where it sees the past, the present, and the future as one moment. That which we perceive as wickedness and evil are the result of time and circumstance, isolated moments taken out of context. Had we the Soul's vision we would see that our existence is simply a journey toward completion or the unity of a purified or "redeemed" personality with the Soul.

We are so crippled by time and space. Only at the end of our lives do we understand our life. Only then at the end can we see the isolated incidences that, when grouped together, give us a picture of who we are: infants, children, young adults, middle-aged, elderly. With no access to the future we cannot know what we will be or what we will turn into so we are limited in how we can express ourselves. Only hindsight gives us wisdom.

When we see someone in a particular time and space we see but a fragment of who they are. Were we able to see their entire existence in a moment we would see what they were, are and will be. Just because I am not smart now does not mean at some point in the future I will not be smart. Just because I am poor now does not mean at some point I will not be wealthy. Just because I am heartless now does not mean I will not be kind at some point. We, each and every one of us, has played the part of fool or jester, of king or queen, prince or pauper, lover and spurned. These are clothes our Soul has worn over the course of our lives. If we all had this conscious knowledge we would judge each other less, we would understand caste and class more.

I do not believe in judgment. I believe in understanding. I do not believe in ignorance. I believe in knowledge. The Soul cannot learn anything. There is nothing for it to learn. It is pure existence. The personality on the other hand, does learn and experience and grasp and hold and gain and lose. Like the prodigal son it goes into the far country (the big city) and spends its inheritance, a parable for the individual who spends his life experiencing all of life's pleasure and decadence. Once the prodigal son spends everything, he comes back home, stronger and wiser as a personality and more intent towards knowledge of the Soul. Without his whoring himself and prostituting his talents in the big city he would have learned naught of the world and been less of a person.

We all go into the big city and get lost. We have to find our way back home to the knowledge of truth and understanding. That experience changes and transforms us and brings us closer to what we really are: Spirit clothed in flesh.

My homosexuality has given me some assets, which my Soul will absorb. My homosexuality has also given me some deficits, which will not be absorbed by my Soul. Such is life. No matter who we are or what we are we have gifts and deficits. Our Souls will take the good and leave the bad.

My homosexuality is just lense through which I am viewing this life, just like my race and my sex, nothing more, nothing less. This is understanding. The two statements that I opened with-they are ignorance.
Posted by Thomas at 10:37 AM

SOURCE - HOMO ON THE LOOSE

"To defend one's self against fear is simply to ensure that one will, one day, be conquered by it; fears must be faced."

-- James Arthur Baldwin

2009-03-24T05:50:00.000-07:00

23 March 2009
Rick Ross "Apologizes" to Gays: "I'm Willing to Record with an Openly Gay Artist Such as 50 Cent"

The Rick Ross-50 Cent beef takes an interesting turn. After taking some heat for calling 50 Cent a closet homosexual and a "fag"—among other colorful names—Miami-based Ross offers a left-handed apology in a video "apology" to the gay community and slyly maintains his willingness to record with "openly gay artist ... such as 50 Cent."

Ross says, "I heard I offended the homosexual community recently with terms I've been using the last few weeks—terms like fags, punks, homos, gays—we all know. What I want to say is I apologize. I sincerely apologize to the gay community, to the people I offended with the words like fags, gays, punks. You know, words like that. I apologize. And just to let the gay community know how sincere I am with my apologies ... I'm offering and willing to do a record with a openly gay artist such as Curly, Curtis Jackson, 50 Cent. We all know he's gay. I'm willing to do a song. Even Elton John. Both two great gay artists... So I apologize to the gay community. So now that that's out the way ... Now all the gays, we good. Peace."

The reference to "Curly" is to Fifty's Jherri Curl-wearing "Pimpin' Curly" video which mocked Rick Ross. In recent years, Fifty Cent, who has gaybashed during much of his career, has been relentlessly gay-baited by rival rappers and was even portrayed on a mix tape with a lipstick-smeared face and in a tender embrace with fellow G Unit members.

Lorraine Hansberry's Gay Politics

2009-03-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

We must know of the ancestors on whose shoulders we stand.

Lorraine Hansberry's Gay Politics
Why the 'Raisin in the Sun' playwright's homosexual ties have been straight-washed from black history.

By: Kai Wright | Posted: March 11, 2009 at 12:01 PM

The thing about history is that you don't get answers to questions you don't ask. Sally Hemings was a forgotten slave until Annette Gordon-Reed came along. Black soldiers from the Revolutionary War forward were said to play no meaningful role until black scholars ferreted out the facts. And Lorraine Hansberry had nothing to do with the lesbian liberation movement until 1976, when an editor revealed the playwright's surprisingly radical correspondence on the subject.

Black gays and lesbians have been erased from our community's history with surprising thoroughness. March on Washington planner Bayard Rustin labored away on behalf of the greater good for decades while having his own humanity shunted by fellow movement leaders. Duke Ellington's genius writing partner Billy Strayhorn's contributions have been profoundly obscured. And many of the artists who peopled the Harlem Renaissance have had their queer lives entirely straight-washed.

It's a terribly consequential trend because it has left too many black people, straight and gay alike, to believe that sexual shame and silence is a long-standing norm in our community. The opposite is true, and Hansberry is a wonderful example.

Hansberry was a child of the civil rights movement—her parents fought and won a long legal battle against housing segregation in Chicago, which inspired her story for A Raisin in the Sun. Later, as a young woman, she abandoned her studies at the University of Wisconsin and moved to New York City in 1950, where she took up work on Paul Robeson's political journal Freedom.

It was during this activism that she met her husband, Robert Nemiroff. The two were together romantically only briefly, but their relationship remained close—they didn't divorce until the end of her life—and, for decades, historians viewed Hansberry's personal life through that lens. But throughout her short life—Hansberry died of cancer at 34—she engaged both a personal and a political search for sexual freedom and articulated a still-urgent understanding of its relationship to gender equality.

It's unclear whether Hansberry would have called herself a "lesbian," primarily because she and others were still in the process of developing the concept of such a clearly defined sexual identity. But she dated women and, more strikingly, joined the country's first-ever lesbian political organization, the now-defunct Daughters of Bilitis, at a time when doing so made you a target of federal law enforcement.

After joining the group, Hansberry wrote a series of provocative letters to two gay journals. Daughters of Bilitis began publishing its journal, the Ladder, in 1956. Hansberry chimed in to it in May and August of 1957, while she was writing A Raisin in the Sun. Hansberry is known for her drama, but she was a prolific political writer and speaker, dating back to her early 1950s activism and editorial work for Robeson. And in her essay-length 1957 letters to the editor, she challenged members to consider the feminist case against homophobia.

"I think it is about time that equipped women began to take on some of the ethical questions which a male-dominated culture has produced," Hansberry wrote in one letter, explaining, "There may be women to emerge who will be able to formulate a new and possible concept that homosexual persecution and condemnation has at its roots not only social ignorance, but a philosophically active anti-feminist dogma."

She believed, in other words, that people fear queers because they challenge comfortingly rigid gender norms. It's the sort of radical political analysis for which scholars like black lesbian author Barbara Smith argue Hansberry is rarely credited. Hansberry signed the letters with her initials, as was the journal's convention. Ladder editor Barbara Grier revealed Hansberry as the author, though the fact remains largely ignored outside of academic circles.

Hansberry further elaborated on the point in an unpublished 1961 letter to another gay periodical, ONE magazine. "I have suspected for a good time that the homosexual in America would ultimately pay a price for the intellectual impoverishment of women," she wrote, later adding, "Men continue to misinterpret the second-rate status of women as implying a privileged status for themselves; heterosexuals think the same way about homosexuals; gentiles about Jews; whites about blacks; haves about have-nots."

These ideas were way ahead of their time. Hansberry's evolving politics were groundbreaking, and many questions remain about how they impacted her work—both plays she wrote after Raisin included gay characters—and how her ideas impacted the budding movement for sexual freedom she joined in the 1950s. In ignoring these questions, we've limited our understanding of Hansberry, and we're all poorer for it.

Always remembering Bayard

2009-02-26T11:32:00.000-08:00

Bayard Rustin: Offensive lineman for freedom

Bayard Rustin, who became a gay activist later in life, was a brilliant, charismatic, passionately courageous man who was Dr. Martin Luther King’s chief strategist and right-hand man.

By Patricia Nell

Barack Obama’s election as America’s first black President is a good time for refreshing our memory on LGBT figures in the black civil-rights movement. Bayard Rustin is an obvious choice – a brilliant, charismatic, passionately courageous man who was Dr. Martin Luther King’s chief strategist and right-hand man.

The sports angle: Rustin started his activist career way back around 1929, when he first played high-school football. This chapter in his life is a "Remember the Titans" kind of story.

The word “activist” rolls off our tongues easily today. But in 1920s and 1930s America, taking a stand on human-rights issues automatically made you a target for the FBI.

You were pegged as a communist or a socialist agitator – terms that were used as deadkt weapons against anybody who tried to challenge the status quo, whether it was race relations or unionizing or veterans’ rights.

Bayard’s close-knit family was rooted in eastern Pennsylvania, in the small town of West Chester. When his mother was 17, she got pregnant out of wedlock. Bayard was born in 1912. Since his father never stepped forward to accept responsibility, Florence’s parents, Julia and Janifer Rustin, adopted the boy as their own.

Slender, intense Julia was well-educated – one of the first blacks in the county to finish high school. She worked for a prominent Quaker family and made herself visible in community service. When the NAACP was founded in 1910, Julia was a charter member. Though she belonged to the local African Methodist church, Julia was part Delaware Indian. Her family were Quakers and free people of color who had lived in Pennsylvania for generations.

From his grandmother, Bye – as he was called at home – soaked up that powerful example of community activism, as well as a keen consciousness of America’s dissenter heritage.

In the mid-1600s, the pacifist Friends (as Quakers called themselves) had begun streaming to the North American colonies to escape persecution in Anglican-ruled England. After the American Revolution, Quaker leaders influenced our founders’ decision to adopt the First Amendment principle of freedom of conscience. Outraged at slavery, the Friends helped organize the “underground railroad” that enabled thousands of escaped slaves to get out of the South and establish themselves in freedom. That old escape route had run right through Bayard’s home town.

Ironically, in spite of all this history, segregation had seeped into Pennsylvania from the South. So West Chester was a city where many businesses and institutions enforced Jim Crow. As the only high school in the county, West Chester Senior High School was uneasily integrated, with a small number of blacks among its 600 students.

A Renaissance Athlete

Rustin was one of those rare students who did well at everything. He was a good-looking 6-footer, popular with both black and white students -- straight-A student, mainstay of the debating team, award-winning essayist, and outstanding singer (tenor). He even wrote poetry. In short, according to biographer John D’Emilio, he was “West Chester’s version of a Renaissance man.”

Most important, Pinhead – as he was nicknamed by friends – was the best athlete in the school. At first it was just tennis, track and basketball where he beat everybody. But tennis was viewed as a pansy sport, and Bayard was already aware of his attraction to other males and worried about his masculinity. So he went out for football to prove his own manliness to himself.

With his speed and smarts, a movie script might have made him star quarterback of the West Chester Warriors. Instead Bayard chose to play offensive lineman, left tackle. In basic football strategy, all five linemen have the job of protecting the quarterback. But the two tackles have an extra-tough job, because they have to anchor the two ends of that offensive line, blocking multiple hits from opposing players and preventing them from making a blitz.

Bayard’s sheer will to use his strength and psychic force for the team’s benefit made him the Warriors’ MVP. Later a teammate remembered what it was like to run up against Pinhead in a scrimmage. He said, “I found it impossible to get by him. Sometimes, after knocking me down on my face, he would gently help me to my feet and quote a line from a poem.”

Another teammate added in, “He was the toughest hitter on the front line. I wouldn’t have expected that of a young man whose grandmother was raising him to be nonviolent. Yet I could never hit as hard as he did.”

Yet another teammate reminisced ruefully, “I never blocked him once … his bones and his muscles were like steel … he was tough.”

By his junior year, that toughness had made Bayard an all-county lineman, and won him letters in both football and track. During his senior year, 1932-33, he helped carry the track team to the state mile championship at the Penn Relays. That same year, the West Chester Warriors had a 10-game winning streak, with the local paper enthusing, “Bayard Rustin played his usual fine game at left tackle, working splendidly with left end Bruno.”

An Activist Is Born

On that extraordinary team, some strong black-white friendships were born. But off campus, the boys ran into Jim Crow. All the team members were welcome at Julia’s house. But one of Bayard’s best friends was a white boy whose parents wouldn’t let their son invite Bayard to their home. The black team members weren’t allowed in the YMCA or certain restaurants. They had to sit in the segregated balcony at the movie theater. For games out of town, the black players couldn’t stay at the same hotel as their white teammates. Some schools even refused to let their all-white teams play West Chester.

The moment came when Bayard had enough. One weekend, just before the Warriors were to play in a neighboring town, he organized his black teammates into a protest squad. They told the coach that, if they couldn’t have the same accommodations as their white teammates, they weren’t going to play. The coach buckled – though he later retaliated by holding back some track awards that the boys had earned.

After that, there was no stopping Rustin. He led his special team of protesters all over West Chester – into stores, restaurants, the YMCA. The boys were usually thrown out, but they kept trying. One of his followers remembered later, “Bayard’s determination was frightening. But we looked up to him as our leader. He was persuasive. He could sell you anything.”

Eventually Bayard was arrested for the first time in his life, for trying to sit in the white section of the movie theater.

In 1932, when Bayard graduated as class valedictorian, nobody would have predicted that he’d become a valued player in global civil-rights activism. They figured he’d be a singer, or a pro athlete … even a poet. But no local organizations made scholarships available for a talented black kid. So his grandmother Julia wangled him an out-of-town scholarship that sent him to Wilberforce in Ohio – one of the oldest black colleges in the U.S.

By then, Bayard had already had his first sexual experiences with other boys, and knew that he was gay. “I never felt any guilt,” he said later. Indeed, he took the offensive in cruising for one-time experiences. But this was something that had to be kept hidden at all costs.

A Role Model in India

In college, Rustin first started hearing about Mohandas Gandhi, a young Indian lawyer who lived on the other side of the world. Gandhi was emerging as a freedom leader, first against apartheid in South Africa, then against British colonial rule in his native India. Freedom-bent American blacks were thrilled to read about the exploits of this brown-skinned man who was fighting for people of color halfway around the world. By the end of World War II, Gandhi’s organizing had united millions of peaceful but determined Hindus and Muslims, convincing the British to grant India her independence without a fight.

For Rustin, the challenge was clear – to graft Gandhi’s concepts of pacifist non-violent activism onto the Quaker pacifism that he’d learned from Julia.

In 1937, Rustin discovered New York City, and fell in love with it. Initially, he lived with his aunt in Harlem, which had exploded into a center of music and arts creativity. His activist career started with work in the pacifist and labor movements.

From college onwards, Rustin’s long and action-packed career veered away from sports. Yet he always carried himself like an athlete – lean, graceful yet powerful, and always elegantly dressed. His 6-foot frame was impressive at the speakers’ podium.

Rustin approached everything with a keen sense of strategy that he must have honed on those football fields in eastern Pennsylvania. Arrested numerous times for both cruising and freedom protests, he was still so tough that he survived a number of brutal beatings by police. That toughness also carried him through incarceration. In 1944, federal authorities sentenced him to three years for refusing to serve in uniform during World War II. In 1947, after being arrested during a Freedom ride, Rustin did 30 days in a Southern chain gang. The experience was so horrific that the exposé he wrote for a magazine stirred up a public outcry.

In the late 1940s, the prison experience prompted Rustin to start speaking out about the cruelty and injustice that faced American homosexuals. Making no secret of his sexual orientation, he was having his first real relationship with a young white man, handsome blond Davis Platt, who was a movement co-worker. In 1947, the two of them settled down in an apartment in 124th Street in New York City. Their place became a center for artists, writers and activists.

“Bayard was fun to be with,” said Platt later. But the relationship finally foundered on Rustin’s penchant for cruising, and the two men broke up after a year.

Marching on Washington D.C.

By the 1960s, Rustin was working with emerging black leader Reverend Martin Luther King. Rustin had been pondering Gandhi’s strategies, with their foundation in Hindu spirituality. How could those principles be applied in the U.S. in a way that could draw support from liberal Christian spirituality, given the fact that ultraconservative white Christians usually supported Jim Crow? It was during the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott that Rustin first counseled Dr. King on non-violent activism. By 1963, he was helping King to organize that historic March on Washington that kicked the black civil-rights movement into higher gear.

Though Rustin was a compelling speaker and could have been a leader in his own right, he stayed behind the scenes. His sexual orientation had gotten negative public attention after a 1953 California arrest for “indecency.” Puritanical church people started pressuring King to get rid of the “commie queer.” He was booted out of the pacifist organization, Fellowship for Reconciliation, for which he’d worked so hard.

“After that,” comments historian E. P. Lovejoy at Epinions, “Rustin refrained voluntarily from speaking out about oppression of homosexuals because he wanted to protect the racial civil rights movement into which he had invested so much. He knew that his homosexuality, about which was never secret even when he was not outspoken, could be used against the movement. It was, especially by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI and by the segregationist U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond.

“Rustin also faced enemies within the movement, chief among them Adam Clayton Powell, the U.S. Representative from Harlem. Powell sought to gain for himself a more influential position by denigrating Rustin. He threatened to leak fabricated allegations of a sexual affair between Rustin and King. Powell demanded that King distance himself from Rustin. King gave in and was rebuked by James Baldwin and others who rallied to Rustin's defense. King and Rustin worked together after that, and Rustin accompanied King to Oslo in 1964 when King received the Nobel Prize for Peace, but their friendship never fully recovered.”

Intriguingly, the positioning that Rustin accepted in the black civil-rights movement was a rerun of his positioning in high-school football. Dr. King was the quarterback who carried the ball, and Rustin was his loyal left tackle.

But Rustin was not the only homosexual in King’s organization. A lesbian friend of mine, Cherokee medicine woman Earth Thunder, recalls being one of the young workers in that organization in the late 1960s. As a Native American, she felt that King’s “I have a dream” was meant for all people of color. Earth Thunder told me: “I can recollect some joyful times with Bayard in a private gathering in Harlem, probably 1968. We were resting between pushes to get ready for the August Democratic explosion. Rustin was with some other friends and they were singing. Some were in drag. But for most of the movement, I knew little of any of the gay friends pushing the envelope.” Meaning that they were all keeping a low profile like Rustin did.

After Dr. King was assassinated in 1968, Rustin hurled himself into offensive-lineman work in other countries where people of color were fighting for freedom. With his counsel, he supported native leaders everywhere with their freedom movements -- in Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Haiti, El Salvador, and Grenada. He also worked for the freedom of Soviet Jews.

Finally a Gay Activist

In 1977, Rustin settled into his happiest and most enduring relationship, with a younger man named Walter Naegle. He was still lean and handsome, but with hair going powerfully white. The two settled in New York City's Chelsea district.

By then, anti-gay feeling in the U.S. had softened just enough that Rustin felt able to work openly for the LGBT cause without hurting other causes. During an effort for gay-friendly legislation in New York City, he testified at hearings and made a statement that sounds prophetic today. He said, “There are very few liberal Christians today who would dare say anything other than blacks are our brothers and they should be treated so, but they will make all kinds of hideous distinctions when it comes to our gay brothers. ... That is what makes the homosexual central to the whole political apparatus as to how far we can go in human rights.”

Sadly, many in the gay community dismissed Rustin’s efforts, considering him a Johnny-come-lately. One commentator described him as “gay, activist but sadly, not a gay activist.”

In 1987, shortly after yet another trip abroad, Rustin took ill and died. He had just turned 75. Walter Naegle continues to tend the flame of his partner’s achievements as executor and archivist for the Bayard Rustin estate.

For some years, Rustin was undeservedly forgotten by many in the LGBT movement. Yet today our younger activists are rediscovering Rustin. In the late 1990s, when I was working with LGBT students in the Los Angeles Unified School District, I found that LGBT students of color were hungry to know that they had some towering historical role models like Rustin. To a black kid who was one of the school district’s student commissioners at the time, I gave a copy of a biography about Rustin. He devoured the book, and told me that he cried all the way through it.

“It’s just awesome,” the student said, “that an openly gay black man was Martin Luther King’s head guy.”

Biographer John D’Emilio sums up Rustin’s life in a few deft words. He says, “Rustin displayed courage under circumstances that are terrifying to contemplate. His life reminds us that the most important stories from the past are often those that have been forgotten and that from obscure origins can emerge individuals with the power to change the world.”

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to Walter Naegle for his gracious help and helpful information. Also thanks to producer-director Bennett Singer for providing me with a DVD of "Brother Outsider," and giving permission for reproduction of the image from the film that accompanies this article.

Further reading:

Books
Lost Prophet: The Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, by John D’Emilio (University of Chicago Free Press, 2003).

Time on Two Crosses: The Collected Writings of Bayard Rustin, edited by Devon W. Cabardo and Donald Weise (Cleis Press, 2003).

We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin, by Larry Dane Brimner (Calkins Creek Books, 2007)

Bayard Rustin: Troubles I’ve Seen, by Jervis Anderson (University of California Press, 1998).

Film
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin
Produced and directed by Bennett Singer and Nancy D. Kates . Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, broadcast on PBS’ P.O.V. series and LOGO cable network. To date the film has won 20 film festival awards.

Web pages
Bayard Rustin Fund
http://rustin.org/?page_id=11

Video about Rustin

http://claycane.blogspot.com/2008/01/remembering-bayard-rustin.html

2009-02-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

R&B Singer Rahsaan Patterson...On Being Gay

R&B music is having a banner year for more reasons than one. Of course there were the much anticipated releases from Jill Scott, Angie Stone, Eric Roberson, and now Alicia Keys. But along with the good music came the admission from R&B singer Donnie just days after the release of his sophomore album The Daily News (Soulthought Records) this year, that he was gay. And maybe it’s because I’ve been soooo busy these past few weeks, but I missed the long awaited coming out of R&B’s Rahsaan Patterson. Now Rahsaan being gay is not news to me, but him coming out publicly is.

On October 7, 2007, just several days after the release of his latest album Wine & Spirits, in an exclusive interview with BETJ.com’s John Murph, Rahsaan followed fellow R&B singer Donnie’s lead and broke his silence about not only his sexuality but his thoughts on homophobia. Congrats Rahsaan!
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Here's an excerpt:

BET J: Are you dealing with your sexuality?

Patterson: Exactly. When your body is fringed upon and you had no say so in the matter, the years that follow have nothing to do with who you initially could have been or would be.

Personally, I believe when that happens to you – a spirit attaches itself to you then you reside in a world where you have this stigma on you. When you’re a child, you don’t know what the hell is going on. Then you grow up with all these issues and with all these people who put these issues on you; and block you mentally from obtaining who you really could be. It’s an issue as Black people that we really don’t like to deal with; it’s an issue that a lot of gay people don’t want to break down.

Some people believe that they were born that way. But I’m not the person who feels like they have to justify myself or my beliefs to have people applaud me or buy my records. I’m very well aware of people’s opinions about me. Some people are right; some people are wrong. But that does not define who I am. That is not all of who I am. It’s really redundant and tired at this point.

BET J: Do you think that the R&B is as homophobic as the press makes it out to be? Or is it the press and record companies that are actually the more homophobic?

Patterson: When you come out as openly gay in the music world, you become, “Oh that’s they gay artist.” What is that about? It’s a cheap shot. Personally, I feel that it’s degrading and disrespectful, because it lessens the power of who an individual is. It’s unfortunate that we need labels – you got to be Jewish or you got to be whatever the label is.

BET J: So you don’t think identifying oneself as openly gay gives a sense of empowerment?

Patterson: It does. I remember talking to Meshell Ndegeocello and she told me that her record label took it upon itself to market her as the “bi-sexual R&B artist.” It wasn’t about her denying it or hiding it; her sexuality was what it was. Someone’s sexuality doesn’t have to be a selling point.

I realize that people need a leader who stands for something they believe in. I get that. I just don’t choose to be that leader. If I’m going to lead anything, I’m going to lead in way that’s going to bring us to a higher place of existence and really acknowledge how powerful we really are, and how limiting those labels can be. I’m just tired of people having issues with my sexuality.

My struggle has been to come to a point of clarification in which I can sit and articulate it and fully be conscious of how I feel about it as opposed to someone trying to catch me off guard and asking me.

BET J: Do you feel that a lot of people want you to be the gay poster child for R&B.

Some do. And to be honest, I’m the poster child already for a whole lot of people and for a whole lot of sh*t. I want to be the poster child for freedom and for someone who is cool with themselves and who doesn’t need someone else to agree or applaud. I think it shows in my music.

Particularly in the Black community, hang-ups on sexuality is retarded to me, like when you have one-on-one conversations with some people and everything is cool, but when you add four more people in the mix, sh*t changes. People start retreating, fronting, and changing their swagger, lowering their voices. I ain’t got time for that.

2009-02-18T06:16:00.000-08:00

Love Is Like A Cigarette! A Joint About Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson!

Back in the 1920's and 30's, cigarettes were a dime a dozen. They were lit afire, enjoyed, and gone through one after another. Sometimes they were used as embellishment; a glamourous adornment just for show. After the pleasure was over, they were estinguished and forgotten just like any other fag. Isn't that what the British called them? Ask Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson. It seems that he burned and enjoyed the pleasure of many a fag in his day. And ever so cavalier, when he was done with them, it is said that he promptly smashed them underfoot.

Leslie Hutchinson, commonly known as "Hutch" in his heyday of the 20's and 30's, immigrated to the UK by way of Harlem by way of Grenada to become one of Britain's most popular and highest paid cabaret entertainers. While in Harlem, Hutch immersed himself in the renaissance and the jazz of the age as a peer alongside Duke Ellington and Fats Waller.

Legend has it that he was run out of America on a rail and into expatriate status by a Ku Klux Klan rally in Florida. Heading off to Paris in 1924, he hung out with Josephine Baker and found a gay lover in composer Cole Porter. Reaching London in 1927, his rise to fame (and notoriety) was extraordinary. Sexy mellow yellow and immaculate in white tie and tails, his smooth velvet crooning and skilled improvisation on the piano seduced many fans in the upper echelons of society both male and female. Appearing at the most exclusive clubs throughout Europe, his savoir faire allowed him to almost transcend the era's racial attitudes and bias. Hutch launched a most successful recording career, kicked it with the Prince of Wales and knocked up society debutantes. He was satirized in literature, fluently bi-lingual and fragrantly bisexual. He had forgotten his black wife, and was now moving almost exclusively among white high-society, living on grand scale. They coveted his exoticism, and he frequently and freely satiated their thirsts. Among those with the fever for the flavor were the legendary British actor Ivor Novello, and Hollywood mulatto temptress Merle Oberon.

If you've never heard of Leslie Hutchinson you are not alone. His musicianship has all but been erased from recent memory. Hutch's skills, however, were not confined to the cabarets. His bedroom talents were as equally efficient and enjoyed as well. Mr. Hutchinson carried an instrument in his pants that he played as as well as he did the ivories. Described as "like a tree trunk" his lack of control over something that provided him with so much pleasure would ultimately end up destroying him socially and professionally. There were dalliances here and there with British royalty (the Queen's aunt, Princess Marina, the Duchess of Kent, and later Princess Margaret, sister of the Queen, may have been notches on Hutch's bedpost). But right in between was a notorious and nearly 30-year affair that demanded Hutch pay a heavy price for; the affections of Lady Edwina Mountbatten, wife of the Queen's cousin, Lord Louis Mountbatten.

Dickie and Edwina Mountbatten were equally bisexual, and their ten-year "open marriage" was the subject of gossip and scandal ever since it had begun. A local paper alleged that Lady Mountbatten was whoring all over town with a well-known "colored" singer and that Buckingham Palace had issued orders for her to leave town and let the steam from the affair die down. It just so happened that at the same time, the Mountbattens were out of town when the headlines broke. King George V ordered them home immediately to address the brewing scandal to clear the Royal Family of the allegation that Edwina had been ordered out of Britan, and the suggestion that she had a black male lover. The papers had it only half-right and Edwina sued; they identified the man as the world-renowned concert singer Paul Robeson. The truth was that it was Hutch Hutchinson. She showered him in luxury and with jewelry. It's claimed that she commissioned Cartier to design a diamond-encrusted sheath to protect those famous family jewels of his. And then, locked literally in the heat of passion, they were rushed to the hospital for vaginismus, a rare sexual phenom which led to them being whisked in flagrante delicto from the Mountbatten residence, and to a private hospital where they were seperated by doctors. Buckingham Palace had had enough! Backlash was imminent and severe! They issued orders that his name was never to be mentioned again in the local press, and he was forbidden to appear on any of the Royal Command Performance bills, and his World War II contributions were never officially recognized. Add to this the decline of the music hall style that he'd become famous for, and his own extravagances and excesses. Leslie Hutchinson performed well into his last days, but his peak years were behind him by the end of the 1940's.

All official biographies of Lord and Lady Mountbatten are Establishment-friendly and omit clear evidence of their own sexual proclivities and antics. But then in 1999, Charlotte Breese wrote the definitive biography on Hutch, and there was a renewal of interest.

Folks started to remember, so well in fact, that by 2008, a sensational documentary called High Society's Favorite Gigolo aired on British television. It was the profile of a beautiful, brilliant but profoundly insecure black man with a callous love 'em and leave 'em mentality. Comprised of vintage footage, wonderful photographs, and re-enactments, there were interviews with the many children he left behind. By 1967, with his bloated, heavily made-up face and dyed hair, Hutchinson was a caricature of the once beautiful black Adonis that conquered the heights of British society and stardom. He died in 1969 of 'overwhelming pneumonia' and virtually penniless. Only 42 mourners showed up for his funeral.

Leslie "Hutch" Hutchinson is no longer forgotten and Black Gay History continues on I'll Keep You Posted! Thanks Richard for turning me on!

Whose House? Robs House!!!

2009-01-31T06:58:00.000-08:00

I BOUGHT A HOUSE!!

IT HAS BEEN A 4 YEAR JOURNEY AND ONLY THE GRACE OF GOD HAS BROUGHT ME THROUGH IT!

First time home buyer here. God has such a sense of humor because day one we had 12 inches of snow on the ground and I couldnt even get to the garage. My brother and I trudged through waist high snow drifts and opened the door to my new home. Awesome!!
I hope to always remember this day and how over the moon I feel. Even in the midst of costly repairs, cutting grass, cleaning gutters and caulking, I want to always remember the joy I feel today! God is still in the blessing business. Dont forget that!

SAY WHAT??

GOD BLESSED ME AND MY FAMILY WITH A HOUSE!

Can you believe it?

That’s me and my nephew, Bishop, inviting you in………..

My brother attended the closing and was the first visitor to our house!

Rob on cloud 9

God is sooooo good!

Intellectually Challenged Black Bible Thumping Homophobes—Yeah I’m Talking About You Dr. Carr

2008-12-16T05:49:00.000-08:00

http://www.jasmynecannick.com/blog/?p=3199

December 15, 2008

You know that feeling you get in the bottom of stomach when you’re watching the news and there’s a particularly horrible story about some gruesome crime and all you can think is, “I hope they aren’t Black?” Just then a photo of a Black person is flashed across the screen as the prime suspect and your worst fears are confirmed. Yeah that feeling. Well, that’s the feeling I’ve felt for the past few weeks reading Dr. Firpo Carr’s asinine columns regarding gays.

With all the things going on in the world, in the U.S., in California, and in Los Angeles, you’d think there’d be more pressing issues to write about, but I guess not for Carr.

I can put up with a lot of things—hey I do live in L.A. and I am a Black woman. But what I can’t sit by and support with my silence is just plain old fashioned ignorance. Ignorance as in “God Pays Gays with AIDS.” I mean really. Is this how far we’ve come as a people? I would think by now that it’s pretty clear that AIDS is not a gay disease, it’s more like a Black disease these days. And that’s thanks in part to article’s like Carr’s that are less rooted in the reality and read more like fiction…really bad fiction.

For Carr and people like Carr, your Bible is yours and yours alone to thump and interpret, don’t force the rest of us to join in.

Now Carr’s articles are so far out there, that in my opinion, it’s not worth my energy or time to debate him on the merits of his claims, nor am I willing to subject you to having to participate in that nastiness…unlike others. I’d much rather focus on trying to reason with those who aren’t as far gone as Carr.

How many times do I have to say that Black people make up less than 6 percent of this state’s population and that we cannot afford to be divided. What? You think I’m kidding? Take a look around.

You can think what you want about gay people. Like I said previously, if you think I’m going to hell and your God is so magnificent, then let him do his job. He really doesn’t need your help, now does he?

We have to stop dividing ourselves over issues we have no control over. You can’t make me heterosexual anymore than I can make you gay. We are who we are, and what we are regardless of our sexual orientation is Black. So what that means is that when the state’s budget crisis begins to affect the Black community—it’s not going to skip over some and affect others—it’s going to affect all of us. When it’s time to head to the polls to re-elect or elect Black candidates into office, I can guarantee you that those candidates are going to benefit just as much from Black heterosexual voters as they are Black gay voters. Are you beginning to see my point? We need each other.

Look I’ll be the first to admit that there are some issues in the gay community—mainly white gays and their racism. But I’ll also be the first to point out Blacks and their homophobia. Ask me which one I care about more and I’ll tell it’s the latter. We’re all we have and if we turn on each other then they win. They being “the man,” Republicans, and anyone else who benefits from Black people being divided.

Anyone who claims to love Black people should not be actively working to divide them—especially in times like these.

Dr. Carr was once a man that I respected, but he lost that respect when he decided to take it there causing me to question what’s worse? Racist white gays or Black Bible thumping homophobes who are intellectually challenged.

Black people all I am asking for is a little common sense and an understanding that while you have the right to dislike gay people don’t let that dislike become a distraction from the bigger issues that we as a people—gay and heterosexual.

The issues we face today as a people are bigger than you and they are bigger than me.

http://www.jasmynecannick.com/blog/?p=3199

2008-11-17T10:32:00.001-08:00

2008-11-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

The Prop 8 Blame Game
http://www.theroot. com/id/48845/ page/1 By Kai Wright | TheRoot.com

Why white gays and black homophobes both need a reality check. Nov. 12, 2008--

Somebody forgot to tell gay people that race wars are no longer in vogue.

While the rest of the country has spent the last week reveling in the afterglow of Grant Park, gay America has devolved into a Sarah Palin rally. The issue is a particularly nasty California ballot initiative, Proposition 8, which passed last Tuesday with just over half the vote.

Prop 8 repealed a historic state Supreme Court ruling that gave gays the right to wed—and it appears to have won massive black support. That's a fact that ought to shame black folks everywhere. But it also ought to finally convince the white-led gay rights movement to take people of color seriously, a case black gay activists have been trying to make for the better part of the past 30 years. Addressing the destructive reactions of too many of my white gay compatriots in recent days would be a good place to begin.

It started when a CNN exit poll declared that 70 percent of black voters supported the initiative. That finding led many in Cali's white gay community to conclude they lost their rights because of black homophobia. Things went downhill fast from there. Much of the ensuing outcry has been nasty, even hateful. As one college student wrote to the black gay blog Rod 2.0 in describing a Los Angeles protest, "It was like being at a Klan rally, except the Klansmen were wearing Abercrombie Polos and Birkenstocks. " I wish his remark could be easily dismissed as hyperbole. The comment sections of blogs ranging from progressive standard-bearer DailyKos to black lesbian rabble rouser Jasmyne Cannick have been swarmed with racist rants and reports of slurs hurled at African Americans.

Big-name gay scribes have piled on. By 10 a.m. the day after the election, popular columnist Dan Savage had shot off at the mouth, declaring himself "done pretending" that "the huge numbers of homophobic African Americans" aren't a bigger threat to gays than racist gays are to blacks. Whatever that means.

There is no question that homophobia runs deep in black America—or that it wreaks far more acute damage than denying marriage rights, frankly.

Just ask the families of Sakia Gunn or Rashawn Brazell or any one of the scores of black queers whose murders have been met with a collective shrug in black communities. Or all the families destroyed by a raging AIDS epidemic we go on ignoring, in large part because of our uneasiness with sexuality of any sort, let alone the homo and bi and transgender kind.

It's long past time black people have a conversation about this ugly reality.

But first, as with all things involving race and sex, there's a whole mess of facts about the California marriage fight that must be straightened out. Not least of these is the shaky assertion that black voters made the difference. DailyKos diarist Shanikka has gained small celebrity for her post debunking it. The fact that blacks are densely clumped in just nine out of 58 California counties makes any race-based claim in CNN's geographically random sample muddy at best. Further, the poll excludes all of the state's 3 million early votes and counts blacks as 10 percent of voters when they're less than 7 percent of the population.Of course, you don't have to get into such devilish details to notice something weird about this blame-the-blacks narrative.

Even if 70 percent truly did support the marriage ban, why single them out? So did six out of 10 people over 65. Ditto white Protestants and people with children under 18. Look at the electorate through any of these lenses and you identify a far larger share of the vote than when viewing it by race. "The reason why people are so fascinated with the 70 percent number is Obama and this kumbaya moment that we were having," says Ron Buckmire, a leader in L.A.'s Barbara Jordan/Bayard Rustin Coalition, a black gay group.

"To discover that not everyone was in the same place was really shocking and surprising for some people."It should have been a no-brainer. The Mormon-funded, anti-gay side aggressively targeted every racial and ethnic group in California—often dishonestly. Anti-gay operatives launched a robo-call scheme directed at black voters that falsely claimed Barack Obama supported their initiative. Obama does not support gay marriage, but neither did he support Prop 8. (Not that Obama did a hell of a lot to counter the lie.) The underfunded, pro-gay side responded with too little, too late. These shenanigans explain why many black voters supported the marriage ban. Still, that's no excuse. "I am far less concerned with a white gay backlash than I am with the need for us to have a dialogue within the African-American community about what it means to have equality," says H. Alexander Robinson, who heads the National Black Justice Coalition, a black gay rights group. Here, here.

Let's be clear, these hateful repudiations of gay relationships hurt black people. According to the U.S. Census, 10.5 percent of same-sex households are black, and they are at least twice as likely to be raising kids as their white counterparts. Denying these families access to civil marriage bars them from hundreds of rights and responsibilities.

Many black folks wince when they hear gay rights compared to the black civil rights movement. And when it comes from white gays whose only interest in black people is appropriating our history, I do too.

But here's what Coretta Scott King had to say, in an address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "Homophobia is as morally wrong and as unacceptable as racism," she declared. "We ought to extend to gay and lesbian people the same respect and dignity we claim for ourselves. Every person is a child of God, and every human being is entitled to full human rights." The whole community faces consequences when those human rights are denied. Look no further than AIDS for proof. Black people were overrepresented from the epidemic's outset, but fear and hate of the gay men who bore its first burn paralyzed the community as the virus spread. Now black people account for half of all new infections.

At some point, we all must ask difficult, self-critical questions. No, as black people, we're not any more or less homophobic than anybody else. And yes, the white gay community needs to look at its own failures before casting blame on others. But so what? Too many of us are homophobes, and we need to talk about it. Last Tuesday's vote should remove any doubt about the urgency of the discussion.

http://www.theroot. com/id/48845/ page/1

2008-10-31T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Obama Swagger

By Melanie Eversley | TheRoot.com

Why black men everywhere are standing a little taller!!!!

Oct. 31, 2008--Barack Obama's steep rise to political stardom is an American story that has rewritten the rules of politics, reenergized the Democratic Party and electrified Americans in general. But maybe no group of Americans is more invested in the Obama phenomenon than black men who see in his success a transformation of their own public image.

African-American men say this is the first time since the Million Man March in 1995 that they have felt so good about one another.

At barber shops, night clubs, coffee bars and even on subways, African-American men have been watching Obama's ascension with cautious optimism and no small amount of amazement.

"Opportunity and hope, I think that's what Barack brings—the hope that anything is possible," said Ramone Crowe, 39, owner of The Java Exchange Café in Detroit.

Crowe's customers—especially African-American men—have packed into his coffee bar for his debate nights. Crowe sees in the intense level of engagement a shift in the thinking of black men, a new sense of self, he said. In too many cases, African-American men have become the stereotypical representation of the most discouraging statistics that afflict Americans, from poor health high dropout rates to financial trouble.

But with Obama, one of their own has come to embody all that is good and possible in America. "Even if he doesn't win, he's doing a great campaign and [is] validation that all African-American men are not viewed in a negative way," said Crowe, who lives in Belleville, Mich. "Everyone's mindset has changed."

The same intensity about Obama is evident at the Working Wonders Beauty and Barber Salon in Canal Winchester, Ohio, outside Columbus, where sports is no longer the preferred fare on the shop's TV. "It's 70 percent of news now," said barber Jemal Burton, 33. "It was a gradual thing. People will say, 'The debate? Did you catch the debate? What's on TV real quick?'"Burton, who lives in Pataskala, Ohio, did not vote in the last general election because he did not believe it would make a difference. He believes many other African-American men are equally discouraged about the impact they can have on the direction of the country; young people, because they believe their opinions do not matter, and older people, who remember presidential administrations that were openly hostile to the interests of black people.Not anymore, said Burton. "There's a new fire to get involved," he said.

Numbers seem to be reflecting this emotion.Unofficial tallies from states holding early voting show African-American men participating in numbers like never before, said Melanie Campbell, executive director of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation. The nonprofit advocacy organization based in Washington seeks to draw more African Americans into the election process.

As of a few days ago, roughly 90,000 African-American men had voted early compared to about 50,000 African-American women, Campbell said. Normally, African-American women vote in much larger numbers than their male counterparts, she said."We don't know what's going to happen until the last vote is counted… but once you had an African-American man get that nomination, history was made. Nothing in the history books even came close," Campbell said. "Not to say there wasn't any groundwork done," she continued, acknowledging the Rev. Jesse Jackson's historic bids for the Democratic nomination in 1984 and 1988. But this is different, she said."You have the brother in the business suit talking to the brother in the baggy pants about, 'Did you see the debate last night?' " Campbell said. "It's a whole new engagement."Recently, Paul Bogle, 29, while having his beard trimmed by barber Earl Wilson at A Sharper Image Barber Shop in northwest Washington, D.C, said: "It's making a lot of us feel better about ourselves. If they don't cheat or assassinate him, I know he's going to go on to win. There is no doubt in my mind he can do this."

If that enthusiasm is reflected in the turnout Tuesday among African-American men, it could tip the scales in key states such as Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and that could make the Million Man March look like a blip in the history books.

2008-10-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

The Deep End
October 24, 2008 • Category: Encouragement
by Robert Ferguson
Today’s scripture: Psalm 113 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

I knew there was going to be a problem.

Just a few months ago, my partner and I took the kids to Cedar Point amusement park in Ohio for a water adventure vacation. There would be a full day spent at the water park and at least a full day dedicated to the pool at the hotel. We intended to swim to our hearts content and we gave the “moms” strict instructions to pack multiple swim suits.

As we set out for our first big splash in the hotel pool, I remembered the problem. Bryce, my 7 year old, has no concept of fear of the water. He believes he is a fish. So unlike his dear old godfather, he does not check little things like water depth! When he sees water he simply starts running and jumps in. The problem is that Bryce cannot swim. He believes he can swim and he does do a mean dog paddle and splash around, but it’s not swimming. Consequently, I have had to rescue him from a water emergency on more than one occasion.

So here he is, once again, bolting for the deep end — and I am fully dressed in street clothes. This was supposed to be the kids taking a quick dip before dinner after a long car ride, and the adults were just going to watch from a distance. I tried to stop him but the series of events was already in play.

Running, jumping, and squealing, he goes headlong into the pool. I am looking right at him when he realizes he can’t touch the bottom of the pool, and so begins the furious flailing of arms and the desperate gasps for breath. (Note that in addition to being a world class dog paddler, Bryce could also be an award winning dramatic actor.) So now the question for both the eagle-eyed lifeguard on duty and me is this: is he actually drowning or being gloriously over dramatic? Either way, I have no choice but to jump in, jeans and all, and pull him to safety. He responds with gleeful cheers and requests to do it again!

As I was reading today’s passage I was particularly struck by verses 5 and 6. “Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth?” The author of the psalm suggests that God’s glory is not only high above the heavens and reigning over creation, but our creator comes down to behold the things of the earth.

The imagery of a God who is not above it all but is concerned for each one of us is comforting. We should all be surprised by the fact that such an awesome and infinite being would have anything at all to do with us. The Creator God actually wants to be involved with the lowly creation.

Our heavenly parent is watchful over us when we find ourselves in deep water and unable to touch the bottom. We see examples of God’s personal involvement throughout the Bible. Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego were not saved from the fiery furnace, they were saved in the midst of the fiery furnace. Paul and Silas were not saved from the prison, they were saved while behind locked doors in the prison. Daniel was not saved from the lion’s den, but rather saved in the lions den.

Today we are called to trust and believe that in all times — both good and bad — God is able not only to rescue us, but raise us to new heights and new places. It is amazing what one so high does for one so low!

Prayer for the day: God, thank You for stooping down to be with me. Thank You for the times You’ve rescued me. Help me to see You and trust You when I’m in my own deep water.

God has a plan for you!

2008-09-11T05:23:00.001-07:00

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God Has a Plan For You!
September 11th, 2008 • Category: Gospel of Luke
by Robert Ferguson
Today’s scripture: Luke 21: 5-33 (ESV-text and audio) (KJV) (The Message)

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

It’s so easy to forget that God has a plan for us.

I recently lost my father. During his final days, I learned of a brother I never really knew existed. Actually, I’d heard rumors about him as a child but no one ever confirmed to me that he was my fathers’ son. We had never met. So I summoned all of the courage I had and asked my father about this brother and he confessed what I had suspected. I have a brother, five years younger than I am, and his name is Christopher. Unfortunately, my father closed his eyes for the last time before he could introduce the two of us.

As God would have it, there was a woman present at my father’s funeral who I remembered from my childhood. I asked her if she could help me find my brother, and she was more than happy to do just that.

Some weeks later I received a phone call from someone who sounded oddly just like me, and he introduced himself as my little brother. I met him for the first time the following day. Since then we have spent every available moment together trying to reconstruct our separate childhoods and catch up on 37 years of not living more than 20 miles from one another but never knowing each other.

Just prior to this season in my life I had been struggling with God over a particular issue. A close relative called me one day and told she had started the process of building her own home. Although I was overjoyed for her, I wouldn’t be honest if I said that I wasn’t envious. I asked God, “When is it going to be my turn?” You see, for over a year I have been working toward owning my own home. At every turn there seems to be obstacles and hurdles.

As I read the scripture for today’s devotion I hear Jesus saying, “There is another plan for you.”

The disciples were marveling at the beautiful temple. It had taken decades to construct and was adorned with gold and jewels from all over the world. Jesus was less than impressed with the structure. He knew that eventually this display of fine craftsmanship, though dedicated to God, would be nothing more than a pile of rubble.

God had a plan for Jerusalem and God has a plan for all of us. Jesus’ prophetic message for Jerusalem was that there would be war, destruction, and difficult times ahead for all. However, in the end, the Kingdom of God will be ushered in by the return of the Christ.

How difficult it must have been for the Jewish ears of the day to hear this prophetic message from the Messiah. The magnificent temple, the center of the nation’s worship and the sacred focus of God’s presence, will be destroyed. Centuries of worship will be brought to an end.

However, for those who believe, confess the name of Jesus, and suffer for his name’s sake, there will be greater blessings and glory than they can imagine. God tells us today that God has a plan and even in the midst of destruction and disappointment, God’s plan is being fulfilled.

In the midst of losing my father God comforted me and kept me in a loving embrace. Was it the most difficult, heart wrenching experience of my life so far? Yes, but God was ever present and all the while a master plan was being worked out. I would not have known how to ask God for the perfect prescription for a breaking heart. But God knows.

All the while I was busy praying for what I thought would make me happy, God was saying, I have something better for you. All the while I wanted my blessing to be exactly what God had crafted for my cousin, a new home, but God had something better for me.

When I met my brother I learned that he has three sons, ages 14, 10, and 5. Suddenly I have gone from being an only child to having a brother. Suddenly I have three nephews who are excited about their new uncle. Do I still want a new home? Oh you bet! However, today I understand that all things happen in God’s time. Rest assured, God’s plan is being fulfilled.

Thought for the day: Today I understand that all things happen in God’s time. Rest assured, God’s plan is being fulfilled.

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 11th, 2008 at 12:01 am and is filed under Gospel of Luke. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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2008-07-03T11:56:00.000-07:00

ANOTHER GOOD ONE GOT AWAY!

Season two 'American Idol' winner Ruben Studdard got married this weekend.

The 29-year-old R&B crooner, dubbed "The Velvet Teddy Bear" by soul icon Gladys Knight, wed Surata Zuri McCants at Canterbury United Methodist Church in his hometown of Birmingham, Ala. on Saturday.

Studdard and his 30-year-old bride took out a marriage license at the County Probate Office in Columbiana, Ala., last Monday.

Studdard met McCants in October 2006, when he was signing CDs at a Wal-Mart in Atlanta. Captivated by her beauty, he followed her to the store's toy department, and requested her telephone number.

Studdard had 20 groomsmen by his side, and there was no singing during the 30-minute ceremony - just an exchange of vows, prayers and music provided by a string ensemble.

He and his groomsmen wore custom-made black tuxedos by Joseph Abboud. The bride chose a white and ivory floor-length Casablanca wedding gown.

After completing wedding party pictures at the church, Mr. & Mrs. Studdard left in a cream-colored Cadillac Escalade en route to the reception, which was held at Rosewood Hall at SoHo Square in Homewood.

The two plan to make Birmingham their home.

2008-06-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have some very real issues with wanting! Honestly, I have tried to rationalize my desires and wants. After all its not a million dollars that I want or even someone elses stuff. I mean I'm not willing to kill or rob to get it, but the truth is.....I want a lot! Now dont get me wrong this is not about to be some tirade about materialism and greed. I firmly believe that if you work hard and can afford some nice things in life then those things you should have. But for me my obsession with the Caddy has morphed into well.............an obsession. I have also been praying a lot lately about a house. I believe the house will be here soon enough but sometimes it seems like what I want is not always or usually what God wants for me. So once again the key is to listen and not get so caught up in what I dont have but to celebrate what I do have!!

And so it is.........................Luke 12:13-21

Jesus I have a problem. I need more. Yes, I already know that I have more than many others and the very things that I take for granted are the same things that some people would die for. However, it’s not enough. Now please don’t think I am selfish. I give to the poor when I can and I honestly don’t have a problem sharing my many good fortunes with others, but think of how much more I could share if you would just give me more. One more thing Jesus, I have learned quite a bit from those life lessons you have brought me through. So, if you wouldn’t mind, no more lessons please, just solve my problem and give me more.

That sounds really bad, doesn’t it? When I read the verses for today that is how I see the man in the crowd. “Teacher”, he said “tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me”. Jesus responds by saying, “who appointed me a judge over you”? As Jesus decided to use this opportunity to discuss coveting and greed we are able to reason that perhaps he knew something of these brothers and their particular situation. Perhaps the issue wasn’t that the pleading brother didn’t get an inheritance at all but that he didn’t get all that he felt he deserved. Instead of making a judicial ruling one way or the other Jesus finds a teaching moment. During this period of time it was not uncommon for people to take their disputes to a respected Rabbi for settlement, but Jesus would not be involved in this dispute about money. All he would offer was a sincere warning to the crowd. “Watch out! Be on your guard against greed. A mans life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.”

The man in the crowd came to Jesus for the wrong kind of help. Had he asked Jesus how to save his eternal soul he would have gotten more help than he bargained for. But since he wanted to dispute worldly issues the only advice he could get was, be careful about what you long for and covet in this world. Work for the things which last forever, things which you will not leave behind when you leave this earth. Material possessions are nice but when we spend more time chasing things and less time chasing God our priorities become out of balance.

Jesus tells us to “seek first the Kingdom of God”. We should focus our lives on obeying the will of God and find contentment and peace on that journey. The constant desire to have more, attain more, and keep more will not serve us well in Gods sight. By seeking the treasures of heaven our hearts will be fixed on heaven; but if we seek the treasures of earth our hearts will be bound to the earth- and eventually we all must say goodbye to this earthly existence. I read a grim Spanish proverb once that said, “There are no pockets in a death shroud”. All we take to the other side is our soul and we should hope that it will be in good condition.

Keys to Obama’s Keystone Loss

2008-04-25T07:19:00.000-07:00

http://www.marclamonthill.com/mlhblog/?p=5268

April 24, 2008
Keys to Obama’s Keystone Loss
Marc Lamont Hill @ 12:53 pm

Keys to Obama’s Keystone Loss
By Marc Lamont Hill

As most experts predicted, Hillary Clinton defeated Barack Obama in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania Democratic primary. Given his recent resurgence in momentum, however, many believed that Obama could close the gap to a respectable 5 or 6 percent. Instead, Clinton garnered a commanding 8.6 percent victory that will justify her extended stay in the increasingly volatile primary election. Although it is highly unlikely that Obama will lose the nomination, his inability to put Clinton away places his presidential run and the immediate future of the Democratic Party in serious peril.

Why couldn’t Barack seal the deal? Here are the top five reasons:

The Debates

Seven days before the election, 1-in-5 Pennsylvania voters remained undecided; 58 percent of them ultimately voted for Hillary Clinton. A key factor in this outcome was last week’s Democratic primary debate. Unlike the twenty contests that preceded it, last week’s debate paid considerable attention to Barack Obama’s recent scandals, flubs, and foibles. By spending most of the first hour discussing everything from flag pins to Bill Ayers, Clinton and her comrades at ABC successfully painted Barack Obama as an unknown and dangerous entity. This, combined with the remaining racial anxieties surrounding Jeremiah Wright, played a considerable role in swaying still-undecided voters.

Key Endorsements

Given the Clintons’ deep ties to the Democratic Party elite, Hillary was able to secure key Pennsylvania endorsements early in the race. In particular, Governor Ed Rendell (also the most popular mayor in Philadelphia history) and Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Ravenstahl served as powerful surrogates who helped to shore up Hillary Clinton’s base in the Western part of the state. Philadelphia’s new African American mayor, Michael Nutter (whom Obama did not endorse in the local mayoral race in favor of Rep. Chaka Fattah) helped to keep Obama’s Philadelphia victory within an acceptable margin.

Barack’s Lack of Street Smarts

In Philadelphia, Democratic candidates help to mobilize election day voters by paying “street money” to local operatives in order to get out the vote. This strategy, which is perfectly legal, is a tried and true method of getting the city’s 3000 committeepersons to hit the block running. Citing philosophical and moral reasons, Obama elected to rely upon his unpaid volunteers rather than spending the half-million dollars that it would take to stimulate the local political economy. Although Barack won the city by 60 percent, he likely lost a sizeable chunk of voters due to his failure to feed the local Democratic machine. This decision not only reflects a failure to embrace the realpolitik –you think Hillary wouldn’t have dropped some money on the block if she had the dough?— but also a deeper naïveté that could hurt him in November.

The Pennsyltucky Electorate

In order steal Pennsylvania from Hillary Clinton, Obama had to woo voters in the area known locally as “Pennsyltucky,” or the region between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh where Southern-conservatism and deep racial and ethnic animus continue to inform public perception, policy, and practice. Unfortunately, as Obama argued in his infamous “bitter” remarks, Pennsyltucky residents often undermine their own material and political prosperity by voting their anxieties and fears rather than their interests. While the remarks themselves may have cost Obama a percentage point or two, they are merely symptoms of a larger problem. In addition to fetishizing wedge issues, Pennsyltuckyans also enjoy what Dubois referred to as “the psychic wages of whiteness,” which allow them to close ranks around race rather than reason. Bottom line: poor white people don’t want a black president.

Hillary’s Working Girl Routine

Despite the razor thin differences between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama with regard to economic policy, neither of which propose adequate relief to the nation’s laboring class, the majority of Pennsylvania’s working class voters sided with Hillary. Pulling from the Republican handbook of painting liberal Democrats as “latte sipping, Volvo driving, Ivy-League educated” elitists, Hillary Clinton has gone to extravagant lengths to refashion herself into a working class candidate. This strategy began in Ohio, where she miraculously convinced voters that she was anti-NAFTA at the same time that she substantiated her experience vis-à-vis her “central role” in a pro-NAFTA White House. In Pennsylvania, her performance reached carnivalesque proportions, as the Ivy-League grad and former First Lady threw back shots in local pubs, hung out in bowling alleys, and popped caps in the flesh of innocent ducks. In the process, Clinton not only endeared herself to working-class whites, many of whom were desperately looking for excuses to support a white candidate, but also positioned herself as a grassroots underdog refusing to back down against a deep-pocketed bully. This is evidenced by her insufferable victory speech, where she says that she was “up against a formidable opponent who outspent us three-to-one. He broke every spending record in this state, trying to knock us out of the race.” Such tactics will galvanize working class voters in Indiana and give the super-delegates a legitimate consideration for the future: Can Obama win the working class vote?

What Now?

Although Obama will not encounter another primary state quite like Pennsylvania, many of these same issues will follow him into his inevitable showdown with John McCain. In order to be successful in the long term, three things must happen. First, Obama must make a more creative and aggressive attempt to court the traditional Democratic base. Second, he must convince influential party leaders to support him as quickly as possible. Third, and most importantly, Hillary Clinton must ultimately provide a convincing and unequivocal endorsement of Barack’s general election bid. Absent these circumstances, Obama and the DNC are in serious trouble.

Just a thought for today

2008-04-02T09:30:00.000-07:00

Below you find a very interesting piece from a brotha about the shift in black ideological thought.

I am an adamant Obama supporter and I must agree that the media fascination with Dr. Wrights messages has really gotten on my nerves.

First of all, cant we just move on. I am sure that most people have heard comments from their pastors that did not reflect views of there own. Perhaps that is a faulty assumption so I will simplify and say, my pastor has said things that have made me wince. Why are people forcing this association between Obamas patriotism and Rev. Wrights sermons.

Secondly, since when does pro-black equal anit-white or anti-american. I could probably argue the opposite premise with much more success. Being pro-american equals anit-black, or should I say, anti-minority. I could go on, but if you are reading my blog I am sure you get it.

Lastly, it really cooks my grits when a panel of white, mostly republican, panelists on Lou Dobbs show on CNN argue that black indignation with americas history of oppression and manifest destiny is unamerican. White people can not understand what being black in america is all about. for that matter I dont understand what being white in america is all about. And I believe that in his speech, which will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest speeches in american history, the Senator from Illinios eloquently put forth the problem with race in America. We dont talk about it. If we do its stilted conversation and it is filled with defensive postures, guilt, and misunderstanding. We have a long way to go. However, when one race tries to tell another race how to digest the race problem we have a situation. As black folk we need to go to church on Sunday mornings and let it all out. Its the only way we can continue to function in a world that views our community through a cracked lens. Just as we needed those family dinners of yesteryear and the safety of our living rooms. What we dont need is eyes and ears pearing into our sanctuaries and telling us when we are being American or un-American. If you ask me Mr. Slavery, Ms. Oppression, and their offspring second class citizenship wrote the book on my vision of un-American!!

Who Sounded the Black Ideological Retreat?

2008-04-02T09:25:00.000-07:00

Who Sounded the Black Ideological Retreat?
Presidential Politics 2008 - The Issues
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
by Mel Reeves
When did Black liberation theology and the prophetic tradition of the black church become "hate speech"? When did asserting that racism was and remains foundational to the nation's settlement, development and culture become itself "racist" and "anti-American"? When did advocacy on a wide range of fronts and issues begin to take a back seat to the advancement of political figures who build careers and multiracial electoral coalitions by convincing whites that they have repudiated what Barack Obama famously called the "excesses of the sixties and seventies."

Who Sounded the Black Ideological Retreat?

by Mel Reeves

“Obama guards his grill by accepting white standards of what is acceptable among Black faith systems.”

A comparison of the 1968 Kerner Commission Report and the Institute for Policy Studies report, State of the Dream 2008 indicate that, 40 years after the passing of Dr. Martin Luther King, blacks continue to loose ground economically, socially and politically. In what academics call the post-Civil Rights era, African Americans have been in retreat for a very long time, with our eyes wide open.

We have watched with slack jawed amazement as Barack Obama has back-peddled time and time again in fear of being too closely identified with Blacks in general and “militant” Blacks in particular. Obama has distanced himself from his own Chicago pastor, from his Islamic paternal roots, “denounced” and “rejected” Louis Farrakhan, caste doubt on Palestinians’ right to exist; and hid the fact that he likes chicken. I am joking about the chicken and just a little about the Palestinians, but Obama bows to white sensibilities much too easily. His lack of principled backbone allows us to be put on the defensive by people who wish us no good.

There should have been a lot more outrage from our community when Obama disinvited Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright from the candidate’s official presidential declaration. Rev. Wright’s liberation theology was fine with Obama when he was a state senator representing Chicago’s mostly Black South Side. But once he’s running in a white dominated environment, Rev. Wright becomes a liability. Let’s not risk making any white folks uncomfortable, even if it means severing long-time personal and spiritual times with Blacks.

“Obama bows to white sensibilities much too easily.”
Obama is no longer prepared to be associated with a clergyman who preaches from a very political and unashamedly “Black” perspective – a liberation-motivated worldview that requires criticism of white American political culture and encourages resistance to white supremacy. Rev. Wright’s church covenant celebrates positive values and the uplift of the black community – both of which require pro-Black advocacy and support for activism – positions that are generally seen as suspect by tens of millions of white Americans. Obama used to believe – or pretended to believe – that a religion that focuses on “your own house” is not exclusionary, its good common sense.

He and his church have the right to focus on the needs of black folk first and foremost, since blacks are still victimized and oppressed in this country. And they should not have to apologize for a church covenant that celebrates positive values and the uplift of the black community. To focus on your own house is not exclusionary, its good common sense. All religions are based on specific, historical points of origin: Palestine for the Jews, Mecca and Medina for Muslims, Rome for Roman Catholics, the United States for those Protestant denominations that were begun or transformed in America, Salt Lake City for Mormons, India for Hindus, etc. Black American Protestantism is derived from U.S, racist exclusion of Blacks in all arenas of life, including white churches. There is a “liberation” component in all Black-created denominations, not just the Nation of Islam. Yet whites reserve the right to decide what Black faith is “kosher,” i.e., acceptable to them.

Mitt Romney was definitely backed by the Church of Latter Day Saints and nobody put pressure on Mitt Romney to denounce his religion, the Church of Latter Day Saints, with its history of doctrinal black inferiority and exclusion.
“Whites who presume to have the right to dictate what are acceptable associations among African Americans, are attempting to imposing their own ‘black list’ within Black America.”

Liberality and ecumenicalism in all things religious have come to be accepted as standards in U.S. political discourse – except for Black Muslims and Black Protestant liberation theologians. In practice, Obama guards his grill by accepting white standards of what is acceptable among Black faith systems. Blacks apparently can’t exercise their rights to self-determination in the religious arena – without paying a price. Barack Obama, through his conduct towards his pastor and Min. Louis Farrakhan, demonstrates his willingness to bend and bow to the peculiar mores of ethnic-race-based white belief systems, while scrupulously avoiding even a whiff of criticism of Mormons and (white) Southern Baptists, whose denominations are steeped in race supremacy. Farrakhan and Rev. Wright, however, are fair game.

Hillary Clinton has been denounced for “bullying” Obama, demanding that he “denounce and reject” Farrakhan, the man. The truth is, she didn’t need to “bully” Obama. He immediately caved in to Clinton’s arrogant demands, even laughing while bowing to her wishes in a transparent attempt make his opponent appear to be silly or unreasonably picky. But the problem was not Hillary’s hectoring, forcing Obama to use her preferred words of denunciation. It was that Obama did not himself denounce Clinton and all other whites who presume to have the right to dictate what are acceptable associations among African Americans, thereby imposing their own “black list” within Black America.

When did it become a crime to be a Muslim in this country? Some have directly accused the Senator of being Muslim, as if that were a heinous offense against civilization. Who said that support for the oppressed Palestinians is paramount to anti-Semitism? Who gave Zionists or anybody else the right to dictate Black people’s political behavior, in general? Who? Obama did, when he abdicated his responsibility to defend Black people’s right to choose their own faith and their own leadership.
Obama’s abject surrender to white bias – and the failure of African Americans to criticism him for his craven behavior, instead limiting their anger to Clinton, alone – further demonstrates that Blacks are retreating in the ideological fight for racial justice. The evidence is everywhere.

Whites are becoming more and more comfortable in saying, “racism doesn’t exist, blacks are just whining,” or that Blacks are playing a so-called “race card.” And more and more blacks tend to agree.

“Who said that support for the oppressed Palestinians is paramount to anti-Semitism?”
Racism does exist and if any people ever used a so-called “race card, it would be white folks who it as a trump card to either hold us back, or jump ahead. The “Black” race card does not exist, so can we please stop talking about it?
And let’s stop agreeing with our enemies about how we or others should be able to overcome the obstacle of racism. Elimination of racism is dependent on the people that profit from race privilege, not the victims. All the victims can do is resist this white supremacist phenomenon. Only whites can ultimately solved the problem, which is at root a white problem.

We must also cut out the moralizing crap. The point is that the racial obstacle shouldn’t be there in the first place, and not how good you are at hurdling artificially created adversity. Denied opportunity opens the door for all kinds of failure, moral and otherwise.
And since when did legitimate complaints about being done wrong, become “whining?” When rich white folks are wronged, they don’t mess around, they sic their lawyers on you and no one dares say, “aw just let it go, drop the suit and quit your whining.
Some folks even naively proclaim that we have transcended race. Almost as frightening, is the fact that more and more, black folks mouth this foolishness – especially since the rise of Barack Obama.

“Some folks even naively proclaim that we have transcended race
Several years ago comedian Chris Rock popularized the idea that, there were two kinds of black folks: “niggers” and the rest of us. I knew it was going to come back to haunt us. I was having an intelligent conversation with a white person about why some of our people struggle more than others and he sent me a copy of Chris Rock’s joke. I was reading someone’s introduction of themselves on an internet site and they said they “love black people but hate niggers.” Enough said! The obvious problem is that so many white folks hate us and limit our progress at every opportunity, and don’t really bother to distinguish which one is the “nigger” and which one is the “nigga.”

It still is true that a house divided against itself, can not stand. Today you may be patted on the back for being a good “one” (Negro) and tomorrow you may have to go, just because you are “one.” (Negro). I don’t know who sounded the retreat, but if we keep backing up and failing to stand up to these attacks, it will become even more difficult than it already is for us to go forward.

Mel Reeves is an activist based in Miami. He can be contacted at mellaneous19@yahoo.com

BE ENCOURAGED!

2008-03-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.jesusmcc.org/bestill/

today’s scripture: Haggai 2:1-9

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two before reading on.

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

In the verses for today we find the prophet Haggai preaching God’s word to a discouraged group of folks. The people had been going about the business of rebuilding a grand temple, but it seems that whenever they would start working they would be distracted, interrupted, or become discouraged. And it seemed like the past was so glorious, while their present was so grim — their rebuilt temple would never be as majestic as the one that was destroyed.

Do you ever feel discouraged? Are you like the Judeans? Do you ever intend to pray more or read the Bible more only to find yourself distracted and caught up in the call of everyday life? I know I do. It is difficult to focus on things of God when the things of man seem so pressing.

I often think back to my grandparents and the elders of my childhood church. Their walk with God seemed so simple from my point of view. Perhaps it was easier to be a good Christian before there were 148 cable channels, cell phones, the internet, and blockbuster video. During that time it seemed that everyone had a job, they earned enough money, paid all the bills on time, and always had a check to drop in the plate on Sunday morning. There was no road rage, 60 hour work week, or speed dating. Life just seemed simpler then and faith was automatic. Maybe I’m just romanticizing a past I don’t remember clearly — but I know that today, our faith is challenged.

God is moving in “God time” and not our time. We want to be blessed now and we need to see the fruits of our labor quick, fast, and in a hurry. Add to that the constant stumbling and falling we all do as Christians, and it is easy to become disheartened and downtrodden.

God tells us today to be strong and continue the work! God knows we’ll become discouraged and yearn for the glorious days past. However, just as God made a covenant with the Jews, we too are reminded that God is with us always. We are encouraged to continue to work at living lives that are glorifying to Christ.

Thought for the day: My life runs on God’s timetable. God, grant us a glimpse of “God time!”

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this

2008-03-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

Powered By God

2008-03-28T06:38:00.000-07:00

February 24, 2008 • Category: Knowing God/Relationship with God, Special Services

Why does it seem so often that we have no power for living? Why does it seem that we just drag from one day to the next, never really engaging in life? Deacon Robert Ferguson will bring us a message of hope and encouragement.

Robert’s sermon is part of our Black History Celebration Sunday.

Watch the webcast. If you have comments about the presentation or questions about the media player, please email us.

Use the player below to listen to this sermon.

http://www.jesusmcc.org/listen/archives/88

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http://www.jesusmcc.org/listen/archives/88

2008-02-21T09:02:00.000-08:00

Wrestling with God
Tuesday, January 15th, 2008
Today’s scripture: Genesis 32:24-32

As you read, consider: What might God be saying to me? Summarize your thoughts in a sentence or two.

My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):

Today we observe Jacob as a he is about to wrestle a stranger in a dark cavern.

Jacob has quite the checkered past and though he left this place many years ago as a cheat and thief, he is returning now eager to make amends with his brother. Jacob sent messengers ahead to greet Esau and to determine if Esau still wanted to murder him. Esau coming to meet Jacob with four hundred men caused Jacob to have great fear.

But Jacob prays and reminds God of the promises that were once made to him. Jacob then sends his family to safety and he is alone. Suddenly this stranger appears and the two begin to wrestle. Perhaps in the beginning of this tussle Jacob thought he was fighting one of his brother’s men but very soon Jacob realizes he is wrestling with God.

Jacob refuses to let go, as he knows God to be the source of all good things. What I love most about this story is the image of God engaging a human. Certainly this battle could have ended horribly with one blink of God’s eye. But God doesn’t want us defeated. Willing to wrestle all night with Jacob, God allowed him to struggle and engaged him in battle.

This is the same way that God continues to struggle with all of us over the battle between right and wrong, flesh and spirit, or good and evil. I struggle every day with questions of faith, direction in my life, priorities, sins, and blessings. Sometimes God moves swiftly and pointedly in our lives and other times it seems as if God is silent. We want blessings, mercy, grace, and favor from God and God wants obedience, perseverance, maturity and faith from us. It is a struggle that rages on. The secret strategy to this game, as Jacob teaches us today, is to stay in the struggle with God.

So with clenched teeth and the grip of a fighter, Jacob clings to God. Even as a merciful God cripples him, Jacob refuses to let go! We all have battle scars and we can wear them like badges of honor. Yes, I too have been kicked around a little by life and I have, with the help of God, fought a lot of battles to be standing here today. However, each challenge and struggle has made me stronger because I have had to lean on God. When there is nothing else to count on, there is God. Our challenges strengthen and mature us. Adversity and rough times promote perseverance within us, which is the ability to cling to God in every circumstance.

Through Jesus Christ, who received the full measure of life’s wounds and attacks, we learn that through the struggle and the suffering — not in spite of them — God creates new life, making possible our faith. And so we can confront each struggle with all our strength and resources, confident that whatever the wounds, our experiences can be used for God’s redemptive purposes.

The only way that we will certainly fail is to let go of God. When facing problems, temptations, and sufferings it is far better to focus our strength on clinging to God rather than trying to overcome by our own strength. As Jacob demonstrates, we ought to continue in dedicated prayer, for that prayer prepares us for mercy. God gives us strength to do battle, even to do battle with God.

Our human nature wrestling with an infinite, omnipotent God will surely produce broken bones, spirits, or egos; but in that brokenness we obtain glorious victories. God allows us to push, pull, and struggle as long as we’d like, but in the end we realize we cannot prevail. When we see how weak we really are and we cling to God, begging for help, God is faithful to bless our struggle and reward our faith.

Thought for the day: What am I clinging to? With what — or whom — am I wrestling?

http://www.jesusmcc.org/bestill/archives/author/robert-ferguson/

We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.

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2008-02-15T07:46:00.000-08:00

To Be Like God

2008-02-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite scriptures: Luke 6:36

Title: To be like God

My grandmother used to tell me to be careful how I treated others, you never know whose arms you may fall into one day. I have tried to live by this little adage, but I must admit, it continues to be a challenge. When I initially started to meditate on this passage, my mind immediately went to co-workers who challenge my attempts to show mercy. Whether it’s the 7am bright eyed and bushy tailed lady who is ready to go first thing in the morning or the guy who has to ask a thousand more questions during an organizational meeting that has already passed the 3 hour mark, I am challenged in the work place to show mercy as God has shown to me. Recently I have experienced a slue of car maintenance issues. If you have ever had to deal with car dealership mechanics over expensive car repairs I am sure you will agree with me that it is difficult to show mercy when presented with a repair bill that rivals the national debt. I must admit my attitude was far from merciful and Christian as I reluctantly laid my credit card down on the service desk.

Everyday we have numerous opportunities to show mercy as God has shown us. Some situations are just challenging to our own will and uncomfortable. Others are challenging because the recipient may not, by our own determination, be deserving of our mercy. Someone who offends us, disrespects us or, say it isn’t so; trespasses against us, may deserve to feel a little bit of our anger or displeasure. It is during these times when we are called to model and reflect the love, grace, and mercy that God has shown each of us. In our reading today we learn that it is not of God to constantly focus on what others have done or are doing to us. It is much better to focus on what God has done for each and every one of us. When we forget the many mercies and blessings that we receive, brand new each day, it is reflected in how we treat others as well as how we respond to others.

Let us remember that we do not deserve God’s mercy. We have done nothing and never could do anything that would prove us worthy of the love of God. Except for the soul saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we would all be eternally separated from God and unable to receive forgiveness or grace. So, we thank God today for showing mercy towards us and our outward display of that gratitude will be the way we show mercy to the many others that we come in contact with everyday. In some very small way, we can be like God!

Snickers, Dungy, and Barak...........Whats a fan to do??

2007-02-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

The gay community is in an uproar again. While I am mostly outraged over this story that many noteworthy politicians have referred to Barak Obama as “articulate” my GLBT brothers and sisters are up in arms regarding the snickers ad campaign and Tony Dungy’s affiliation with the anti-gay Indiana Family Institute. As a black gay man and a huge Colts fan I find all of these situations to be a conundrum. This is quite a first hand example of why black GLBT people aren’t always on the same page as the general GLBT community. I, for one, am very proud of Tony Dungy and the accomplishments that he and his team have attained. The first black man to win a Superbowl is huge for me. I was one of the faithful 60,000+ fans in attendance at the dome on Monday night when we welcomed our world champions home. I have attended many Colts games in that dome and never have I been more proud to be a Hoosier, a colt fan, and a black man. The majority of those 53 men that came dancing in on floats to thunderous applause were black men just like me and they were being lead by one of the most upstanding, principled, and accomplished men of our time, Coach Dungy. My heart was with them.

During the Superbowl, which by the way had to be the gayest Superbowl ever, Cirque Du Soleil did the pre-game and Prince performed for halftime. It was a black gay mans tour de force. Anyway, I digress, during the game there was a snickers commercial where two men accidentally kissed. The gay community after much outrage was able to convince Snickers to pull the commercial and apologize. I saw the commercial and I wasn’t offended. The premise was the guys were straight and that’s what straight guys do when they find themselves in questionable situations. They have to convince themselves that they are still men (by their definition). I get it!

Now it has come out that Tony Dungy will be the guest of honor at a banquet for the Indiana Family Institute. This institute has led the fight against gay marriage and many other calls for GLBT equality under the law. I am disappointed that coach Dungy will be the featured speaker, but in the great scheme of things I am not sure where this issue ranks.

Just a couple of weeks ago we had GLAAD calling for the firing of Isaiah Washington from the cast of Grey’s Anatomy for referring to a cast mate as a faggot. There was a public outcry when Pittsburgh Steelers player Joey Porter called an opponent a fag, insinuating that he was weak. As a gay community we have a long way to go with regards to educating the general community on language sensitivity. However, as a black gay community I believe that we have to choose our battles carefully.

I believe the larger question for me and others who are like me is, am I more proud of Tony Dungy and the Colts for winning the big game or am I more disappointed that he will be speaking at the IFI banquet.

As we were leaving the dome on Monday my partner mentioned to me that he couldn’t believe all of those white people were showing so much love and respect for Tony Dungy. It was as if, in his eyes, Dungy had received something that too often in this world we as black people don’t get; respect! Sure in 2007 we have reached heights and social levels that our parents only dreamed of and our grandparents couldn’t imagine. However, we still have Joe Biden and George Bush referring to Barak Obama as “articulate” and “clean”. Inferring that for a black person to speak intelligently and take a bath everyday is rare. Racism through condescension is still prevalent in our society and we need to bring those issues to the forefront. How do I, in good conscience, berate a man who has blazed a trail for many black NFL coaches to come? How do I scold Isaiah Washington when there are too few positive images of black men on television today? In 2007 we should not find the prospect of a black president or a female president to be laughable, however many pundits believe that unless Hillary and Barak run as President and Vice President (in that order) they will essentially cancel each other out and any other old white man will win the race for the White House in 2008.

The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina and Seinfeld star Michael Richards racist remarks taught us one thing about the good old USA; race is still an issue that we don’t want to talk about. As a black person I feel that we need to do as much as we individually can to expose racial inequalities in this society. We also need to celebrate black people who are doing good work in this world. If along the way we can educate everyone on sensitive language and images that are offensive to some then we are better for it. However, I cannot at this time support any movement to denigrate the reputation of Coach Dungy. The problem is the Indiana Family Institute not the first black man to win a Superbowl.

Kwanzaa Celebration

2005-12-29T08:28:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our second annual Kwanzaa celebration at Jesus Metropolitan Community Church, the largest GLBT church in the midwest. This year we had performances by The Urban Vibes drum troupe as well as a presentation by Mr. Kamau Jywamza. Mr. Jywanza is the city wide Kwanzaa celebration director. The celebration was inspiring and uplifting and we have committed to doing it again next year. Although we understand the principles of Kwanzaa derive from African history and culture, the messages of unity, self determination, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith are universal and can be applied to all of our lives.
As a black gay man I am both honored and blessed to be able to incorporate the Kwanzaa celebration into not only my life as a black man, but my life as a gay man as well!!

Today we meditate on UJAMAA- cooperative economics. To build and maintain our own stores and businesses and profit from them together.

HABARI GANI!
Thats whats going on!!

Spiritual Courage

2005-11-15T07:42:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 3:6

We used to play a game at summer camp in which we would blindfold one of the kids and have him or her run through a wooded area, relying on a friend for verbal directions to help navigate. "Turn left there's a tree coming!" "there's a log in front of you....JUMP!" Some kids would not trust the verbal directions whatsoever. They would shuffle along and walk very slowly, even though their friends were shouting that the way was clear. Other kids would move along more confidently, and a few would run all out like wild animals. All of the kids had to fight the urge to rip off those blindfolds so that they could see what was ahead. It takes a great deal of courage to follow another persons lead.

As Christians we sometimes feel Look those blindfolded children. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight." We are not alone in the woods, though- God will direct our paths. But following Jesus Christ demands an enormous amount of courage. Quite often his leadings sound illogical, irrational, countercultural. Sometimes he is so challenging that I say, "No thanks, I'll just crawl back under the covers today, Lord....maybe tomorrow." Then a voice inside me says, "Where is your courage? Get up and move out on faith, you can trust God!"

Cowards do not last long on their spiritual pilgrimages. They shrivel up and disappear. It takes enormous courage to repent and become a Christian. It takes enormous courage to profess the gospel as a GLBT out and proud person. It takes enormous courage to follow Gods direction in this Christian life. Some of the things we are called to do are downright scary and challenging. Sometimes God demands the best that we have to offer. God tests our limits, and forces us to face our fears and doubts. Truly, spiritual courage is a rare find and not easy to come by. However, I believe that each and every one of us possesses it and we need only dig down deep and pull it up. The world needs more courageous Christians!!

Peace,
Robert

Gay men, lesbians, and gender roles

2005-09-13T09:13:00.000-07:00

I caught this article today and wanted to share:

Role of a lifetime:

Black gay men and women navigate gender roles in often contentious environments
By RYAN LEE Friday, September 09, 2005 http://www.washblade.com/2005/9-9/arts/feature/fem.cfm
Growing up in a small rural town in northeast Ohio, Jay Williams knew he couldn’t be a “faggot.”
He knew that he was attracted to other boys, but also realized that such feelings were widely rebuked by his family and neighbors, who, like many African Americans, viewed homosexuality as a sickness, sin or both.
“My family, we were raised that being gay was a no-no,” says Williams, a 22-year-old who moved to Decatur, Ga., five months ago. “It was based on religion — that, and the things my family had seen on TV, or the things they heard, or the things they knew about gay people.
“Their image of gays was just men running around, prancing around, being a lady,” he adds.
Heeding these warning signals from his cultural environment, Williams forged a masculine persona and asserted his manhood. He also developed a cadre of female friends who unwittingly provided a cover for Williams because his family assumed they were his girlfriends.
As Williams settled into being a black gay man, he says it was important for him to maintain his masculine identity.
And just as important as it is for him to “act like I have a dick between my legs,” Williams says it’s essential that his sexual partners are masculine as well.
“Feminine guys, I’ve got nothing against them, but as far as relationships, it’s just not for me because I would much rather just date a girl if I’m going to date a dude who acts just like a girl,” Williams says.
Black leaders like Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan fuel the stereotypes about the role black men and women must hold in African-American communities. Faith-based leaders like Rev. Willie Wilson at Union Temple Baptist Church in Southeast D.C., also play a role.
In July, Wilson said in a sermon that lesbians were trying to “take over” the black family, and he made disparaging remarks about sexual acts among gay people.
Wilson, executive director of the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March, which Farrakhan convened, later apologized, though he reiterated his claims that “lesbianism” remains a serious threat to black teenage girls. The event next month is officially named the Millions More Movement.
Farrakhan recently invited the National Black Justice Coalition, a gay civil rights organization, to become one of about 100 co-conveners of the Millions More Movement rally, which is scheduled to take place on Oct. 15 in Washington, D.C.
Black gay rights advocates have expressed cautious optimism about Farrakhan’s invitation. They say he did not mention the words “gay” or “lesbian” in his invitation letter and did not agree to longstanding requests by black gay leaders that the Millions More Movement address the issue of homophobia and arrange for a gay man and a lesbian speaker to address the rally.
SINCE ARRIVING IN metro Atlanta in March, Williams admits that he feels more freedom to explore other sides of his sexuality, mainly because of the distance between himself and his family. But he says his “masculinity still stands on the same level as it did back home,” noting his reluctance to join a fraternity of black gay men in Atlanta who in his view maintain a masculine façade while evolving into “ladies,” or effeminate gay men.
“Folks pose all the time,” he continues. “But it’s things like ‘Girl,’ and ‘Sista’ — that right there, I don’t care how masculine you are, but if you call your boy your ‘sista,’ then being masculine isn’t who you really are.”
After first coming out as a lesbian following a seven-year marriage to a man, Ebonee Bradford found herself playing the masculine role in intimate relationships, an uncomfortable departure from the womanly ways she always incorporated into her identity.
Raised by a family of devout Baptists in Alabama, Bradford was steered away from her early tomboy tendencies into what was considered more gender-appropriate behavior, which Bradford continues to this day.
“I try to be 120 percent woman all the time,” says Bradford, 39. “Not because I have something against [masculine lesbians], but because I was brought up to be a lady, and that’s what I am.”
Appreciative of feminine beauty and attempting to avoid the masculinity that came with her seven-year marriage, Bradford says she was always attracted to other feminine lesbians, which forced her into the more aggressive role in her early relationships with women.
But Bradford struggled adjusting to the heightened levels of power and dominance she experienced while playing the masculine role in relationships, leading to disputes that resulted in domestic violence.
Now Bradford mostly avoids masculinity in herself and her partners, a choice she says limits her dating opportunities with other black lesbians.
“There’s not many occasions when you’ll see femme-femme or stud-stud couples,” she says. “It will almost always be opposite roles.”
Joel Gori, a filmmaker who created the touring dramatic dialogues “Keepin’ It Real: Sexual Orientation and Gender Roles in African-American Communities,” says being black means being subject to each other’s expectations.
“The African-American community is not as tolerant of the diversity in gender roles that exists within its own ranks,” Gori states in his introduction to his vignettes. “[The community] sets limits on the kinds of behaviors that are acceptably ‘black.’”
ONE OF THE most integral parts of black gender roles is how cultural images of what it means to be a black gay woman or man impact sexual negotiations and acceptance of sexual variance, he says.
“Is there a certain way to be a black man or a black woman? Gender role expectations affect how black gay men and women communicate with each other about sexuality,” Gori asserts. “Pressure exists to conform when blacks pair up.
“Homosexuality is part of the black community, but certain members don’t want to see it,” he continues. “Some people think you can’t be black and be gay. Black gays face these pressures every day.”
In clubs and in Internet chat rooms, and in most other venues in which black gay men, lesbians and transgendered people meet to socialize and date, gender roles are powerful — determinative enough to start or end relationships, and strong enough to marginalize entire segments of the black gay and lesbian population.
Bernard Bradshaw used to feel obligated to defy stereotypes as a 20-something black gay man, but he says his gender identity became “highly contextual.”
“There’s sometimes I’m definitely a little more butch, and there’s times when I’m with my best friend and we’re ki-ki-ing and having a good time,” says Bradshaw, who lives in Chicago and operates SexInThe2ndCity.com, a Web log about his sexual exploits.
But despite his fluidity when it comes to gender roles, Bradshaw says it’s difficult to admit that he’s part of the anti-femme problem among black gay men.
“When I hear guys on the chat line or on the Internet say ‘no fats, no femmes,’ there’s a part of that that disgusts me because I hate the way fem guys are dogged out,” Bradford says. “But the crazy thing is that what I and most people want is a masculine guy, and so sometimes I fear I’m sort of reinforcing the denigration of femme guys.”
Leslie Martin, a self-described “soft-stud” from Lithonia, Ga., says more black lesbians seem to embrace their femininity, the same way some black gay men are posing as masculine men, almost as if they were on the down-low.
“I think being femme is more in because I think a lot of people that don’t want it known, or don’t want to be out there like that as far as the workplace and stuff, I think it’s just like the DL thing,” Martin says.
But Maressa Pendermon of Atlanta says it seems as though a younger generation of lesbians are gravitating to a butch identity “because they believe it gives them the power in a relationships.”
A feminine lesbian, Pendermon says some have accused her of selling out, which makes her even more determined to openly assert and affirm her sexual orientation.
“I’ve gotten some angry reactions from people who may be more butch or masculine, and they see me as someone who can pass, so I may have more privilege than they have,” Pendermon says. “I feel a responsibility to be out because it’s not as easily detectable, and so I am out sort of to be in solidarity with other people.”
Many black lesbians religiously adhere to their preferred gender role, especially in the bedroom, according to Martin and Bradford.
“If they carry themselves like a stud, that’s basically what you’re going to get in the bedroom,” Bradford says.
But among black gay males, masculine façades often melt away at the bedroom door, according to Williams.
“It’s a different story from what they show the outside world almost every time,” Williams says.
www.washblade.com

Why Black Pride?

2005-09-07T11:54:00.000-07:00

I have been asked more times than I can count, why does Indiana need a black pride? I was initially offended by such an inquiry. Having grown up in Indianapolis and been witness to the birth, growth, and success of Indiana Black Expo, I have always understood that black culture could be and should be celebrated. The fact that we, as a community, are fabulously gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans-gender, and same gender loving is even more cause to celebrate. The problem is that because of the prevailing mind-set of many African Americans homophobia and its oppressive attitudes are allowed to run rampant in black culture. Most gays and lesbians would be hard pressed to find safe places within the black community to be wholly who we are. Certainly our institutions, such as churches, schools, and even the extended family units tend to perpetuate negative stereotypes and dismiss homosexuality as the white mans ailment. On the surface homophobia and theologies of discrimination and separation are a major problem in black America. However, as a black GLBT community, we have formed families and societies of our own. Many of us have been cast out of our own families and churches and have sought out and created safe places. Black Pride is a celebration of those safe places.
Sadly, religious oppression has taken a devastating toll on the black GLBT community. Sermons on damnation and abomination have created a culture of shame, guilt, and self hate. We have internalized the opinions of others regarding our lives. This is evidenced by the devaluing of our relationships, sexual irresponsibility, and the depth of our closets. Black pride unites a community that is wounded and promotes dialogue for healing. What must we do to end religious oppression? In society today it is common for the religious leaders to counsel, advise, and influence lawmakers at all levels of government. Overwhelmingly, these religious leaders are black pastors from black churches. Black churches that for a long time have benefited from the time, talents, and tithes of countless black GLBT people. The people that they profess to be against. As a community we should be outraged in the face of such hypocrisy. Sadly, my voice and the handfuls of individuals who agree are not enough to affect change. All black gays and lesbians, as a unified voice, must stand together and call for an end to homophobia in the black church.
Finally, Indiana Black Pride is moving our community forward. On June 27th, 1969 the New York city police department raided a Greenwich Village gay bar, the Stonewall Inn. The raid quickly turned into a riot when the crowd of mostly white gay men and lesbians decided to fight back. From that one event the gay civil rights movement was birthed. Since its inception the gay movement has been orchestrated, executed, and actualized largely by Caucasian gays and lesbians. In the early 80's when HIV/AIDS was beginning its rise to a world wide epidemic white gay men heard the call to action and started militant groups such as ACT UP (the Aids Coalition to Unleash Power). While many in the black community thought AIDS was only a white gay mans disease those that were infected early knew that gay men, and their friends, were the only people who cared about healing the gay community! Today we know that, though African Americans make up just 14% of the population, we account for 47% of all newly reported infections and one in four people who are positive don't even know it. Truly the time has come for the African American GLBT SGL community to step forward and begin the business of healing ourselves. Decisions are being made daily that effect our lives. Decisions about HIV funding and outreach. Decisions concerning our equality under the law. Decisions concerning spousal rights and our children's rights. We, as a black gay and lesbian community must be present at the table when these decisions are being made. If we cant get a seat at the table then we should be blazing a trail so that the children that come after us will have open doors to walk through. Black pride is assuring that we celebrate our past and stay on board for our future.
I have always believed that the work that Indiana Black Pride is doing isn't for us today. We are forging new avenues for the ones that will come after us. We see a community that is worth celebrating. We see a community that is unified against racism, sexism, and homophobia. We see a community that is prepared for the challenges that lie ahead for African American same gender loving, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans-gender people!

Robert S. Ferguson
President, Indiana Black Pride Inc.

Black men in peril!

2005-09-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

As the gruesome reality and devastation that Katrina left in her wake continues to blanket newspapers and news broadcasts around the world one face has begun to emerge as the constant symbol of an entire people. That face is the displaced, victimized, lost black man! It seems that over the last 4 days we have been unable to turn on the televison or open up a newspaper without seeing our brothers faces in despair, crying, mourning, and hopeless. Naturally the media largley has chosen to focus on a few renegade, gun wielding, "gang members" who are allegedly terrorizing search and rescue teams. However, even with regards to them I have had to ask myself to what lengths I would be willing to go in order to feed and protect my family. In no way do I want to defend those that are exploiting this situation for personal gain, but for every boy that has looted a gun I am sure there are 50 men who need to protect what little they have managed to hold on to since Monday morning. Once again, the media, in a race for the most sensationalized story has chosen to magnify that which is the most horrifying element of a story that has at least 100,000 perspectives. On Tuesday morning I was moved to tears by a gentleman I will call Mr. Jackson. The cameras were filming people aimlessly walking sown the street. The reporter asked him how he was doing. He said, "I aint doin' no good"! It seems that he was trying to hold on to his Children and his wife at the same time during the hurricane. After a while his wife realized that he couldnt hold on to her and the kids. Finally she said, "let me go, you can't hold me"! The man was devastated and kept saying, "I dont know what I am going to do"! This morning another black man was in Houston. He had successfully gotten his wife and children to safety before the hurricane set in. Now he had come to the AstroDome searching for his extended family, mother-in-law, uncles, and siblings. As he began to beg and plead for anyone that knew anything about his family to contact him by cell phone or email he also began to weep. I wept with him and tried to imagine what my state of mind would be if I were in his shoes. This week I have seen more of my black brothers and sisters on CNN than ever before. I have grown increasingly angry towards the people who are supposed to be managing this tragedy. I have gone from sorrowful to bitter when I see 60,000 mostly black people wading through filth, debris, and sewage trying to get water, food, and shelter! Knowing the military muscle that this country is capable of displaying I am awed that such an event could be so poorly mishandled on US soil. Finally, I have been forced to ask myself, if there were 60,000 caucasian women and children stranded at the superdome would it be taking 4 days to evacuate them from what appears to be war zone?
My heart is heavy for all of the people that have been effected by hurricane Katrina, but particularly for my brothers trying to make sense out of the choas.

Below you will find information on how to assist those that have been displaced as well as information for those that may need assistance.

Our prayers and thoughts are with those that are affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Hurricane Katrina has blazed a trail of devastation throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Across the Gulf Coast, Katrina engulfed thousands of homes and decimated the landscape in what could become the most destructive storm in U.S. history. Victims are stranded and in need of immediate medical care, food and water, and tens of thousands of people will need temporary housing for months.

Help people affected by this storm by making a donation today.

HOW TO HELP:

1. American Red Cross - In response, the American Red Cross is launching the largest mobilization of resources for a single natural disaster involving thousands of trained disaster relief workers, tons of supplies and shoulders to lean on. (http://www.redcross.org/)

2. Network for Good - is the place to make secure online donations, explore volunteer opportunities, and learn more about the causes that matter most by assisting victims of Hurricane Katrina. (http://www.networkforgood.org/)

3. Habitat for Humanity - Help rebuild the lives of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, piece by piece, house by house. (http://www.habitat.org/)

4. NSALA: Hurricane Katrina Animal Rescue - Unfortunately, most public evacuation centers do not allow individuals to take their pets. Our mission of rescuing and restoring animals to loving homes. (http://www.nsalamerica.org/)

5. Salvation Army - is currently providing services to storm victims and first responders in the Gulf Coast states. (http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/)

TO GET HELP:

1. State of Louisiana - Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/)

2. State of Mississippi - Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (http://www.msema.org/index.htm)

3. State of Alabama - (http://www.state.al.us/statenews.php)

4. Federal Emergency Management Agency - Federal Emergency Management Agency (http://www.fema.gov/press/2005/resources_katrina.shtm) and (http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm)

5. WWLTV: News for New Orleans, Louisiana - Get out messages to let loved ones know that you are okay. Are you trying to get in touch with someone? (http://www.wwltv.com/forums/index.php)
Help those affected by this tragedy. Support rescue and relief efforts. Donate today.

Indiana's First Black Gay Pride!

2005-08-18T13:41:00.000-07:00

Indiana Black Pride 2005........................

The directors and volunteers would like to thank the entire community for their support of this Indiana's first black gay pride event! The Kick-off event at The Madame Walker Theatre attracted a little more than a hundred people and was attended by Representative Julia Carson, Representative David Orentlicher, City County Councilwoman Jackie Nytes, and City County Councilman Scott Keller. The event was sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign. The premier event for the three day festival was the picnic in the park at Watkins Park in Indianapolis, although official numbers are still be figured, crowd estimates were 400-500 people!! Again we were visited by Julia Carson and Councilwoman Jackie Nytes, as well as city council President Steve Talley! With over 35 booths and a full day of entertainment there was plenty to experience at this historic event. Most folks brought grilles, coolers, and chairs however great food was available from our food vendor "Larry'! Saturday night IBP cut it up at the Pheonix Bar and Grille until 3am to the hot sounds of DJ REDBONE. The club was packed and everyone was in a festive mood with Tricky and Stephion working the mic's, Jasmine, Tahirah, Jeremy, and Antwann wore the dance floor out!!

On Sunday morning Jesus Metropolitan Community Church hosted IBP for a community worship service. Once again we were joined by Representative Julia Carson and Representative David Orentlicher as Rev. Darlene Garner brought a powerful word that encouraged the filled to capacity congregation to stay in the srtuggle and keep the faith. Afterwards we dined on delicious soul food and sweet desserts as we sat back and tried to take the whole thing in!

I believe I speak for the entire board when I say that we were overwhelmed by the support of everyone that came out to the weekends events! We cant wait to do it all again next year!

Indiana Black Pride.....

more pictures are posted at:

http://www.geocities.com/indianablackgaypride/

Please join us for our next general meeting on September 23rd! LOCATION TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!!

Kanye West, we never knew ye

2005-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Kanye West calls on rappers to stop homophobia
Thursday August 18, 2005
NEW YORK (AP) Kanye West says ``gay'' has become an antonym to hip-hop and that it needs to be stopped.
During an interview for an MTV special, the 27-year-old rapper launched into a discussion about hip-hop and homosexuality while talking about ``Hey Mama,'' a song on his upcoming album, ``Late Registration.''
West says that when he was young, people would call him a ``mama's boy.''
``And what happened was, it made me kind of homophobic, 'cause it's like I would go back and question myself,'' West says on the show, ``All Eyes on Kanye West,'' set to air Thursday night (10:30 p.m. ET).
West says he changed his ways, though, when he learned one of his cousins was gay.
``It was kind of like a turning point when I was like, `Yo, this is my cousin. I love him and I've been discriminating against gays.'''
West says hip-hop was always about ``speaking your mind and about breaking down barriers, but everyone in hip-hop discriminates against gay people.'' He adds that in slang, gay is ``the opposite, the exact opposite word of hip-hop.''
Kanye's message: ``Not just hip-hop, but America just discriminates. And I wanna just, to come on TV and just tell my rappers, just tell my friends, `Yo, stop it.'''
West's sophomore album hits stores Aug. 30.

2005-08-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

This week Minister Louis Farrakhan was quoted as saying that Mexican President Vicente Fox was correct in his allegation that Mexican immigrants take jobs "that not even blacks would want". Fox has been sharply criticized by Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton for the racially insensitive comment and the Mexican President has since admitted that he regrets the comment. The problem I see here is one that continues to plague black America; we have a problem dicussing the family business.

There are things that we just dont want to discuss in public forums for fear of having those discussions used against us as some sort of political or moral leverage for "THE MAN".

Kanye West may have said it best in his song family business. "If you say you didnt do it then I believe it and if you did then thats family business"! Micheal Eric Dyson also talked about this issue when addressing Bill Cosbys comments regarding lower income blacks. We all know that there are some issues we need to discuss as the black family. The amount of emphasis and importance we place on education being a primary issue. However, the mistake that Bill Cosby made was that he said it in public where the largely caucasian dominated media could record and tape his words.

Same problem here: Vicente Fox said something that we all know is true, but he was politically incorrect for saying it publicly! My Uncle Harold was a janitor at Glendale Mall for 27 years. My Grandmother was a maid and cleaning woman for a wealthy doctor for 18 years. My grandfathers brother washed dishes at the Sweden House and the Hilton at the circle.

Something happened during the 60's and 70's. Our parents that had come from less educated, lower income parents were striving to be better than their predecessors. The industrial age was booming, especially here in the midwest. Largely we were able to move out of the kitchens and maids quarters and earn a better living wage. Some, but not all, of our parents realized that these blue collar and entry level white collar employers would pay college tuitions and allow us to save for our childrens educations. African American enrollment and graduation rates have doubled over the last 20 years for most American Universities. There simply has been more opportunity for the black man in the 80's and 90's than ever before in this country's history.

We have all heard the young drug dealer or gang member say that they wont work at McDonalds for $7.00 an hour when they can make 10 times that amount on the street. Visit your local McDonalds today. Who do you see working the fry station? Mexicans are indeed where black folks were some 40 years ago. Taking what work many of them can get and trying to get their piece of the American dream. The biggest difference is the way that Mexican immigrants have chosen to wield their economic power. It was no accident that Vicente Fox made those disparinging remarks. The Mexican community is very aware of the their position in what is arguably the strongest economic system in the world. Vicente Fox is leading his people to political strength and economic strength and unless the African American community can start to find ways to improve relations with the Mexican poulation we will be left behind.

Farrakhan told the truth. We dont like to discuss our family business. Farrakhan seems to be telling a lot these days. The 10th anniversarary of the Million Man March is being officially called the Millions More Movement with a mission to open the march to women and gays. Seems Farrakhan is preparing to tell some more of the family business.