Archive | October, 2007

The Fire This Time

25 Oct

In a post-Katrina world, Katrina is now the modern benchmark for an unrepentant and aggregate failure of the federal government because of FEMA and state government because Baton Rouge and the governor was only 60 miles away with more than capable resources to go into the city by Tuesday, August 30, 2005–it was a complete SNAFU (Situation Normal, All F’d Up).  But concerning the fire this time in southern California, certain questions can arise at the back of ones mind particulary because of the housing of the evacuated residents in Qualcom Stadium is synonymous to the Superdome.

This is not necessarily a race issue and I’d be very hesitant to bait the issue as one.  This was overwhelmingly a socioeconomic issue.  However the two situations are not totally different from each other.  First let’s explore their similarities.

Both cities and areas are susceptible to natural disaters, one water and one fire (why do I feel like I’m tuning myself up to preach, lol).  Both areas used the largest area stadium as a place of last resort for evacuees (we’ll revist the terminology later); one Qualcom the other the Superdome.  Contrary to news reports, equally nearly 1,000,000 residents were evacuated from the Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines and (I can’t think of the parish to the direct southeast of NOLA) parishes.  Well, so far so good on the similarities, the question remains what made the Katrina and later Rita incidents go over so badly?

Well, I’ll tell you.

Firstly, the Superdome itself was flooded on the ground levels.  These people never had fire attempting to burn down the doors at Qualcom stadium.  Lets remember, the vast majority of people who were ultimately evacuated from the Superdome had to be trucked out on school buses and air lifted and escorted on military vehicles that were high enough above the water line.

Secondly, overwhelmingly, the people in this situation had somewhat a double advantage over the residents of New Orleans.  The residents of Southern California had a better means of escaping the fire than the Metro. New Orleans residents.  Even though the fire can jump and come down the street in a matter of minutes, they still had the foreknowledge that there was a fire in the area and the strong possibility existed that it could directly affect them.  Additionally, the residents of Southern California CONSTANTLY know the affects of wildfire as a yearly event.  The residents of New Orleans had not seen hurricane affect the city within recent memory–the last was Hurricane Betsy in 1965.

The second advantage was that these residents had the means of evacuating the area.  As many as 100,000 residents of the city, approx. 22% of the city’s residents were dependent on public transportation.  Automobile’s come ready made in Southern California of course, so many of the residents were able to leave at the drop of a hat.

Ultimately, the country learned how to deal in a post-Katrina world with natural disasters and we now see FEMA approrpriately dealing with a natural disaster.  They learned from their mistakes and we should commend them.  Also, lets not forget that Southern California is a hodge-podge of ethnicities many emigrants from other parts of the country.

Now, all of the above was nice and cute….but lemme be Joshua for a minute.

This was just an updated version of racial profiling.  The damn government knew that a Katrina was going to happen eventually, the same way all of these friggin coastal cities are susceptible.  Hell, New Orleans is in such a situation being below sea level that the city can’t even deal with 8 inches of water in a 24hr. time period without shutting down the whole city.

I mean, who would suggest the Superdome in the first place.  I mean if the city is flooded, wouldn’t that include the Superdome?!?!  I mean wouldn’t the people be trapped—which they were in the case of Katrina.

Furthermore, these people out in Cali got money–its CALIFORNIA, swimming pools and movie starruhs!  They have a larger tax base with which to plan and prepare for stuff like that. Orleans Parish on the other hand had to worry about of the 18 of the 21 or so high schools about to be taken over by the State because of the Boards inefficiency.  Or maybe it was the fact that New Orleans fluctuated between number 1 and number 2 of the highest per capita murder rate in the country.  Or maybe it was because the city was 67% black, in the lowest elevations of the city that it was was “The City That Care Forgot.”

I think the issue isn’t a flat out race issue, but a systemic governmental issue on both the state and federal level, that is directly related to socio-economic issues of our country.  And for anyone who is paying attention in this country, they’d know that your socio-economic status is directly related to what race you are categorized into by the government.

As an addendum to this note, I’d like to tackle this notion of evacuee versus refugee.

Perhaps, this is where I assume my Chicago upbringing and divorce myself from native New Orleanians.  I honestly have no problem with them being referred to as refugees, even though this is their country where they find their citizenship and pay taxes.  Evacuees are those who  evacuate prior to an event occurring, refugees are those who seek refuge in a time of need.  This is my line of reasoning for such a claim.

If I find myself in knee-deep, or God forbid chest deep water and bodies and animals and all matter of debris are floating by, they would invoke scenes of Bangledesh or Calcutta in the middle of monsoon.  (Bangledesh, that has a population density as high as 100,000/sq. mile).  Those are people who seek refuge because they are stranded and in need.  We love reading the 91st division of Psalms where David talks about seeking refuge with God.  Particularly Black people, we identify with the struggle of the Israelites, ergo we like the thought of seeking refuge in God, so why wasn’t it okay for those left in New Orleans to be called refugees? 

In fact I believe that referring to those who stayed in New Orleans as refugees further calls the government’s failure into question even more.  Because the charge against the refugee reference was that “How can one be a refugee in one’s own country?” and I would pose the question, “How could this failure of government both prior to Katrina and after be allowed to happen in THIS country?”  One shouldn’t have to seek refuge in one’s own country, but these people did and we should call them as such. 

Keep it uppity, JLL

November 2nd, Blackout day – YEAH RIGHT!!!

22 Oct

This was an email that my mother sent me from a cousin.  And I’m putting it out there that THIS DOES NOT WORK as far as I’m concerned. 

Let’s analyze this from an economic perspective. 

If I make no major purchases for three days, November 1st-3rd as the email advises me to do, then that means that I will either A) make my purchases on October 31st or wait until November 4th.  I hardly see how, despite how large black consumer wealth is, that three days will ultimately make a difference in the larger scheme of things.  Secondly, what is this supposed to prove?  What am I not buying for? what am I protesting – WHO am I protesting?

 Now I understand the well meaning cries of Warren Ballentine et. al. (as I try to refrain from rolling my eyes), but lets be realistic.  Three days is not enough to affect any broad sweeping change.  Let’s remember that the Montgomery Bus Boycott was a year-long struggle.  Asking me not to buy the suit that I still need at Macy’s or refraining from buying my mocha frappaccino at Starbucks simply means that since I know I have to wear it next Sunday, I’ll just buy on October 31st.  Similarly, I’ll just say “Oh well” as far as the frappaccino goes and start back buying it on the 4th.

I’d rather see a broad sweeping effort to change the mindset of these people.  Even if black people didn’t buy on that day, it would amount to no more than a pimple on the ass of time, because no change happens within such a short time frame.  We won’t see the “powers that be” suddenly come crawling to black communities asking for our patronage again.  If, we’re going to affect change, ets do it with some real strategy and with a real purpose -  just doing it because isn’t good enough.

Keep it uppity, JLL

“Stop buying shoes for the little grasshopper Negroes.”

22 Oct

That is a quote, almost a direct quote rather, from my Ethics and Society professor here at the ITC, while in the midst of a jeremiad against the black church, young black professionals and the well-to-do members of the hip-hop generation.  This is not uncommon for him to refer to black people as “colored” or “Negro.”  In fact, I don’t recall him at all referring to us as “Blacks” or “African Americans.”  Despite his broad generalizations against the more well-to-do members of the rap and hip-hop community who don’t give back (to which I would direct him to Ludacris’ Foundation http://www.theludacrisfoundation.org/home.php) he actually had something viable to say against the Black Church.

 Now, I know how quick many of us are to criticize the Black Church without much merit, however I believe my professor had in fact stumbled upon something.  He suggested that black churches should invest their moneys, at least some of it, into black banks that are rooted in the communities with which many of the churches still remain.  Truth be told, could you imagine what it would mean if New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, pastored by Bishop Eddie Long, just deposited the tithes and offerings from Sunday morning services into a Citizen’s Trust bank account here in Atlanta rather than Bank of America? 

Realistically, as the Black Church overwhelmingly probably lets millions of dollars nationwide pour into white-owned banks on Monday morning deposits, how many black churches have lobbied for seats on the boards of directors of these white owned banks be they regional or national banks?  We allow these banks to come into our community and yet and still these banks overwhelmingly do not give money back into our own community.  Now yes it is nice to go into a white owned bank and in fact see black bank tellers and managers and loan officers, but again people lets be realistic–it would be nice if we were in control of the money outright.

So instead of “buying shoes for the little grasshopper Negroes” lets reconsider where we spend our money and to what end we spend it.  We have a responsibility to our own community to do better.  Not everything is a result of white power structures forcing us into a position with only a few options.

And while I’m on this subject….

 I’ll never understand why do black folk insist on going to these ghetto strip malls and businesses and buying clothes from Middle Eastern people who were allowed to come into our own community and take our money with no regard for what our community stands for.  They either rent or own clothing stores, gas stations, eateries and other businesses in our community, but yet and still when its time for them to close up shop, they don’t live in our communities and they spend their money elsewhere.  Hell, our money leaves the community before we do!!!

 I guess this is somewhat of a plea for those “little grasshopper Negroes” who are reading this to actually watch where you spend your money and be conscious of it; because the Bible actually does say in Ecclesiates 10:19 “money meets all needs.”  (NRSV)

One can only imagine what it means if you don’t have the money, or rather the ability to meet all of your needs.

Keep it uppity (thanks mom!!), JLL

What Do I Really Mean By “Uppity Negro?”

17 Oct

I was raised in two parent household in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago—that alone qualifies me as solidly middle-class.  And along with that upbringing, I’ve never once in my life heard either one of my parents use the word “nigga” or any derivation of it; it was always referred to as the “N-word.”  I became liberated enough to use the word “nigga” et. al. after I read Randall Kennedy’s book my senior year of high school and my AP English teacher encouraged me to use that book for one of the class projects.  And even then, my parents would sometimes cringe when I used the word, not in reference to a person, but since it was the topic of study, I believed that on should not be afraid of the word, but rather call it what it is. 

Midway my high school career I had gotten in the habit of calling people “Negroes,” and one of the junior deacons at church preached a sermon and interwove that idea into her sermon.  This is to say that those of us who use the word “Negro” are not in a position of judgment to criticize those who freely use the N-word. 

Now, in the “good ol’ days” the phrase “uppity nigra” [phonetic sp.] was often used by whites toward blacks who had stepped outside of the socio-political construct with which they had defined themselves.  I chose the name of this blog because for me the literal word “Negro” was never used in quite the derogatory way that “nigra” was.  For me, “Negro” is a word that should used in historical context and every time that I use it or I hear someone else use it, I try my damnest to break from that habit.   

My attempt by using it in the context of this blog, and this blog only is to take the phrase and flip it on its head and redefine it quite much like the people of the Uppity Negro clothing company.  And secondly, because many of my friends always joke around with me and say I participate in so many “uppity Negro” affairs. 

And again as I said in my introductory blog, this is place to give the unapologetic middle class, elitist view.  I’m sick and tired of watching many black political pundits having to be apologetic for their viewpoints simply they are the product of their upbringing.  We should not apologize for our world outlook no more than those who grow up on the proverbial other side of the tracks.  This means that if I get labeled elitist, then so be it; if I get labeled “uppity Negro,” then so be it.  I am who God made me, and there is no shame in that. 

What I fail to comprehend is that why are the sons and daughters of professional people forced into thinking that they have to kick it with the people from the other side of the tracks in order to “keep it real?”  I’m still confused as to why do the sons and daughters of professional parents feel the need to join street gangs?   

Alas, yet another blog entry for another day. So even as my Ethics and Society professor, in the epitome of black elitism uses the phrases “Negro folk” and “colored folk” ad nausea and ad infinitum, hopefully the readers of this blog will at least be conscious of how they use the word “Negro” from now on. 

Grace, peace and luv, JLL 1:52am 10.17.07

Meet the Press vs. Meet the Cops

17 Oct

First, I want to deal with Mr. William H. Cosby, Ed.D. 

At 9:50am  on Sunday morning I rolled over and immediately turned on the television station that I get the clearest and I saw a black face.  Regardless of who it was, the fact that there was a black person on a Sunday morning news show was stunning enough to me.  So I watched, and quickly the mention of statistics of black youth in jail let me know that it was Dr. Alvin Poussaint.  And I was expecting to see him in a round table surrounded by other political pundits or various people from academia and much to my chagrin I saw my drunken uncle Bill Cosby. 

I almost flipped the channel. 

As I was preparing for the 11 o’clock service I listened to what Bill blathered and blustered about for the next thirty or so minutes before I rushed out the door wondering who was preaching the morning’s sermon.  And the overwhelming thought that kept playing over in my mind was not whether or not Bill Cosby had told one to many anecdotes on national television (because the one with him in the Navy and the one-eyed drill sergeant informing Cosby that he was “not  his mother” was more than the last straw for me) or whether or not Dr. Poussaints presence  validated Cosby’s rants, but actually it was the fact that these two were the poster children for “When Elitism Goes Bad!”  (Think Dave Chappelle “When Keepin’ It Real Goes Wrong”) 

First lets analyze this. 

These two have now garnered the attention of Tim Russert who is famous for being hard on his guests, and now have a brilliant news journalist walking on eggshells lest he fall victim to being compared to a Cosby story of growing up on the streets of Philly.  Now, most people I know, most, don’t wake up on a Sunday morning and watch NBC “Meet the Press.”  Most people I know are preparing for church, usually listening to a Gospel music station or watching some religious programming on television.  Secondly, your treatise on personal responsibility was written in book form, scolding the less privileged of Black America. 

Now, how “uppity Negro” is appearing on a show that much of the people you discuss in the book don’t watch—furthermore, Cosby implies that these very same people are not the most literate of people, by telling the parents that they need to buy “Hooked on Phonics,” yet you write a book who’s targeted audience is not the people who you criticize.   This book will be read by the middle class moms who have 14 minutes at the end of their day to cram a book in, while they watch their husbands fall asleep after they’ve put their children today and the let the dog roam out in the back yard.  This will also be read by the Black Intelligensia who very similar fashion spout rhetoric from both sides of argument in favor and not in favor of Bill Cosby.  However, this book will NOT overwhelmingly be read by the same people that Cosby criticizes!  Is this not the main criticism of the black middle class that we always and only talk amongst ourselves as though “their” problems are not “our” problems? 

Although the Dysonites have a point whereas it appears that Cosby has mostly negated the white power structures of this country, similarly I believe in personal responsibility, which leads to me say that…. 

One Clifford “T.I.” Harris should be damn ashamed of himself.  I personally feel let down that on Saturday, October 13, 2007 I was forced to send out a mass text message that T.I. had been arrested at the Walgreens on the corner of Piedmont and North Avenues in downtown Atlanta as he was en route to the Civic Center to participate in the buffoonery that is/was the BET Hip-Hop awards.  T.I.’s arrest is the result of the failure to be responsible for one’s person.  If ANYONE allows the words “Free T.I.” pass the barrier of their lips then I will be forced to cuss them out.   

Again, lets analyze this. T.I. or TIP (I’m still unclear which one was arrested, hmmm, might do a blog on all these lil’ boys running around here with these dual personalities based off of T.I.’s bi-polar nature) was arrested because of weapons possession while still on probation.  Probation by nature means that the federal and state authorities are watching the individual under probation.  why do the obvious?  He knew better, but he didn’t do better.  And sadly, yet another rapper who I respected both as an artist and as an individual has succumbed to the failure of being responsible for one’s person. 

Maybe if Bill Cosby’s book had been released a week earlier and maybe if T.I. had passed Borders and saw the release and went and bought a copy then….nahhhhh, I’m just daydreaming there. 

Grace, peace and luv, JLL

Hello world! Welcome to UNN–Uppity Negro Network

15 Oct

I’d like to welcome you to the launch of my first official blog.  It originally was launched on October 15, 2007, but I’m not posting this until the next day.  I’m attaining my Masters of Divinity and Masters of Arts in Church Music at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, Georgia.  I am also entertaining the idea of pursuing Doctoral work in the field of practical theology, namely homiletics (which severely limits my options of course).

I’d like to thank two people for the idea of the Uppity Negro Network.  The first person is my friend and roommate at ITC, B. Michael Honor (www.souljonz.wordpress.com).  It is he who gave me the idea to in fact, start a blog.  Those who know me on Facebook know that in fact I have a lot of ideas and that I am opinionated.  And I discovered that my opinions were birthed out of my “uppity Negro” upbringing.  Now, this is somewhat borrowed from the Uppity Negro movement that swept across black college and university campuses during the early 2000’s.  I consider myself an “uppity Negro” based on what my friend John Meade told me—here’s the short story.

When he discovered that I went to the church Rev. Jeremiah Wright pastored for the last 35 years at the time, he just commented and said how much he appreciated his ministry.  Now, I officially embraced this phrase because when he discovered that I began to attend Ebenezer Baptist Church here in Atlanta he busted out laughing at say “that’s so ‘uppity Negro’ of you, that you go from one ‘uppity Negro’ church to the other.” So, hence the Uppity Negro Network was born; a place where I am learning to embrace my “uppity Negro” or rather my inner middle classness and not be apologetic for my worldview which some might interpret as black elistist.  This is a place, however, to share ideas from all walks of life; from those who may consider themselves “uppity Negroes” and those who don’t.  Usually my blogs will have some cultural critique and naturally something that has some religious overtone or direct religious nature.

So, I love to hear those comments and opinions.

Grace, peace and luv, JLL

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