Archive | March, 2008

Things I Neglected to Comment On…

31 Mar

In the midst of my stress over the last few weeks, from the personal issues of schoolwork, balancing free time with school time, to the public of seeing my pastor maligned in the news media, to hearing just this morning that the young man Chavez Clarke who was shot and killed in front of Chicago’s Simeon Career Academy on the South Side was the locker partner of my close friend’s younger brother, there are just some things I have neglected to comment.  Be that as it is, I will start with the Chavez Clarke story as a spring board.

When are we going to change our mindset?  As black people, a majority of us should be declared clinically insane.  According to the pop culture definition, many of us keep on doing the same thing expecting different results.  How is it that the 20th Chicago Public School student was killed and its only March–just wait until the weather gets warmer.  One need only think back to last May when Blair Holt was shot on a CTA bus by another classmate.  My close friend called and we talked quickly about it and I asked him, “Did we really go to school in  good 4 years back in Chicago?” and he answered, “Yeah, we were lucky.”  There are those out there who aren’t so lucky.  When are our preachers, teachers and parents and adults going to take responsibility as a COMMUNITY for what we are producing.  My friend gave an interesting reason as to why these last two years have been exceptional–we’re now seeing the product of crack babies who did not have the proper access to pre-natal and neo-natal care, and undiagnosed behavior disorders and the continuation of the evidence of a lack of family structure.

The Lebron James as King Kong.  I think I neglected to comment on such ridiculousness because enough of the black blogosphere had commented on the absurdity of it.  Furthermore, when my friend sent me an email that had link to a Jason Whitlock article [trying not to roll my eyes as I write his name] I knew that my two cents need not be added–so here’s my one cent.  You look at the pictures and tell me what you see.

vogue-lebron-mad-brute.jpg

jason-whitlock.jpg

Some people need to just be quiet.

Barack Obama’s Speech on Race to the World.  On March 18, 2008, at 11:15 am, my same close friend called me twice back to back because I didn’t answer the first time, but I guess it was just that good.  Nevertheless, I did wake up and watched what for me was one of the best speeches on race that was not a speech that catered only to the concerns of the black community, but attempted to deal with white America’s angst toward African Americans.  I thought it was wonderfully written and decently delievered.  However, I had one concern–why that particular venue?  Even though it was an Obama friendly crowd, it lacked the gusto and the resonance with the crowd that we’re used to seeing on TV. 

obamas-speech-on-race.jpg

And to address those that have said why wait until the Jeremiah Wright issue to have this speech on race, I say this was the absolute best time to have delivered it.  If for no other reason, this was yet another hallmark moment, comparable to the racial divisions as seen by the O.J. Simpson verdict and the emotions that sparked the L.A. Riots of 1992 and the United States was privied to see what Second America sees on a daily basis.

The Absoulte, Unadulterated, Absurdity of FOXNews Network.  It’s a foregone conclusion that many black people have a metaphorical bounty out for Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, but this is where I’m getting on my soap box and staying for a while.  There are a plethora of things wrong with the programming of Hannity and Colmes, namely Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and ohhh, just wait till I get to good ol’ Greta.

I guess it’s good that my parents don’t have cable (I grew up not having it) because my mother is convinced that ABC’s George Stephanopoulous is the anti-christ, she says it every chance she gets because of his betrayal to Bill Clinton, I’d love to hear what she has to say about Sean Hannity’s commentary.  Problem number one with Hannity–he’s just a mess and too blinded to see the truth by white racism.  But I begin to doubt the credibility of FoxNews because of the guests that come on Hannity and Colmes’ show

Jesse Lee Peterson is a regular on the show, and he’s just a foolish mess.  His credential don’t even–oh wait, he has NONE.  A quick Wikipedia or Google search will show that he’s primarily funded by Sean Hannity to fund whatever right-wing conservative “pick yourself up by your own bootstraps” organization.  I mean the stuff that has come out of Jesse Lee Petersons mouth on FoxNews would make any self-respecting black person cringe.  Even before the Jeremiah Wright issue, Hannity had carted him out and he was incredulous at Trinity for “even calling themselves black!”  Despite my disdain for Youtube clips, which does nothing but give credence to codswallop, I will provide a bit of context for the so-called Reverend.

(and in this clip, I begin to wonder about the sanity of Marc Lamont Hill who continually subjects himself to the tyranny of FoxNews, but that’s another blog for another day.)

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=me7_ub_cjjk&feature=related  Sean Hannity is a liar, and a fool–its official now.

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3qbibh8Mk and Erik Rush needs help

Erik Rush can be added to the list of tomfoolery that takes place on this network.  As far as Hannity and Colmes is concerned they either have complete Uncle Tom’s like an Erik Rush or Jesse Lee Peterson who are nothing more than apologists for white America, or these right-wing neo conservatives like Michael Steele or Angela McGlowan.  And then they find the extreme minority: a few Black Nationalists who want to exterminate all white people and put their faces on the television and then ask Peterson to speak against it–as though he’s speaking for all black people.  Well, he’s not speaking for this Uppity Negro!

Then there’s Bill O’Reilly who I had let off the hook for the Ludacris comment way back some time because I watched the Oprah Show he had appeared on and I felt he proved himself a decent enough journalist, and he sounded intelligent and more over to me credible.  But in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright situation, that credibility went out the door.  I still try and figure out why do credible black people go on FoxNews, I mean wouldn’t that make sense for black folk of this country to do a Blackout against FoxNews and its various outlets? (Yes I’m talking to Warren Ballentine right now)  Call for all credible black people to out right boycott going on the show and for blacks to stop watching it.  For the life of me I can’t figure out why Dr. Marc Lamont Hill goes on the show, why I saw Hermene Hartman of N’Digo Magapaper in Chicago, Dr. Obery Hendricks (and he let fool fest Bill O’Reilly mispronounce his own name, wtf?!?!?!) and Rev. Timothy MacDonald of a church here in Atlanta–all who I consider credible–on a FoxNews program!!!

Finally, there’s good ole Greta Van Susteren, and her crooked mouth!  I think it’s painfully evident that she should not even have a show, let alone even be on television.  There’s no redeeming factor about seeing her as an anchor or as a news show host–she’s quite drab.  She needs to take part in TBS’ Movie in a Makeover or she needs to be walking on the streets of Time Square or Rockefeller Plaza and someone needs to ambush her for one of those street makeovers in an hour and do some damage. 

And then her mouth is crooked.

Oh well.

But it reeks of bad journalism the way she wasn’t able to handle Al Sharpton.  I mean, this is Al Sharpton–come on now.  As much as I like the guy and like what he’s doing, and support him 9 out of 10 times (however I’m currently standing with my sisters on this one issue down in South Florida), I mean if you allowed an Al Sharpton to catch you up on your own show…well…that just doesn’t speak well of you dearie.

 What is Hillary Clinton Up To? We have some polls saying that Obama is doing better than Clinton in national polls, and for all intents and purposes it appears that Obama has exited this Jeremiah Wright controversy unscathed (but clearly his pastor is quite hurt, and the church is still reeling) which I will personally say was an amazement to me–I was ready to dust off my bugle and start playing Taps for the brotha.  But I’m glad I didn’t.  I tried to figure out why Hill’ry was mum until the picture of Rev. Wright and Bill Clinton shaking hands during perhaps a prayer breakfast or lunch or dinner in the midst of the Monica Lewinsky scandal in 1998.  Not to mention, that what could she really say lest she herself have a misspeak and be labeled—oh Gawwwd—a racist.

hillary-clinton-1.jpg

Moreover, what is she doing right now as she’s running like a front-runner when clearly she’s NOT going to have enough votes going into the convention, and now Obama has toned it down and he’s running like an underdog.  I heard one clip of him concerning McCain’s Iraq war plan for one-hundred years, and he said that that was an issue he’d debate with McCain in the general elections and then he hastily added “if I get the nomination.” 

New York Governor David Patterson.  Am I the only one just a little bit miffed by the candid approach Gov. Patterson has taken as far as his first weeks are concerned?  I’m waiting in tip-toe anticipation to see what he let out this week.  The first week it was that both he AND his wife had participated in extra marital affairs.  Well…I guess I’ll reserve my truly personal comments to myself on that one.  Then last week, he told us that he had done cocaine.  This kind of let me know that he had hung around white folk if he was doing the powdered brand–or maybe he just knew that cocaine was something that those in Albany could identify with, perhaps it was still a shrewd move.  We shall see, its just interesting to see two black governors of neighboring states (the other being Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick).

Black Entertainment Television and Soulja Boy Tellem.  I admit it–sometimes I watch BET, its one of my plenary indulgences.  Most of my friends get a flurry of text messages because if I’m actually watching some of its original programming, I’m sending hot text messages about the abysmal nature of BET.  But, to somewhat echo my sentiments in the first of these–we are now seeing the product of a generation birthed solely on the garbage of BET.  Soulja Boy at 18, and others his age are not the product of good BET, but rather of the original programming of BET Uncut where Nelly’s “Tip Drill” and Luda’s “Pussy Poppin’” and Khia’s “My Neck, My Back.”

Without going into deep philosophical thoughts surrounding those music video’s, the fact that it was on the air and young kids and teenagers would either stay up and watch it (which is what I did at 19 when those videos came out) or sneak and watch it.  Now we have a “Crank Dat Soulja Boy” which were the musings of a then 16 or 17 year old kid with uncut lyrics that had he been of age included “superman dat hoe” but still the intention is there–and by now most know the metaphor behind “superman dat….” is. 

 

Now we have his latest video “Yaaaahhhhh” and who gives a crap how many a’s and h’ its supposed to be.  I just had a particular problem with the end of the video.  Now you watch the video and you tell me–is this what we’ve produced?  Is this the best that we can do?  Am I living in a bubble–or is he and the people of his generation?  Is this what we celebrate in the black community?  I mean, we’ve got to do better.

Keep it uppity and keep it radical, JLL

My Sunday Morning Revelation: The Irrelevancy of The Black Church

30 Mar

I’ve had it up to here!

While there are substantive ministries that exist in our cities today, just how much is tradition going to mire us in the prototypical Civil Rights Era of the Black Church.  The fact that I watched a Nightline episode this past week about a Humanist society in Palo Alto, California juxtaposed to what was deemed “regular church” and it was clearly an atypical representation of many black congregations across this country further let me know that we, the Black Church is operating in irrelevancy.

I have a friend here at ITC that has conveyed this sentiment to me many times and at first I had an argument for him, but as I’ve pondered over the days, I’m more and more convinced that he was really on to something.  One of the first problems as I see it, is that the Black Church operates to easily in a vacuum.  And more over a vacuum within a vacuum, and the attempts to operate outside of those microcosms are thwarted simply because of the avenues attempted.

The evidence of the first vacuum to me was driven home when I watched a recent Nightline episode about some atheists who called themselves Humanists who had a congregational meeting in Palo Alto, Calif.  Well, the opening shots juxtaposed I guess what the producers considered “regular” church to that of the Humanist society.  And clearly, “regular” church was noted by church bells, and large steeples and quiet serene cathedrals–and let’s be totally honest–and white people walking to church.  I’m not trying to defame the white American church experience at all, however, the black church experience is part of a sub-culture in the larger picture of the United States worldview.  With that in mind, it’s no wonder the comments of a Jeremiah Wright were so completely misunderstood.

The Black Church was initially put in this vacuum as a direct result following slavery, but since the modern Civil Rights movement, I’ve yet to see a cross-cultural move between white churches and black churches of both historically black and white denominations to bring both experiences into the forefront and recognise that both are viable avenues of doing theological work and both are credible communities of faith.  Now there will always be the extremes such as Southern Baptists (even though there are a substantial number of black congregations that are a member) versus that of the Church of God in Christ, but definitely those in the middle need to be aware of this.

Now, I am not suggesting that in order to legitimize the Black Church it must come into full communion with the predominant mainline church, but, the two need to recognize that the other exists.  This Uppity Negro being who I am, is more demanding of the fact that the news media outlets would find those who are more representative of the African American culture rather than, um, shall we say, a FoxNews finding a Rev. David Manning or the dumbassness of a Jesse Lee Peterson who calls himself a reverend, but there is absolutely NO evidence of degrees on his website. 

Especially in the wake of the Jeremiah Wright and Obama media blitz, I failed to see credible individuals speak on the Black Church immediately following this story.  As much as I appreciate Roland Martin (didn’t used to because he always used to talk over his callers on his local show in Chicago on WVON), and appreciate his veracity simply because of his experience as an African American, his credibility on this issue of Black Liberation Theology falls quite bankrupt–his only source was his wife who was an ordained minister.  Trust me, there are more than enough black theologians in this country who were more than capable of speaking on this issue.  Let alone, enough black pastors of historical black congregations that have thriving ministries in many of the black urban centers.

Despite this “forced” vacuum of isolation that is more so the result of predominant American thought and culture, there is the own bubble that the African American church has placed itself. 

  1. Denominationalism.  I’m all for ecumenism, I go to the Interdenominational Theological Center.  But, when I start hearing the wonderful catchphrases such as “they don’t shout right” or “they aint got the Holy Ghost” or “they to quiet” or “they don’t hoop like we hoop” I cringe.  It’s just this in-house fighting amongst ourselves that prevents us from standing together against other social issues that face the black community, and moreover face our country–yes the United States is our country no matter what these other yahoos want to tell us.
  2. Lack of education. Just for a quick second, think about how many pastors and preachers have attached to the front of their name “Dr.”  I would challenge the reader of this to do a quick biographical search via Google and see just where the Eddie Longs and Paul Mortons and the Liston Pages and the T.D. Jakes and the G.E. Pattersons and the Charles Blakesmwent and got their degrees.  This idea that “all you need is the Holy Ghost” or if you’re Apostolic “all you need is Jesus” as an excuse to not go to school and formulate into a working theology what you teach and preach at your church, then we are dead in the water as it is. 
  3. Jesus as the panacea.  Perhaps I’ll get in trouble for this one, but I believe the Benjamin Franklin quote “God helps those who help themselves” is appropriate.  When pastors and preachers make the claim in the pulpit and in Sunday School and in mid-week Bible study to the effect that “all you need is Jesus” it sets up an “us vs. them” dichotomy.  This is not just a black church thing, but rather a Christianity thing, but since I’m on the Black Church, let’s look at it in this context.  Those who don’t have Jesus, however one interprets that, they exist on the outside of their world.  Extrapolated to a church setting: there are those in the church, and those outside of the church. 

Too often in the black church do hear this defensive talk about those “of the world” and what “those who are saved” need to do to bring them into the church.  Well, if I’m outside of the church, why would I want to be a part of something where you’ve already categorized me as being “less than” before I even came near a church building?  Secondly, this idea of Jesus as a panacea gets tossed around as some metaphysical cure-all in fact, the cure-alls needed are VERY physical in actuality.  Jesus alone is NOT going to get someone off of drugs; Jesus alone will NOT stop a 17 year-old from gangbanging.  I guess I’m getting into semantics a bit, but if anyone has more questions for me to flesh out this topic, feel free to leave a comment.

As a result of this line of thinking, the Black Church has become an isolated system within a larger system that has isolated it.  There is no way that an institution can be relevant in the larger world if it suffers from this double isolation, such as the Black Church as we know it.  So, let’s just be conscious about what we say, how we say it, and to whom we say it.  Let’s be realistic, many churches in our community are dying, and getting and increasingly older population. 

But I guess those are the churches who pride themselves on “being hated by the world” based on the teachings of 1st and 2nd Peter admonishing Christians of the 1st Century Chuch “to suffer as Christ suffered.”  And in this suffering, there is the hope of redemption in heaven, that God will ultimately reward those who dilligently toiled in the vineyard for Christ. 

Blah, blah, blah.

I mean, come on now people,  IT IS A NEW DAY.  We act as if Christianity is a club.   Those who don’t smell right, like homeless people; those who don’t live like we live, gays and lesbians; those who don’t dress right–if you don’t have on a suit and big ass church hat, but come in with a doo rag on and sag your pants; those who don’t Holy Ghost (as YOU define it), can’t come in.  

I mean wow!  Wow!  Jesus twice!

I am convinced that we have really come this far in our story.  Honestly, look at the homogeny of churches, not just black ones, but across denominations and races–there is a distinctive cross section of culture and society that The Church attracts.   And we just love it when we do our missional work because “Jesus saves from the utmost to the guttermost” working in the inner-city with the disadvantaged youth who live in public housing developments,  doing what Christ did on the streets of 1st Century Palestine.

By being this exclusive club, we, those of the Black Church have rendered ourselves impotent.  We are merely shooting blanks when we go out into the community expecting to change lives and reshape consciousness!  The Black Church is doing nothing more than swapping members–one member jumping from one church to another because of the “anointing” and other manner of foolishness.  This is doing nothing to help reshape the ethos of the black community, but rather is detrimental because the ones who need to be reached as a result of lifestyles that are harmful to themselves and to the larger black community, as a result of maligning by the black church and other societal issues, ARE NOT BEING REACHED.

Preachers and teachers say it all the time, and I’ve finally been able to outright reject this notion:  Why is it that a Sunday service is a fill-up because I’ve been drained from dealing with “the enemy” the rest of the week?  Annnnnd, why is Wednesday a “topping off” so I can get through the rest of the week?  But church folk love it when you say that because it SOUNDS good, but why isn’t the sermon on Sunday or the lesson on Wednesday night something that helps reshape your consciousness for the rest of your life?  So, that merely meeans that the pastor or preacher is only giving you a [rhema] Word worthy of only 7 days–and I guess at some churches only 3 days because you go back on Wednesday.

To the Black Church, I would like to present you with the following:

Doing the same thing, expecting different results is one of the definitions of insanity.

Keep it uppity, and keep it radical, JLL

I Have No Words…

24 Mar

pat-buchanan-pied.jpg

There are times when I Have No Words to express my outrage and disdain for the “foolishness that aboundeth” in this country.  I believe that this will be a new section that I will start.  I’m quite sure that this quote runs a chance of being in Soul Jonz “God Aint In this Quote.”

The following is a quote pulled from a recent post on Pat Buchanan’s blog.  We already know Pat Buchanan is a fool for the nations, so, have on Uppity Negroes, because I surely have no words to describe the following.

“This time, the Silent Majority needs to have its convictions, grievances and demands heard. And among them are these:

First, America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40 million, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.

[Jeremiah] Wright ought to go down on his knees and thank God he is an American.”

Keep it uppity, and keep it radical, JLL

My Theolgy of Preaching, Part IV: The Seven Last Words

23 Mar

seven-last-words.jpg

I had the honor and distinction of preaching what amounted to my trial/first sermon here in Atlanta, well, Marietta, Georgia on March 21st, 2008 at a Seven Last Words service.  For those inquiring minds I had the Third Word, John 19:25-27, “Woman, here is you son….Here is you mother!”  And for further inquiries, the title of my sermon was “Where Do You Stand?”  Now that was my second Seven Last Words service that I had attended that day, and at the end of the day I had sat through 13 sermons (I’ll get back to why it was only 13) and I was dog tired.

However, I remember before the start of the noonday service, me and some colleagues were discussing this issue of harmonizing the Gospels.  Given that when I merely mentioned it, another one of my friends looked at me with the eyes of “Oh no he didn’t!” so I didn’t press the issue, but I want to take a quick minute on this Resurrection Sunday and hash out what I’ve experienced between Good Friday and today’s service.

Well, anyone who has read the Gospels critically knows that there is a difference between the Synoptics of Matthew, Mark and Luke and then there’s good ole John.  Most preachers worth their salt will drop this bit of knowlege in their sermon and speak about how John just approaches the whole story of Jesus differently than the writer(s) of Matthew, Mark and Luke.  Many pastors and preachers who have been to school learn that Matthew and Luke’s account fed off of the story as told by Mark.  Many scholars have published the scriptures that compliment each other, but still there are differences that exist even between the three.  Take the story of the Gerasene demoniac: Matthew’s account speaks of two men living in the tombs possessed by demons, while Mark and Luke only speak of one man.  There is also this Q-source, from which no one has ever found a manuscript, not even a sliver of a scroll, from which some scholars have believed that Matthew and Luke pulled their information from.  Even though no, and I do mean NO, evidence has been found to support the Q-source, it has entered into the academic culture heavily.

And then there’s John.

I’ll leave John to himself because we already know he’s special.  While Matthew opens with the geneology of Jesus, Mark just starts immediately with the ministry of Jesus, Luke is writing to Theophilus–then here comes John talkin’ about “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God” introducing all of this heavy theology that is open to interpretation depending on your christology.

So how is it that the Black Church sits up Good Friday after Good Friday allowing for the meshing of these theologies to be preached in rapid fire succession seven times?

This is not to say that the preaching is necessarily bad, but my first question is who determined the order of these sayings?  Truth be told, I’ve heard sermons preached particularly after “I thirst” and “It is finished” that how could Jesus still speak after he had the sour wine or vinegar (depending on the particular synoptic account, further proving my case) in his mouth and preachers posing the question “How could Jesus say it is finished if he still had one more word to say?”  Well, I guess in the wider realm of things, I could get passed the preachery sayings and what not, because I still felt that the preachers had a point to all of it, but I just think it’s quite interesting.

Furthermore, Good Friday services are preached by guest pastors and preachers, so what about their home church?  Especially if they’re out of towners.  Generally if it’s a same-city event, they rotate or the members of one church always go to another church to support their own pastor and fellowship with other churches.  Secondly, and more germane to this post, is how does the host pastor reconcile the differing theologies of the pastors and preachers?  I know for a fact that in the preparation of this sermon I tried to be as conscious as possible of what theology I was bringing into my sermon.

Here’s two cases in-point.

Both services, the first word is of course “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Just my own interpretation, but I don’t see any evidence in the scriptures that Jesus, himself, necessarily did any forgiving, but rather asked for his Father, in heaven, to do the forgiving for him because for whatever reason (maybe because they were in the midst of crucifying him), Jesus was not able to do so. 

Well, that knocks squarely in the face of high christology of Colossians 1: 15-23 with this notion of Jesus as the “image of the invisible God” and Hebrews 4:14-16.  Granted what amounted to a Baptist upbringing, I have a mid-christology which has been brought down as a result of seminary. For me, I just need for Jesus to be a bit more “user-friendly” as I heard one preacher put it.  I prefer to focus more on the Jesus part as opposed to the Christ part.  Jesus’ humanity interests me!  Actually, I’m waiting for someone to preach about the humanity of Jesus between age 12 and age 30–”Jesus: The Missing Years.”

So, each pastor or preacher brings their own personal theologies to the pulpit, because I was quite conscious of my mid to low christology in the pulpit.  I still think the sermon went over well, but again, that enhances my point that congregations are not aware of some things, and hopefully the pastors are conscious of such things if not we’ll end up with some very confused congregations. 

In my own opinion, we already do though.

Also, as an addendum:

Why did I hear a sermon from Revelation 1:18-19 this morning for Easter Sunday morning?  I guess I’ll have to have a blog about following the liturgical calendar eventually.

Keep it uppity, and keep it radical, JLL

My Theology of Preaching, Pt. III: Coded Language

18 Mar

mlk21.jpg

Even in the face of remarks deemed controversial by the mainstream media (MSM) concerning Obama’s pastor, I feel that there is a need to speak on the issue of black preaching.  I did some opposition research and watched the O’Reilly Factor on FOXNews and those who frequent his show are familiar with his segment called “Body Language” and I discovered that some light should be shed on not just the preaching moment, but rather the black preaching moment.

Now, I am not some world renown expert in the field of black preaching, but seeing as how this is my concentration, I have read some books about preaching and also preaching in the black experience, and I’ve been in church my entire life, that I am far more qualified to speak on this issue than the plethora of political pundits that have been commenting on this issue.

The Black Church, born out of slavery, and coined a “slave religion” by Albert Raboteau, was the birth place, naturally of the black preaching style.  Let it be known that for the most part, the African American preaching experience is lost on someone who does not have the key.  Well, what is the key one may ask.  The master key is the black experience here in America.  Other keys also fit into the lock, but often fail at turning the lock because some of the cylinders don’t fit the cut of the key all the way.  Others such as Bill O’Reilly et. al. simply don’t have a key that even fits into the lock–and I’m sure that they’re just fine with that.

Using the above metaphor, the “preacher and the congregation share in encoding and deciphering of sermon element.”  Interestingly enough, Bill O’Reilly last night was trying to make the point that Jeremiah Wright was full of himself, and was using hand gestures that tried to show that he was the center of attention and he was really passionate about what he was saying.  In typical leading question fashion, Bill O’Reilly added “is that not what we see going on with Rev. Wright?” [paraphrased]  The expert that he had responded by saying “That’s what preachers do” and O’Reilly looked slightly offended.   I just laughed out loud.

I believe Obama in this mornings rousing speech, and more of the liberal political pundits addressed this issue of the black experience that was used as the filter with which to filter Jeremiah Wright’s sermon clips.  I also brought up the issue that this was not the thoughts of someone isolated on the South Side of Chicago, but rather indicative of many of the sermons that I had heard from numerous other black pastors and preachers [SIDEBAR: One of the most notable exceptions to this rule is Fr. Michael Pfleger of the Faith Community of Saint Sabina].

Now, I must admit that with the exception of Rev. Wright’s particular outlook on AIDS, as the YouTube clip showed, I agree with most of the statements that were given.  I’m not totally convinced that Rev. Wright necessarily believes that this change is not going to come as hinted by Obama this morning, but more that this was evidence of the preacher and congregation sharing in the encoding and deciphering of a sermon.  One need only do  Wikipedia search of Jeremiah Wright to get a list of books and sermons that Jeremiah Wright has written.  [SIDEBAR:  Jeremiah Wright's 9/11 sermon can be found in his totality in 9.11.01: African American Leaders Respond to an American Tragedy]

Well one may ask why is it that the black preacher still speaks in coded language?  I think at this point in pop culture, one need only ask a Rev. Wright as to the dangers of speaking in language that is easily decoded by those outside of the black church in the African American experience.  Let it be clear that I am saying that experience is the primary key for unlocking much of what goes on in the black church.  This is not saying that the black church is this exclusive entity that is only for those who have experienced the black experience, but rather those who are from outside must first acknowledge the black experience in the United States as a point of entry into the black church.  Then and only then, can one understand the preaching moment in the black church.

Furthermore, I think that it is interesting that many of the politcal pundits (including Bill O’Reilly) were doing sermon critiques and they were no more qualified to speak on it than the intricacies of open heart surgery.  I think that this shows that there is a need for a public theologian of sorts; me and Soul Jonz’s author have discussed that issue at length.  There is not one person who has shown themselves capable in the public eye of deciphering and decoding pop theology–what many call Americanity.

That being said, let’s put ourselves in the other’s shoes.  To black America, put yourself in the shoes of a white person living in Montana who has had limited interaction with black people.  The same holds true for those white people living in Montana to put themselves in the shoes of a black person who has lived in Georgia and clearly has a different outlook on white America where seeing the Confederate flag in store windows and on the back of pickup trucks is a blatant reality.

Keep it uppity, and keep it radical, JLL

Obama’s Pastor Uncovers a Hidden Reality of a Second America

14 Mar

Isn’t it interesting that just as Obama’s pastor Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. celebrated 36 of ministry at Trinity United Church of Christ, and retiring as senior pastor from that pulpit that the new firestorm concerning his pastor is being trotted out again in front of the media as though this is something new.  I mean, this church, and this pastor and this candidate dealt with this exact same issue exactly a year ago, and he weathered it.  Nothing new is being purported in the media other than the sheer ignorance of Americans.

I just saw a clip on CNN Headline news with Glenn Beck and he also now a reporter who is on my –hit list (you fill in the first letter yourself).  But again can I blame him?  The clip of Rev. Wright shows Wright preaching clearly in favor of Obama, but also speaking about an alternate reality that I’m convinced is so far away from that of white America that when people like Wright hold a mirror in contrast to their realities, we get a media firestorm.  The clip is one where Wright says from the pulpit that “Hillary Clinton aint never been called a nigger” and to the effect that Obama signals something that is competely against the status quo of white, male, patriarchy (and the UNN would add to that list heterosexual). 

So, when a black man speaks cold hard facts its considered hate speech?

I must have missed something somewhere.  It appears that black people are only allowed to speak of love, peace and long suffering only in the context of Martin Luther King’s “I have a Dream” speech.   Well, I can say from personal experience that this particular uppity Negro has seen and expereinced more than enough suffering and dammit, I support Rev. Jeremiah Wright without any equivocations.  

But, I’m still at a loss; when is it appropriate to speak about the issues that Jeremiah Wright talks about in his sermons?  I mean, just because we label it hate speech, which it is not, does not mean that he’s not speaking truth.  I mean, the political pundits are using overarching terms to describe Wright’s sermons such as “hate speech” which I think is very interesting because none of them are denouncing the verarcity of what he said.  And even in this context, isn’t it interesting, old conventional wisdom asked was Obama black enough, now the concern is that he’s too black. 

Go figure.

But, I encourage those to please read Soul Jonz blog because this is where Obama’s pastor gets his theology from.  Oh yes, this is not some crackpot, whack job, bootleg preacher, this is an educated man.  One need only do a Google search to obtain a biography of Jeremiah Wright.  I mean, the attacks against this man and his family are purely based on ignorance of facts and experience.  I mean, in all fairness, Hillary Clinton will never have to experience being called a nigger.  That is a reality that Barack Obama has faced as a black man living in this country.  Well, just like Glenn Beck’s obvious response to the network having to bleep out “the n-word” it would take tomes of books and information to help him understand why Jeremiah Wright is allowed to say that word and he’s not.  A black person reading this blog would understand what Jeremiah Wright means when he says that “Hillary Clinton aint never been called a nigger,” but a white person would need a plethora of information explained to them to help them understand that “nigger” isn’t just a pejorative word, equated with any other defaming adjective or noun. 

So, again, why is this considered “hate speech” when Trinity United Church of Christ is a member of a predominantly white denomination and one of the denomination conference presidents, a lil’ old white lady, is a member of Trinity?  Furthermore, if this is “hate speech” why also does Trinity have the full unbridled support of the United Church of Christ?

I guess in our American ignorance, we’ve allowed the media to redefine some things for us.  It appears that hate is one of those things that has been redefined.  Hate appears to be whatever goes against the white, male, heterosexual status quo, but I guess this is hate speech because the white, male and heterosexual status quo would have to first recognise that there is a hierarchy in this country and that they are unopposed at the top of this caste system in this country.

Secondly, while they are at it, the media needs to stop acting like this is the Mormon faith and confined only to one state.  Oh no!  This Black Liberation Theology is a nationwide thing and has been in practice before the legal end of slavery in 1865 and has since been articulated by James Cone in 1969.  This is not a fly-by-night operation that Jeremiah Wright is preaching: this is an institution.  And woe unto the white people who think that if they get rid of Barack Obama that they have silenced the Jeremiah Wright’s of this country; there are others, they may even be in your local city or town.  Let it be known that the following clearly support Jeremiah Wright, as evidenced of their invitation and acceptance to participate in his retirement celebration:

1) Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas

2) Rev. Marcus D. Cosby, pastor of Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Houston, Texas

3) Rev. Rudolph McKissick, pastor of Bethel Institutional Baptist Church, Jacksonville, Florida

4) Rev. Dr. Lance Watson, pastor of St. Paul Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia

5) Dr. Cornell West, Princeton University

6) Dr. Obrey Hendricks, author of The Politics of Jesus

7) Rev. Frank Thomas, pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Church, Memphis, Tennessee

….and trust me the list continues.

This blog is not a call to arms against white people of this country, but rather I’m putting white America on notice that what Jeremiah Wright is speaking is not relegated to just the South Side of Chicago, or just barbershop and beauty shop banter.  What Jeremiah Wright and others speak is the reality of this Second America, an America that I now see is so far removed from the reality of white America that when our realities combine we get what white America calls “hate speech.”  I, however, along with millions of other African Americans see things differently–vastly different.

However, just because white America sides with Dr. King doesn’t mean that the rest must fall in-line so easily, because there’s always the option of Malcolm X, who of course called for the same change as  Dr. King, but his was by “any means necessary.”

Keep it radical and keep it uppity, JLL

An Open Letter to Senator Hillary Clinton

5 Mar

hillary-in-texas-1.jpg

Dear Sen. Clinton,

I am quite concerned after your victories last night and your decision to stay in the Democratic Primary race that you, yes you, are threatening to seriously divide the Democratic Party as we know it.  Why do I say that?  It’s simply because of your need and desire to be the frontrunner at all costs and failing to look at the bigger picture, which is the overall welfare of the country.

We’ve already watched you turn on the waterworks at a New Hampshire diner and whether or not it was an act, you won the New Hampshire primaries and ever since then it’s been a slippery downhill slope until yesterday.  I believe in giving congratulations when they are in order, so congratulations for winning the Rhode Island, Ohio and Texas primaries, but you did so at a great cost.  What you have done in the course of this primary race is alienate the less delegate-rich states (particularly those in the heartland) and I guarantee that you have seriously alienated the African American voters across this country.

I can say that after last night’s elections, that if a General Election were held next Tuesday and you, Sen. John McCain and Ralph Nader were on the ballot, my vote would go to Ralph Nader.  For all intents and purposes, Sen. McCain is a moderate Republican and not the end of the world as far as I’m considered.  One need only remember the 1968 Democratic Primary to understand just how a divided party operates by the fall–a Richard “Tricky Dick” Nixon comes up the middle and wins the General Election vote. 

There is nothing in my fiber that wants to vote for you in any election.  You do NOT have the same crossover appeal that Sen. Obama has, and you have failed to adequately speak to the needs of the African American voters in the face of a Sen. Obama.  I would contend that if somehow you win the Democratic nomination that your biggest uphill battle will be uniting a party of which about half did not want you to be the nominee in the first place.  Because the chances of this going to a brokered convention, where the back room dealing expertise of both you and your husband will be utilized against the superdelegates, is quite high at this point, fighting against Sen. McCain will be among the least of your worries.

Your negative campaigning against Sen. Barack Obama acts as a two-edged sword: it shows the desperation of your campaign and your movement and what do you really stand for and it provides fodder for the Republican Party if you don’t win the nomination, which is also still a possibility.  I had never seen a more acerbic comment from you during this campaign than the “I think that I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002″ and I knew that you were desperate.  But I’m shocked that you desperate to the level of selfishness that you’d rather see the demise of the Democratic Party, one that you claim to love in so many ways, rather than see Sen. Obama with the nomination.  Because just as clear as one can hear the vile verbiage that you have spewed from your mouth toward your opponent, I could clearly see that soundbyte being played on a commercial followed by “My name is John McCain and I approve this message.”

If you want this nomination, go about it in an honorable way.  You need to be uniting the party and negative campaign ads, sulfurous sound bytes at press conferences and this downplaying of the states with less delegates is NOT the way to get this job done.  Not to mention, you have got to do better with the African American community where on average you are only getting 10-15% of the African American vote.  I cannot speak on the Latino/Hispanic vote, but I will say that every black person I know who voted in Texas was quite disillusioned after last night’s loss to you, and that you haven’t done anything that would make them want to vote for you.

You have some tough decisions in the weeks ahead with the Wyoming caucus, Mississippi and Pennsylvania: will you be worthy of the Democratic Party’s nomination or will you only be worthy of your own desperation?

 Keep it uppity, JLL

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 92 other followers