Archive | December, 2008

UNN Celebrates the First Day of Kwanzaa

26 Dec

kwanzaa20glow

In the spirit of uppity Negroness I just want to state that a good uppity Negro celebrates Kwanzaa because it is a cultural holiday that celebrates our African Americanness.  It is a uniquely African American holiday that was founded in 1966 by Malauna Karenga.  Now, I thought it was interesting that a well-respected blogger who’s on my blogroll made a complete dig at Kwanzaa because of its founder who apparently has some patriarchal and misogynistic viewpoints.

I don’t think they skipped Christmas because the big white guy in a red suit is the premier focus of the season.

images1That being said, I’ve yet to understand the argument many self-professed Christians make for their disdain for Christmas.  In fact, many of them are quick to call it evil.  Please, can someone tell me what is evil about today’s first principle Umoja which is the Swahili word for unity?  When someone can tell me what’s wrong with saying “With God’s help, I will strive for and maintain unity in my family, community, nation and race.”

PLEASE tell me the harm in that.

I’ve heard tell that some people think it’s evil because the kinara (candle holder) has three green candles representing the land, three red candles representing the blood of the people and one black candle in the middle representing our race–that the black candle was evil.  Why?  Because it’s a black candle.

People can really be dumb.

I mean, that’s not even biblical about not using black candles.  I’d at least entertain a biblically based argument, but that whole black candle thing is straight out of pop culture.

The recitation of creeds and mantras are no different than the codification of the Nicene Creed that methodists read Sunday after Sunday with great zeal, or the litanies that many denominational churches read around the Christmas season and often during other liturgical moments of the calendar.  In fact, some black church folk think that Kwanzaa is out to replace Christmas.  Based on what evidence?  I’m quite quick to say that it seems to me that most black folk are remiss to engage in Kwanzaa because it was acutally created by them.  Most blacks certainly don’t have a problem indulging in the commercialization of the Christmas season despite hearing church sermons year after year after year after year after year after year about “Jesus being the reason for the season” knowing that Christmas as we know it in America stems from Eurocentric traditions.

It appears to me that the widespread rejection of Kwanzaa by many African Americans–on the basis of religion–is a result of deeper hatred of self.  A good uppity Negro would at least read the material on Kwanzaa and not just add it as a “Happy Chrismahanakwanzakah” saying as a joke to someone.   The reason why a good uppity Negro or hell, anyone should read this is because of the following quote from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

There is nothing more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.  You have a moral responsibility to be intelligent.”

‘Nuff said.

What are your thoughts about Kwanzaa?  Yes, a wikipedia search would answer many of your questions that I was just too lazy to answer as far as Kwanzaa 101.  Do you celebrate it?  Have you thought about it?  What are your reservations about it–moreover, why do you think you have reservations about it?  What would it take for you to get over those reservations in order to celebrate Kwanzaa?

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

More Food For Thought on this Christmas

25 Dec

I really don’t have any words of Uppity Negro Knowledge to drop on y’all.  Most of y’all already know that this really isn’t Jesus’ actual birthday, but okay, this is the time we pick to celebrate it.  So I don’t have to remind you. 

Hopefully everyone’s families are treating them well and no one cut’s a plum fool later on today (or did yesterday if you’re reading this the day after Christmas). 

And no, I really don’t have much to say. :-)

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

merry20christmas20cartoon

When Will Churches Get It?

23 Dec

black-churchI debated heavily as to whether or not to put this church on full blast for the following practice that I’m about to explain.  But, I realised that there are other blogs designed for that exact purpose and I don’t want to get caught up in making this a blast site seeing as how it’s not a big media following that would make it more appropriate for me to comment.  So if you figure out which church and pastor I’m talking about–wonderful–if not, oh well.

Anywho…

I have a friend, who’s done a guest blog on here a few times, and she recently joined a very popular church here on the South Side of Chicago with famed roots in Gospel music.   She wasn’t completely raised in the church as a regular Sunday event, but had ties at Bishop Arthur Brazier’s Apostolic Church of God and Johnnie Coleman’s Christ Universal Temple, but mostly at the former of the two.  So frankly, I was borderline shocked when she told me that she had joined this Low End church (yessssssss! I finally get to use a thoroughly Chicago phrase in a blog post!!), but I most certainly didn’t say much.  It’s a new pastor and the church is vibrant and growing—nothing wrong there.

So, she had hyped it up, I thought about visiting with her one Sunday, but I really wasn’t going to invite myself because frankly, I just wasn’t all that impressed.  However, she did invite me so I said okay.  But, she said she wasn’t going this past week.  Of course I asked why.  She proceeded to tell me that they have a capital campaign going on in the church and that this past week that everyone was going to have to get up and go to microphones placed in the pews and tell how much they were giving to the church with an asked minimum of $200.00–EVERYONE.

See, here’s where I get off completely.

Actually my friend burst out into laughter when she saw my face cringe up as she told this story and I kept on repeating “What are we doing in these churches?” over and over again.

I remember in New Orleans that attending Greater St. Stephen’s Full Gospel Baptist Church Uptown location was the first time that I saw people run up to the altar to give money while the pastor or preacher was in the midst of their preaching.  Personally, I equate that to people at the strip club throwing dollar bills on the stage–the more …. you see the more dollar bills get thrown on the stage and the more the preacher squalls the more money would get thrown on the altar.

Oh wow, the prophetic tradition of the Hebrew Bible has so much to say about the altar. 

Although I’m not the best fan of the Old Testament, I do happen to agree with the prophet Amos who prophesies a day of the Lord which isn’t exactly all that prosperous:

Woe to all of you who want God’s Judgment Day!
   Why would you want to see God, want him to come?
When God comes, it will be bad news before it’s good news,
   the worst of times, not the best of times.
Here’s what it’s like: A man runs from a lion
   right into the jaws of a bear.
A woman goes home after a hard day’s work
   and is raped by a neighbor.
At God’s coming we face hard reality, not fantasy—
   a black cloud with no silver lining.

I can’t stand your religious meetings.
   I’m fed up with your conferences and conventions.
I want nothing to do with your religion projects,
   your pretentious slogans and goals.
I’m sick of your fund-raising schemes,
   your public relations and image making.
I’ve had all I can take of your noisy ego-music.
   When was the last time you sang to me?
 

So what this popular South Side church has done making the parishoners line up and tell what they are giving to the church is just shameless to me honestly.  It reminds me of the reaction of some of my fellow classmates at Dillard.  The closest church was Darryl Brister’s Beacon Light Full Gospel Baptist Church and that some of them were appalled coming back because he had the $100 lines and the $50 lines and so on and so forth.

I heard one popular pastor put it simply that “I don’t think God is all that impressed with how much we hock and spit and run up and down the aisles.  God already know’s He’s the stuff and he don’t need us necessarily to tell Him.”  I agree with the sentiment of Amos in that fifth chapter particularly as far as what God wants which is “justice to roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.” 

What message does it send to a parishoner when the pastor would supercede a sermon and usual Sunday service to focus all on how much money has been raised for the new church building?  It was such a turn-off that my friend, who’s a member in good standing at this Baptist church did not want to come to service that day.  Most long time readers may recall my post against tithing as we know it in favor of the Pauline text in 2 Corinthians 9:6-11:

Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your own mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving. God can pour on the blessings in astonishing ways so that you’re ready for anything and everything, more than just ready to do what needs to be done.

Church is a membership organization.  Much like the Greek organizations of the Divine Nine that populate that church and no doubt many black churches, they have membership dues that they pay with no questions asked–even if they know the money aint going where it should–and pay to multiple organizations.  It seems to be that only at church that pastors feel as though they’ve been put in the position of having to use the tithing passage in Malachi 3 to guilt members into giving a set amount.  I really think that it’s simple economics.  The pastors should simply use the aforementioned Pauline passage that simply says “We need our light bills paid and to keep the heat on.  And if you give more money the more that we can do with and for this church.”

I’m at a lost as to what to say. 

gods-bailoutThis is on the heels of Bishop Charles Ellis (yes of relationship to Bishop William Ellis of Chicago’s Apostolic Pentecostal Church of Morgan Park who was convicted of fraud a few years back) driving the three SUVs from the Big Three Detroit automakers to make his point about the economy preaching about “God’s Bailout.”  Okay, I understand that 40% of the members of Greater Grace are associated with those companies, but it’s a little bit too late in my opinion.  Is this saying that God is unable to perform miracles, no, but nonetheless I believe God requires us to be responsible.  Honestly, this country should have seen the writing on the wall for Detroit back when America’s favorite liberal Michael Moore did his premier documentary “Roger and Me” which, weirdly pointed out disdain for the then GM Board Chairman Roger B. Smith, and began outsourcing, despite profits back in the 80′s.

Before I go off on a complete tangent, when will churches get it.  Honestly, I want to ask Bishop Charles Ellis, “What if God says no?”  What if all of this preaching about receiving “the blessings of Abraham” doesn’t work and all three automakers fold.  Honestly, fact of the matter is that if we, as an American public don’t buy cars, no amount of governmental bailout will keep these companies alive, the money is not endless.  That being said, of course the best we can do is rely on God, but what kind of legalistic God is this that we’re claiming to serve who operates like a hypothesis in a 3rd grade science experiment with “If, then” clauses. 

If you pay your tithes, then God will bless you.

Some people really believe that.  That’s fine.  I’m sure I’ll lose all my witnesses with this post, but oh well.  Hope the holidays are working out for most of you, but this weather up here in Chicago finally got to me when my car got stuck trying to get in a parking spot in -5 degree weather with windchills in the -20s.

Do you think it’s appropriate for this South Side church to have its members go up to the mic and say how much they’re giving, going through all 1,000+ members one by one?  If you read the link, do you think the members of Apostolic Pentecostal Church of Morgan Park have lost their damn mind by still following their pastor after he stole money from them?  How do you view God–as a God of legalistic clauses?  One who merely accepts the best you have?  Do you believe God “tests” us just to see how we react?  Have you ever asked yoursevles these questions?

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

When Are White People Going to Get Over It?

19 Dec

That’s the title of the following article, not mine.

I received an email and I read the forwarded article by a professor at Macon State College of Georgia by the name of Dr. Andrew Manis.  Now I’ve never heard of the guy, I’e been unable to verify this article, but even if this was not written by Dr. Manis, the ethos of the article holds true.  So, in the spirit of me not feeling like blogging, and extending my vacation even further, here ya go.

Feel free to leave comments.

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

For much of the last forty years, ever since America “fixed” its race problem in the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, we white people have been impatient with African Americans who continued to blame race for their difficulties. Often we have heard whites ask, “When are African Americans finally going to get over it? 
 
Now I want to ask:  “When are we White Americans going to get over our ridiculous obsession with skin color?
 
Recent reports that “Election Spurs Hundreds’ of Race Threats, Crimes” should frighten and infuriate every one of us. Having grown up in “Bombingham,” Alabama in the 1960s, I remember overhearing an avalanche of comments about what many white classmates and their parents wanted to do to John and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King. Eventually, as you may recall, in all three cases, someone decided to do more than “talk the talk.”
 
Since our recent presidential election, to our eternal shame we are once again hearing the same reprehensible talk I remember from my boyhood.
 
We white people have controlled political life in the disunited colonies and United States for some 400 years on this continent. Conservative whites have been in power 28 of the last 40 years. Even during the eight Clinton years, conservatives in Congress blocked most of his agenda and pulled him to the right. Yet never in that period did I read any headlines suggesting that anyone was calling for the assassinations of presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan, or either of the Bushes.   Criticize them, yes.  Call for their impeachment, perhaps.
 
But there were no bounties on their heads. And even when someone did try to kill Ronald Reagan, the perpetrator was non-political mental case who wanted merely to impress Jody Foster.
 
But elect a liberal who happens to be Black and we’re back in the sixties again. At this point in our history, we should be proud that we’ve proven what conservatives are always saying -that in America anything is possible, EVEN electing a black man as president. But instead we now hear that schoolchildren from Maine to California are talking about wanting to “assassinate Obama.”
 
Fighting the urge to throw up, I can only ask, “How long?”    How long before we white people realize we can’t make our nation, much less the whole world, look like us? How long until we white people can -once and for all- get over this hell-conceived preoccupation with skin color?  How long until we white people get over the demonic conviction that white skin makes us superior?  How long before we white people get over our bitter resentments about being demoted to the status of equality with non-whites?
 
How long before we get over our expectations that we should be at the head of the line merely because of our white skin? How long until we white people end our silence and call out our peers when they share the latest racist jokes in the privacy of our white-only conversations?
 
I b elieve in free speech, but how long until we white people start making racist loudmouths as socially uncomfortable as we do flag burners? How long until we white people will stop insisting that blacks exercise personal responsibility, build strong families, educate themselves enough to edit the Harvard Law Review, and work hard enough to become President of the United States, only to threaten to assassinate them when they do?
 
How long before we starting “living out the true meaning” of our creeds, both civil and religious, that all men and women are created equal and that “red and yellow, black and white” all are precious in God’s sight?
 
Until this past November 4, I didn’t believe this country would ever elect an African American to the presidency.   I still don’t believe I’ll live long enough to see us white people get over our racism problem. But here’s my three-point plan:
 
First, everyday that Barack Obama lives in the Whit e House that Black Slaves Built I’m going to pray that God (and the Secret Service) will protect him and his family from us white people.
 
Second, I’m going to report to the FBI any white person I overhear saying, in seriousness or in jest, anything of a threatening nature about President Obama.
 
Third, I’m going to pray to live long enough to see America surprise the world once again, when white people can “in spirit and in truth” sing of our damnable color prejudice, “We HAVE overcome.”

The New Face of Hip Hop

17 Dec

common06Sometime last week, while I was mid crisi mode about exams and what not, Chicago born rapper Common dropped a quote to linking President-elect Barack Obama to the hip hop community.

Obama “is going to change hip-hop for the better,” predicted the rapper, whose eighth album, “Universal Mind Control” (G.O.O.D. Music/Geffen), hits shelves Tuesday.

“I really do believe we as hip-hop artists pick up what’s going on in the world and try to reflect that,” he told CNN, outlining his belief that mainstream as well as so-called “conscious” rappers — the more socially aware — will pick up on what he sees as the more optimistic prospects of an Obama presidency.

“I think hip-hop artists will have no choice but to talk about different things and more positive things, and try to bring a brighter side to that because, even before Barack, I think people had been tired of hearing the same thing,” he said.

That was a quote from CNN and here’s the link for those interested.

Believe it or not, my friend and I had had this conversation probably summer of 2007 when Obama was happily our U.S. Senator and only a few black folk on the South Side of Chicago mused happily about what it would be like if he made it through the primaries; the thought of him running and winning was still a fantasy.  My friend back in Chicago, who I’ve known since kindergarten was telling me about how hip-hop can save America and he was using people like Common, Lupe Fiasco and another Chicago hometown fav Rhymefest who’s shut down a few local venues based on word on the street.

Well, my argument was that “I’m gonna buy you a draaaaaank” which was T-Pain’s latest vocoder disaster at the time is emphatically NOT going to save America.  So, of course, one of America’s favorite black conservative’s John McWhorter dropped a book aptly entitled All about the Beat: Why Hip-Hop Can’t Save Black America.

It’s on my Christmas reading list.  (I’d put it on my blog on the side, but WordPress ultimately sucks!)

Here’s a link about a write-up Black Snob did on him when she did her series on black conservatives.  It’s interesting to see his take, particularly on Obama, but as far as hip-hop is concerned.  Here’s another link to a story he wrote that his last line ominously reads

Hip-hop creates nothing.

I’m sure based on his linguistic approach and the article that I just linked (I know it’s long, but it’s the Christmas holidays, get a cup of cocoa and read it in it’s entirety) that I’m probably not going to agree with most of it, but I respect his opinion and as far as the title premise is, I agree with him.  Me and Soul Jonz or should I say, The Critical Cleric both have had this argument, heavily based on our Christian Ethics class taught by Dr. Riggins Earl that ultimately, these rappers have to take agency in what they say.

To hell with the ad companies and the distribution labels such as Sony (which Al Sharpton did march on, but no one wants to talk about that), but ultimately what does the individual rapper choose to do with their own life.  Clearly, it’s heavily focused on the material possessions.  The CNN article goes on to say

Not that Common, born Lonnie Rashid Lynn Jr., is altogether removed from the temptations of his hip-hop brethren.

He serves as a spokesman for Lincoln Navigator and purports on his new album to “rebel in YSL,” a reference to designer Yves Saint Laurent. Money is also a weakness, as Common — No. 14 on Forbes magazine’s 2008 list of richest rappers — regularly invokes the greenbacks he makes and spends.

Still, Common has come at hip-hop from a different angle from many of his colleagues. He was generally considered “underground” until he linked up with Kanye West, who produced his albums “Be” (2005) and “Finding Forever” (2007).

And anyone who has followed Common (I actually pulled up to him in a Range Rover when I was a freshman in college on the corner of 73rd and Stony Island and he had the windows down blaring to some song) knows that he does not follow the stereotypical mode of rapper, or even actor.  He’s clearly from the Chi and exudes everything that I think is indicative of a positive male black role model.

Most of my long time readers know I’m not at all a hip-hop head.  I rarely talk about it, but I read The Gospel Remix: Reaching the Hip Hop Generation that included younger pastors such as Jamal Harrison-Bryant (yes, the one that has come under much fire for his proclivity for sleeping with women in his congregation) and Rev. Otis Moss III and I realised that regardless of my knowledge of hip-hop as music, I’m still part of the hip hop generation: I talk it, I write it, I dress it.  As a result, I’ve tried to be a bit more engaged in these debates about the lyrics of the songs.

Where me and McWhorter fundamently will probably disagree is that he blames it all on hip hop.  I’m with AverageBro and a good chunk of sensible American citizens: I blame it on a breakdown of community and family–in other words, I blame the parents.  Of course kids are going to sneak and watch what their parents tell them not to, or listen to it, and memorize the lyrics of what their parents tell them not to, but it presents a problem when the parents openly endorse their children listening to such misogynistic lyrics by listening to it with the kids, or moreover encouraging them to dance to the lyrics.

I’ve seen worse.

Even though the first was silent, clearly we have a situation on our hands.  Some adult (and that word is used loosely) decided to film that.

That being said, I’m hopeful, particularly that this new face of hip-hop will eventually emerge despite the doom and gloom message that McWhorter is putting forth.  Moreover, it would be nice if Chicago finally defined what midwest rap was.  Because it’s quite clear that much like the bounce music of New Orleans, that despite being in the midwest, I need NOT for midwest hip-hop and rap to be defined by Nelly, Chingy (where the hell is he?!?) and now I heard Murphy Lee reappeared on the scene.

Anyone remember J-Kwan’s “Get Tipsy”?  Wonderful one hit wonder.

Travesty of Justice; Blagojevich Impeachment Hearings

16 Dec

Illinois GovernorIt is my understanding that a “complaint” was (PDF) filed with the district attorney’s office here in Illinois.  It was because of this “complaint” that he was arrested last week about this time.   At first, while I was in the midst of finals I didn’t give it much thought except that Gov. Rod Blagojevich was never on the list of top elected officials.  Honestly, what turned me off was the fact that his wife Patti Mell is the daughter of Chicago Ald. Richard “Dick” Mell who was part of the Block 37 who made the late Mayor Harrold Washington’s first administration hell on earth and is summarily a staunch supporter of Hizzoner Richard M. Daley.

For anyone who knows Chicago politics understand that this is a Democrat stronghold and Democrats out here are about as corrupt and crooked as I don’t know what.

That being said, even though Blago and his father-in-law don’t like each other, vehemently, I could care less; that was enough for me to vote against whomever the Republican candidate was and vote for whoever had the “D” by their name even if it was Blago.  As a result we have this current governor who apparently went on a “crime spree.” 

What’s at issue for me is this idea of a “complaint” filed and then an arrest.  If I understand it correctly, Blago has not committed any crimes.  In fact, he’s merely talked about it and not unless intent to committ bribery is a crime, then I think this is a travesty of justice.  Moreover, as we delve into Illinois Chicago politics it becomes apparent to me that our Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan is about as shameless as Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr. when it comes to throwing their hat in the ring for this senatorial seat that was finally left vacant by President-elect Barack Obama.  Lisa Madigan is daughter of Illinois’ Speaker of the House Rep. Michael Madigan who as anyone knows is arch enemies with Blago and Senate president Sen. Emil Jones.  So, it was of no shock that last week Lisa Madigan was calling for the Supreme Court to step in and remove powers.

Well, we have a system set up for that and it’s called impeachment hearings; she of all people should know that.  But I guess the days are getting short till January and she still wants to have a fighting chance, especially knowing that this state is not about to have a special elections.  Honestly, she needs to be speaking on behalf of Blago’s habeas corpus rights possibly being infringed upon.  These proceedings seem indicative of some low-tech version of the movie “Minority Report” where the individuals were arrested before the crime was committed. 

I was quite pleased to see that the state representative for my district, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie  was quoted as saying that “this is not the old west” when it comes to proceedings, advocating a fair hearing for the governor.  It appears to me that the media has put the horse before the cart with Blago.  There’s no proof that he’s done anything wrong and I think that if he becomes impeached, which still is not a removal from office, would set a bad precedent for politics across the country, and of course for here in this state. 

Is his political career over?  No, of course not this is Illinois Chicago at its finest.

Would I vote for him again? Well, at least not in the primaries, but if his name appears next to a “D” in the future, I most certainly will.

It’s a sad state of affairs when this is our reality as citizens in this country.  Where Jesse, Jr. who was “candidate number 5″ meaning that he wasn’t going to get the job anyways (at least at number two or three spot you have a chance, and perhaps can orchestrate a way to move up, but five, come on Jesse!), gives a campaign speech at his first press conference on this issue, and then to hear Lisa Madigan attempt to circumnavigate an actual process that works called impeachment.

Now, what irritates me is how the Republicans are salivating in the wait on this one.

I don’t blame them–necessarily.  No appointee in their right mind would accept a nomination by Blago right now as his public image is wrecked at this moment, but with him having the sole authority of U.S. Senate appointees is leaves Illinoisians possibly being underrepresented in the Senate come January.  I learned that lesson in undergrad; granted that politicians have done some dirty things, I’m not in favor of removing one from office because it leads to an underrepresented electorate.  The Republicans would love to get a Republican in here if we had a special election.

Also, what I don’t like is that every single conservative minded news pundit has been postulating how Obama may be connected to it as though they want the praise for having predicted right just how Obama is really tainted.  Of course at top of the list is Sean Hannity.  I caught his radio show driving back from Atlanta yesterday and I heard him go on and on about how Obama has something to hide because he’s not releasing information about his connections to Blago until next week–Christmas week.  Hannity was going on and on about how whatever it is will be buried in the news because of Christmas and how Obama was doing this on purpose etcetera, etecetera.  What incenses me about blowhards like Hannity is how adept they are at dissemination of bad information and moreover how they stick to their guns even when challenged.  A caller told him that it was U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald who told Obama to not release information until next week.  The same guy Hannity had been praising for going so strongly after Blago.

So by Blago staying in office he’s kind of thumbing his nose at everyone because he’s forcing everyone to scramble around when it seems as though he actually has the law on his side.  If at the end of the day he sues–whomever for whatever–and this goes to court, not unless solid evidence comes out against him, I don’t see how he could lose.

As a result, Rod Blagojevich is a recepient of the coveted UNN “I aint Hatin’” Award

Go for it Mr. Governor.

What is your take on the whole “pay to play” alleging?  Does it not seem that Lisa Madigan, Jesse Jr., and Lieutenant Gov. Pat Quinn have more to gain in calling for Blago’s resignation than anyone else or am I the only one who realises that?  Do you think Illinois should take money we don’t have and call a special election?  What should ultimately happen to all of the people involved in this?

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

An Uppity Update

9 Dec

chicago-winterMy mind is already back in Chicago, ready for a good down home Chicago winter.  Where you’re guaranteed one good snow storm and the people bust out the lawn chairs and broom sticks and God knows what else to save a parking spot after toiling a few hours in the cold to dig their car out from the narrow Chicago side streets.

I need to bring my mind back to Atlanta because I have finals for the rest of week, but it’s still pretty laid back–meaning I can stay up till like 4 in the morning watching DVDs or on the phone and wake up after 12pm and not suffer any consequences.  That being said, I’m taking a blogging break officially (versus my unofficial ones) so, don’t expect another blog until December 16th next Tuesday when I’ll be safely back home in Chicago for Winter Break.

So here are a few things ruminating in my little brain that you should expect to hear full posts about:

Yes, I am an unashamed and unapologetic OJ Simpson supporter.  I don’t think he did it, and I think it’s really ashamed how most people have ignorantly just said he’s getting his just deserts from the 1995 murder trial.

This whole idea about generational curses. It was a topic that I heard about on Al Sharpton’s show earlier today and I was thoroughly turned off when I heard a pastor from Cleveland or Cincinatti from God’s Will _______ Church go on and on about various “spirits” that are “on” family members that get passed down.  As far as spirits of alcoholism, sexual abuse, etc.  I’m sure he’s of the school of thought that homosexuality is a spirit as well.

Also, this notion of religious complexities.  Many black folk listen to Michael Baisden and he’s like a perfect mix of Al Sharpton and Warren Ballentine (honestly, if that man has a radio talk show, I’m fully qualified to get my own show as well.)  Baisden, as most listeners know isn’t a religious person, and as he was talking about their Miami shindig or whatnot, he was wondering if he could invite Christians to the nude beaches and could they drink.  Well, Juan D had went on that Christians shouldn’t do this.  Anywho, I tuned out quickly, then some lady called in, or she mighta been a regular, and she said she had no problem drinking or going to a nude beach while being a Christian.  Juan D challenged her Christianity.

Now, here’s where I got off.  Homegirl started using the story of Nicodemus and Jesus and she started getting heavy real quick and after she was done, aside from the fact that I really didn’t get what point she was making, Michael Baisden said “You know I don’t understand anything you’re talking about.”

Seriously, we use words in the Christian church that it wasn’t until THIS YEAR, my third year in seminary that I understood.  Seriously, I challenge anyone to tell me the definition of “sanctification” and “justification” in 5 words or less.  We say that Christianity is user friendly–I beg to differ.

And then there’s the governor of my home state who I voted for Rod Blagojevich who as far as I’m concerned is the product of old Chicago Democratic machine politics.  One would think that after Tony Rezko that folks would stop playing around with U.S. Dist. Atty Patrick Fitzgerald who put away our former governor, who I didn’t vote for George Ryan.  That being said, I’m just waiting for the warrant to be signed for the arrest of Hizzoner Mayor Richard M. Daley.  Seriously, if Daley ever got arrested while in office, some movie producer would already be churning out a script. 

I’m also musing going to a different blogosphere home still free, but a home where I can put a poll unattached to a post, and where I can drop a book list as well.  How many of you all would follow me to another blog home?

So, since I’m on official blogging vacation until next week, I’m going to try an open thread again with a twist.  Check out the new pic on the About page, and ya know, I’m asking for all of you all to shoot an email or drop a question in the comments section about anything you want to ask me.  Like I would love to have ideas for my most underused blog categories such as Fried Chicken and Watermelon nonsense, and feel free to nominate someone for Uppity Awards (I’m pretty sure you know the qualifications by now).

And I mean thoroughly open thread–any question, no holds barred.

Perhaps I’ll post your question and my response to the question.  Make ‘em good.  It doesn’t have to be personal necessarily, it could be as general as “What’s the best vacation you’ve ever taken?” or “How do you like living in Atlanta?”  I’ll answer it, I promise.  So shoot an email uppitynegronetwork@gmail.com or leave a comment on the comment pages.

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

Merger of HBCUs; When Separate is Equal

6 Dec

I’m quite sure as the product of what will bethree historically black colleges and univerisities (HBCUs) that you all know where I stand on this matter.  But the state of Georgia is in a bind like most other states as far as budgets are concerned.  Many of these states, counties and cities are about one step away from cutting essential services such as police and fire, just like Gary, Indiana had to do earlier this year, most of which is due to this recession that we’ve found ourselves in due to trickle-down economics, the war in Iraq and generally a president who was just waiting for this day when he could buy his retirement house in Preston Hollow outside of Dallas and shuffle this mess onto the next one, even it would have been McCain.

Well, this is Georgia.

We all know just how Republican and conservative minded this state really is.  Obama got creamed down here only getting 45% of the vote, and it was no shock that incumbent U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss won the election by such a margin.  But, we see how Georgians process things.  Somehow they have imagined that the message of being a “firewall” against a Democratic Congress and Obama, and sticking to conservative values would fly in all these other states except the Deep South.  Be that as it may, why would a representative of this state expect the fiscally responsible idea to merge Savannah State and possibly Albany State Universities with other traditionally white institutions.  In fact schools that prohibited enrollment of students with my skin color whereas institutions such as Savannah State, Albany State never once prohibited white students from enrolling.

Just ask recent Morehouse College valedictorian class of 2008 Joshua Packwood.

Here’s and excerpt from the story:

The chairman of a key state Senate committee wants the University System to consider merging historically black public colleges with nearby white-majority schools to save money.

In making the suggestion Monday, Senate Higher Education Committee Chairman Seth Harp (R-Midland) immediately ran into opposition from supporters of the black schools who say they serve an important role as independent campuses.

I think it’s a bad idea,” said Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta), who has taught political science at two historically black private colleges, Morehouse and Morris Brown.

But Harp said the University System, which has 35 public schools and a $2.3 billion state budget this year, will have to make some hard choices to come up with budget cuts that could top $200 million.

And he said in two cities, Savannah and Albany, white- and black-majority schools are part of the legacy of segregation.

“The white schools were begun as segregation schools. It’s time Georgia closed that ugly chapter,” Harp said during a hearing on the University System’s budget Monday.

Harp suggested the system consider merging two Savannah schools — historically black Savannah State University and historically white-majority Armstrong Atlantic State University. And he said the system should look into merging another historically black college, Albany State, and white-majority two-year Darton College in Albany.

Consolidating the schools would reduce administrative costs and potentially cut duplication of similar academic programs.

System Chancellor Erroll Davis said the decision won’t be based solely on financial considerations.

“You can make obvious arguments about the economics of it, but I don’t think economics will drive the decision,” Davis said. “It’s going to be a political decision, not an economic decision.”

You can read the rest if you click here.

The story goes on to express sentiment against it.  Honestly as an accounting major in undergrad (yeah, whoda thunk it) it makes fiscal sense to do so.  I wouldn’t have any problem with it.  Although, it begs the question of the historicity of the schools and what retentions would remain if the schools were merged.  As an accounting major we had to take micro and macro economics.  Our macroeconomics taught us about something I had always heard growing up, but never put quite so succinctly: opportunity costs is when you give up something in order to gain something else.  The question really is how bad do you want it?

The HBCU is a lived experience.  It’s just like being black, you don’t know about it until you’ve lived it.  You don’t know about the crappy freshman dorm rooms, or the lunch ladies who always speak to you and tell you to keep on keepin’ on and make sure you have an extra scoop of rice with your plate, or the fact that people like you from your same background are accomplished professors who know you by name and have a vested intrest in seeing you suceed or the professor who invites you to their church or home with them for Thanksgiving because you’re far away from home.

I’m sure I could go on and others could add their own HBCU experience, but it’s something many of us would fight tooth and nail for and would give up our lives to see preserved in its truest form at any cost.  I guess that’s because many of us already have.

Do you think HBCUs are relevant in the 21st century?  Why or why not?  Is is true that what HBCUs have as far as education is concerned that they lack in administration?  Come on share your best and worst moment of attending and HBCU for undergrad!!!

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

Where Are All Of These Buses Going To Go?

6 Dec

obama-inauguration-lk0424dJust thought I’d post this viral email that my mother just sent me twice.  It raises some concerns that I had as well, but it was written in typical “angry black person” prose fraught with some untruths and hyperbole.  Question–how do people arrive at such ludicrous conclusions?  Have they heard too much George Wilbourn on “The Michael Baisden Show” or too much Warren Ballentine that encourages all of these mild conspiracy theories.  I mean, this aint nun but some Fried Chicken and Watermelon ish.

I mean, I was on board with the letter especially seeing as how they really are expecting between one and four to five million people for this inauguration for a city that already has some of the worst traffic behind NYC, and in a city that’s designed to support only half a million at best.  I mean, I hated taking the Metro this past summer after a Nationals game, I could imagine what it’s going to look like on that Monday for the Al Sharpton King Day Celebration and Lorrrrrrrd knows what Tuesday’s plan is going to be.  Personally, I plan to wake up at the butt crack of dawn on Tuesday morning and be at the Shady Grove station in Gaithersburg, Maryland and expect crowds like never before.  But here’s the letter.

Inauguration Issues
 
Get on the Bus!
 
Question #1, where are all of those buses going to? Do all of these folks BELIEVE they are actually gong to get anywhere NEAR the ceremony?  Brothers and Sistas, we can’t all go to Washington for the ceremony. The city ain’t but so big!   ”D.C.” is smaller than Queens. You wasn’t ALL INVITED!  I heard of one church that has FIFTY buses going to Washington!  Have y’all all lost yo minds?!  FIFTY BUSES!
 
Where they gonna go? AN’ you know some our folks don’t do well in the cold! What’s Sista Jones and her bad hip gonna do standin on the lawn for three or four hours when it’s 10 degrees out?  First of all, you know she caint walk from where y’all gon hafta leave the bus to where you goan hafta stan’, which is gonna be ’bout five MILES from where the President gonna be! An’ y’all know ya can’t be draggin’ all yo lawn chairs, beach chairs, piknik chairs an tables widya! You goanna hafta stand all through the ceremony.  Sides, by the time all them bad hips an’ bad knees gits down there to the lawn, the ceremony be ’bout over! That brings ta mind another thing! Y’all needs to leave on time! This ain’t goan be lak no church piknik or barbecue, an’ it sho ain’t goan start two or three hours late like some gospel show. 
 
Now Obama is a brotha, but he know how to handle his bizness! He don’t run on CP Time! Them folks ain’t goan stand out in that cold all morn in’ waitin for the 10,000  buses and vans comin’ from all over to get there. You church folks might jes as well plan on leaving Sunday mornin’ – do all yore singin’ an’ prayin’ on the road! Psalm 95 on I-95! (Check it out, it fits!)
 
An’ y’all best be plannin’ on leavin right afta the ceremony. They ain’t goan let y’all jes tie up Pennsylvania Avenue all daggone day! I can hear it now – “WOULD YOU PLEASE LEAVE THE LAWN!” They ain’t gonna wait while 20 million black folks line up to have they picture taken standin’ in front of the Capital.
 
AN’ all your marchin’ bands, steel pan ensembles, step teams, drill teams, Pee-Wee football cheerleaders, church choirs, jump-rope teams, Elks, Masons, Bisons, Shriners, Miners, Whiners, Evening Stars, Morning Stars, Falling Stars, Deltas, Sigmas, Kappas, Phi Beta Slammas, and fine Gamma Hammas can not ALL be in the parade. If you ain’t got an invitation ALREADY, you ain’t invited!  So jes plan on goin’ down, an’ soon as you inside city limits get off the bus, take your pictures and LEAVE, cause with alla you peoples tryin to git there at the same time, the closest you likely to get to the capital will probably be Baltimore in the north and Richmond to the South.
 
Make sure that you SCHEDULE your time off, an’ that includes Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Barack can’t be callin’ all your employers, an’ bein’ stuck in traffic on I-95 comin’ from the Inauguration doesn’t get you no kinda ministrative leave!  
 
One other thing. remember back in the day when we was all still upset about racism in America, an’ many of us was convinced that THE MAN was constantly plottin’ our extermination?!  Remember when everything was seen as an act of racial GENOCIDE – Welfare Reform; requirements that college athletes meet academic standards to be eligible to play; the DISPROPORTIONATE number of brothas in PRISON; drugs; raising academic standards; even birth control! 
 
Well, just suppose there was a way to get ALL of the black people together in one place at the same time. Then it would be relatively easy to get rid of them. Well, as it seems like just about every black person in America is plannin’ on bein’ at the Inauguration, you don’t suppose that all of this could be part of some sinister MASTER PLAN to get rid of black people, do you?
 
For myself, I plan on stayin’ home that day an’ watchin’ everything on the tee-vee. Ah’ll probably see mo of it than any of y’all. Besides all that aroma of all that perfume, hair stylin’ chemicals, curried goat and fried chicken on a bus for 16 hours would drive me plum crazy.  On the other hand, I might jes go down to the church that mornin’ an’ make a few bucks sellin’ some brown-paper-bag-gourmet-food. Besides, there’s gotta be at least ONE person left to tell about all this.
 
Anyway, I hope you have a great time and keep Barack an’ his family in your prayers!  Oh yeah, remember, Jan 20, 2009 @ 7:30 p.m. sharp!  No matter where you are, or what you doin’ – it’s time for the National Electric Slide!
 
Slide to the Left!  Slide to the Right! Now everybody clap your hands!  
 
Peace and Love,
Brother deBrother, M.A.D., A.D.D. & B. of S.
Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

An Award was given…

5 Dec

superior_scribbler_award

Alright.

Big Man over at Raving Black Lunatic awarded me one of these “tag your it” blogging awards.  I think I took it too lightly, so I’m making amends this time, but putting him first this time.  But before I get to my top five, this Superior Scribbler Award was given to me Citizen Ojo over at Desultory Life and Times of a Public Citizen who finally was able to apply a genre to my blog, which is **Ahem! Ahem!** and I quote

an unusual brand of commentary that is part religious/part street sense/part common sense. Even if you don’t agree with some of his posts, you will surely be challenged by them and that’s what I like.

So there you have it.  The rules are:

1. Each Superior Scribbler must in turn pass The Award on to 5 most-deserving Bloggy Friends.
2. Each Superior Scribbler must link to the author & the name of the blog from whom he/she has received The Award.
3. Each Superior Scribbler must display The Award on his/her blog, and link to This Post, which explains The Award.
4. Each Blogger who wins The Superior Scribbler Award must visit this post and add his/her name to the Mr. Linky List. That way, we’ll be able to keep up-to-date on everyone who receives This Prestigious Honor!
5. Each Superior Scribbler must post these rules on his/her blog.

 And here are my nominees for this award:

  1. Raving Black Lunatic who over the months I watch challenge himself and his traditional thought patterns and given who I am, I appreciate it.
  2. Soul Jonz who is my friend and has constantly kept me on my toes along with his readers giving a unique brand of religion and critical awarness of culture.
  3. AverageBro for always keeping it 100 as he says as he brings his point of view which, for me acts as a refresher for people like me who are still in school and constantly have their noses in a book.
  4. Black Women, Blow The Trumpet for, oh, Hey There!, always leaving comments.  Trust me, bloggers thrive off of that.
  5. Negro Intellectual I’m sure he won’t post this, but still just giving you a shout out that your blog is consistently and always off the chain when it comes to a proper historical analysis of your topic.

All these people are on my blog roll with the name used up above, because I’m too lazy to do the hyperlink right now.

Keep it uppity and keep it truthfully radical, JLL

← Older Entries

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 92 other followers