Well, its the end of the semester, I know what papers I have to finish before I head home this week, and I see the light at the end of the tunnel, so far I have two A’s and an A- (which transfers into 11.1 quality points, not 12, but its an A and I’ll take it). And today was a good day, it was graduation here at ITC and I was officially shocked that graduation turned into church service. One of the choir members belted out “Never Would Have Made It” at Morehouse’s King Chapel and wrecked the ENTIRE graduation proceedings.
I mean we actually had a praise break during graduation–I mean how churchy is that?!?!?!
Then the Rev. William Watley flat-footed preached the fool out of us with Matthew 4, the second temptation of Jesus and simply told the graduates “Don’t Jump!” and we were a mess afterwards.
Honestly, I would find some YouTube clip or something, but for some reason the ADD MEDIA function in www.Wordpress.com is acting strange and I can’t upload pictures. Trust me, once it gets its act together, I’m going to go through all of my posts and add pictures.
Also, I’m about to embark on an internship this summer in Gaithersburg, Maryland which hopefully proves to be a wonderful learning experience for me where there will DEFINITELY be a cross cultural exchange of ideas and other nuances. I’m TOTALLY hyped about it this summer, and I’ll be living in what I deem to be the best city in the United States, Washington, D.C. My friend jokes and teases me and says this was all a set-up because most of my friends know how much I LOVE D.C.
Also, about this Sean Bell case. If I had been in the police officers’ situation, I woulda pulled my gun out too and based on the stories that I heard, I probably would have shot as well. Anyone have a problem with that keep on reading.
I’m a young black male, and if I see other young black males coming out of a club early in the morning, two separate groups arguing with each other, I’d turn in the other direction. Sorry. As a result of the socialization that black males are the ultimate enemy as a result of what we get bombarded with on the evening news which does nothing but perpetuate the cycle, and based on the hip-hop genre of movies, the parodies of the movies (“Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood” or “Scary Movie 1&2”) or the fact that Blair Underwood always plays some deranged psycho in movies (“Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Just Cause”).
So, was this a result of racism or even prejudices or was this the “blink” reaction that Malcolm Gladwell outlines in his book Blink that uses the very similar Amadou Diallo shooting as a case study?
Just food for thought.
Keep it uppity, and keep it truthfully radical, JLL
Joshua Lawrence Lazard 
jlazard10, I enjoyed your piece today, but I will have to say I did not read the first part.
I am an old, white woman with many different life experiences involving different cultures. Even married to man for forty years from a completely different race and culture.
When different cultures convene for various reasons – funerals, graduations, weddings, and so on, I believe no one group should impose their mores, folkways in order to celebrate their personal style. Notice I said “impose”. If the program could include every group, good. If not, one should try to “blend”.
My two daughter’s graduations from high school and college were bogged down by different groups trying to impose their way of celebrating instead of just going by the program. Was the preacher’s sermon on the program?
If the start time is 2 PM. I believe the start time is just that. I plan my day accordingly and try not to impose my style of arriving late on others. If the emcee asks you to refrain from yelling out and applauding everytime your child’s name is called, don’t do it.
I don’t know how to address the graduation ceremony situation that would please every ethnic group. I just know that each group goes home thinking they were disrespected. At least I can say I have tried to remain part of the group instead of making it about me.
Was I completely off subject?
Good luck on your internship.
Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond, I’ve been in transition mode from school.
Well, I think all parties should be quite aware that their behavior MAY infringe upon others. I guess I haven’t witnessed any completely WILD behavior that crossed the line. Granted they ask for people to not cross certain lines, and not use air horns, there’s always someone who does–and I’ve witnessed that at hbcu’s and non hbcu’s.
So, I guess all of that is within the range of normal, to me at least. And I guess as long as the airhorn isn’t DIRECTLY in my ear, I’ll survive.
JLL