Higher Ground

The Agenda for Success

2010-03-03T16:01:00Z

At the conclusion of another “Black History Month” celebration, the news from the frontlines seems disheartening at best and insane at worst. The state of the black community, in the eyes of some, seems to be a struggle for the media appointed “Grand Poobah” of black leadership. The fact is that the continued bantering for the fictional title of leader of all things black simply underscores the reality that the “Emperor” may have no clothes.

I refer to the public “spat” between Rev. Al Sharpton and media personality Tavis Smiley on Sharpton’s radio program. This illustrates the folly of those currently engaged in the struggle to address issues that affect the lives of black Americans.

After listening to the exchange, rife with interruptions and parental corrections by both men, as well as reading Smiley’s original remarks; I concluded that the fight to press a “black” agenda upon the conscience of this nation simply defines and offers another type of bondage for those who are already free.

I asked myself, “What is a black agenda?” I define any agenda that supports the self-determination and pursuit of opportunity for the advancement of any individual as a human agenda. In my humble opinion, the attachment of an ethnic label to this human agenda is an affront to the ancestors of black Americans who fought for freedom and the right to pursue it. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is not a black thing or a white thing; it is endowed by God as a human thing.

Yet some people within the black community insist that we need to label the “agenda” for the uplift of our people. This might fly if the so-called leaders placed the onus of attainment upon those within the community, and not upon the government or the tacit approval and cooperation of those without. For example, as so-called black leaders pressure this current president to pursue a “black agenda”, they seem to lack the courage to challenge musicians like R. Kelly and rapper Curtis “50-Cents” Jackson to explain how songs like “Pregnant” and “Baby by Me” achieve the “black agenda”. For those who speak out against such musical drivel, this does not apply to you. In addition, little is said from the so-called black leadership regarding the genocide of abortion and its stifling as well as stagnating effect on black women, men and families. But for those of us who celebrate and take seriously the rich heritage and contributions that black Americans made and still make to tapestry of this country, these types of expressions and legal means of self-destruction underscore the need for change that must begin within the community and the family, led by those in the community and the family.

The agenda for success must include not only the repudiation of such nonsense as culturally and socially relevant, it must also include the dynamic emphasis upon that which is relevant, such as the return to education as a value and the rejection of anti-intellectual behavior. Being smart and studious should never be something requiring an apology.

With arguably three generations of black males lost to incarceration or some other negative contact with the penal justice system; it is time to focus our efforts to the elimination of celebratory accolades often thrust upon those who make money and fame off of the promotion of stereotypes which represent the worst in us.

It is time for our houses of worship to espouse a message that not only emphasizes the cost of the freedom attained, but also the legitimate pathway of maintaining that freedom. To this end we must apply our hands to the plow of labor, calling upon the vision of our past to be the guide to our future. Judgment by the content of our character and not the color of our skin not only applies to those without, but more importantly to those within. This is the agenda for success.

New School for Public Figures Who Say the Wrong Thing

2010-01-15T19:20:00Z

I have an idea. It is not often that I have ideas, especially good ones, but here is one that might work, given the tremendous need demonstrated recently by those who reside on the public landscape. Lately, a flurry of public figures joined the ranks of those who seem to suffer from the proverbial “foot in mouth” disease, which is speaking without giving much thought to what is said, or the timing thereof.

Interestingly, this list includes people from different designations; politically, professionally and perhaps spiritually. This roster includes evangelist Pat Robertson, ex-Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, former President Bill Clinton, current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well as radio and media personalities Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck.

For this group, I thought I might offer a few tips concerning what not to say. Each of these persons has recently made news with comments that leave many wondering if they are members of the Forrest Gump Club, crazy or just plain stupid?

Since Mother Gump reminded us that “stupid is as stupid does” I am willing to offer my services to each of these persons, and for that matter, a few of our local leaders regarding the nuances of putting the brain in action before engaging the mouth. In fact, regarding the response some have to my musings, I just might need to add myself to the list.

My plan is to teach a class called “What Not to Say and When Not to Say It 101”. Here is my lesson plan:

Lesson One: Remember, as a public figure you never speak off the record. So when you scream at your wife and kids about the absence of toilet paper at the most inopportune time, you might end up being quoted in the tell all book that one of them could write after receiving therapy for living with you. Sen. Harry Reid and, allegedly, former President Clinton should pay careful attention to this point. Can’t you see the former president wagging his finger saying “I did not get coffee from that man, President Obama?”

Lesson Two: Get Your Facts Straight. It is difficult for anybody to take you seriously when you extrapolate personal conclusions and speak of them as factual. The good Rev. Pat Robertson spoke of the people of Haiti as “making a deal with the devil”. Unless he was present, this would be an assumption. Though his ministry gives much across the world, simple statements like this that may not have factual basis or call for theological conclusions all are not prepared to make, cast shadows over the good works previously and currently performed. As extra credit, please consider the timing of what you say. During a crisis, is this the best time to allude to judgment?

Lesson Three: Look in the Mirror. To the former governor of Illinois – you are not black. You are blacker than no one, not that your color matters one iota. We cannot get beyond the issue of racial divide in this country as long as we attach attitude to ethnicity. The manner you behave is more important than how you look.

For remedial help, we will offer Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck training on why some issues are not partisan issues.

School’s open, and after this, I will be my first student.

Overcoming the Deficit

2009-12-04T16:26:00Z

The Apostle Paul may be the most honest and sincere figure in human history next to Jesus Christ. His uncanny awareness of his own shortcomings when measured against God's standard bearer Jesus Christ provides both a moral and practical example for those of us who desire to emulate Christ in our lives.

My friends, if you do not desire to view yourself in the light of day, then stay away from Paul and his teaching. His blatant honest about himself and Christians is the foundation of much of what we know about Christian living to this day.

In Romans 7:15, regarding his treatise on sin and the law Paul writes, "I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." How many times have you, I or those you know reflected internally and arrived at this same conclusion. Why do I do the things I despise? Why does it seem that I am predispose to that of which I disapprove?

These are legitimate questions facing many that we never utter out loud. Perhaps because we do not wish other to consider us less than "spiritual" by their definition. Like it or not, even, and perhaps especially, within the faith community we seek the approval of others. Yes, we want to others to speak well of us and this sometimes drives us to the worse kind of dishonesty; being untrue with ourselves.

Paul never seemed to worry about this type of pressure to please others. He remained single in his focus, only desiring a life that fulfilled God's purpose. We would do well to emulate the type of critical self-analysis that results in the words Paul writes in Romans 7:22-24, "For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

This clarity of analysis motivates Paul toward the recognition of God's place in his life and should do the same for each of us seeking to be like Christ. If we challenge ourselves to see ourselves as God sees us, then we could arrive at the same conclusion as Paul-we have a deficit.

This deficit of character and integrity is germane to the human condition as the result of sin originating with our fore-parent Adam in the Garden of Eden. Because of Adam's failure, all humanity grapples with this condition, whether we admit it or not. Your failures and my failure result from being born with a nature predisposed to elevating wrong over right. Even when we do the right thing, we must recognize that without Christ we are innately driven by sin.

However, we need not despair over this condition. The God who judged Adam and subsequently all humanity for transgressions of his law, provides remedy for the deficit sin created in the human condition. This remedy is available to each person who believes the truth of the gospel, that God sent His only Son Jesus to die as payment for our sin, and God subsequently raised Jesus from the dead to provide victory over death, the penalty of sin. Paul alludes to this remedy in Romans 10:9-10 where he writes, "⁹because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." We should not understate the profound importance of this remedy. As simple as it sounds, it is even more critical regarding the deficit of the human condition. We must believe the gospel and receive Jesus as savior to fill the gaping hole in us left by the treachery of sin. This saving grace, or as it were our undeserved merit from God, will not apply to our individual circumstance until we do so.

However, there is still the question of application. Once we become Christians through the power of Christ's work, how do we live daily within the purpose and plan of God for our lives? It is in this contextual dilemma, the backdrop of Paul's aforementioned quandary exists. He recognizes his deficit, received the gospel, but now must deal with the daily challenge of a sin nature that desires to "hang around" his life.

Wonderfully, nothing catches God by surprise. God knew we would not only require a remedy for salvation, but also a manner by which to live as righteous examples within a world filled with various temptations designed to destroy our testimony and stunt our spiritual growth. God did not leave this remedy to anyone but Himself. He decided to live with each one of those who desire His presence through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul says this in regard to God's Holy Spirit in Romans 8:1-2, "¹There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ²For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." How great to live free from condemnation and free from the law of sin and death! Our deficit is made whole by the presence of God within our very being, allowing us to move and operate within His guidance and understanding. Therefore, the next time you say "I do not know what to do", remember that you are stating the obvious, you do not know, but if you are a Christian, the God within you knows and wants desperately to provide you with the answer.

God does not only provide us with the answer, but with the internal residency of the His Spirit comes the power to perform His purpose for us. The Apostle Paul, as we established, knew his condition and his deficit. He honestly reveals his own, and also our own, lack of power to accomplish God's purpose without the presence of Christ when he writes in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." For Paul, and for all who will receive, the presence of Christ provides all needed for victorious living.

Based on the love and nature of God, you can watch the defeat of your deficit and walk in victory. Take advantage, no better deal forthcoming. Blessings.

(All Scripture Quotations from the English Standard Version) (Emphasis mine)

We Need a Daily Dose of Holiday Love

2009-12-04T15:53:00Z

As we approach the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our thoughts and hearts often warm with the melodies of carols, hymns and words of goodwill. There is no doubt that during the Christmas season, the transforming power of love for others takes center stage in the lives of many.

However, for some, myself included, there is a question floating through the mental atmosphere like a snowflake driven by a cold winter wind. The question is, “why do we only seem to express love and goodwill during the holiday season?”

For those of us who as Christians, promote and maintain a faith that calls for a daily dose of love for others, it seems somewhat hypocritical to drive ourselves toward that end only during this time of year.

I make this statement in full knowledge that we Christians can be a bit testy toward criticism of any kind. Often, to our detriment, we do not take kindly to challenges regarding our actions or behaviors. In fact, faith for many religious people is so innately personal that we become defensive if someone reveals any deficiency concerning the relationship between what we say we believe and how we perform.

The great Indian revolutionary leader Mohandas K. Gandhi once remarked regarding Christianity, “I like your Christ; I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” Was Gandhi on to something? Are Christians actually unlike Christ? Gandhi certainly fits the bill as an outside observer, but his view should strike a chord nonetheless.

As Christians, our calling is to be “salt of the earth and light of the world”, yet we seem reluctant to do either with any degree of consistency or regularity. A persistent effort by Christians to market the love of God through the life of Christ means that we check ourselves first. For me, this means a constant state of self-evaluation, repentance and effort toward improvement.

In addition, spreading the love of Christ on a daily basis and not just when we hear the singing of Silent Night means a dedication to viewing life beyond the boundaries of ourselves. I realize that all are not Christians in their faith profession, and that some follow no religious distinction at all, however, loving others as oneself is simply good advice, applicable to all.

Christians, as all others, are imperfect creatures. The work of transformation that encompasses a desire to be like Christ is a daily, lifelong process. It means that we must love enough to care, and care enough to confront. The world in which we live desperately needs the active involvement of people who base their activity upon solid, time-tested values of love, truth and justice. The failure to promote these beliefs in every human institution has catastrophic consequences.
Some will charge that faith and certain things do not mix. They say to all persons of faith, “stay out of the world’s business and just go back to your churches, mosques or temples and pray.” For them the problem is that they seem to believe in nothing, resulting in nothing of substance.

Faith and love, unlike certain bad holiday recipes, are the perfect elixirs to mix with the struggles of this life, but we should enjoy them on a daily basis and not only during the holidays.

What Lies Beneath Comes Up

2009-08-04T12:46:00Z

The recent incident involving Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. provides insight for us concerning the health of race relations in our country. Many believe that a black professor arrested by a white police officer outside his own home indicates that racism is alive, well and even thriving in this country.

As I considered this event, Iexamined the reactions in the media across the country as well as thereactions of President Obama, Sgt. Crowley and Professor Gates. Whatoccurred to me is that there exists a larger issue. For many people ofAfrican descent, this arrest elicited emotional words and responseswell beyond what some would consider a normal measured response. Thetone of the discussion indicated there was something very powerful justbeneath the surface of life, which this incident exposed and released.

My belief is that beneath the surface of many successful and well as less accomplished African Americans, lays a deep pain, generated by a response to racism, whether real or perceived. I offer as evidence the fact that many who cried racism, while perhaps having experienced incidents of racial intolerance, had never experienced systemic, legalized discrimination based on ethnicity.

I suspect, to some degree, this past pain is present in Professor Gates, as well as our President. Their reaction and remarks concerning this indicate that something lurking beneath the conscious psyche drives these responses. If we believe the police report, Dr. Gates reacted in a manner uncharacteristic of his regular deportment. This does not excuse the officer, but leads us to investigate further.

It is then logical to ask from whence this deep pain comes. To be sure, it is every bit as real as the sunrise, more painful than migraines and more difficult to explain than advanced calculus. Even more truthfully, much of this pain is felt by those who experienced racism in a time in our country’s history when hatred ruled the day; but also this hurt exist in those whose sheer accomplishments would suggests that this is now a different country, perhaps well on the path to a post-racial society.

Furthermore, it is legitimate to question why this hurt remains deep in the souls of African Americans. I believe there are at least two main reasons for this. First, many African Americans, especially those who survived the most virulent period of racism in America, upon examination would readily admit frustration with the feeling that this nation has never adequately acknowledged or apologized for slavery, the resulting legal discrimination and the effects thereof upon people of African descent. I could write volumes discussing this, but I will say an apology coerced is not a worthy apology.

Secondly, the pain of racismremains embedded deep with African Americans because we have notprocessed this hurt. I know that is tough to hear, but if one allowspain from past hurts to lie around beneath the surface of everydayexistence, eventually these hurts resurface and diminish opportunity,while also detracting from the quality of life. This is true of thosewho hurt from actual experience and from those who receive this pain byinheritance or observation.

It is also true that we as African Americans must discover our healing independent of the actions or beliefs of others. It is possible by the grace of God.

Mr. President, Let Us Change and America Persevere

2009-01-21T02:50:00Z

Tears of joy, sighs of relief, and pride filled shouts were evident amongst the many watching President Barack Obama take the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States. Shivering in the cold, but warmed by the expectation of a new day, thousands witnessed the hallmark of American democracy; the peaceful transition of power.
I celebrate the fact that in spite of our differences, we live in a nation where political authority conveys not through military coup, political espionage or intrigue worthy of Hollywood cinema. On the contrary, we live in a country where we need not worry if the government will change hands overnight by some act of ill will. We remain confident that American democracy and freedom has once again set the standard for the world to follow and admire.

The Inauguration of our new leader was a day for all Americans to be proud, black, white or brown, rich or poor, Democrat or Republican. We celebrate the rich heritage left to us by the framers of this great nation. They are worthy of our honor and respect.
With the joy of occasion deeply ingrained in the hearts of faithful patriots, it is important that we take note of the stated intention of our new President. His declaration that it is “time to reshape America” plants the seed of expectation in the fertile ground of hearts that have fundamentally lost faith in our country. His reasons for this are simple; crisis requires change.

This begs the question, “does America need reshaping?” President Obama believes that because we have struggle, because we have calamity, and because there are some who fail to believe in the American oasis of opportunity; America must change.
The thought of reshaping a nation that endures through the very challenges passionately articulated by our new President, is a troubling one. America survived difficulties including revolution for freedom, slavery, civil war, famine, depression, global war, struggles for civil equality, and terror attacks; still our country endures without fundamental reshaping. How do we explain this? Should then America be undone in this present crisis?

Mr. President, perhaps America does not need reshaping, but those of us whose expectation is for government to supplant the very spirit and ingenuity of which you so eloquently spoke, must reshape our thoughts of our own lives with respect to this great nation. This is certainly a watershed moment in American history, not just because of the inauguration of the first African American President in the storied history of our nation, but because if ever we needed an “ask not what your country could do for you, but ask what you can do for your country” moment, that time is now.

With looming recession, the war on terror and a general sense of discontent by those who tell us America is not working; it is time for the indomitable American spirit to rise above the urge to redo this great land. We do not need a do over, just those who are willing to do. To do for ourselves with energy that seizes present opportunity, a drive that surpasses the desire to give up and perseverance that pushes us beyond our self-imposed limits.

I celebrate the history of this moment with great pride as a black man. However, I urge our new President to be prudent in the effort to transform America. I believe our founders laid a strong foundation, which endures over 230 years later, and this endurance is our best testament to the greatness of the American experiment.

God bless our new President, and God bless America.

Confirmation of American Dream Necessary for Some

2008-11-06T14:31:00Z

Perhaps the most remarkable reaction resulting from Barack Obama’s election to the American presidency is the sense of relief felt by African Americans. It would under represent the significance of this reality to attribute this emotion to mere elation at the election of a black man. Amongst those interviewed and seen there was a sense of real relief. It was not the type of relief one gets from antacid or aspirin, but “soul relief”.

“Soul relief” occurs when doubts, fears and cynicisms that rest in the deepest element of the individual, the soul; suddenly vaporize. For black folk, this type of soul unrest is something that permeates existence; often one step behind or in front, but always near enough to cast a shadow or be felt. For too long, black people in America have held the belief and experienced the reality that there were pathways of the American Dream marked with signs saying, “No Blacks Allowed”. This belief whether based on the expressed action of racism or a general perception that America was not quite ready to live up to her mantra that “all men are created equal”; was reality for many black Americans.

The causes of this feeling of exclusion are numerous, including the obvious truth of the historical American practice that socially, economically and legally excluded black people. The discounting or minimizing of this exclusion is not my goal; it is simply more obvious and therefore the body of discussion is great. However, let me mention two significant, perhaps less obvious reasons among us for my observation of why we needed “soul relief”.

First, black Americans, though enjoying ever increasing opportunity in America, still tend to hand down the pain of racism from one generation to the next, especially over the past 40 years. I firmly believe that the abrupt end to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had a far-reaching effect on subsequent generations. I offer as evidence the unrelenting belief Dr. King had in the promise of America. With his death, much of that promise died also in the hearts of black folk. Black people from King’s generation immediately lost faith in America, a faith building since the Emancipation Proclamation and Reconstruction, a faith that endured through Jim Crow and segregation, and a faith determined to materialize the hope of freedom into the reality of liberty. This led a people once filled with hope to become cynical and distrusting of their government and country. Many believed, if they could kill John F. Kennedy and Martin, nobody is safe; which to some degree proved true during the turbulence of the sixties. It is reasonable to assume that had he lived, King would continue to call black folks to the promise of what America could be.

Born during those years, I remember vaguely the hurt in my family surrounding the death of Dr. King. For a wide-eyed, inquisitive six year old, witnessing such pain from my parents and grandparents let me know something horrible happened to a good man, and possibly could happen to me simply because of my skin color. This is a traumatic thought for someone barely beginning the formation of their views of people and the world. Until then, I did not know my black skin could be a danger to my well-being. I honor my parents for never letting me slip into the abyss of shame concerning my ethnicity. They chose not to hand me their pain, fear or newly found cynicism; they kept that well hidden, for after hearing their conversation as an adult, I suspect their pain and fear were present daily. I further suspect that their choice not to hand their pain to me had to do with their intimate relationship with and belief in the power of God to overcome all obstacles.

Yet several in my generation lived constantly in a state of “soul unrest”. We reminded ourselves daily that we could still not trust America, as well as some of our own institutions, like the church. There began a perception that certain institutions like church, formal education and government contained rules designed to aid our oppression, rather than assist our collective uplift.
Even our new political power in the urban centers of America still did not provide a sense that we can finally exhale. For many, handed the pain, fear and cynical distrust of America from their own ancestry, this begot the belief that somehow they were pilgrims “traveling through a barren land”, which held little promise of oasis. This is why so many exhaled at the election of Senator Obama. For many blacks, it was like the desert had unexpectedly ended, and now the oasis of hope had become a real place, not merely a mirage. Even those who by any standard, have succeeded and even exceeded prosperity in America experienced “soul relief”. As evidence, tears streaming down the face of Oprah Winfrey, a billionaire and perhaps the richest woman in America, exhaled in a way she may never have before November 4, 2008. For someone like Oprah, whose grasping opportunity and hard work led to such immeasurable success, to finally “believe in America” tells me that the roots of “soul unrest” run deep in the black community. However, I must ask, is there any other country in the world that would afford Ms. Winfrey her current success? Hence, the dichotomy of black soul unrest and current black success also exists.

The second reason for the “soul relief” of black America was the perpetuation of our victim status by the subversion of the Civil Right Movement. I will not venture into all the details, but when we forsook the struggle to recognize our humanity (as the picture to the left portrays)for the struggle to validate our blackness; this laid the groundwork for a sustained class of victims, reminded constantly by leaders with personal agenda, that success in America eluded them solely because of their pigmentation. The assumption of victim status clearly influenced many who shouted for joy and danced in the streets upon Senator Obama’s election to the Presidency. In fact, many interviewed stated their belief that only now, could they be whatever they wanted to be. Why not before, and why now are the obvious questions.

The answers lie in the reality that many young blacks, in generation X and Y, along with the emerging generation; feel victimized by our government in general and whites in particular. As evidence, Nightline reported from historically black Howard University, that students, many too young to have experienced many overt signs of racism, were extremely cynical and distrusting of this country’s ability to provide a fair election to Senator Obama. Many felt the hijacking and/or stealing of the election was a real possibility, in order to prevent a black man from entering the White House. They seem to base this solely on the 2000 Presidential election, even though the other candidate, Al Gore, was white. I suspect their belief had less to do with Gore/Bush 2000, and more to do with the inherited belief that America would never allow a black man to live as President in 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Therefore, I now must ask if the election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States will finally bring confirmation of the American Dream for black people. It is my hope that it does. However, there is one sure particular; no longer may our group failure rest on the excuse of racism. We cannot hide our lack of responsibility, social disorder, self-destructive behavior and violence in our communities behind the expansive cloak of “white folks keeping us down”. To some degree, the election of Senator Obama as President allows the America heretofore distrusted by black people, to make final or at least a significant payment on the “I am not racist” account.

For the record, and because of a faith in God taught to me by my parents, I have always believed in the American experiment and that this day would come. I suppose this is why I did not “exhale” on the same level as some; I truly expected this moment. I fully expect that the conservative movement will one day offer a person of color as their candidate for President of the United States, as almost happened with Colin Powell in 1996. My only regret concerning the personal historical relevance of Senator Obama’s election is that America did not choose a person with whom I am more ideologically, philosophically and perhaps even spiritually compatible. While it was not necessary to confirm the American Dream within me, I am glad to welcome those who feel they are in a new country, to an America that has always existed in concept, if not in practice.