Armed and Dangerous
30 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in Cultural Literacy, Observations Tags: Brain, Create, Ideas, Intelligence, Prosperity, Racial, Sex, Thought
“The greatest weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” This quote from Steve Biko is even more poignant in the time that many have erroneously labeled “post racial.” I sense a slow, creeping, methodical emergence of the sentiments and ideology that shaped Jim Crow. Of course, the struggle for freedom and the propensity towards progress cannot be squelched for long and prosperity cannot be contained any more than darkness can contain light.
It is my intention to be relentless in the pursuit of the prosperity and justice to which we are entitled. Yes. These are the true entitlements to which Americans should aspire. I will use the brain that God gave me. I will act on ideas born of spirit and the collective intelligence of all who came before. This mind will thrive absorb and produce. This brain will analyze, create, reflect, strategize, compute and direct. It will compassionately share and feel the hurt and pain experienced internally and vicariously. It will see the colors of a boundless imagination. This mind will communicate with others’ shared and divergent thoughts and because of them, innovate. This brain will exercise daily to keep fit. It will doggedly pursue new ideas like sperm seeking egg. Our ideas will have sex and propagate the species.
I will not subrogate my intelligence to minimize your discomfort. We have come too far and have far to go.
You may, however, feel free to expand and elevate yours.
The Winter of My Discontent
16 Feb 2012 2 Comments
in Observations Tags: faith, survival, Winter
We, in upstate New York have been spared the physical brutality of winter to which we are generally subjected. It is mid- February and we have had neither major blizzards nor weather events – yet. Signs of growth and improvement exist in stark contrast to something more sinister in the air. Bubbling beneath the surface of the GOP mudslinging and the uncertainty of our individual and collective futures is the promise of new horizons and budding wisdom. It is usually at this point in the year that I have had enough of the stark gray backdrop of life and look forward to that light tender green that insinuates the quiet hope of spring.
It is in times like this that my mantra of faith is put to the test. When all else fails. When even the sun filled skies fail to deliver that vibrant surge of brilliance required to push forward it is time to get real in the faith department. This is the time when I have to fake it to make it because I really want nothing more than to check out until something sparks my spirit to revival.
This winter has cooperated fully with my demeanor-neither cold nor stormy enough to really comment on, deter me, upset my plans or even inspire me – but just gray, damp, dirty and stark enough to invade my sense of hope and add fuel to my worst tendencies. As I feel the cold spell that runs through my veins, I am aware of its power and fear that it is airborne – like emotional Ebola.
So, I double down in the faith department. I shore up my best resolve to get through and I do it in solitude and silence lest my funk be contagious.
Faith is stronger and more powerful than the cold, hard realities of despair. So, I will behave like all other life that is charged with surviving this bleak landscape. I will stretch my arms to the sky and reach for whatever light is afforded. I will use the cold and snow to preserve my thoughts, seeds of inspiration and spirit as they incubate with patience waiting for their time to spring forth and grow. I will nurture the budding creation that is yearning to know its time. I will have faith. “Faith is a continuation of reason.”
Remember Hope?
27 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in Cultural Literacy, Observations Tags: African-American, Complacency, Economics, Encouragement, Hope, Joy, Politics, President, Proud, Spiritual
I am unedited today. I sit and read the words of inspiration and encouragement that I wrote to myself in 2008. It was a spiritual and historical account of two momentous life changing events for me and for the world. The day Barack Hussein Obama accepted the nomination from the Democratic Party and the day he was elected the 44th President of the United States of America.
I needed to remind and encourage myself on this gray January day. The opposition and ground swelling of the oppressive hegemony that seeks our spiritual and political annihilation is again mobilized in full battle gear against the forces of God and nature that made possible the events in 2008. It is time to dig in with our spirits. For the weapons used against us are powerful. They are rooted in economics but the actual tools of war are complacency, apathy, distrust, greed and ignorance. I’m talking about us. These are the weapons that we hurl against each other in an attempt to conform to a standard that was never meant to include us but to use us to grow its own power.
So today I need to remind myself. Encourage myself. And maybe I can encourage someone else. So I read and as the tears roll recklessly down my cheeks I remember those days and the feelings that inspired my words of joy, hope, elation and vindication for the future. I rally. I move forward and embed that remembrance in my heart as I work at the tasks before me. And it is August again in my heart.
August 28, 2008
Thank God for this historical day. And thank God for allowing me to be alive to see this day. Let me tell you about this day.
I awoke hopeful and full of tears of joy as I moved through this historic day. You see, last night Barrack Obama became the Democratic Party nominee for President of the United States of America. Tonight he will accept the nomination on the anniversary of the “I have a dream” speech given by Martin Luther King 45 years ago. Today is manifestation of that dream and many of us were not sure we’d see it in our lifetimes either. Today is an excellent, fabulous, fantastic day. The best day I can remember in a long time.
I have had the privilege of being on tour across the country during the Democratic Convention and have seen the eyes, heard the hope and joy and felt the hopeful anticipation of people from New Jersey to St. Louisand beyond. As I went downstairs to breakfast in St. Louis this morning and greeted the ‘breakfast lady” we exchanged our polite greetings, her response was, “It’s a historical day.” I agreed and we shared stories of our pride and tears as we spoke of MLK’s dream, thanking God. As I boarded the shuttle for the airport, I was again reduced to tears when I remember the awesome significance of today and my feelings of anticipation and joy.
As I moved through the airport, I looked at the world differently. I saw each person I encountered anew. I viewed everyone as a small piece of the fabric of our country and their contributions as vital to our collective well being. I feel alive today!
When I passed through the security checkpoint, I underwent my SSSS ( super special strip search) with a smile and commiserated with the black TSA staff about the momentous day and the power and clarity of Bill Clinton’s message last night.
Today, we are poised on the brink of history. I am excited and so lucky to be alive. God bless Barack Obama and God Bless America!
November 5, 2008–Charlotte NC
HISTORY MADE TODAY! Barack Hussein Obama was elected the 44th President of theUnited States of America on November 4, 2008. It was a landslide victory and the vindication for all who believed inAmerica – even in its darkest hours. This is the reward you sought, my ancestors who died in the pursuit of humanity. For those of you who never made it across the Middle Passage and who saw their children and husbands brutalized in the name of freedom and equality. To my grandparents and parents who smiled and nodded when whites condescended to them as though they were children and viewed themselves compassionate for deigning to associate with them. For the loud laughter and reassuring self deprecation we subjected ourselves to in order to maintain an ‘acceptable’ standing in the eyes of the dominant society. For years of enduring the ultimate complements of being ’articulate’ and a ‘credit to our race’ as though those attributes were anomalies in our experiences.
It was the shining opportunity taken by many young people who finally, now know what it feels like to have hope for America and to share the collective exuberance of political, social and yes, spiritual freedom and power to change the world in ways they had only heard of as some distant ideology of the past- to be a part of history and to be able to claim their roles in making that history.
Finally, it is the fulfillment of dreams deferred. I again thank God to be alive today and to have shared the opportunity to realize the vision of my forefathers and mothers. I stand, think and walk tall today. God has truly blessed us all.
Truth – Stranger than fiction
14 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
This is an open letter to all those, whose amnesia is surpassed only by their ignorance.
“The Help” was a work of fiction.
Recently, I have been on both the sidelines and in the fray of the struggle for respect in which women of African descent continue to engage. I watched with revulsion and (yes) anger as the age old stereotype of the “angry black woman” reared its slick ugly head. There is no dearth of media attention to the ‘how to” advice proffered to women encouraging them to be assertive and even aggressive in their pursuit of life goals, economic parity, career success, retirement goals – you name it – there are countless articles and books touting the value of these skills and attributes for women.
Black women excluded.
Women of African descent are automatically kicked into the “angry black woman” pool the nanosecond we exhibit any of these highly peddled traits.
What is this – 1942?
Fact. Brilliant black women do it backwards, in high heels, on thin ice and a slippery slope with one hand lifting themselves and the other lifting those of their families, friends, work colleagues and enemies. Black women swim with sharks and are the sharks’ most feared predator – human. This is why when we do exert our power we are feared and demonized, characterized as inane stereotypes and disrespected by a culture that is simply ignorant to the fabrication that fuels their perceptions.
So go ahead. Continue to underestimate us because that is our sweet spot. Continue to try to manipulate us and consider us vapid, unskilled and unaware. Continue to flex your imagined muscles and assert your pseudo-power. Call us whatever makes you feel superior. And by all means, do whatever you must do to try to suppress our indomitable spirit, power and strength.
But remember “The Help” was a work of fiction.
Not all black women are secretly whipping up that chocolate cream pie.
We will prevail on our strength, grace and our brilliance – no matter what you hand us.
Statistically Significant
17 Oct 2011 4 Comments
in Love
Can we settle this thing for once and for all?
The last time I looked, there were more women on the planet than men. It’s a fact. Given those statistics, is it likely that there really is “someone out there for everyone?” Let’s add to these facts the reality that some of these people are infants and children, elderly, in comas…. you see where I’m going with this?
Does this mean that women still need to pursue life with a laser focus on finding “Mr. Right?” I know, as humans we seek relationships and more specifically love. I am not advocating that we abandon this desire because we are, after all, human. I am merely suggesting that we might rethink, if not abandon, the non – productive behaviors surrounding this seeming pervasive
quest for love relationships. I envision the whole pursuit of love paradigm like a metaphorical game of musical chairs.
All the women of the world encircle the static set of chairs with one removed – representing the 1% to 3% variance of men in the world. As they all hopefully march to the music, at some point the “music” stops and all scramble to claim their prize – a seat in the ever shifting game of love.
Let me be clear. I am addressing women because I can only speak of what I know and let’s face it, men have their own challenges. I’ll leave it for them to explore the solutions for themselves. So for women I pose this question.
What if your “prince” does not come?
What is your life like? Are you pining away and miserable?
Are you in hot pursuit of somebody, anybody to make your life complete? Have you settled for someone less than what your standards or expectations or happiness require? Are you sharing some other poor woman’s dishonest man? Are you bending and
twisting yourself, your morals, values, dreams, aspirations and desires to match that of someone else’s expectations?
Or are you pursuing a life that is worthy of who you were created to be?
By now you may be citing scripture in your head. You know, the ones about submitting to your husband and being a virtuous woman. I do not dispute the bible and am not crazy enough to argue with the word of God. However – let’s just say some of us have taken this thing a bit too far.
Case in point. Let’s call her Dolores.
I first met her when she came to my home with my brother. It was a Sunday afternoon and she looked like a supermodel. Very beautifully pulled together (unlike me as it was Sunday and I was at home!) and made up in what I like to call “full metal jacket.” She spoke softly and demurred to my brother carefully invoking the “we” in all conversation about their activities and relationship.
He was smitten.
As their relationship progressed, she was calculated in her simultaneous courting of my brother and me. Somehow she
sensed (as only women can) that she needed to win me over. And she was right. I was a skeptic. Why is she calling me? Why
is she telling me all this intimate stuff about my brother and her? This is not my business. It’s my brother she’s after!
Long story short. She worked her game and I appealed to my brother to give it some time before marrying her – just give it time and see. He didn’t – they married –she went buck wild (surprise!) and physically attacked him like a world federation wrestling pro. They eventually divorced. I cite this example because hers was a meticulously choreographed stalk and capture maneuver and my brother was caught like a deer in the headlights. She, on the other hand, a very skilled practitioner of the game, merely moved on to her next target.
As it turned out, this was a recurring pattern for her and she left many a man in her wake. As an observer, I could only wonder what she did not see in herself and what she saw in those men that convinced her that her survival was dependent on the seduction
and capture of those guys. Did she believe that her only chance for survival was this Trojan horse routine?
God made each of us and gave us each a separate, set of attributes and unique skills that were formed for His pleasure. Each and every one of those skills and attributes is part of the universal love machine. So despite our faults, tempers, lack of patience and other less than stellar attributes (highlighting mine), we are still worthy of love. If someone else does not recognize that then we must see it in ourselves and deliver to the world on our own unique value proposition. If all else fails, God loves us unequivocally!
There are worse things than being alone. Try being in a wrong relationship and feeling alone. Think about that guy who is currently in a relationship and how you are actually making it possible for him to sustain his “bad” relationship by being the third leg of that stool – propping the whole thing up and making him feel good about himself despite his inappropriate behavior.
Let’s not forget about the woman he is with whether it is a wife, girlfriend –whatever. How does it feel to be her? Think about it because even if he is telling the truth about his relationship (doubtful!) you will eventually be her.
If you are trying to put your best foot forward and only show the cute and charming parts of your personality, you are setting yourself and your relationship partner up for hurt down the road. You are human and if you cannot be yourself then how can someone really know if they even like you? And if they don’t, is it the end of the world? You are still going to be you no
matter what. Do you really want to be with someone who doesn’t even know you or like you for who you are?
Finally, what about this great big beautiful life you’ve been given? What do you want from it? Are there places you want to see and
experiences you want to have and things you want to learn? What is your assignment and what do you have to offer? None of us knows how much time we are given. We may only know who we are and what God has given us. All of what we have will make a path for where we can be. Pursue the life you are given with all the gifts you have to offer and know that you are exactly who and where you were meant to be.
I guarantee you will have the time of your life.
What are you waiting for?
Oh, Drama!
13 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Work It!
We’ve all been there.
If you haven’t struggled with how to avoid being sucked into the vortex of the office drama queen then chances are you are the office drama queen. The drama queen is frequently a woman but men are not exempt from this dubious honor.
My “outsider” status serves me well and I find it easy to detach from the office politics and in many cases I am oblivious to the bad
guys in the western but occasionally I become the target and thereby (tangentially) engaged.
Think of the Drama Queen the way you would the queen in an ant colony or swarm of bees. They usually hide in the corners but are at the center of petty nuisances. They send out their minions to annoy and wreak havoc while they sit in their lairs and reap the psychotic rewards of the drama they create.
My latest stroll through the toxic nest involved an administrative assistant. Go figure. I was unaware that she was targeting me
until the CEO informed me. I decided to just be observant and detach. That is the best advice as we have no inkling as to what sets people off and it is best to just let it run its course.
Sure enough, the queen revealed herself to me in a tirade sparked by one request. After a series of these tirades, that made it apparent to all (and eventually even to herself) that the behavior was unwarranted and extreme, she began to relent and eventually the behavior subsided.
How to recognize the Drama Queen:
- He/She is often at the hub of gossip.
- He/She attracts minions to create and support confusion generated.
- His/Her mood swings may set the general tone for the workplace when present.
- He/She seeks opportunities to manipulate others.
- There is a general sense of chaos that surrounds them.
Emerge unscathed. Do not engage. Keep communication to a bare minimum and focus all communication on work.
Starve her and let God save the queen.
Worst. Pick Up Line.Ever.
29 Sep 2011 3 Comments
I’m coming clean. I must confess I was inspired to write this following my experience at a post opening night bar hop with “the girls.”
This particular foray also inspired the previously penned “Too Old for the Club.”
So, now that that’s off my chest, I must say that it is a classic sign of the times when young men cruise the bars looking for “working women.”
Do not confuse this working woman with the one who gets paid for their attention. While the traditional “working girl” is still out there and the oldest profession may actually be a growing profession in these tough economic times, I’m referring to the generic woman who is employed.
As previously confessed, there I was. Too old for the club. The only meat I was in that market for was the double order of wings I shared with two cast members. While standing at the bar and eating my wings I had a perfect view of the sexually charged mating dance that surrounded me and I was uncomfortable enough to plot and anticipate my escape.
I scarfed down my wings and headed for the door. Wending my way through the tight crowd, I passed a (way too) young man who leaned in and whispered in my ear as I passed.
“Where you work?”
Are you kidding me? Seriously??? Where do I work?
I was so caught off guard I actually (gag!) responded.
“I have my own business.” I kept it moving, but he responded.
“You hiring?”
Eeewww! So, this is what it has come to. Flagrant searches for resources in any venue by any means necessary.
I sprinted to my car pondering the sheer desperation that prompted that brief encounter and the sad state of a culture in which the survival tactics of young black men have devolved to dropping flaccid pick up lines on old chicks in bars.
You can’t make this stuff up.
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