The Literal Manifistation

The Holy Bible says that God instructed ancient Israel to kill all men, women, children, and sometimes animals of certain towns in accordance with His Promise to Abraham (Deuteronomy 20:17).  Jesus, the Prince of Peace Himself, told His disciples that He in fact did not come to bring peace to earth but to bring a sword (Matthew 10:34), which would imply the direct opposite of peace.  Strange talk from the two figures most tag as being all-loving, and for the young Christian or the person who just acknowledges God's existence, this can be extremely confusing.  To better understand this, it's key to investigate the Scriptures thoroughly to understand the intent of God.  Only then, we find that the Almighty never meant for violence to play a roll in the earth.  Yet once the Fall explained in Genesis 3 (the event that allowed sin to live in the world), violence became almost a necessary evil.  Even more morbid is the fact that millions of people would and do suffer death, sometimes violently, to ultimately be with God or to influence others to do so.

From the Christian Raiders Fan

To the One, the true God who is the Creator of all things new and perfect.  You have seen my faults and instead of death, You gave me life through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Your Son.  For that, I am eternally joyous and I worship You in loving sincerity.

This was supposed to be a special season...

Slack Lifting

In the classic fashion of the wealthy ignorant, Donald Trump reiterated on the Today Show this past Monday that "poor people don't have any role models."  Obviously, saying that to a woman who is a teacher in South Richmond's Oak Grove community, and a man who works with health providers in North Richmond's Gilpin Court community garnered a less than warm reception.  Hearing foolish comments as such makes me think of the tens of thousands of men and women who work in the fire to help the burning; whose demeanor, dialect, and dress are positive and unique examples to those who may not have seen (I'll just say it) young blacks carry themselves the way they do, in person.  But, as Redman said, there is a dark side...

Don't Have To...Not Like They Do

Praise God that I am once again in a position where I must prepare for Sunday worship throughout the week.  Long removed from the days of being just a congregant, on Monday (and the rest of the days) I am among a group of friends that are carefully seeking Him and moving on His direction to set the tone of worship for the upcoming Sunday.  Aside from the fact that Melicer and I arrived at church two hours earlier instead of our usual one hour so I could ensure technical efficiency [in the youth media/music ministry], things seemed pretty usual.  I was quickly reminded however that the large majority of our teenage congregation are Highland Springs High School students, who had suffered the tragedy of a classmates' sudden death just days before.  The thick air of grief rested heavily on them.  Although they are kids who have a relatively good understanding of the difference between natural and spiritual death, the truth was that this moment was not a lesson--it was life.  However, our church has great young people and even greater leaders.

Designed to Win

The following is for the active Christians.  If you're not one, then be one...

Regardless of the testy events of the previous day, despite the redundancy of an uninspiring job, even with the recurring nightmare that torments an otherwise good nights' sleep; each morning should be filled with refreshed excitement towards life the moment you are able to recognize your surroundings.  Yes indeed the cliches' here are real: we need to be overly grateful that we woke up healthy and mobile' because that's not guaranteed at any age.  We should be full of thanks that we can still perceive logically as many young adults function like senior citizens due to the same impurities we put in our bodies while having "fun".  And the most amazing part of it all is that we are part of a select group of humans that start each day with a Kingdom-sanctioned promise of success.

Accept the Penalty

It's clear to most of us that having wisdom comes with realizing when and how to reveal knowledge.  Nobody really likes the statistician; even in sports conversations the dude who sounds like a box score gets ignored sooner or later.  And it's definitely not a bad thing to know a thing or two...or 200, but some things were meant to just be understood while others should be shared with a select few. Operating like this gives way to the paradoxical slogan 'being strong in humility'; and is the basis for Jesus Christ's "speck and plank" lesson (Matthew 7:3-5).

Mustard Seeds Save Lives

It's gotta be the right thing to do.  I mean, it's gotta be.  We come here every Sunday.  Mama seems to like it and everybody's here.  I wish Dad would come.  If he doesn't come it's not that important right?  Well, he never stopped me and Mama from coming so he must be cool with it.  Plus Mama told me if I wanna go down there it's fine with her.  We talked about it and I get it, I think.  So....they're gonna ask me do I believe Jesus died and rose; I believe that.  And that's it, right?  Grammie and Grandaddy down there too, so if anything happens I'm straight.  Wait...I do believe in Jesus, right?  And He did die for me?  Hold up...me?  Back in them days?  How did He know me back then?  And it was for my sins, right?  Is that for what Mama gets mad at me for?  He had to die for that?  Uhhh.....ok, I'm going down there.
                                                                                              - Terrance Jones, circa 1987

...And the Success of the Challenged (Repost)

This is a repost because for some reason this went to some of your spam boxes.

Earlier in the day, I was involved in an intense display of belief in God for who He is, what He says, and what He has accomplished on my behalf before I was born.  More subtle acts of this have carried on during the last five hours, and it has allowed me some opportunities to examine.  More recently, while talking with a friend I was asked about the images and occurrences of the industry I work in.  Pleasantly, the majority of his questions weren't referring to those who benefit from this industry with financial profit.  Instead, his interest hung on the welfare of the serviced men, women, and children in the mental and behavioral health field.  That interest cleared the way for me to share about a couple heroes of mine; and think.

...And the Success of the Challenged

Earlier in the day, I was involved in an intense display of belief in God for who He is, what He says, and what He has accomplished on my behalf before I was born.  More subtle acts of this have carried on during the last five hours, and it has allowed me some opportunities to examine.  More recently, while talking with a friend I was asked about the images and occurrences of the industry I work in.  Pleasantly, the majority of his questions weren't referring to those who benefit from this industry with financial profit.  Instead, his interest hung on the welfare of the serviced men, women, and children in the mental and behavioral health field.  That interest cleared the way for me to share about a couple heroes of mine; and think.

Perils of Middle Management

The road of profit for rural southern Virginia was once again my companion yesterday morning and evening.  In my late teens and 20s I've unwilling supported towns like Emporia and South Boston; but these days I have learned to walk with Highway 58, not against her.  She still gives way for bored and racist sheriffs to wield their authority from the cruisers they squeeze to get in and out of, but I've become wise.  No longer do I entertain the judges who are great-great grandsons of Confederate losers (no name calling, they did lose the war); instead 58 and I have an understanding--I need her, and she has rules of engagement.  So on a foggy morning drifting over Kerr Lake, I listened to the tabloid ESPN reporters smash Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.  At the end of my day, with a slight headache and darkness surrounding me, my vehicle, and our friend 58; I listened to a new set of ESPN professional gossipers bash Penn State football coach Joe Paterno.  After having my fill of the spectacle, I reached for silence and I thought to myself, poor middle managers.

Pass The Methadone

Nobody wants to be left out of the fun; and a fun-substitute only makes missing the fun even worse in most cases.  What's more of a disaster in the situation of the fun-substitute is when the fun is in the form of a tangible object.  I'm from the era where parents addressed the necessities of life before they handled the flimsy pleasures of a child.  When Starter coats hit the scene, my parents didn't hear my desire for the top-notch, shinny-nylon, Public Enemy endorsed jacket; they heard "Terrance wants a coat."  So instead of the L.A. Raiders (who was my team even then), Georgetown, University of Miami, or Oakland A's Starter, I got a Miami Game coat.  Being honest, the jacket was kinda hot, but it wasn't a Starter--therefore I missed out on the fun of having the in piece of cloth.  At the time, my spoiled self couldn't see that the coat served its purpose well and saved my parents money that undoubtedly helped pay for much more important things for me.  All I saw was that when I went to school, I wasn't one of the Starter jacket rockers.  Back then it was a huge deal, to the point I didn't even wear the coat that much.  Just a few short years later, however, I understood that I didn't miss out on a thing.  But who can convince a self-centered pre-teen that because you don't have what every hip-hop kid [seems] to have isn't that important?  I mean, it's almost as hard as convincing the mature, holy-rolling adult of the same thing.

...But You Get To

I believe that tongue-holding should be considered a martial art, as the ability to refrain from projecting aggressive and destructive verbiage while responding to an attacker is surely a form of defense.  But similar to how blocking kicks and punches only reduce (not eliminate) the pain by protecting the face or abdomen, holding or taming the tongue prevents your emotions from being utterly battered, while still some pain is felt.  The one who learns how to shelve those temporary bruises on the way to victory is indeed victorious.  Meanwhile many are so consumed with the sting of blocking onslaughts that they eventually cave in.  Never did I understand this until a few years ago, when I began understanding the Word of God to the point where I could actually help someone else with the principles it contained.  I immediately left myself wide open to all types of criticism where very few people passed on the chance to heckle.  Regardless of the association or relationship between me and the other party, many friends and foes formed their makeshift media circles to record my movements in hope a juicy story would develop.  And of all the cliches' that exist, 'everybody is human' is the most inaccurate--because it does not apply to the vocal male Believer.  See, we can't judge; but everyone else can.

Exposure Cannot Be Wasted

I would have loved to be in the meeting room with the people who decided the bracket placement of the MCs on the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards ciphers.  After a few years of establishing a pretty consistent base of popular and fairly popular artists, it seems Black Entertainment Television wanted to stretch their reach a tad to bring in some of the hottest spittas around.  There were a couple of misses resulting from the effort taken by the network; Tech N9ne (due to his oddity) and Soprano (due to his lack of understanding of the English language) to name a few.  And there were some flops because of plain lack of skill; i.e. Ace Hood and the entire Maybach Music Group (even William Roberts II on that day was lazy on the mic).  And of course Slaughterhouse and North Side's own [Mad] Skillz did their thing, but there was one MC who I felt spit exceptionally well and I was happy he did so--Houston, Texas MC, Lecrae.

Where Will The Sheep Go?

The following is intended to bring attention to a very sensitive subject that may concern friends, associates, and others I know and have known.  Also, my revelation of this issue may assist others in making certain decisions.  Lastly, this is not intended to criticize or give the perception I am passing judgment; and I apologize if it is received as such.  This is the last time I discuss this.  Sincere gratitude goes to God for removing me from these types of problems.

I feel that the homecoming services that many churches hold (usually around this time of year) is a wonderful extension of the fellowship principle as a Christian.  Members who have left the comfort of their home church are specially welcomed back to familiar faces and loved ones; sharing with each other old times and new occurrences.  These services more than likely offer additional moments dedicated to praise and worship, a powerful message, and a great meal that secures the fondness of where a member may have first confessed Christ.  But along with this, these welcome back Sundays allow for ministries to give members, past and present, a good 'ol Baptist head beating for bucks--asking for the ever popular special offering that more than likely should support the church or the community needs (or both); but too often end up supporting only a few people's desires.   I am not so learned that I won't acknowledge the Holy Spirit may very well guide a senior pastor to execute such a task, however, I fail to see this displayed in scripture.  But this is what I do see.

Working for Free

Yo, you want to know if your friend is really your friend?  If your so called brother-from-another-mother is really "related" to you?  Do you want to test the grade of your relationship or marriage?  Then wait until you wrong that person.  Better yet, take notice of your actions when they wrong you.  After that experience(s) you may have a pretty good idea on where you and your people stand and if you are as tight as you say you are when it's all gravy. 

Cycle of Pain

The 'Ville.  The 1's and the 2's.  The affordable apartment complex turned drug thoroughfare turned prevalence of poverty in three tumultuous decades.  Unfortunately, the fact Essex has produced some of Richmond's best scholars, athletes, and politicians is vastly overshadowed by the notion of this neighborhood being one of danger and desperation.  This is the spot where the Henrico PD resides in a  No. 2 apartment like an elderly woman who only comes outside for mail, grocery, and laundry mat runs.  It's here where the social assistance companies prey on families' misfortunes; helping [Medicaid only] children for a few weeks; but labeling them for a lifetime.  This was the 'hood where a woman allowed her child to wander on the grassy medium on Laburnum Avenue while she enjoyed a night on the town some months ago.  And it's where if a violent crime happens in Henrico, it's a pretty good chance it happens here.  Speaking of violence, it is no stranger to this complex; with countless mothers experiencing the pain of losing a son or daughter to the unforgiving community, either by chance or by preparation.  The following is a perspective on a story of the hurting.

Winning from the Bench

You can be all holy-fied if you choose, but I'm willing to bet an outrageous percentage of people have to work daily to not be judgmental; that's if you're concerned with being judgmental in the first place.  Speaking personally, there are more times than not where I have to coral the makings of a theory or an assumption about something before it turns into a solid thought about, whatever.  An example of this could be the times where someone would say that they were doing something, usually a form of entertainment, only for God.  I would think to myself, I wonder if they praise dance (or any other type of performing art) in their kitchen when no one but God is watching; and I had to immediately rebuke that thought.  Although there may be a ton of truth to the Sunday-Service-Worshipper-Only-In-Front-Of-A-Congregation, it's really not my place to spend a few minutes determining whether or not the expression is authentic.  Actually, I should be engaging in worship myself instead of critiquing; and most importantly, someone else may be influenced to start a life with Jesus because of the worshipper/praiser/actor (Philippians 1:15-18).  I will say though, it's extremely cool to see an individual whose talent clearly admonishes the One who provided the talent, no matter what the platform.

Curtain Call Watch - Noose Gettin' Loose

And once again the oldest sibling rivalry on earth, dating back centuries before the birth of Christ, is churning up for some action. Twin brothers and religious (and political) patriarchs Jacob and Esau, grandsons of Abraham who is noted of being the "father of many nations (Genesis 17:5)"; actually began their beef in their mothers' (Rebekah) womb (Genesis 25:23-26).  These extremely unique beginnings would more than likely lead to a volatile relationship between any set of twin brothers; but with a grandfather who had such a proclamation on his life and family, another layer is added.  Without spending a huge amount of key strokes describing the story, I encourage you to read Genesis 17 - 27 to get a gist of the relationship between the boys.  We'll get into the "last straw" between Jacob and Esau in a minute; but some fun facts to note about them:

The Give Over

Not too long ago I was introduced to a young lady who was completing a study on polygamy (either for her class or for personal study) and asked me to share my thoughts on the matter.  More specifically, she was searching for Biblical justification against being a polygamist; with her firm platform that claimed the Bible does not clarify whether or not it is wrong and therefore it must be an acceptable practice.  I wrote to her about what I thought seemed to show the intent God; which was displayed during the creation of mankind (Genesis 1:20-24), and some of the statements Jesus had on the Father's intent (Matthew 19).  I wrapped up my answer with asking her to consider a consistent study of the Bible, which I felt would help her know the intent or heart of God better.  Unfortunately, she expressed that she viewed the Bible as not always a credible source of information and that more "concrete" facts that come from outlets such as Wikipedia would provide her with the answers she needed.  At that point, I realized that she had been given over.

Priest-in-Chief

Yesterday had to be a tough day to be a current or former commander-in-chief.  National and global media outlets across the globe were tuning in to Manhattan to witness at least some portion of the memorial service of the victims who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the New York City, Arlington, Virginia, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.  I think it's fair to say that a large portion of the viewers, whether they were at Ground Zero, watching on television, or listening on the radio were a little anxious about how it was all going to go down for [encouraged] reasons.  Former President George W. Bush most likely had a heart that weighed a ton as he looked over hundreds of onlookers and being aware that millions of others recognized that his Administration was stained with this horror.  And the the current leader of the "free" world may have shared a similar burden; knowing that this was the America he inherited.  Yet as I watched the openings of the ceremony, our president did something I found to be admirable.

The Matrimony Mirror

I believe that quiet time with the Lord is the most overlooked and underrated aspect of Christian life in this age. Most of us young adults have become accustomed to noise; and some sort of rattling almost must happen in order for us to function, sadly even in our walk with God. And while the devotion apps on the mobile phone, the powerful discussions on your favorite Gospel radio show, and your senior pastors' CDs of the latest sermon are all great tools; none of that beats the 5 or 6 in the mornings with an open Bible and not another sound.  Even better is the scripture you've reviewed in your head while you sit in silence.  God told Joshua that meditation on His Law was key to Joshua and the Israelites acquiring Canaan from the stronger tribes that lived there (Joshua 1:8).  We must be sure within ourselves that this was not just what God had for Moses' successor, but it is vital for completing our assignments given by God through Jesus.  One reason I have found why this is important is because during quiet time, the Holy Spirit can tell you some things that one, give you practical insight into the Word; and two, provide you with age old knowledge when you only have 2 months of experience.  For this piece here, my example deals with marriage.

The Game Against Metro

Lemme share...

Riding back from Norfolk last week, I heard sports journalist Scott Van Pelt declare on his radio show that baseball had lost it with the America.  I don't have actual quotes to offer, and I assume he was speaking from his own opinion; but he cited several reasons for the decline of baseball's popularity over the last 30 years.  All of which were valid points as to why this sport is quickly losing it's luster among the common American household, and I second the notion that baseball hasnlt been the national pastime for a while now.  Still, in the usual fashion where national issues manifest itself in the African American community first, the vanishing baseball trend has been on light speed here. 

You Must Learn

Believe it or not, there was a time where a good portion of hip-hop artists were uplifting, encouraging, educationally-thinking, and embracing the positive attributes of African-American culture.  To go with that, there was even a respectable portion of artists who integrated their religious beliefs and principles in their music.  Possibly because of the militant and/or ethnic nature of Black Islam (not necessarily the same as Islam), Islamic beliefs and sects associated with Islam pretty much dominated raps' landscape.  From the times of Rakim Allah (Eric B. and Rakim) all the way up to the Wu Tang Clan, knowledge of self from a 5 Percent point of view was prevalent.  And if you were reared in Christianity while having a fondness for hip hop, you might get confused about what was true.  I remember friends of mine, following the trends that many of these artists ignited, would ask me why I go to church every Sunday to pray to a "white Jesus".  This was far before the time I had done any research on the Hebraic race circa 100 B.C. - 100 A.D.  But at the time, because this was the extent of my knowledge, I accepted it as truth.  This, my friends, is the never ending saga of African American history.

Myth - Suffering = Great(er) Blessing

*a fictitious account*

March 2008 - Tori has waited all day for this.  After getting fired from her job at the end of a long, hard Tuesday, she could hardly hold herself together during the 24 hours following her dismissal.  She cried, prayed, drank, sulked, and cried again when thinking about the anguish of losing another job in a little less than 5 months.  The pain of having to again go through the embarrassing begging with creditors to keep her accounts active and to keep her utilities on seemed to much on Tuesday.  But today is Wednesday.  The great day where her church has a testimony period during the service--and she had hers more that ready.  So when the reverend of the church asked if there were any testimonies from any members, she leaped out of her seat before he could finish talking.

Lessons in the Pen

Growing up as a teacher's son, I can only lend to the experiences of a partial summer vacation from school when it comes to discussing summers as a kid.  Most summers until I was in high school, and even a couple during Henrico High, I was required to be in some sort of educational enrichment program sponsored by either Henrico or Richmond Public schools; along with my mothers' own educational assignments that I had to complete before I did anything else (except chores of course).  This is not to say that I didn't have great times in Chamberlayne as a young boy 'cross county lines during my months off, but Mrs. Jones made it very clear that education was vital; coupled with the theme that the school systems' teaching is only 50% of the game.  Because of this in the forefront of my thoughts, I see some advantages to most of the United States removing yet another traditional education staple.

Believe There Will Be War

Something that has been pretty amusing to me over the last 4 or 5 years is the notion that Brooklyn-based MC Jay-Z is the devil, Illuminati, even the anti-Christ.  The first humorous thing about this is that our people saw Jay-Z as that important.  Another point of chuckle revealed to me is that it's obvious many people who hold this opinion haven't been listening to him over the past 15 years; and might be making these outrageous accusations based on his recent popularity and visual presence.  Actually, Jay Z has been denouncing God and Christ since his first major release in 1996 titled Reasonable Doubt ("and even if Jehovah witness bet He'll never testify" - Da Evils) and every album since.  Yet because he didn't have MTV and later BET fame, few people noticed or cared.  Still with those lyrics and countless others, we can only assume he really feels that way, as there is a possibility that he may be referring to the millions who practice this lifestyle by actively refusing the Lord (those of and not of the church).  But as the cliche's go, MCs are reporters of the affairs of the 'hood.  And with the globalization of hip-hop, they are now reporters of the affairs of the planets' general public.  And I think we have to give it to the New York native that nicknamed himself one of the names of the Lord (Jay Hova) for pointing out once again the spiritual struggles of mankind; black or white, rich or poor--even if he is talking about his own issue.

Sacrifice, seriously

It was not extremely devastating, but it was one of those February days I will probably never forget.  Months away from [foolishly] walking towards financial enhancements for us personally, the organization I work with was on a downward spiral.  There are numerous reasons for the decline that were both internal and external, and I will leave out the specific details.  But the main point of this memory is when I picked up my cell phone on that Friday to check the balance of my bank account; ensuring that my direct deposit cleared.  I was almost speechless when the automated voice told me that my balance was half of what I expected.  Because I have been in 'bank balance shock' before, I didn't panic.  Instead, I attempted to review the reason for the decrease with the human resources department and my superiors; but to no avail.  To this day, I can only assume that this sudden change had to do with an announcement I received a couple weeks earlier that every one's salary was going to be cut 5% and that salaries would not be able to go above a certain dollar amount (my salary was actually cut 50%).  Our ground-level staff received real documentation about this change and the date of the change.  And because I was only told about the change and did not receive the same documentation my employees did I was somewhat confused about the date the salary adjustments were to be implemented.  And even though my questions about this never were answered, I clearly understood why it had to be done.

The Whole Whopper

Convenience has reared it's ugly head again so I will keep this one short as possible (be quiet mom).

Many of you may have gotten an email (or a version of it) titled 'Calling All Prayer Warriors'.  In a nutshell, its theme is suggesting that President Obama is getting verbally pummeled by Republican and Tea Party members and fans on an unprecedented basis because he is African-American.  The email encourages all Christians to lift the President up in prayer to ask God to strengthen him in this matter, so that brother Barak may prevail through this, and that ultimately God's Will may be done.  It lastly charges us to go into a period of fasting and prayer for the President in this extremely difficult period of his life.  I fully agree that now is a good time to collectively intercede for the United States leader.  Frankly, I don't remember when there wasn't a time to do this.  But still, something is being left out.

Evil Empire

All this Elephant vs. Donkey beefin' got me thinking...what exactly is the American way?

If all 300 million-plus residents (and illegal immigrants) were asked this question there would probably be 100 million different answers--but I'm sure one common one would revolve around the system of capitalism.  Ah yes, capitalism.  That great C word that tells bright-eyed bushy-tailed American kids that they can go and get it all (as long as you break Uncle Sam off his piece) and live a limitless life of success and prosperity.  Please note, I don't think it's wise to allow the elementary school history books to mislead and persuade us that European settlers came over here for free religious practice.  The evidence clearly shows that even that freedom is powered by free enterprise.  Since this country's creation capitalism has been the focal point of our economic development.  Along with that, there have been many political and military campaigns on several levels protecting this right; and I use the term 'right' loosely.  Besides, who doesn't want to get paid?

Perception of Reality

For most of this week I've been in 'you can't be serious' mode after reading several posts on Face book.  From the young woman taking half-naked pictures in their (or a hotel) bathroom with the thirsty dudes posting comments that cements their sexual lusts in print; to the 35 and older taking "professional" pictures--seemingly in an attempt to fulfill a lifelong dream to make the Jet Beauty of the Week.  Let's not forget the mothers who post profanity-laden statuses, words of thanks to God, booty-club pics, and photos with their toddler children--all in one day.  It's all is pretty astounding to say the least.  But it also brings about some depressing feelings for me, mostly because a great amount of the foolery I see on this social website is from people I know outside of Face book.  Some of them were former high school or college mates while others I knew in other vocational circles.  A great portion of them I went to church with at some point and time, and I get weighed with so much of the foolishness that I log off and pray.  Through that prayer and meditation one subject has repeatedly surfaced--people are hurting because they don't know who they are.

Just a Moment

This is sparked from conversations with my dawgs Jai and D-Train. 

After you read this, please take between 45 seconds and 2 minutes to give God praise for Jesus Christ.  If you don't want to get traditionally chruchy, just say something like:
God, I really appreciate that you had in mind to have Jesus die for sin so that I wouldn't have to.  I understand that You hate sin and refuse to tolerate it; so somebody had to pay for that.  But for some reason, you allowed Your Son to do that.  Also, You made it possible that I could know who He is and could chill with Him.  Now He's my best friend and I know You better because of what He did.  Thanks a lot, real talk. 
Or something similar in your own words.  He is the absolute reason for my personal joy (not necessarily happiness), strength, health, and survival.  Although the Lord has watched and shown mercy to me since I got here in 1978, when I acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of He who is great, my prosperity began to increase rapidly.  Not only that, because one Sunday in the early 2000s I decided to call His Name, I am living and breathing. 

Get Real This Time

Several African American media markets that I have given my attention to (Richmond Free Press, the Voice, black social media, etc.) are buzzing about the onslaught that the Republican party and its allies are giving the Democrats; or more specifically, President Barak Obama, over the ever present national debt situation.  For some reason, these writers, commentators, and others are appalled that the opposing political party would have the audacity to cultivate and magnify the current American financial crisis so it can be a rock-solid political platform against the incumbent president (of rival party status).  As if this tactic has never been used in politics on any level before, they can't believe that someone would bring up an issue that has secretly plagued the stability of "the greatest nation on earth" for decades when the white politicians never mentioned it; even as they were perpetuating the problem.  Therefore, because of the overwhelming prevalence of misguided opinions from very intelligent people, peep game...

Blind Take - Pelican Bay Hunger Stike and Counting

Issue: On July 1, inmates at the Pelican Bay State Prison (Security Housing Unit) in Del Norte County, California began a hunger strike to protest the "inhumane" treatment by the prisons' system and staff towards the inmates.  In addition, inmates in many other California prisons have joined the effort.  The strikers in PBSP have 5 demands which are for the prison to stop group punishment, cancel the "debriefing" policy and change the prison's gang status criteria, serve better food, expand programs and privileges for long-term SHU residents, and comply to a 2006 report by the U.S. Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons.  Around 1,000 protesters are still striking, and it seems nearly certain that some strikers will either be forced fed or will die.  The strike has also put an intense strain on the medical staff at the facility; as many are working around the clock hours to deal with the crisis.

Leaning

There is a theme that is woven in the fabric of capitalism that disturbs me more with each passing year - I will call it the do-whatever-for-the-dough (money) age.  This ideology implies that an individual should be willing to investigate all avenues and opportunities to bring in the desirable income without yielding to any legal or moral roadblocks.  As a matter of fact, in many respected business' it is commonplace to have this down to be able to compete with the other sharks.  And obviously the rappers love to use this attitude to validate how serious they are about their financial security.  Most recently Ace Hood has released the same song under different names back to back (Hustle Hard and Go N Get It), where he emphatically proclaims that his struggles have lead him on a no holds barred mission for the cash.  He displays this by scoring a hit, repackaging the hit to steer away from the lack of creativity he may have, and selling it back to the consumer.  Shameless attempt to say the least.  Still, when most of us think about this "whatever-for-the-dough" notion, we tend to think about the individual or group who projects the viewpoint as evil and vile--particularly when it comes out the mouth of a music artist or a large business executive.  However...

It's Broke

Thanks to my mother and her Cobblestone magazine collection (only the sons and daughters of the educators would know what this is) I've always been a fan of the study of history.  Along with that, I was able to go to school and really have a different perspective on many things that my Confederate influenced schools taught me.  For example, I always thought Lee-Jackson-King Day was ignorant; and each one of my teachers at Chamberlayne Elementary didn't explain to me why we were celebrating two military officials who were proponents of slavery and a civil rights leader on the same day.  I also thought early on that ideally communism was the better government.  At the time I couldn't understand why it wasn't conveyed that way on the news; but later in life I was able to determine that it wasn't a system error, but there were evil people controlling the system--just like capitalism.  I think when we look at any time of organization, group, or business and begin to criticize its actions; we need to determine if the problem is with the system or the individuals running it.

This is Our People

I was going to speak on this...then I decided not to...then someone asked me to...then something related happened...so now I'm talking about it.  So...

How Casey Anthony Got Off

Chippin' Away

Sad to say, none of us can recall a time when the United States was a Christian nation, because it never was such a thing.  Please don't get 'escaping from religious persecution' confused with following Christ.  As a matter of fact, many of us, including Christians, have pushed for it to not be one.  Instead, we have endorsed the many freedoms that the U.S. has afforded to its gullible citizens and relished in the toxic runoff these liberties have produced.  Because America was founded by  rebels posing as business men, and furthered through the terrorism of the colonial rebellion towards Great Britain (commonly referred to as American revolutionists); we can never assume that 'One Nation Under God', the phrase that graces every American dollar bill, was a reference to Jehovah (or the many names that the true and living God is called by humans).  It could be more accurate to state that our founding fathers were referring to the dollar bill itself; or maybe even themselves.  But what is certain is that those men and women who chose to to secede from the Union of Great Britain did not sincerely have God in mind when they carved out this One Nation.  And what is also dead on is this current government propels similar attitudes.

Bring the Heat Anyway

Back in the U.S.A...once again it's on...

Please understand this; Gospel music is the only real music there is.  When I speak of Gospel music, I'm not just referring to the traditional Sixth Mount Zions, the Marvin Sapps, and the Yolanda Adams'.  But all music that includes the message of Jesus Christ--whether it has R&B, hip-hop, country, bluegrass, reggae, soca, or pop roots-- is included.  I find this to be true because of the fact that the Son has been around since the beginning of the beginning.  In sharp contrast, coming is a time where our jobs, social clubs, governments, and all earthly materials and accolades that we work and play so hard for will be forgotten.  Everything is temporary except His Word, and no matter how any artist makes us feel that his or her story is real and/or is real to us, it can only be partially authentic because it is not a permanent entity in the eternal life each one of us has.  With that said, and with the understanding that the topic of the saving grace offered by Jesus Christ and His indescribable sacrifice is an unshakable reality, why is there such a lack of creativity with regards to popular African American Gospel music?

Jackon Ward Historical Society

The future of Jackson Ward is a difficult thing to watch if you know a little about old, real old, Richmond.  What once was one of the wealthiest communities for African-Americans now is home to a disproportionate amount of unproductive adults and teenagers elementary school kids who identify their residence there in a relatively depressing way.  How is this done?  Well, there are those who vandalize and litter on the land as if the area was assigned to be a garbage dump.  Others use porches and alleys as thoroughfares for narcotic transactions that parallel the hopelessness that is associated with J-Dub.  And although the [documented] murder rate is not anywhere near the level it was in the '90s, homicides still promote a grim outlook of this once vibrant area.  These certainly are serious problems, but in my opinion the paramount issue concerning this neighborhood can be seen through the methods of communication and the lack of manners from its most precious resource, the adolescents.  With the way in which some choose to socialize, it's clear they don't recognize the pride that comes with their existence. 

Another Project for the Projects

When talking about what is commonly called the 'projects', I prefer to use the term 'public housing community.'  But for the sake of this topic, I'll revert back to the term 'projects'.

If a person was to visit Calvert Square (a project in Norfolk) and go into the administrative offices, after signing in as a visitor and sitting down to wait for their appointment they more than likely would notice a big laminated sign that lists some rules for Calvert Square residents.  This Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority-issued sign outlines certain bylaws that address how a resident keeps his or her yard, when they should collect their trash cans, how long clothes can be left on the clothes line, and other items.  My office is located in the Calhoun Family Investment Center, in a Richmond project called Gilpin Court.  The staff there have nicely placed a sign on the door that tells residents they are not allowed in the building while wearing sleepwear (pajamas, doo-rags, slippers, etc.).  Many of you may have heard that several of the nations' housing authorities (Portsmouth being one of them) have banned smoking within resident units.  And there is serious consideration being given to having welfare recipients drug tested to qualify for the food stipend.  Are the project czars really trying to clean up the 'hood?  Are government officials actually taking action against the [perceived] negativity that exists in the projects?  Is this really happening?

Requested Tolerance

Under the hot North Richmond sun last Saturday I had a conversation that I've been involved with for possibly the past 5 years.  A group of us were participating in a RRHA event that allowed us to meet and greet many community residents, leaders, and pseudo-politicians; as well as hear the terrific talents of the city's youth and the unintended humor of the events' master of ceremony.  As associated with the [relative] ignorance of the traditional Baptist, the MC hit us with unforgettable terms such as "Ms. Barak" and statements like "Adam told his children to get to work after he was kicked out of the garden (contrarily, scripture details that Adam didn't have kids when he got banned from the garden of Eden)".  Still, she kept it as Christian as she could.  In between her remarks were performances from a youth choir and a men's quartet that furthered the notion of celebrating Jesus.  Around the time the quartet came on, one of my associates said something like, "I don't like it when people shove Jesus down my throat."  I was not at all surprised that a Christian would say that, as I know of several elders who proclaim that we shouldn't "beat people over the head with the Bible."  I also know of other Christians who seem to feel the same way.  So while it's not shocking, it is hard for me to understand. 

The Players Guide to Beating the NCAA

Does anyone remember when Allen Iverson was driving a 1996 Mercedes-Benz E Class during his sophomore and final year at Georgetown University?  When he was two years removed from jail in Hampton and when he led the Hoyas to a Sweet 16 appearance?  Ahhh, the good ol' days; when star college athletes could get comped for their on-field or on-court skills and very few people (or anybody in most cases) would say a word.  I'll bet some of you who are reading this never even knew Chuck had a Bubble Eye Benz while in school.  But if you do some research (google can't help you with this) you may find some of your other favorite former colligiete ball players were driving fancy also.  Terrell Pryor (Ohio State University quarterback) is the new athelte with the hot whip.  Actually, the whip isn't that hot--it's a Nissan 300Z; but it'll do just fine for reporters who need to enhance a story.  Honestly, he's talented enough to push the GT-R.  At any rate, Prior turned into the target of a NCAA investigation after a variety of violations.  More media, Twitter, and most importantly, more money has made what use to be an easy cash-for-service move into a huge mess.  How did this happen?  It doesn't matter.  Because your boy has the guide to make sure all you blue-chippers live good while earning your favorite school millions.  Note: If you walked onto your team and did not get a full scholarship, this is not for you.

People Fall, the Goal Stands

Wahoowa!!!  Wahoowa!!!  No, I'm not at all a University of Virginia graduate, but I do support the success of all collegiate sports programs in this commonwealth.  And yesterday, Thomas Jefferson's spot claimed a 5th men's lacrosse national championship by defeating the University of Maryland in Baltimore's M&T Stadium.  The storied UVA program is back on top after it began the preseason ranked #1, tumbling in the rankings, and playing its best at the end of the season to win the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and then go on to be the best in the country.  Great job Cavaliers; and I'm sure this time the taste of victory is not as sweet as it was the other four titles.

Air Boxing

Here is an African American cliche` - the victory is finally won!  Two of the many black soapbox organizations in the country have 'won a victory' right here in Richmond.  They were able to tear away property from VCU-via-the-city and begin demolition on it.  This was done because the Confederate capital allowed the paving of this plot of land (a burial ground for slave and freed blacks between 1750 and 1810) so it could be used as a parking lot.  An obvious demoralizing method to continue the mental slavery of the African in America, but what do you expect an evil people to do to its enemies?  Of course there was a ceremony which marked the achievement of this, and with that a symbolic land-braking where several city big heads, including the mayor, participated.  A young brother like me though is still trying to figure out where the victory is in this.

Holy House to a Den of Robbers

I had a hand in starting a verses (better term than spoken word) ministry at a church I attended for nearly 10 years.  What this entailed was me spitin' two pieces to the congregation each fourth Sunday; as well as taking some time to help develop the skills of other young writers at the church.  Because of I perceived that there was unhealthy attention geared towards making money at that church, I wrote a piece called Time, Talent, and Dollars.  This work investigated some misconceptions about tithing as well as how vile I felt it was that ministers and/or ministries were manipulating people to give.  I remember after that worship service how an elder approached me and said something like "that was awesome!  You know Pastor ain't gonna let you do poems no more (while laughing)."  Of course, that didn't happen, but neither did the refocus of teaching people the appropriateness of giving.

Next Time You See Me I'll Be Ten Feet Tall...

One month from now your boy will leave his mother and father to be united with my wife, and become one flesh.  A truly amazing occurrence for those who know me, but an even more amazing thing for me and my knowledge of myself.  I now attempt to document my feelings concerning this, but these words represent around 7 % of what actually is occurring with my emotions.

It Aint Over 'Till You Finished

I met my business partner and friend arguing over the success of the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees while his sister (my girlfriend at the time) was recovering from heart surgery.  Right there in that hospital room, in front of their mother, aunts, and nurses, we debated (which is hardly a debate) on who was the better team while his sister attempted to motion to us to shut it up.  Even though his sister and I broke up a while later, her brother and I remained friends and we took on the challenge of encouraging children to be exceptional adults to lead an ever-changing Richmond.  I recall some of the times where we would hang out; watching sports with other friends of ours, playing spades, just being guys.  And during these times we would sometimes have conversations about entrepreneurial aspirations the had and that I figured made sense and would benefit the entire city, if not the world.  Yeah, we were the ones at those [insert pyramid scheme here] seminars thinking we could make some real money in weeks.  Of course that, and a bunch of other things we tried together and separately didn't work.  The reality was that there was me with a college education and him without one; and we were both reaching.

The State of the Community Mental Health Industry, Pt. 3-The Power

Every now and then during therapeutic interventions a parent will get upset about how their child is or is not being treated by the child's counselor.  Regardless of the reason of the grievance or who is at fault, a great number of parents will run this statement out there when they aren't satisfied with the action of the servicing agency: "I'mma call Medicaid!"  Now whether or not they will actually do that is a crap shoot.  But that statement has allegedly worked to the appeasement of the parent; concerned about what a counselor is telling their kid, but not concerned enough to read their report card.  It is a fact however that Medicaid has shut down many agencies off of these calls.  Not necessarily because the parents' accusation has been accurate, but because the Medicaid rep found other infractions of non-compliance when they got to the agencies' office.  Sometimes they bring their road dawg (the Dept. of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services) with them.  DBHDS may not, but when Medicaid comes they come for blood each time.  So we as providers are all 'scared' of those two.

The State of the Community Mental Health Industry, Pt. 2-The Players

Remember in the movie Casino, when Nicky Santora was sexing Ace Rothstein's wife Ginger?  Remember that scene where Ginger got mad at Ace and went up to Nicky's restaurant to try to put a hit out on her husband and Nicky violently responded?  After he threw her down the stairs and she sped off he told his goon, "I really [explicative] up this time."  Then a little later in the movie, right before Nicky died he had a powerful statement.  "We had heaven on earth and we managed to [explicative] it all up."  Those two scenes describe the players of the community mental health industry.  When I say players, I'm speaking of the service providers (agencies, companies).  And we did manage to screw everything up.

The State of the Community Mental Health Industry, Pt. 1-The Partnership

For the next few days I'm going to shed some light on my experiences during my four year tenure in the community mental health industry in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  For those who don't know what community mental health industry entails, it is a myriad of services that address the mental health and behavioral issues and needs for any given community, region, etc.  My expertise in this field comes from providing intensive in-home (IIH) and therapeutic day treatment (TDT) to children; and mental health support (MHS) for adults.  With the exception of TDT, IIH and MHS are services where a counselor provides the interventions in the home of the service recipient.  TDT is done in a school or an after school program.  The components I will look at are the partnerships, the players (agencies, organizations, etc.), the people (kids, adults, families), and the power (Medicaid, Dept. Behavioral Health).  The names of everyone will be hidden to protect the successful and/or the sorry.  Let's begin...

Child Bosses

After a pretty active day at school, Dequante hops off the bus while horse playing with one of his friends.  He punches the friend in the arm and jets away before his bus mate can strike him back.  The bus stop is not far away from his mother's apartment home, and he doesn't do the best job at slowing down so he crashes into the screen door.  His mother, a little buzzed from her third beer of the afternoon, jumps while on the couch in surprise.  Dequante can hear his mother yelling obscenities as she approaches the door.  The curse words continue as she opens the door, and Dequante walks into a living room filled with smoke.  As the child maneuvers through the weed clouds to the kitchen, he opens a refrigerator containing a few beers, bologna, cheese, and a few leftover food items.  Throughout the evening, 1st grade Dequante enjoys great tasks as fixing his own meals, picking out his own clothes, taking care of his own hygiene needs (which he usually ignores), and enduring his mothers' company; which always includes drinking, cigarettes and weed smoke, and a colorful use of the English language.  Unfortunately, what Dequante's school nights don't include is homework or adult supervision.

Save the Tigers

Reduce cost, retain assets, reorganize fund allocation, cut the fat.  The unfortunate fate of St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia is described in these four philosophies as the entire athletics program will cease to exist as of July 1.  SBC has been here before and usually a revisit may ease anxious thoughts about the future.  I'm not so sure that's the case this time, as there is a huge notion that this was done to keep the college's doors open.  In 1987 the football program was shut down for 15 years after proudly re-competing.  And for a school that never was the talk of winning a championship in any sport they fielded (at least for most of my life) they did pretty well after their reinstatement to the CIAA.  The winning didn't last long, but at least football was back.  And now it's gone again, along with all the other men's and women's sports programs.

As a bystander to this situation I would be interested to know how the alumni feel about this.  I assume one of the reason's alumni at the larger white universities give money to sports programs (and players) so these things don't happen.  Of course, paying players is against NCAA rules so that option isn't included in this.  But compliant and consistent financial support is.  I believe that a solid athletic program directly benefits a college in the areas of enrollment and revenue.  So it makes sense to ensure these programs remained intact; but when they don't, how?  Even before this tragic issue who supported the boosters so coaches could have more resources to recruit with?  Is St. Paul's College saying that there aren't enough good Christian athletes that want to come to a small Christian school?  Isn't there a powerful ministry opportunity provided through collegiate atheletics; where God-fearing coaches mentor to college students on a daily basis-helping them become strong through discipline, service, and faith?

All the questions I have I'm sure have been asked before this decision and the deadline is set.  But, as it was in 2002, games can once again be played in Lawrenceville.  It's just sad to see this happen but trust me, I fully understand.  Because whether it's school, work, church, or a combination of all three - it's always about the dollars.

SBC Alumni Save the Tigers

Peace

Name Nonsense

This is dedicated to the Marquisha's, the Tyshella's, the N'daequan's, the LaMaquis's and the Ronshaneke's (pronounced Ra-sha-neek).  I know America has put you in the dregs of society because your mothers decided to get 'creative' during the nine months they carried you.  And because of their artistic expression by means of your first (and sometimes middle) name you are discriminated by your teachers before they even meet you, your job applications and resumes are laughed at and then thrown away, and you are labeled 'ghetto'.  What's even more disheartening is that most of these actions and reactions are coming from your own African American brothers and sisters; mothers and fathers.  So because of the continued drama, this one is for you.

You are truly disadvantaged because you are the shame of a [every so often] proud culture.  I mean, when they call TaShawn during roll call in class the general theme is his mom shouldn't have done that to that boy, she set him up to fail!  And in the 21st century it's so critical to make sure a black child has a respectable and understandable name - for example, who would ever employ or give a college scholarship to a kid named Barak?  Wait a minute, a guy named Barak got elected president of the U.S.A.  On second thought he was Nigerian so he gets a pass.  Or was it Hawaiian Indian?  Either way, who would do such a thing?  How can you make it with that type of name? 

Sure an Asian named Xingu (try to pronounce it) can come to America and do alright.  I don't think people will disrespect his or her name because it may have originated from the riches of Japanese culture.  And unfortunately for you, you have no culture outside of what America chooses to give you.  Your original culture was stolen from you during the African Holocaust so it's probably better if you stick with a Bill or Amy if you chose to have children.  After all, it worked for Kunta Kenta and all he lost was a foot.  This way, you won't have to work as hard to get a job or get in college because your name is less black and ghetto.  Wait another minute, the term ghetto was created to refer to the neighborhoods where Jews were forced to live in before the Jewish Holocaust.  So shouldn't a ghetto name be David or Joshua or Deborah or Sarah?  Well, that's different, too.

See, what you don't understand is it's acceptable to be as Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, German, or Spanish as you can be.  But try not to be too black because it's just too threatening for America.  Sure Germany lead the cause for world domination twice.  And sure the Chinese still practice the ever anti-American communism.  Never mind that, just remember that as long as you have been allowed to have an opinion in this country your opinion only matters to you.  There is no opportunity for you to create your own businesses and schools so you might as well assimilate with America's ways.  And if black people won't deal with you because your name is Darquella then your back is really against the wall.  Obviously they are smarter, better looking, and more technically astute (but not more athletic) than you because their name is William; and their parents were thinking ahead - you know, playing the game.

But check this out.  Next time a Daniel, wait one more minute, that's also Jewish so let's say Thomas says 'what type of name is Natasha'?  Wait again, that's Russian so let's say Quanisha.  Ok, so next time a Thomas says 'what type of name is Quanisha'?  You can ask him to please embrace all things about African American society that makes us unique and don't discriminate because of a name.  Or maybe remind him that they love to dance to hip hop or relax to jazz, to forms of music that are based from impoverished, urban African American culture.  Or remind him that a family that loves and nurtures their child can be as successful as anyone, no matter how different or ethnic their name is.  He may fire back at you that 'ghetto' names make things harder for black people.  And he may be right because certainly intra-racial issues don't cause any problems.  Besides, who would ever want the President of the United States to work hard?

Peace.

Runnin' (Can't Keep Runnin' Away) - The Pharcyde/Labcabincalifornia 1995

We Christians sure love us some David.  For a lot of us, particularly Christian men, David of Bethlehem is who we would honestly choose to be like.  Obviously, his story of moving from being a shepard on his fathers' farm to winning a huge battle for his country to being the king's attendant, enemy, then successor is exhilarating.  And if all of that wasn't enough, being labeled by God [through the prophecy of Samuel] as "a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:13-14)" certainly seals the deal.  What is true is that King David's spiritual sincerity is admirable.  His military and political accomplishments are commendable.  And his offenses and violations of the law are, well, relieving for many.  I actually know of a minister who choses to assimilate his character with that of King David; seemingly in an attempt to establish a parallel of David's crime of adultery and murder with Bathsheba and his [the minister] crimes of embezzlement and other federal and moral offenses.  I assume the thought is that if David can be great while being evil every now and then, then so can the next man.  But as with many great men and women of the Bible who we uplift in our worship services, Bible studies, and prayer meetings (if those still exist); we love their stories, teach others to be like them, compare our good deeds to theirs and excuse our bad deeds with theirs.  But real talk, we really don't want to be like them.

Some time ago while visiting my maternal grandparents I found myself in one of my grandmothers' anti-rap conversations.  She questioned why I still listened to hip-hop music since I had reached a 'respectable' level of Christianity.  After her question, the conversation went something like this:

"Grammie, what do you think rappers talk about?"
"Nothing but drugs, sex, and violence."
"Ok, and do you think those things happen here? In the West End (Richmond, not Henrico)?" 
"Of course they do."
"And so, when these young people told you, or other Christians what was going on in their environment, what actions did you take to change these issues?"
long pause
"I didn't do nothing.  I changed the station!"
"Ok, so when Jesus charged Christians to spread news about Him, to heal the sick and the poor in His Name, do you think He was talking about these young people who are telling us [Christians] about their or someone they may know situations in their environment first hand through their music?"
"Well, I didn't think about it like that."

And most of us don't.  Because it's very easy to point at the giant and talk about him amongst ourselves; wondering who's going to do something.  But to be a David and actually go and confront the giant is a little extreme, even for the super saved and sanctified.  Crack cocaine appeared in the U.S. in the early 1980s and hip-hop began bringing light to its potential for devastation shortly after.  In Richmond this epidemic literally reduced lives, families, and historical African American communities to rubble.  But instead of Christians taking action on the crack epidemic, most took action on the rappers.  While the deacon ran to turn the radio off and stomp on CDs, his children were getting high.  While the trustee ran to listen to the preacher berate rappers during one of his sermons, teenage drug cartels were extorting corner stores to improve their distribution.  Now we are in a generation where what the white media termed (and the black media went along with) 'gangsta rap' is glorified; quite possibly because no one addressed the issues of what the real gansta rappers were talking about.  Perhaps if these issues were addressed by the people assigned to be "the light of the world (Matthew 5:14)", these issues may barely exist.  But what happened was that most Christians kept runnin' from rap music or to the issues documented in it.  And oh yeah, people are still dying behind drugs.

Although it might not be a bad idea, I'm not saying listen to rap so you can learn about our people's taboo problems and discuss action plans for correction.  But I am asking Christians to stop running from the problems.  I'm also saying to the preacher and the man who thinks you are, chances are you're not David, you're the army.  You are that same army that was scared of the giant and decided to mumble about him amongst their morning and evening meetings; and then run away.  On your way to work every day you see oppression like the army did, but you run away from it and wait until Sunday morning or Wednesday evening to talk about it instead of confronting the problem.  This running could be because you have forgotten that you serve a God who has done and can do anything.  Or maybe you forgot that Jesus commanded you to speak life into threats of death around you and that He gave you the means and power to do so (John 14:12).  Or maybe you have bought into the more contemporary Christian theme of individualism (i.e. God favors ME).  If that's the case than your loss of memory is killing your community.  However, if you are in the Richmond area and you want to stop your running and murder, I am joined with some brothers who discuss how we can change our lives and the lives around us as instructed by the Word; and then we put those discussions to action.  Get at me and I'll give you details of our meetings.  Because the fact remains like the Pharcyde says, can't keep runnin' awaaaaay-aaaay-aaay.

Peace.

For those who don't know, the title of this post is the title of a record from Los Angeles-based hip-hop group The Pharcyde.  Runnin' appeared on the groups' 1995 album, Labcabincalifornia.

Ode To Motherhood

I believe that in proper form (even though I'm a day late) I give a shout to one of the greatest mothers in history, the late Ellen P. Jones, my paternal grandmother.  In addition to that I would like to admonish and bring attention to a type of motherhood that doesn't get mentioned much but is key in the establishment of African American culture.

Grandma was born a couple generations away from slavery in Drewyville, VA (Southhampton County) in October of 1921.  As a matter of fact, she maintained that our family is related to Virginia abolitionist Nat Turner, which is important because the determination and spiritual obedience that Turner displayed as a slave and freedom fighter was evident in Grandma's life.  I won't give you guys a history lesson on her, but shortly after leaving the country and moving to Richmond she married my grandfather, the late Paul Jones.  Their first home was in Church Hill and then they later moved to Highland Park when my dad was in his junior year at Armstrong High School.  During this time, Highland Park was a more affluent neighborhood than it is now after the cocaine epidemic of the mid-1980s ripped it apart.  So this move was a considerable upgrade with regards to overall lifestyle.  My dad has mentioned that he didn't like the move very much because it geographically separated him from most of his friends, but later on we all would see the move was advantageous for several members of our family.

My paternal grandfather died not too long after my parents married, and during the long time my grandma was a widow, miraculous things would happen to and in that home.  That house served as what I would call the 'healing house' for many members of our family and the community, including me.  More specifically, I can remember when I was around 9 or 10 that a student at Union Theological Seminary, aspiring to become a licensed minister, had visited Sharon Baptist Church where Grandma was a member.  Because of his lack of money, housing, and his need to pursue his goal my grandmother allowed him to stay at her home rent free.  This gentleman was a part of our lives for about 2 - 3 years as he worked and studied, which was something I thought to be quite strange.  But he wasn't the only one.  Several cousins and aunts stayed with "Aunt Ellen" when their situations became a little difficult to bear.  In the true spirit of Matthew 25:35, Grandma gave us shelter, food, and Christian nourishment for us to strengthen our faith and learn to walk in it.  She took us in with our many issues and never condemned us for what we were going through; she just helped.  As for me, my Grandma's health began to deteriorate right around the time when I was still searching to be someone.  I had become accustomed to a life of substance abuse and hate; a life I was not raised in and it was beginning to swallow me.  Because I was respectable enough to not bring any of the foolishness I was involved in to my parents house, and because of the stench of my foulness was beginning to reach my mother's senses, I started planning to move.  My father suggested that I live with Grandma to serve two purposes: to get my self on my [financial] feet and to care for my grandmother in her failing health.  Initially, I rejected this idea because I really still wanted to do what I wanted to do and I knew this was not acceptable in her house.  But eventually I consented.  As the Lord would have it, being in the presence of my grandmother daily influenced me to make significant changes that led to me being gainfully employed and working on several business ventures.  After 3 years of staying with Grandma I was blessed with the opportunity to purchase my first home.  With her encouragement, I walked into that opportunity and bought a house only 6 blocks away from her.  As time went on her health got to the point where she could not live alone.  She spent her last days at my parents house in my old room, sleeping in my old bed.  I was the last individual that my grandmother took in and 'healed'.

Even today, the hard work that my grandparents put to keep that house is still reaping benefits for my family; as my cousin is now living there, rent free (just paying utilities).  As keeping with what the house symbolizes my cousin receives the same blessings that many of her predecessors did.  This house is now somewhat of a landmark in HP, not because it is extravagant or large, because it isn't.  As a matter of fact, it is one of the smaller homes in Highland Park.  But the love that is inside that house that was given through my grandmother cannot be contained, but it has saturated men and women who are family and who are not.  Sometime after Grandma's funeral in 2009, I rejoiced in my spirit because I could see how the Lord had planned something in my grandmother's life to serve as a land of promise for years and years, and I was planned to receive this as well!  This points to what needs to be brought to light.  I am well aware of the mothers that come from sharecropping as Grandma did; who with faith and hard work have made homes for their families that have existed years after they have passed away.  These homes did not see the fate of burnings, or break-ins, or foreclosure-because the Grace of the Lord was with them and everything they touched.  These women have survived through real (physical) discrimination and violent racism.  These women lived under the threat of terrorism that was perpetuated by the Virginia and U.S. governments.  These women supported families with the resources they had, even if the people weren't blood.  And these are the women that make black America.

We like to think that because we aren't getting water hoses turned on us that these threats don't exist anymore.  The fact however is that many still do, while others have simply changed their methods of existence.  And because of this I have a charge to you, dear reader.  I challenge you today to uplift that young woman from Hillside, or Gilpin, or Essex Village, or any hood in the States who is working to buy that house so her family can live without the looming presence of pain.  I encourage you to reach out to that college student who comes from a hellish environment and inquire on her needs to reach her goals, and help her.  I ask that you pull that high school girl aside and look her in her eye and tell her she is precious in the eyes of the All Powerful God AND to our society.  Do this with all of your resources, even if all you have to give is just a kind word.  Keep in mind that the possibility that these women may become (or already are) mothers is high.  And we know that without the strong and faithful mother, the whole village suffers.  We can all use a little bit less suffering!

I write this in thought of my late paternal grandmother; as well as the continued blessed and fruitful lives of my maternal grandmother, my mother, my aunts, and all the mothers worldwide who continue to demonstrate true love.

Peace

Police 'Brutality' Gone Right?

After my devotions and studies, my next morning ritual is Sports Center.  This is occasionally interrupted by my fiance's ever growing interest of the Today Show; and today was one of those days.  Usually, I'll pay attention to the first 20 minutes of it (which includes the real news) and then I'll keep it moving.  But this morning was one of those rare mornings where there was news after the first 20.

I caught this story of a 15 year old girl in Phoenix that is the center of a police brutality issue.  Apparently this young lady, who is a student at a charter school for children with behavioral and disciplinary issues, came to school drunk.  She was subsequently kicked out for the day and her mother had to come escort her home.  The report then showed an amateur video of the mother and daughter fighting in the middle of the street outside of the school.  Actually, they weren't fighting because the daughter was taking it to her mom.  The reporter said that before the issue got physical the mother called the police, but the cops didn't come fast enough for her to not catch a thrashing from her own daughter.  Then it gets more interesting.  The daughter, after swinging on her mom MMA style, ignored the police officer's orders to submit under arrest and walked away from the entire scene.  The video showed what appeared to be the cop calling her back while she was about 20 yards away.  Then the cop charged the girl and hit her with a forearm like he was blocking down field for a running back.  The girl flew into the wall and fell on the ground with an visable laceration on her head.  The cop cuffed the teenager and walked her to his car.  Now there are several people in Phoenix (and I'm sure nationwide) that are accusing the cop of brutality and want him to see some justice.

The first thing that came in my head is that the Today show is great for highlighting things that may occur in the white community 'these days' that have been happening in the black community for, well, since we got here.  I was a victim of police brutality in 1999 from the Petersburg police.  I remember sitting in a well-known African American Richmond lawyers' office with a broken hand to hear this lawyer (featured on many commercials for his business and political aspirations) tell me "we don't go after the police.  It's just something we don't do.  I'm sorry for your situation because it does sound like you have something."  We, being of legal age, followed the rules the entire time we were there as well as paid that club a significant amount of cash that night.  I hate to say it but we were targeted for being, let's say confident.  But we didn't violate ANY club or city policy, except the confident thing.  But obviously, 2 black men and a black female don't make as good as a case as a disrespectful white teenage female.  And I assume the Today show feels the same about news stories.

But the more important issue in my mind is this.  At what point does ANYONE intervene physically in this type of situation?  Those of you who were born up until 1982 (or who were raised by ol' skool parents) would see this video and say something like that's 'cause she didn't beat her daughters butt when she was a kid.  I'm positive if my mother had to pick me up from school because I was drunk she would've worn me out in the office!  But in the USA, the parent-child relationship is being shelved for a more friendship type of understanding. 

This police officer saw this 15 year old being extremely disrespectful and treated her exactly how she was acting.  And I am the last person to advocate for any type of police action, but he saw something the country needs to see.  Parents have moved from not physically disciplining their children to not disciplining them at all.  Cliche': they have allowed [insert form of media here] to raise children and now no one tells a kid no, much less gives a firm smack.  And what's totally being ignored here is the parent.  How did her daughter get drunk?  Why is she in a 'problem child' school in the first place?  What has she done to ensure things like this, and other actions of disrespect don't happen?  If this is going on in the street, can we assume it's like this at her house?  Where are the laws against irresponsible parents?  And I'm not talking about dead beat dads, but I'm speaking about lazy, uninvolved, immature mothers?  How is the cop coming under heat for what the mother should've done years ago in her own house?

Some of you know I am in favor of fining parents who's children are truant and consistently display non-compliant behavior.  These fines are geared towards forcing parents to...be parents.  And after watching this video I said to myself, lock the kid up, fine the mother a stack ($1,000), and give the cop a paid day off.  Many mothers, yes I said it-mothers, are looking for everyone around them (except the father in some cases) to rear their children.  What this has led to is waiting lists for kids to attend alternative schools where behavior modifications are first and education is last, filled juvenile detention centers, mental health agencies blurring boundaries, I could go on.  And I'm not saying beat your kid, although some of you might need to, but I am saying raise your child.  Turn off BET when your child comes home.  Do homework with him/her. If you can't understand the work, take your Rocawear money and give that to a tutor for him/her.  Stop cursing around your child.  Stop smoking and drinking around your child.  Get involved in all aspects of your child's life.  Communicate with him/her.  Remember, you have been blessed and tasked to develop a new life, not recreate your own.

Holla at you later.