What's Missing From the New Civil Rights Movement - The Boycott

I can see it now.  At the end-of-the-first-quarter meeting at Mars, Inc., the CEO, with all of his regional directors, accountants, and no media gathered at the long table will say something like this:

"Even though this occurred as a result of a tragic event, we have experienced record highs in sales of our original Skittles product.  Good job, team!"

Of course, he (used figuratively) will give himself a big raise, take a trip to the West Indies, and give his directors a little bit too.  And on the vacation, he and the regional director for the southeast will chop up ways to keep churches across the nation buying Skittles...keep getting to the money.

What's Missing From the New Civil Rights Movement - Civil Disobedience

2012 A.D. - March 12 - Richmond - Confederate States of America

During prolonged deliberation about the controversial "Ultrasound Bill", individuals of various backgrounds, races, and religions protested the move; angry over the fact that the Commonwealth of Virginia was so insensitive to control one of the most intimate and unfortunate procedures a woman could ever encounter.  Unfortunately, the Commonwealth did not concern themselves with such a position, and ordered Virginia law enforcement to carry seven of the protesters off of the Capitol steps and to jail.  The 'man' coerced, warned, and pulled and shackled them to the Fairfield Way.  A throwback.

Surpassed Enough

Demarcus dragged himself with his arms across the bloody linoleum floor to attempt to comfort his screaming infant son.  A few seconds earlier he was prevented from running to him because he couldn't feel his legs.  The prior intruder more than likely was the cause of the loss, but Demarcus hoped his body was temporarily paralyzed from the gun blast.  Unfortunately he was sadly mistaken.  While he was able to protect his first born from getting injured, and to console him after the derelict kicked the door or his apartment open and shot his pistol four times before fleeing, he wasn't able to restore the strength his legs once possessed. 

At the hospital waiting room the aunt who raised him nearly fainted as the doctor reported the news. His two younger cousins clinched their fists in anger and raised their voices; shouting curses about Demarcus' sons' mother; who they determined ordered a hit on him.  Meanwhile, Demarcus laid silent and peaceful.  After the commotion receded, his sister asked him "what you gonna do now?"

Demarcus, a 5 month Christian convert, lifted his heavy eyelids and said, "I still have my life, and Christ has already done more than enough."

His cousins smirked as his sister and aunt exhaled with disgust...

The Night I Left

Even the evangelist ain't the same no more.  Well, at least the popular one.  What used to be a brutally honest, experienced, and passionate person has turned into a sheltered, made-for-TV personality.  It may seem that I'm generalizing a bit, or a lot, but wouldn't it be nice to have one of those ministers come to you and say "I haven't arrived at all, I'm striving to get better"?  I mean, the premier evangelist Paul described it; being unable to walk consistently in the fullness of his Devine calling because of sin (Romans 7:14-20).  Yet today, we here more 'been there, done that' than 'still here, doing that' when the later statement may be more of the truth.  Now this could be because when a Christian minister of any kind eludes to still struggling, the human mind immediately gravitates to assumptions of sins involving substance abuse or immoral sex.  But it's very possible that the man or woman of God could be struggling with something not is socially vile but equally as devastating...such as not paying attention to God's specific instruction...which almost always births a great chance to sin.  Here's one of mine...

Lou to Kareem

shout out to Amer Amen for always bringing the mind-unraveling conversation...

Some months after I ended my Facebook hiatus, around the time of my birthday, an old college friend posted a three word birthday wish on my wall that said, "Happy Birthday, pimp."  My wife didn't like that too much; but not only did I see it as not a big deal, I was absolutely clueless as to why she had a problem with a male college friend wishing me a happy birthday.

"He called you pimp.  You're not a pimp," she said.

"Yeah," I said, "but, he didn't mean it like that.  It's just...you know."

I couldn't even finish defending the situation because my ignorant radar went off; telling me that I should know exactly why Melicer wasn't pleased with the friendly intent.

Mile and a Half Demon

It's been told to me and I tell it to young athletes all the time; ain't nothin' like a championship.  And that feeling doesn't die out when you no longer compete on the field or court.  It lives on with the hope that each season brings.  And on a wet and windy February night, childhood friends and their families sat together at VCU's Stuart C. Siegel Center to watch their Henrico High School Warriors trounce on it's Central Virginia neighbor (the schools are 1.6 miles apart), John Marshall Justices.  The nostalgia within this rivalry brings good feelings from those of us who have participated in the games; whether in basketball or football.  But there is a dark side that walks hand in hand with it.  Midway through the second quarter, a fight between the games' younger patrons broke out which caused the play on the court to come to a screeching halt.  Several minutes after that another squabble erupted.  And then, after halftime, a small series of scuffles occurred; one had a kid kicking another down the concrete steps of the arena.  The ill-equipped security scrambled to regain control.  On-duty faculty members criss-crossed frantically attempting to get the youth to move along.  Police set up shop outside.  Ahhh....just like it used to be.