Black Confederate

The other day I was reading an article that was investigating the often ignored fact of free blacks owning slaves as far back as the mid-1600s.  The piece highlighted many of the comfortable "excuses" that may have gave way to this practice; such as a free husband purchasing his slave-eligible wife or children to prevent them from being sold elsewhere....hence, preserving the family.  But it also looked at the more darker, sinister side that's usually associated with the white Southern slave owner.  That side indicates that many free blacks were heavily concerned with product production, growing revenues, and even human control at a position that rivaled their white contemporaries.  The article even brought attention to a couple hundred free blacks in Louisiana who took up the Confederate cause during the Civil War....proudly protecting legal slavery.  You have to know that those free blacks the atrocities of slavery; and of course they considered the possibility that a distant family members could be enslaved.  But the bottom line was just that.  And at the end of the day, they made a decision to obey what they believed was right, and determine what really was right wasn't right for them.

Skin Comfort

You know, y'all should really take some time and check out the cable access shows in your area every now and then.  If you can get past the the grainy picture and the poor production, you'll be able to get a great idea of the thoughts of the underground media in your region...some of which you might even represent.  I had an opportunity to do that this Saturday, viewing a show that was a comedy-slash-black-power program that focused on a flaming hot topic here in the 804...the proposed baseball stadium in the Shockoe Bottom area of the city...an area that served as a thriving slave port during America's ugly slave trade years.  The long-dreaded host and his black-fist friend used the hour of air time to promote their stance on the issue, a stance that's popular among the recent black political in the area...no stadium over "our" ancestors.  They were real solid in their position until I proposed to them this question: "being that slaves worked for free, wouldn't it honor our ancestors more if we presented opportunities where their descendants can work for pay, such as this stadium?  If you don't see this stadium as an opportunity such as this, then what alternatives do you present?"  At that moment the crickets filled the room.

Just A Rec League Coach

I don't remember the week leading up to Mother's Day getting such good promotion for a good, sports reason.  Even though ESPN shoved a homosexual romance down our throats on the actual day, the all-sports channel did have a great sports story going for a while.  Those opposing the homosexual romance story are crying that ESPN, because it broadcasts sports, is a family network.  But along with all of the alcohol and sex drug advertisements, it's hard to assume that just because they have games on in the evenings that they're a family channel; especially when they never publicize to be one.  But Kevin Durant, the Most Valuable Player of the 2013-2014 NBA season, quickly turned a sports story into a family moment, and hopefully a couple of celebrated trends.

The Best Birthday Ever

This past Saturday I woke up to the beauty of my safely sleeping family.  The brightness of the early May morning seemed to give me a little more pep, and the feeling that comes with only a few hours of sleep quickly disappeared.  I was calm and reflective, even though I was running late for my first engagement of the day.  The car-less streets made up for my tardiness and I made it on time; from the car seat to the church door straight to work.  Slight issues with the equipment were easily handled; I took my position in the sound booth directing the media and visuals, and 250 or so people squeezed together to worship and pray to The Lord God.  To date, it was my best birthday ever.