Faith in Action

Religion, Policy, Activism

When people ask, "what is the biggest mistake made in the Black Panther Party?" I tell them very clearly that what we did wrong was to take God out of the movement. -Afeni Shakur (Former Black Panther and Mother of slain rapper,Tupac Shakur)

Archive for the ‘black women’

← Previous Entries
Next Entries →

State of the Black Union 2008

25.02.2008 by Heber Brown, III Category Beloved Community, Black people, Culture, State of Black America, activist, african american, black women

I must admit that this year, I was feeling a certain way about Tavis Smiley’s State of the Black Union Roundtable. I’ve watched in previous years and have been inspired but this time around, I just wasn’t interested in the linguistic olympics featuring Dr. Mike Eric Dyson, Dr. Cornell West, Dr. Na’im Akbar and the other usual suspects. I think Tavis needs greater diversity…ideological diversity. It’s getting to the point now where you pretty much know how people are going to come down on the issues. I would like to see more grassroots-activist types, artists, OG’s from street oganizations…I mean let’s really shake it up! Allow the crowd to benefit from the wide variety of thought that is found within our rich culture. I feel like the panel is getting too academic…too “talented tenth”…too…dare I say - bourgeois. That’s not directed at any individual panelist, just the feeling I got from the event this year as a whole. (Disclaimer: to be fair I only watched the 2nd panel) I was thankful last year to see Min. Louis Farrakhan on the panel. In some respects he made the discussion for me with his fiery rhetoric.

This year, Dick Gregory’s participation made the discussion for me. He communicated his truth in lay language - down where the goats could get it and do something with it. He made great sense and though he was the oldest participant, he was, in my estimation, the most courageous. As he said himself - he was the turtle….hard on the outside, soft on inside, and willing to stick his neck out from time to time. I’m not sure I could say that about the others.

Enjoy this clip of Dick Gregory from this year’s State of the Black Union 2008. I uploaded the rest of his sharing to my youtube page.

It’s okay for grown men to have sex with 16 year old girls

07.02.2008 by Heber Brown, III Category Culture, baltimore, black women, maryland, social justice

That may as well be the lesson learned now that 41-year-old Detective William Welch from the Baltimore City Police Department escaped all jail time for raping a 16-year-old girl in the Southeastern District Station House in July 2006.

Two summers ago I, along with many other young activists, were enraged by this news and held a rally outside of the Baltimore City Police Department Headquarters with very specific demands.

Welch escaped all jail time by entering an Alford Plea. The plea does not admit guilt, but maintains that the state has enough evidence to convict him. Reeking of foul play, that evidence which was under watch and key by the Baltimore City Police Department went “lost”. Now the Maryland Police will control evidence in cases involving city officers.

Welch was forced to resign from the Police Department, but was allowed to return to his Timonium home on Quiet Stream Court.

Read More

Enough is Enough puts BET on blast…at its own award show!

14.01.2008 by Heber Brown, III Category BET, Black Clergy, Culture, Free Your Mind, State of Black America, activist, african american, black women, social justice

One of my favorite pastors and a dear colleague of mine, Dr. Delman Coates, had a very interesting Saturday night. He, along with hundreds of supporters from the Enough is Enough Campaign spent the evening marching in protest out front the Warner Theater - the location of the taping of the 2008 BET Honors Awards show.

If you’ve fell victim to the media blackout on this, Coates, pastor of the Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, and the Enough is Enough Campaign have been protesting out front the home of BET CEO, Debra Lee, for the past many months. A New York Chapter of Enough is Enough has also been initiated and that branch of the campaign protests out front the Manhattan residence of Philippe Dauman, President & CEO of Viacom.

I must say that I am impressed with the perseverance of Enough is Enough. I knew that when things got started late summer of last year that there would be great momentum. However, I wasn’t sure how things would go once the winter weather rolled into the area. So far - they’ve marched on undaunted.

Time will tell if they have the stamina to continue this noble fight - and it will be a marathon for justice… not a 40 yard dash. Remember that the Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted 381 days! People sacrificed for more than a year in order to get justice in Alabama. I pray that the Enough is Enough Family has that same type of appetite for righteousness. I will continue to support them in a myriad of ways and I hope you are led to find a way to support as well.

Senator Gwendolyn Britt (1941 - 2008)

12.01.2008 by Heber Brown, III Category Politics, african american, black women, maryland

Senator Gwendoly Britt

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that Senator Gwendolyn Britt, state senator from Prince George’s County died at approximately 4AM the morning of Saturday, January 12, 2008. She was 66.

Britt was a member of the Senate since 2003 and was a member of the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee. She was the Assistant Deputy Majority Leader and 1st Vice President of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland.

Expressing her sorrow upon learning the news, Delegate Jill P. Carter (D-41) from Baltimore called Britt’s passing, “a critical Maryland General Assembly loss for Blacks.”

She is survived by her husband, Travis Britt and two children.

There is a Black Woman running for President

30.12.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category Cynthia McKinney, Politics, State of Black America, african american, black women, social justice

And her name is Cynthia McKinney.

Listen as she announces her campaign for President of the United States.

NBC promotes division and denigration of Black Love

02.12.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category Culture, Media Analysis, State of Black America, african american, black nationalist, black women

Last week, NBC Nightly News did a 5-part series on Black Women in America.  The first installment was broadcast last Monday night and focused on the career gains of Black Women.  I learned about it at one of the most provocative blogs on the net. I must say that the initial notification at that blog gave the series much more hype than the actual finished product warranted.  I’m sure that the sister at NBC that produced it pushed hard for the network to buy the idea, but they still played it during the last few minutes of the program and it really came off like it was an afterthought. (at least the first night anyway)

I was disturbed, however, by the aspect of the series that focused on interracial dating/marriages.  This feature talked about how more and more Black women are choosing White men as mates for various reasons.  Some of the featured women talked about the so-called “shortage” of quality Black men in this country.  Other women on the video talked about how as they aged they began to wonder if they’ll ever be married and so they broadened their horizons.  One woman talked about how she was married to a Black man and after their divorce she began dating White men in search of ”new perspectives” as she put it.  Here are the two clips from the NBC special on interracial dating/marriage. 

Love, in black and white 

Love, in black and white

Girl talk

 Girl talk

Read More

A Personal Message from Pastor Delman Coates (Enough is Enough Campaign)

09.10.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category African American Christian, BET, Black Clergy, Black people, Christian, Culture, Hip Hop, State of Black America, activist, african american, black women, preacher, social justice

Dear Debra Lee & BET: Enough is Enough!

24.09.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category Black people, Events, Hip Hop, State of Black America, activist, african american, black women, social justice

Enough is Enough

While driving to work one day this week, I happened to turn on the radio and came across a song that was simultaneously playing on both WERQ 92.3FM and WKYS 93.9FM.  I was immediately disturbed by the lyrics of the chorus and further disgusted by the verses.  The song was “Freaky Girl” by an artist called Gucci Mane.  Here’s the chorus which was repeated over and over in the song: 

“She A Very Freaky Girl  / Dont Bring Her To Mamma
First You Get Her Name / Then You Get Her Number
Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front Seat Of
The Hummer

Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front
Seat Of The Hummer”

I have ceased to be amazed at how low corporate-backed mainstream media will go to demean, disrespect, stereotype, and objectify African people (especially women of African descent) in the name of profiteering.  Further, I am convinced that no other people group on the planet would allow such dehumanization to go unchecked and unchallenged.  I think we have much to do in the way of strategically combating this media injustice which I’m sure all of us have similar feelings about.  I think the IMUS situation really shed light on one way in which corporate media can be held accountable for its support of such disturbing lyrics and images. (The sisters of Spelman College chose another way to hold the “artist” - Nelly - accountable back in 2004)

I wanted to bring your attention to another way that a dear brother of mine is pressuring mainstream media - and in this case BET - to produce quality content devoid of demeaning images/messages.  Dr. Delman Coates, pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, has mobilized his church on this issue.  He has convened a coalition of organizations called “Enough is Enough” and has begun protesting outside the home of Debra Lee - CEO of BET Networks.  Dr. Coates has committed to leading protests outside the home of Debra Lee every Saturday until BET agrees to a clearly defined set of goals as outlined on the “Enough is Enough” website.  In the short time that the protests have begun; Dr. Coates has received tremendous support from other organizations, churches, and community leaders.  Last week, 6 charter buses pulled up in front of Debra Lee’s house filled with people ready to rally and protest.  This past Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 7 buses pulledup out front Debra Lee’s home.  I had meetings all morning Saturday, but I sped down to DC and arrived just in time to catch the last 10 minutes of the rally.  (A priceless 10 minutes considering that I got the chance to meet and interview Dick Gregory who also is a supporter of this campaign. )

Check out the pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hb3/

Read More

Enough is Enough Campaign

18.09.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category African American Christian, Black Clergy, Black people, Christian, Culture, Events, Hip Hop, Politics, Religion, Religion/Politics, State of Black America, activist, african american, black women, preacher, social justice

 Dr. Delman Coates

My brother, Dr. Delman Coates from the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, just informed me about the wonderful success that the Enough is Enough Campaign is experiencing already in regard to their efforts to influence what is broadcast on Black Entertainment Television. The demeaning, disrespectful, and derogatory videos are well known. It’s time that African Americans do something substantive to address this issue.

Please visit the website of the Enough is Enough Campaign and consider how you can support their efforts. For those in the PG/DC/Baltimore Metro area, please consider attending the Saturday rallies there OR think about extending the campaign to where you live. We’ve got to put the pressure on multiple places in this pipe if we’re going to bust it up.

Channeling Their Discontent

17.09.2007 by Heber Brown, III Category African American Christian, Black Clergy, Christian, Culture, Hip Hop, State of Black America, activist, black women, social justice

500 Gather at Executive’s D.C. Home to Protest Stereotypes

 By Marissa Newhall / Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 16, 2007; Page C03

More than 500 people demonstrated peacefully outside the Northwest Washington home of Debra Lee, Black Entertainment Television’s chief executive, yesterday afternoon, demanding that the network stop airing what they call demeaning and offensive portrayals of African Americans.

Led by the Rev. Delman L. Coates of Mount Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, members of the Enough Is Enough Campaign said they will return every weekend until Lee addresses their grievances.

Lee was not home yesterday but said in a telephone interview she was disappointed that several attempts last week to arrange a meeting with the group had failed. Also, in a letter, she said BET plans to launch 16 “balanced” shows by year’s end.

Read More

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »