Pretty interesting piece on Baltimore from Aljazeera English. They do a pretty good job of presenting news from a different perspective and I’m heartened by their Code of Ethics.
Part 1 deals more with stories from Baltimore.
Part 2 talks about Obama, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and race in America for the first 5:40. Remainder of the vid goes back to Baltimore.
Internet surfing on Saturday revealed that the NAACP had elected its new leader - Benjamin Todd Jealous, a Rhodes Scholar and Human Rights Activist. Jealous at age 35 is the youngest President and CEO in the 99 year history of the organization.
Not knowing Mr. Jealous, there are two things that struck me at first glance when I read the news. First, his age. I thought it was a bold and encouraging move by the organization to elect a young man to lead the organization forward. It sends a signal that the NAACP is serious about recruiting more youth to the organization to be true partners in determining future steps. It’s no secret that the NAACP - like other “old guard” civil rights organizations/figureheads- has struggled to remain relevant in quickly changing times. Hopefully, Jealous will help.
The second thing that struck me was his image. To be quite honest, when I first saw his picture I thought that he was caucasian. I was shocked to think that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People had elected a White man to lead the organization into the future! Now I know that this wouldn’t have been a first for the NAACP (White people have always been involved with the leadership and funding of the organization), but let’s just say I would have considered it a very surprising move. I can hear Jasmyne Cannick already saying that White people are not stealing our cultural distinctives - WE’RE GIVING THEM AWAY!
Thank goodness I kept reading the article.
Jealous’ mother is Black and his father is White. Jean Marbella from the Baltimore Sun calls him “very Obama” - with the parallels of ivy league credentials, biracial parentage, lawyer spouses, and contentious battles to win versus older, established candidates.
One of the other candidates for the presidency - Dr. Freddy Haynes, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, was my choice. Knowing him personally and his rootage in the Black Church experience would have poised the organization to continue blowing the trumpet for justice no matter how unpopular it would be. (I would be curious to learn how Haynes connection to Dr. Jeremiah Wright impacted the Board’s decision. It’s no secret that Haynes is a protege of Wright and is doing a fantastic job continuing in the Black Liberation Theology tradition.)
Well apparently, the “social justice” trumpet won’t be the bugle nearest Benjamin Jealous’ hand - his top priority is fundraising. According to a Baltimore Sun article:
Jealous said he will make financial stability a priority for the organization and plans to use his personal relationships with top foundations around the country to build fund-raising.
This is of great concern to me because I do not believe that the nation’s foundations are going to make contributions without strings attached. My boy “E Double” shared a Haki Madhubuti quote with me sometime ago that went something like, “It is generally understood that he who butters your bread dictates your appetite.”
Toward that end, I recently finished reading a fascinating book entitled, The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond The Non-Profit Industrial Complex edited by Incite! Women of Color Against Violence. The book demands your eyes to be opened to the fact that Foundations and other Grantmaking Institutions have historically been used to indirectly control the activities of organizations that claim social change as their goal. Nonprofit organizations are, by and large, used to dissiminate crumbs to the poor, oppressed masses and manage their dissent as opposed to nourishing the seeds of revolution that are present in their souls. It is the blossoming of those seeds that is needed to bring this system of government which is unjust at its core to an end. According to this must-read book, the Non-profit Industrial Complex (NPIC) is used to:
If these concepts hold to be true, and I suspect they will, we can look forward to a NAACP that becomes further “americanized” and absorbed into the corporate realm rendering it unable to truly challenge an unjust power structure that it will rely so heavily on for financial support. They won’t bark too loud - lest the hand that feeds them gets offended.
Not only will the revolution not be televised, but I agree with argument of the book, the revolution will not be funded either!
Bro. Malcolm X is one of the chief examples of Black Manhood for me. It was upon reading his Autobiography that I really learned about his life’s story and legacy beyond the state-endorsed soundbytes that present him unfavorably.
While flipping the pages of the book, I felt like I was in conversation with him. We have more in common than I initially thought - even down to small things like letting our beards grow while back in the Motherland.
He is as alive today as he was during his human experience. His ideas, speeches, and liberating activity inspire millions across the world. While it is unfortunate that the Baltimore City Public Conditioning System will not include the story of Bro. Malcolm as a standard component of the curriculum; all is not lost. It is our job as a community to reclaim ownership of our children’s education and prevent those who are ignorant or negatively biased to Ourstory from infecting the minds of the youth. (Toward that end, please Educators take a look at this exciting curriculum.)
For the parents and/or youth-serving adults out there today. I encourage you to take some moments today to talk to your children about the true legacy of Bro. Malcolm X.
Happy Birthday, Bro. Malcolm.
…but he was killed by staffers at the Bowling Brook School. After six guards suffocated him in a face down position until he asphyxiated, they threw him in the snow thinking that the cold would revive him. They waited 41 minutes before calling 911.
No one has been charged with anything related to Isaiah’s death. This is, in fact, state-sanctioned murder. Execution without trial, jury, or the due process of law. Execution without a last meal. A final phone call. A final family visit. A final meeting with his daughter.
As Dr. Joy Leary would say, they removed the dissonance that would naturally erupt in any human’s soul by making Isaiah non-human. For if he were human, then outcry would be heard from all quarter’s of humanity. If he were human, mothers would be moved with compassion to advocate alongside Isaiah’s couragous mother, Felicia. If he were human, his murderers would be arrested and charged. If he were human, other human beings would give a damn about what happened and wouldn’t rest until all children were protected, loved, and nourished in ways that would help facilitate the realization of their fullest potential.
But they’ve made Isaiah a non-human. A thing. A monster. An object. Just another poor Black boy from a poor Black family who made some mistakes and probably got what he deserved.
Though the Department of Juvenile Services had oversight of this youth correctional facility, even they have escaped accountability.
Isaiah was murdered by those who were responsible for his safety.
In this sad and tragic case, the Empire of Maryland has decided, rehabilitation looks like death.
Happy Birthday, Isaiah.
I’m putting the finishing touches on my presentation which I will share at The Johns Hopkins 58th Institute for Spirituality and Medicine. The conference started Monday, May 12th and will continue until Wednesday, May 14, 2008. National and local presenters have converged on Charm City to talk about “Violence and the Challenge of Healing in Our Communities.”
Notables such as Rev. Eugene Rivers (Boston), Bishop Doug Miles (Baltimore), Dr. David Kennedy, Dr. Harold Carter, Sr., Rev. Karen Brau, Pastor Billy Stanfield, and a whole slew of others are sharing on a variety of topics.
I’m honored to be invited to present on the topic “Faith in Action: Examining Religious Outreach and Activism in Baltimore.” I’ll be profiling some members of the clergy and Faith communities who have welcomed the expression of their Faith beyond the boundaries of their sanctuaries. Contrary to the opinion of some, Baltimore has a very rich history of religious civic engagement and only as of late have we as a community drifted from our roots and centered moreso on a gospel that speaks primarily to a middle class who is hungry for personal advancement at the expense of social justice for the marginalized.
Hopefully, my presentation will resurrect and rehash the legacies of those strong clergy women and men who have, in days past, pointed the way to the Beloved Community.
Here is a short video (about 12 min.) that I will be sharing as a part of my presentation.
Debt cancellation a victory for the world
By Desmond Tutu
Last month, the House of Representatives showed leadership in the fight against global poverty by passing the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation, which would extend lifesaving debt cancellation to more poor nations around the globe.
Too many of the world’s poor children needlessly starve or go without education because too many impoverished nations - even after the laudable debt relief provided to date - are still funneling scarce resources to multilateral banks instead of paying for needs at home.
The world community has found crushing debt to be akin to a modern-day apartheid, and has responded with debt cancellation. Unjust debt leaves developing nations at the behest of the powerful. Shall we let the children of Africa and Asia die of curable disease, prevent them from going to school and limit their opportunities for meaningful work - all to pay off unjust and illegitimate loans made to their forefathers?
Shout out to Reality Speaks of the Solvivaz Nation. They are bringing Dr. Ray Hagins to Baltimore again TOMORROW, April 26, 2008 7PM. Check out their note below and please do all you can to support this valuable engagement.
Greetings Family,
Reality Speaks of Solvivaz Nation would like to invite the entire Afrikan family to join us as we feature Rev. Dr. Ray Hagins this Saturday @ the Sojourner Douglass College 200 N. Central Ave from 7pm-10pm doors open at 6pm. Tickets for this event are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.
America is Falling: How will the Black Man and Woman Survive???
This is a don’t miss event!!! Dr. Rev. Ray Hagins challenges the way we as Black people think about ourselves and our worldview. This will definitely be an informative event for Afrikans of all ages.
FMI call Reality Speaks Bookstore and Media Center 410-889-0477or visit us online at www.RealitySpeaksBookstore.com
We appreciate your support. Tubman Fried Fish Dinners will be sold!!!
NEW YORK (AP) — Three detectives were acquitted of all charges Friday in the 50-shot killing of an unarmed groom-to-be on his wedding day, a case that put the NYPD at the center of another dispute involving allegations of excessive firepower.
Justice Arthur Cooperman delivered the verdict in a Queens courtroom packed with spectators, including victim Sean Bell’s fiancee and parents, and at least 200 people gathered outside the building.
The verdict provoked an outpouring of emotions: Bell’s fiancee immediately walked out of the room. His mother cried.
Outside the courthouse, which was surrounded by scores of police officers, many in the crowd began weeping as news of the verdict said. Others were enraged, swearing and screaming “Murderers! Murderers!” or “KKK!”
Bell, a 23-year-old black man, was killed in a hail of gunfire outside a seedy strip club in Queens on Nov. 25, 2006 — his wedding day — as he was leaving his bachelor party with two friends.
The room was packed. On one side residents and supporters from Park Heights ready to tell why they didn’t want liquor stores in their community anymore. On the other side, many Korean merchants and a curious rowful of residents who were coming to defend their business.
The hearing started with a disappointment. We who had come to challenge Slaters Market (the grocery market that sells alcohol next to ketchup) were shocked when we learned during the hearing that the attorney from Community Law Center, Inc. (Michelle Pierce, Esq) had made a “gentleman’s agreement” with the attorney representing Slaters. The agreement was that they would take the liquor bottles off of the shelves that had condiments on them and in exchange there would be no protest of their license. What?!
This afternoon (Thursday, April 10, 2008) I will be joining many others at the Baltimore City Liquor Board Hearing about the four establishments that we have been targeting on a weekly basis for the past 5 months.
As you’ll remember, our work has been focused on the 5100 block of Park Heights Avenue where there are 4 [FOUR] liqour establishments in that 1 block!
Our citizen’s alliance led by Mr. Derrick Compton, Sr., is extremely diverse and focused. We have PhD’s and “No D’s” joining together to deal with this public safety issue that research has proven adversely impacts a community’s quality of life.
The Korean Merchants Association understands what is at stake. Our coalition met with them two weeks ago to hear them out. Our sources also tipped us to the fact that they have paid some residents $40 to come down to City Hall today to testify in favor of the liquor stores. These sly business owners have also been going around to the local churches with $100 dollar “offerings” for the pastors in the community.
Will pastors turn their backs on the community for a $100 dollar bill??
We’ll see. But we’re thankful for Rev. Ted Sutton (Maryland Church of God in Christ), Pastor Kevin Rogers (New Fellowship Church), Pastor Hattie Bailey (Full Gospel Fellowship Church of Deliverance) and Bishop Kevia Elliot (The Lord’s Church) for their letters of support and in the case of Rev. Sutton - we appreciate how this true man of God has walked the streets with us - something that he does anyway given his passion for “street ministry.”