The power and irony of Wal-mart’s relationship with Black folk

For better or for worse, Wal-Mart is making big moves in the Black community. For starters, “Working Families for Wal-Mart, a group of community leaders from across the country, was set to announce Monday that Andrew Young will be the chairman of its 16 member steering committee formed in December to counter charges from two union-backed groups that are pressuring Wal-Mart to improve wages and benefits.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t until I read this article that I realized how noticeably absent Black folk have been with respect to debating Wal-Mart’s corporate policies.

We may have been silent because we are all clamoring over the Covenant with Black America that was announced at the State of the Black Union hosted by Tavis Smiley. And I love Tavis Smiley and whenever I turn on the Tom Joyner show, I look forward to hearing his commentary. And when Tavis finishes, Tom Joyner informs us that Tavis’ commentary was sponsored by Wal-Mart. Now if the allegations against Wal-Mart are true that they drive out local businesses, are hostile to their employees in terms of not providing adequate living wages or healthcare, then what does that imply about the potency of Tavis Smiley’s commentaries, given the fact they focus on Black empowerment? And does this say anything about the Covenant with Black America?

And As I stated in the introduction, Andrew Young is spearheading a pro-Wal-Mart group that is at odds with two union-backed groups. I readily admit that sometimes unions can cause more harm than good but that is beside the point for now. The article pointed out that “Young, himself a former union organizer, said he decided to get involved because he believed much of the criticism levied at Wal-Mart by unions was one-sided and wrong.” In Young’s own words he said “The union position is talking about the redistribution of wealth, but they’re not talking about generating new wealth. Wal-Mart is generating new wealth when it comes in.”

For the purposes of this post, I am less concerned with the logic of Andrew Young’s defense of Wal-Mart, but what are the implications of Young being a “public face for the group, giving interviews and publishing opinion articles defending the company.” Now don’t get me wrong, Andrew Young is a bad boy. He is an ordained minister, former US congressman, ambassador to the UN, former mayor of Atlanta, and even helped draft the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1970. And his work as a Civil Rights Activist is fierce. Young was a confidant of Dr. Martin Luther King, and was with him the day he was assassinated. In 1964, Young was named executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. And I could go on and on, but where are we as a people when a civil rights leader with that much clout puts his reputation on the line for Wal-Mart? Is this just a case where businesses need civil rights protection too, or is it a case of selling the richness of our legacy to the highest bidder?

And what do you think Young’s activities will have on Black people’s perception of Wal-Mart? Because not only are Old School Civil Rights leaders (Young) sticking up for Wal-Mart, but New School Civil Rights leaders (Smiley) are as well.

Somebody talk to me,

Stay up fam,

Brandon

Nigga clothing?

I am not sure if you heard yet, but for 14 months now, Damon Wayans has been trying “to trademark the term Nigga for a clothing line and retail store, a search of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s online database reveals.” I guess in my short 23 years, I have almost heard it all.

This is the most outlandish idea I have heard in a while. I actually wanted to write on the war today but whoever sent me this email made me detour. Now I won’t front like I don’t use nigga but could he not have thought of anything more creative? For all the comedic genius that the Wayans are famous for, this is not funny. In fact, I feel tricked, I feel hoodwinked, I feel bamboozled!!! (In case you forgot, Damon Wayans played the leading role in Spike Lee’s, Bamboozled)

But this is not the movies and even if this is an attempt on Damon’s part to spark a national discussion on race while getting paid, he is sorely mistaken. Aside from the myriad of problems that will be raised from White people rocking these clothes, is it really good for uplifting the Black Community? I remember growing up wearing Karl Kani and Cross Colours and these clothing lines were designed by Black folk and it caused a sense of pride. I feel the same today about Sean John and RocaWear. I say all that to say I wouldn’t mind wearing “Wayans Wear” if his stuff was on point. But why nigga?

And I realize my contradiction in using nigga in private amongst my people but being against the idea of this clothing line. But what do you think? Is it hypocritical for Black folk to use nigga amongst Black people but to be against Damon Wayan’s idea? And how is it different from rappers using the word nigga in their lyrics? Could Damon be on to something that will ultimately help Black folk?

Looking forward to your comments.

Stay up fam,
Brandon

The Weekly Dream: The Greatest Love of All

The Most Important Relationship You Will Ever Have

“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men”
-Isaiah 29:13
As the final week of Love Month, I struggled with how to close out this series. I began to reminisce on the times I have felt love and been loved, when I have experienced tough love and had to sacrifice. I really wanted to understand the character of love and its effect on me as a person. Eventually, as I followed this line of thought, I came to how I have developed as a person and how my understanding of God developed over time. Now walk with me for a moment. I am not doing an altar call or nothing like that, and I do not expect to win any popularity contests, but this is too important to sweep under the rug.

I grew up in a Christian household, reading the Bible, praying before meals and going to Church on Sundays. Do not get me wrong, I broke my fair share of commandments, but I did what I thought a good Christian should do for the most part.

Make it real for you…

But as I entered manhood, and no one was there to “make” me go to Church, I began to question my upbringing. Not that I wanted to switch religions or anything, but I had become frustrated with the imposition of rules and judgment by other people. I was tired of people bringing God into things He had no part of. I did not like what I had seen and the world I was entering. My interactions with others just caused more confusion. So I went through this real selfish phase, where I was just out for me. I was going to “figure it out for myself”. I was not going to bother God with the small everyday things, I would just tap him for the “big stuff.” I was full of pride. I wanted things to go my way and God to ride shotgun.

The reality was that I needed to get to know God for myself.

Up to this point, God had not yet become real to me, like really real. He was still in the sky.

You Got It Bad

One day, it sunk in that God wanted a relationship with me. I thought about how I acted when I first fell in love. Let me tell you, I love hard; it is all or nothing with me. So, when I fell in love with that special person, there was no more “me”, it was “us” from that day forward. When I looked around, everything reminded me of her. There is nothing I would not do or give if she needed or asked. And I didn’t expect anything in return. I was just glad to be able to come through for her. If she hurt me, I just couldn’t stop loving her, though I wanted to. I would not eat or sleep until things were right with us.

If I was having a bad day, just hearing her voice was enough to make everything all right. All I wanted to talk about was her. All roads lead back to her. I would move heaven and earth to make them happy. There were times when I did not have a dime to my name, but I would hustle up some change to make sure she did not have to go without. I was literally in my own world and she was queen.

This behavior was so irrational that people who have never experienced it think you are crazy. My family and friends thought I had developed a drug habit or something, because I was sooo not me anymore. I had lost all control and I did not care. I was consumed with love.

Once I experienced this, I understood it when in the Bible it said that God wants us to love Him with everything we have. It became real for me.

So from that day forward, I began to treat God as if He were a real person.

Love Makes Things Easy

A lot of people treat God as an option and not a necessity. Would you go days without saying anything to your significant other or children? How would you feel if your girlfriend or boyfriend never said “thank you” or “I love you”, ever? Or if you gave them everything they needed and wanted and they did not recognize how much effort you put forth and took you for granted?

If we treated people the way we treat God sometimes, no one would want anything to do with us. We would find ourselves alone very quickly. Yet, I believe that until you get that first relationship right, you cannot truly love others to your fullest potential.

The real question is why we treat God this way. Why do people treat God as a chore? For me, it was because I had not fully embraced God’s love. Love makes those things that are hard, easy. For example, if you love what you do, you can do it for hours. But if you hate it, time drags on. It is the same with spiritual matters. If you find that you possess this same attitude, and that you do not have the same joy doing what God wants or spending time seeking Him, then you might take a step back. It is a privilege to have God in our lives, because loving us is not easy. You and I are not good people all the time.

So how can we make a change? Make God real. Like human relationships, every one’s relationship with God will be different. Just like your marriage is going to be different than your best friends’ marriage. However, there are common traits that every normal and functional relationship has: good communication, concern, understanding, fidelity, etc. That is how you can measure the development of the relationship, by the fruit or characteristics of it.

In my generation, I run into a lot of my peers who use their distrust of the Church as a reason to not fully pursue their spiritual development. They think the pastors are crooked, the church folks were hypocrites, they would rather pay their tithes to a charity than to the Church and it was just phony. Others would say, “Well I just try to be a good person.”

I heard this with such frequency, I never stopped to think of it. When I did, I realized these statements arose out of ignorance and a misconception. If you think a pastor is crooked, you should not be a part of that ministry. You should go to a ministry that is not crooked. It is not about the church people being hypocrites, there are hypocrites inside and outside the church. If you have it all together, go and help those individuals out. Rare is the person whose words line up completely with their actions.

As far as tithes, you are not paying them to man, or an establishment, but because God wants you to. What the pastor or the church government does with those is between them and God, you did your part. And being a good person is just the beginning, God still wants to know you. And more importantly, that does not mean you know Him.

So the real issue is that people do not want to change. And when love comes, along with that comes the challenge to change and grow.

You Got It Bad

As with any relationship, it takes time and experience to develop. Maturity and perfection is a constant striving in order to manifest potential. Some days are going to be better than others, but the important point is to keep pressing forward. God is not going to send you to hell for a curse word or because you have a drink. But eventually He wants us to get to a place where we do not even have the desire to do the things we use to. God wants your heart. He knows it is a process, you should know it too.

It was not my intent to sermonize anyone. Everyone must walk their own path and come to their own spiritual awakening. Some people are further along than others. Nor am I saying that you should blindly adhere to any man’s doctrine or religion. Religion is no substitute for relationship. The truth is more than capable of withstanding scrutiny.

However, I felt I would be doing a great injustice to not at least touch on this. You may or may not agree with me. Even today, when an overwhelming majority of Americans profess to believe in God, the topic of religion is still an extremely sensitive subject. I am not saying I have it down. If I have learned anything this last year, it is that walking in love is not easy. I still struggle, I still want to do things my way, but I have to remember that there is no more “me”, it is “us”.

Take God out of Heaven and put Him in your heart.

Get to know God as a Father and Friend, in your own special way.

Walk in love. God is love.

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Question of the Week: How did God become real to you?

Blacks and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

The Middle East is going to be the center of world attention for many years to come. And if you think that what happens in the Middle East doesn’t affect you, think again. So as we witness the victory of Hamas in Palestinian elections, along with the war in Iraq and the brewing battle over Iran’s nuclear program, what will history say about where Black people stood during these tumultuous times?

And although we could break down every conflict in the Middle East, no situation is more controversial than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. So my question is simple but the issue is complex.

Where do you stand in the whole Israeli-Palestinian conflict? Should Black people have a natural bias towards either group? Is it any of our business?

I have heard some say that Palestinians are victims of Israeli aggression in much the same way Black Americans suffered under slavery and segregation. Likewise I have heard some say that Blacks have a natural bias towards Jews/Israel due to the support Jews they showed Blacks before and during the Civil Rights movement.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

Personal upkeep/hygiene help for the fellas

What’s up fam, I was talking to a nephew of mine about hygiene and he is pretty much on point. But a lot of us are not holding it down in this department. And hygiene is bigger than looking right for the ladies because it also major affects as you traverse the workplace. So whether you are Scruff McGruff or consider yourself metrosexual, please look over this list and add comments as you see fit. And ladies please, help us out if you have any suggestions.

Fellas, we are too old to be having boo boo stains in our underwear. And if the only time your butt feels clean is when get out the shower, you have a problem. But it’s OK. Get some wet wipes and keep some on you and keep a pack at the house. And think about how much little time you spend wiping your butt. Sorry fellas, I had to take it there.

Black belt = Black shoes and Brown belt = Brown shoes. And matching socks never hurt anybody either.

I know you have heard the ladies talk about how much they love LL Cool J’s lips right? You are not him. Stop licking your lips all the time and get some Chapstick, Burt’s Bees Wax, Carmex, or something. When you lick your lips all the time trying to be cool or what not (especially if its cold), they are more susceptible to getting chapped and that is unacceptable. Period. This advice will help you from looking like a crack head and it will help the ladies know you take care of yourself.

Clip your hang nail. Just glance at your hands right now. If you have hang nail that is growing sideways, clip it off. And if you keep a small nail clipper on you, you won’t have to wait until you get home to take care of your situation

Just because you don’t stains in your jeans, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t wash them. Keep it real, when was the last time you either washed/dry-cleaned your jeans? My point exactly.

Women still pay attention to your shoes, so keep them looking decent. By decent, I don’t the most expensive, but if you bought white gym shoes and they look like you have been playing in the mud, it’s time for some new ones. And as for dress shoes, try to keep them shined up. You should either take them to the shoe shine parlor if you can and if you can’t do that, keep a little shoe shine kit at the house. (this kit usually includes shoe polish (brown or black), a brush, and a shine rag)

Assuming you wash your hands after you use the bathroom, then you know your hands end up looking ashy when you’re done. So keep a small bottle of lotion so the ladies don’t think you don’t use lotion.

Just because you have a close cut doesn’t mean you don’t need to wash your hair/scalp.

Learn how to blouse your dress shirts such that after you lift your arms, you are not looking sloppy.

There is nothing wrong with investing in nice cologne but know that you should pay attention to the type of soap you are using because every product you use (i.e. soap, aftershave, hair grease, etc.) work together to produce the scent that people ultimately smell. So be careful and if you are not sure, ask a woman who won’t lie to you.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

Why I love Black folks

You know what I hate sometimes? It is when high fallutin’ Black folk forget their roots. And you know what I’m talking about, the Black folk who get a little education and all of a sudden they are Cornel West and have a ready answer for any and all of the ills Black people encounter. But what I fear sometimes is that in all our intellectuality (yes that is a word and an example of the terminology you often find in high fallutin’ Black folk) we forget the basic things that make us love and appreciate our people.

Black history is so replete with Black people not only overcoming extraordinary circumstances but being the absolute best at everything they put their hands to. My history sustains me and is a constant source of inspiration.

I love how Black skin glistens in the summertime.

I grew up in the hood on the Westside of Detroit off of 7 Mile and I also went to private school when my parents could afford it. So to all the hardcore cats I grew up with and looked up to, thank you for not letting me get caught up in foolishness.

It’s amazing how Black people can talk to each other without talking and know exactly what the other person is saying.

I always chuckle when I learn that a Black man who is a junior has “Junebug” as a nickname.

And don’t the sisters get upset when the brothers get real particular about their feet? “Let me see them toes girl!” Blame Boomerang.

God must have invented Spades on the seventh day of creating the world, when he was chillin’ because I can’t think of any other game that brings Black folk together like Spades. And let me give a special shot out to my people who don’t re-nig.

To my beautiful sisters, the little pouch in your stomach is fine so please don’t try to work it off. A brother needs something to hold.

I love it when I am at a BBQ manning the grill because as I finish cooking the last tray of meat, a beautiful Black woman asks me what I want on my plate. And then she is so sweet because she will hook a brother up with the big piece of chicken. Let’s go!

I smile when I feel the pressure to see every new Black movie no matter how good or bad it will be. Because if we don’t support our movies, who will?

Isn’t it funny how Black folk can start bobbing their head to a song during the interlude and catch the beat right on time?

And I know the brothers remember trying to freestyle during lunchtime or having like 12 dudes at a table all making beats with their fists and knuckles, resulting in a fierce rhythm that made you thicken the wrinkles in your forehead.

I love the universal pound/dap that most Black men know like the back of their hands.

And a big thank you goes out to all of the Black singers and musicians from the church that moved me to tears by allowing God to move through your instruments and your voice.

I could go and on but sometimes, you just have to say it plain. But I want to know why you love Black people.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

The Black State of Beating Children

In the spirit of Steve’s post on tough love, I wanted to know what you think about beating your current or future children.

Yesterday, my sister sent me an email praising older Black mothers who were very strict and used a no-nonsense approach to raising their children. The email ended by thanking our Black mothers for setting us on the straight path while simultaneously challenging current younger Black mothers to learn from their elders as it relates to child rearing. And that got me thinking about the Black State of the butt whoopin’.

And just so we are clear, by butt whoopin’, I mean using a belt that will primarily be used on the buttocks but sometimes you might catch some thigh. Moreover, I am not talking about open handed slaps or beating kids upside their head. There is a difference between child abuse and corporal punishment.

Now I don’t have any statistics on how many Black parents beat their children and I think it would be difficult to find reliable statistics because you would probably end up with over or under reporting. And are you asking the parents or the child? Won’t the child be afraid of “telling” on his parents and won’t parents try to make it look like they are the best parents in the world?

In any event, I think Black people need to get back to beating. And I won’t say that beating is any less popular now, I just believe that as an aggregate, we forgot the purpose for beating their children. “Spare the rod, save the child,” is what I heard growing up and I think it is true as it ever was. But now I sense that Black parents are beating their kids trying to work out the anger or frustration in their own lives. Moreover, there are no rules, and if they are, they are enforced to varying degrees depending on how Mommy or Daddy “feels” that day. And kids are so conniving because they pick up on contradictions real fast and will play you like a fiddle. And parents need to realize that the innocent phase of childhood is getting shorter and shorter so it might be better to get out of the mindset that you won’t use corporal punishment until a certain time and nip things in the bud before it gets out of control.

All kids?
Now do all kids need to be beat? Of course not, because every child is different and therefore requires different needs. But I hate when the people who don’t believe in corporal punishment try to paint me as an aggressive person who will take pleasure in beating my children. Beating your kids is not fun and I will probably be crying myself if I have to do it. So I don’t have a pre-determined goal to beat my children, but if I see they understand the rules of my household and persist to disobey, please believe the belt will be in full effect.

What about fathers and daughters?
I had a conversation about a year ago that involved the issues surrounding father beating their daughters and the ramifications that may cause for the daughter. I started out the conversation stating that I would beat my son and my daughter. And I went on to say that don’t want my beautiful daughter to think that because she is cute, she can’t be disciplined. But the woman I was talking to pointed out that she would prefer that fathers beat their sons and mothers beat their daughters. And her logic was that fathers who beat their daughters may cause them to think it is ok for a man to put their hands on them. I was on the fence at first but I think she made a valid point so that is something I want to hear your feedback on. Should fathers beat their daughters? And what about single fathers raising girls?

I could go on and on about this because parenting is one of the most sacred acts of the human experience. And sometimes parenting requires punishment for hard-headed kids. Unfortunately, I have seen Black parents use corporal punishment for the better and for the worse. And for that reason, we need to get in each other’s business like we used to do back in the day. I was raised by almost everyone on my block and my mother was raising four kids by herself but the checks and balances of the “block” made her life easier because if she couldn’t come home at a decent time, I would eat dinner across the street. I say all that to say that the way you raise your kids is my business and vice versa. Not everyone will do the same thing and I understand that but it takes a lot more than a village with all of the madness of this world. Love your kids and as it says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Stay up fam,

Brandon

The Weekly Dream: Tough Love

Love as Correction

“This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.”

As children, I am sure we have heard this phrase in one context or another from our parents in response to some wayward act on our parts. If you were like me, you could not help but scoff at this statement. However, as I began to get older, I understood that discipline/correction is an unpleasant but necessary part of a true love relationship.

I think back to the days when I could not wait to be free from the control and direction of my parents, when they could no longer punish me and I could do whatever I wanted. I have since learned that “grown folks” whippings is far worse than anything that my family could ever do. Life can inflict a pain all its own. Looking back, my parents did my siblings and I a tremendous service by correcting us out of love, rather than letting us learn everything the hard way.

I may not have always agreed with my parents or where they were coming from, but I always respected having that external point of view. And I knew that they only wanted the best for me.

“Open Rebuke is better than secret love”

This tough love is not easy to give nor is it easy to receive. Most of us would rather hear our praises than our faults. We would love to shower or be showered with tendering loving care. But that is not real. No one is all good and no one is all bad. Love is about truth and to not speak out when our loved one is wrong is to commit an egregious error.

So why can strangers, who may not have our best interest at heart, criticize us and not those who are closer?

At school or work, we learn how to take criticism because it is suppose to concern an external, objective product. Normally, your teacher or boss doesn’t have access to the real you. But your family, significant other and friends, they know you. When they say things, it hits a little closer to home. Their words put us on the defensive. They know how to hurt you, they know your weaknesses. However, is this reaction love? Love is predicated on a voluntary openness and vulnerability. Also, love takes a trust that those who you are in relationship with will not do anything to take advantage of that. If they would, then you may need to move some people around (but that is another article).

We discount what these individuals say because we did not like the delivery. But most of the time, it is something our conscience is already dealing with us about. We might say things like, “I don’t want to hear that” or “Mama doesn’t know what she is talking about.” But if you react, it must be worth a little consideration.

“If you correct a wise man, he will love you.”

In truth, our loved ones only want us to flourish. It truly is a sign of maturity to let someone from the outside looking in tell us about ourselves. However, when on the receiving end, we need to take a step back and see it from their viewpoint, and understand that whether right or wrong, they mean well. Check in with your “committee” of trusted personal advisors.

When we are giving the tough love, we need to be empathetic to the other person and speak to them in a way that will foster a productive exchange. The ultimate goal is communication and understanding.

This is not to say that there are not times when you just have to come out with it, rough and raw. You may have to cut them off for a time or take extreme measures to shield yourself from the repercussions. However, you want the other person to realize the effect their actions are having on you and on them. But understand, it is their decision to make. God gave us freewill for a reason. Let them take it for what it is worth and protect yourself from any unfortunate repercussions.

It is hard at first

We are going to lose our way from time to time. That is why it is invaluable to have people around you who remember who you are at your best and care enough to let you know when you are not reflecting that. This type of honesty and openness is rare and should be preserved at all costs. The party receiving it may not appreciate it at the time, but with a little patience, they will eventually get the message (resist the urge to say I told you so). If you find yourself getting that wake up call, step back and look at the motives of the person and if they have a valid assessment. If not, instead of shutting down, help them to understand you better. But it is imperative to listen to your conscience and remain true to your internal compass for better or worse. If your life is inconsistent with that, it will shine through sooner than later.

We only have so many people who truly love us in life, let’s not let situations alienate us from them.

Speak the truth in love, as hard as it may be.

Thanks to everyone who has ever done it for me. You know who you are.

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Question of the Week: Can you recall an instance where you experienced some tough love?

Don’t you hate liars?

I am sure you thinking, “heck yeah!” But have you ever thought about what effects your so-called “white lies” have on your conscious?

On a basic level, there are two questions most everyone hear everyday and most people routinely lie about everyday. The first is, “How are you doing?” And the variant of this question is, “How was your day?” And I would guess that often times you respond by saying, “Fine.” But what if you are having a bad day and you don’t care to divulge the details? Do you still say fine or do you say that you are having a bad day and care not to talk about it? You probably still respond by saying fine because you probably want to avoid the inevitable follow up question; “So why are you having a bad day?”

And I am guilty of this as anybody else, but I am striving towards being honest all the time, not just in so-called big lies. Because if you really think about it, every time we conceal that we are going through a hard time, we lose an opportunity for someone to give us advice or words of wisdom. Of course, I am not saying that you say everything to everyone, but there is a way of telling the truth that is clear and respectful. So when someone asks you how you are doing, just think about your response and whether or not you are being truthful.

And a more insidious form of lying that is harder to detect is lies of omission. A rough definition of a lie of omission involves information known to be important that is deliberately withheld. One example of a lie of omission involves a college student getting requesting an extension for a paper deadline claiming that he was sick. But if the student was sick because he was out drinking all night, then should that be considered a lie? I think it does and I could think of many more examples but I think you get my drift. So many of our conversations in everyday life are so scripted that lying I think has become somewhat of an accepted norm, but how do we break this cycle? I believe that there should be no hierarchy of sins, such that lying about murder and lying about your weight is still lying, and are both sins. It amazes me how lying has become the lubricant that our society uses to not offend others while often misleading people into thinking and therefore believing lies.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

And I have some discussion questions for you that I look forward to seeing in the comments section.

Are lies of omission really lies? And if not, why?
Is lying ever justified?
How do you the lies I described above affect your spiritual/moral life, if at all?
How have you overcome telling so-called “white lies”?

Finding Our Roots in Africa, Part 2

Brandon’s post on Finding Our Roots in Africa posed a series of questions. To help the dialogue along, I would like to post here my answers to his 7 questions. Please do the same in the comments section of either post.

1) If you could, would you like to able to learn about your ancestry going back to and before slavery? And if so, what do you think are the possible benefits or drawbacks?
Benefits
Anything that a person can learn about where and whence they came is a great thing. It definitely instills a sense of self-worth and pride knowing what people who bled the same blood as you have experienced. This gives you the opportunity to connect with them spiritually as well as intellectually, and engage both living and dead ancestors in ways that will enlighten you as to what you are made of, literally. There is also the benefit of being able to give a definitive answer about where you come from. Immigrants can do this. Refugees can do this. We, the descendants of slaves, cannot readily answer this question. I for one am envious of those that can point to the specific section of India that there family is from and has been for the past 300 years. I think that is absolutely awesome. I want to be able to do that as well.
Drawbacks
I am concerned that folks at racist organizations such as the Pioneer Fund, has a long history of subsidizing efforts to prove blacks are genetically inferior to whites, will take this DNA mapping of Black people to certain places and equate it to Black inferiority. Those who agreed and still agree with Thomas Jefferson that Black people are physically inferior to white people or with David Hume who believed that Black people were “naturally inferior” to white people will likely want to twist this to support their claims. Think about this in the same way that conservatives spun Bill Cosby’s crusade to fit their own messages. I don’t want that, and I don’t think too many other people do either. I think that the same can be said of those who believe in eugenics as legitimate science, and YES, there are people alive who believe in such nonsense. I also think that I may have mixed feelings if I were to find out that I was not “wholly” Black. That might complicate my world view a bit. I did not see the special, so I would like to further understand the science behind this research. The engineer in me can’t help but be a little bit skeptical. Finally, being a complete skeptic, I’d be worried about this stuff ending up in some US government database.

I don’t want to give those I disagree with any ammunition. However, none of these drawbacks are worth the price of ignorance.

2) Is it important for you to have a working knowledge of current events in Africa or its history? And if so, what books/articles/internet sources have been particularly useful?
This is absolutely important, as such knowledge helps one to gain perspective on who they are. Knowledge of history and knowledge of current events contribute to knowledge of self in the same way that knowledge of your family history and knowledge of your personal thoughts, emotions, and preferences are part of knowledge of self. They all lead you down the path to answering that all important question: who are you?

3) Have you ever heard family members or friends say disparaging comments about African people? How did you respond?
Absolutely, and it is truly sad. I am ignorant to my concrete ties to my ancestry in any part of the African continent, but I do know that they are people like me. “Civilization” is a subjective term. People today equate non-Westernized lifestyles to barbarism the same way they did hundreds of years ago. The difference is that hundreds of years ago, we had a lot fewer black people peddling those messages.

4) Do you view Africans with the same kinship that you show towards Blacks in America?
I almost do, and I know many people do not. That is terribly sad because I am fighting through the lie that says that they area not me and I am not them. That is the same lie that labels me as an “African-American” and not Black. What does that really mean? Can you point to “Africa-America” on a map? I can’t. It’s all B.S. See my answer to question #6 for more on this lack of kinship.

5) How far can you trace your lineage?
My family has actually traced its history back to being brought to the West Indies. I would be interested in tracing it further. We did this back in 1990 when technology was not accessible, so I can only imagine what we may find out if we combined today’s methods with the information we already have.

6) Do you think there could ever be true unity/appreciation between Blacks in America and Africa?
There could be, since peace is a possibility between all groups of peoples, especially those with some sort of inherent connection. Ignorance about one another is the main barrier, as we tend to look at “Africans” through our “american” eyes as opposed to looking at them for who they are: us. “Divide and conquer” is the most effective way to destroy anything, and it has been successful in murdering our identities, our self-esteems, and our dreams for tomorrow. The fact that this question is even posed is a sign that we need to tear down these negative perceptions we have about one another and build tangible, positive relationships.

7) If you could trace your family tree back to slavery, what questions would you like the answers to the most?
The question I would be most interested in knowing is if I had blood relatives walking some part of this planet that I have never dreamed of. I would like to know if things about my person (e.g. my size/shape, my affinity for technology, etc.) were things common in people from the place where my family originated. That would be fascinating.

These are all important and thought-provoking questions. It is therapeutic simply answering these. Think how much more healing could be realized after finding out who we really are.

Hampton Waves Goodbye to the ‘Corporate Thug’

Hampton University has officially banned cornrows and dreadlocks for their Business School students. I know that Black people in general are pretty conservative, but as I would like to think that conservative does not equal dumb [in most cases]. Unfortunately, this might be such a case.

I’m sure there are plenty of people that think this is no big deal. They think that this is simply readying these students for the future realities of corporate citizenry in this country. They say that such styles are immature and make you look less intelligent and/or presentable to your potential employers. The story states Business School Dean Sid Credle’s (pictured here) motivation: “When we look at the top 75 African Americans in corporate America, we don’t see any of them with extreme hairdos.” Pardon me, but what is an extreme hairdo?!?!?!?! Who defines that? Black people? White people? Rich people? Poor people? Employers? I guess this guy would have thought that Madame C.J. Walker’s improvements to the metal straightening comb were bad because at that time “straight” hair was an extreme hairdo for black women.

You know where their notion of an extreme hairdo comes from? It is the result of staring at today through the lens of the supremacist, “Good Ol’ Boys” network that dominates american corporate culture. I am led to believe that because of the following statement from the article:

–
“Afros are OK but cornrows and flowing dreadlocks are not…’We don’t have problems with Afros,’ business Dean Sid Credle said Friday. ‘A nicely tapered Afro – that’s fine.’”
–

I’m not that old, but I’m sure there was a time not-so-long ago when the “nicely tapered Afro” was considered extreme. What is different from yesterday’s afro and today’s cornrow? Why is this formerly extreme hairdo now mainstream? Because white people think it’s cool. Period. Why do they think it’s cool? We will save that question for another day. Anyone who knows anything about hair knows that a caesar with a bad line up looks 1 billion times worse than newly braided cornrows. So why doesn’t the Hampton B School just take a look at EVERYBODY’S hair when they enter the building, and give them the go or no-go. It would go something like “If you don’t have waves homeboy, go get a brush before entering my school,” or “I’m sorry ma’am but you perm has not made your hair straight enough.” What’s their policy on facial hair I wonder? That wasn’t all that acceptable a short while a go in contemporary corporate america either, but I digress.

What kills me about these sorts of stupid policies are their selective nature. There have been lawsuits filed against other educational institutions for similar policies. I know that somebody in the Dean’s Office had to have known that there was some precedence with these sorts of policies. So either they disregarded that knowledge, or they felt that their policy was different. Maybe it was “different” because this is a policy at an HBCU. You know the theory: it’s not racist or culturally insensitive or prejudiced if it is done/said by a Black person or institution.

Maybe I wouldn’t have a problem with this policy if [it actually made sense, or if] the B School at Hampton took a multi-pronged approach to addressing the problem it is trying to “solve.” In addition to suggesting non-extreme hairstyles why not educate their corporate partners on what is and is not extreme and begin to change their ignorant perspective? I guess this can’t happen because the administration is too afraid of biting the hands that feed them.

Hmmmm…

That sounds familiar…Black folks not speaking up because they are afraid of being reprimanded, rejected, or punished…I think that that is an image we need to try to destroy and not repeat.

Finding our roots in Africa

Yesterday I finished watching the second half of the PBS special, African American Lives, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. I highly recommend you find a way to see this series either by catching a re-run or actually buying the series. In the special, Gates utilized DNA analysis and history to pinpoint which countries in Africa (or outside of Africa) with a high degree of statistical reliablity. I was simply amazed at the prospects this new technology may hold for Black folks all over the Diaspora.

Growing up, I always had a longing to know which country in Africa I was from but after awhile I gave up that dream and instead chose to keep abreast of African culture and history. I have taken classes on Africa, done extensive research on my own, and regularly keep up with current events across the continent. But it wasn’t enough. I felt like I was looking for a specific needle in a pile of needles.

And it wasn’t until the PBS special that my childhood desire ignited in a fury of questions and imagination. I might be able to find out which country I was from. Just writing the aforementioned sentence sends tingles down my back. And as I reflected on the possibilities of telling my children stories of their ancestors during and before slavery, I was reminded of how disconnected Africans and Black people in America are. But if we could learn to respect and honor each other like the brothers and sisters we are, then the problems we face might not seem so daunting.

So I have a series of questions I would like to throw out there just to get a sense of the effects of a widespread program to help Black people in America trace their ancestry.

1) If you could, would you like to able to learn about your ancestry going back to and before slavery? And if so, what do you think are the possible benefits or drawbacks?

2) Is it important for you to have a working knowledge of current events in Africa or its history? And if so, what books/articles/internet sources have been particularly useful?

3) Have you ever heard family members or friends say disparaging comments about African people? How did you respond?

4) Do you view Africans with the same kinship that you show towards Blacks in America?

5) How far can you trace your lineage?

6) Do you think there could ever be true unity/appreciation between Blacks in America and Africa?

7) If you could trace your family tree back to slavery, what questions would you like the answers to the most? Please be forthcoming with your comments about this topic.

Stay up fam, Brandon.

The Weekly Dream: Examining the Possibilities

“Love is about the possibility of a thing. So when people say that the
love is gone…naw. What they really sayin’ is that they have exhausted
the possibilities.”
-Larenz Tate as Darius Lovehall in Love Jones

Well, well, well. Welcome to the second installation of the love
month. This week, we will be exploring arguably the most interesting
facet of love, romantic love between the sexes. Please bear with me.
These are just my reflections of what I have seen or experienced, so
do not take it as Gospel. Instead, think of them as talking points. If
you agree, weigh in, if not, say so also.

Now, in my simple mind, finding someone should not be that difficult.
Yet, my empirical data instructs me to the contrary. With the
commonality of cohabitation and divorce, relationships in this era
have taken on the flavor of a business transaction. As a result, there
is more of an arm’s-length approach to love. This especially is
noticeable during Valentine’s Day. The week leading up to Cupid’s
fiesta is marked by conflicting emotions. I have encountered three
women who said they were sending themselves flowers, three more who
said their Valentine was their mothers, and a general consensus that
men on a whole “don’t be actin’ right.” This no doubt is a sad state
of affairs, at least in my corner of the world (and I hope other
places are more cheerful than this). The guys on the other hand, have
a more diverse response. But most of the time, no matter what the
plans, it involves the word “budget”.
These interactions and sharp gender politics started me to thinking:
what is the problem? I am fortunate to know a lot of wonderful women,
and nearly all of them have consistent relationship issues. On the
level that I interact with them, I would think that they would be
great catches. So, I have come to two conclusions: 1. I really do not
know them all that well, or 2. it’s the people they are
attracted/dealing with.
As to point one, that could be true, but some of them I know very
well, so that is kind of moot. The second point has a little more
meat. Individuals will entertain those who they know they cannot
have a future with because of boredom or in hopes they can change them
or they are holding on to what was. These are the same people who will
tell me that they are looking for a “serious commitment” but they know
that whoever they with now is not who they are going to end up with. I
call this “dead-end dating.” Boredom or insecurity normally lies at
the bottom of this stack. You also have people who just take what
comes along with no direction or purpose. They say they are looking
for love, but every one of their actions is inconsistent with that
aim, they do not know what they are in the game for.
I believe that a large part of the problem is that few of us have
taken the time out to assess what it is we truly value, in ourselves
and in others. What types of people are we attracted to and why? What
does love look like for us? Love is a lot like barbeque sauce,
everyone has their own particular blend. We need to define it for
ourselves. After we define what we are looking for, be true to that.
Set your boundaries and expectations. Then, be patient. When you
find it, you can tell it is real when the other person makes you want
to be a better person and vice versa. The power of love is that it
allows you to catch a glimpse of your highest self and that is a
revelation of the truth.
My experience has refined what love looks like for me, and it is
still being refined. However, it is astounding how we make such an
important decision based purely on a gut level reaction. Initial
attraction is just the beginning. You need to know what it is going to
take to be successful and paint that perfect picture. It needs to be
colored not just with love, but patience, understanding, kindness and
communication. Highlight that with time and experience, the bedrock of
every relationship and you have created a masterpiece.

Love the one you’re with

Let me distinguish something here. There is a difference in dating
for fun and dating for commitment. If you are just out there having
fun, then do what you do. But it is another thing all together to
complain and state that you are ready for love and your
actions/personnel do not match up. I had to learn a long time ago that
there is a distinction between wanting something and being ready for
it. Just because you want something does not mean that you are
necessarily ready for it. And if you do not have what you want, then
most likely, you have preparation to do. It is a hard truth, but
repeatedly in my life, when I have been truly ready, everything fell
into place.

After the Love Is Gone…

So let’s say you have someone and you have been together for a while.
After sometime the passion cools. That newness wears off, you stop
doing the extra things, and start taking things for granted. I have
seen this time and time again. These couples that love each other, but
have not been madly in love with one another in sometime. It
is–unfortunate. There is a thin line between comfort and complacency.
The good news is and what a lot of people do not realize is that
passionate love is an emotion. And emotions can be created at will.
All you have to do is get back to basics. Think about how things were
at the beginning and go back to that. Create new possibilities and
experiences. Day-to-day life is already mundane enough; your
relationship should be an adventure. To get there, it is going to take
some honesty, communication, selflessness, and creativity. Every
relationship has its ebb and flow. As long as both parties are working
toward the same aim, then anything is surmountable. But it takes two
individuals working together, you cannot be in love with yourself. Be
willing to hold yourself and your relationship to the light.

Closing thoughts…

This has been a difficult piece, because it is so expansive. Just
know this, it begins with you. You have to know what you are in it
for, on what levels you are going to deal with people and be true to
that. I know it is not as cookie cutter as I have made it sound, but
it is a learning experience. If you have that special someone, make
sure you make time to enjoy life together. Do something different and
exciting. Your relationship is what you make it.
For those of you who have not had the best luck in this area, do not
lose hope. When you finally find what you are looking for, it will
definitely be worth it. Make sure you are prepared when it does.

Make every day a day of love.

Unleash the power of love, and unlock the power of truth.

Truth and Peace,

Steven M DeVougas

Question of the week: How do you know when you are in love?

–
GDG II

http://www.TheSuperSpade.com

Can I die?$?

In the Washington Post today, there was an article that discussed Bush federal budget proposal that included a cut in the $255 Social Security funeral benefit. How did our priorities get so mixed up where you can’t afford to die?.

I don’t have the immediate answer right now but I am working on it. The funeral benefit program was started in 1939 and was designed to help families deal with funeral expenses. The amount was set at $255 in 1952 and, until 1981, the payment was made directly to funeral homes, they said.

You might wonder how in the world this affects you, right? Well, if you have family members whose only income is derived from Social Security and they pass away, then your family will have to work together to pay for the funeral. In 1999, the average cost of funerals was nearly $6,000 so if your family is low-income, then I am sure $6,000 is not readily available and you will have to bring it down a couple thousand dollars. So let’s say you can get a funeral for $2,000, your family will still be looking for any assistance it can. And if you could get $255 from Social Security, it won’t do much, but it will do something.

The article went on to say “Congressional aides said Jo Anne Barnhart, the Social Security Commissioner, had told them during a closed-door briefing on Monday that the $255 one-time death benefit has become an administrative burden, since it is not paid in all cases.” That’s like saying we shouldn’t give out tax refunds since not everyone gets their check. Whatever influence I can muster through my voice, I will speak up for the people whose concerns often fall on deaf ears. It amazes me how helping the poor is described as administrative burdens but tax cuts for the rich are touted as the remedy for everything from curing AIDS to cutting the deficit.
If you do nothing else, speak truth to power when you see injustice. Start a blog, email your Congressman, talk to your family, because it may not do much ($6,000)in and of itself, but it will do something ($255).

Stay up fam,

Brandon

.

Black grad students file suit against U of Michigan

Recently, a group of Black graduate students at the University of Michigan filed a lawsuit against the University claiming the University aggressively recruits black students, but then discourages them from completing Ph.D. programs.

What complicates this situation is that the University of Michigan has been a fierce supporter of affirmative action programs in admissions and ranks among the best for the number of Ph.D.s granted to doctoral students. But does this record let the University off the hook if the said charges are potent and systemic?

Some say that this lawsuit proves that if you have race-based admissions then you must have race-based graduation while others say that this lawsuit is an example of a bait and switch and the University should be called to task. How would you handle this situation? What do you think are the potential far-reaching implications of this lawsuit?

Please stay tuned to Superspade as we work to bring you exclusive access to the people and ideas that inspired this lawsuit.

I told you so

Do you remember when we told you about that powers that be just don’t get it in regards to the Muhammad editorial cartoons? Well, I hate to say I told you so.

This weekend, I read about protestors in Syria who torched the Norwegian Embassy and the building that houses Denmark’s embassy. Muslims all over the world are protesting these cartoons from Iraq to Indonesia. In related news, four people died in Afghanistan when Muslim protestors clashed with the police. I could go on and on but my point is that we just don’t get it. You can’t talk about winning the hearts and minds of Muslims while blaspheming their religion.

The power of the pen is mightier than the sword.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

What the Super Bowl means to the City of Detroit

Happy Super Bowl Bowl Sunday SuperSpade supporters!

No, this is NOT a sports story. However, it is a story about what a sporting event can do for the city I love: Detroit. This week Detroit has had more visitors from out of town than it has hosted since Detroit’s last Super Bowl in 1981. People had both positive and negative takeaways from that event. Let’s talk about the positive things people should have in their minds as they leave the city and the Super Bowl.

The Super Bowl is the single biggest night in sports, in television, in the year. It is the most watched, most listened to, event every year. Many are the benefits experienced by the game’s host city. Aside from being on TV that particular [January or] February night, the city gets boatloads of money from the NFL and its partners to be used for event preparation. Add to these monies work by local investors and contractors to prepare their city, focusing their efforts on construction and cleanup.

When all of the visitors are gone, there are hree things I’d like them to take back to their respective residences besides their
belongings and souvenirs.

1. Detroit is an attractive investment Those visiting the city of Detroit will see three things: development,
development, and more development. The entire Downtown Detroit area is in the midst of massive redevelopment of both commercial and residential properties. Even with all of that activity, even the naked eye will still see tremendous opportunities for investment Downtown and in surrounding areas, such as those near Wayne State University or areas on the east side near City Airport. Real estate is relatively inexpensive in and around the city, and tax incentives are in place for individuals to open restaurants, nightclubs, and other businesses in Detroit. Opportunities for people from other places to invest themselves or partner with local investment groups
are open and available, and should be strongly considered.

2. Detroit is a nice place to visit
People from Detroit and those visiting Detroit have been having a great time in and around the city for the past week-and-a-half. As with any Super Bowl or large event, celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment are having parties and charity events. What is important to note in all of this is the different venues being showcased. Clubs and restaurants throughout the city are taking advantage of this time to show off their facilities to a vast audience. Seeing how beautiful these places are will encourage people to come back into Downtown when they are looking to enjoy themselves. People can also experience the fruits of the beautification efforts all around the city. Campus Martius, Harmony Park, Hart Plaza, The Riverfront. All of these areas have received recent facelifts and are
on display during these times. The outdoor venues are presenting themselves and showing people why they will be great, fun places to experience when the weather turns. Detroit residents, suburban residents, and out-of-towners alike are all seeing that they can and will have a good time in the City of Detroit.

3. Detroit is a great city
People will leave this peaceful and enjoyable Detroit Super Bowl experience with a better perception of the city. Even people within the City Limits think that Detroit is a bad and dangerous place. The media has not been kind to neither Detroit nor its leadership for the past 20 years. None of that matters. People will now see the Detroit of today and the Detroit of the future. They will see a city that has survived trying times and has not laid down. This is a town
redefining itself and re-committing itself to success and excellence. Challenges persist, but persistent planning and optimism will always
overcome all adversity.

May the City of Detroit build on its momentum and Super Bowl success.

–
GDG II

http://www.TheSuperSpade.com

The Military’s New Recruits

The ‘long war‘ is really an ironic concept. The irony comes in the fact that America’s “battle-hardened, unmatched military dominance” cannot defeat this “whimsical, cowardly” antagonist called “terror.” Well actually, that’s not the military (read: the soldiers) fault. That is the fault of the leadership of the military. Unfortunately, there is zero accountability on the part of the leadership of the military for their failures. Instead, they are breaking the army. Well, broken stuff has to be fixed right? Salon.com is showing us how it’s being fixed. I’ll tell you why their solution is just plain evil.

From the article:
–
Facing an enlistment crisis, the Army is granting “waivers” to an increasingly high percentage of recruits with criminal records — and trying to hide it.
–

Where do we begin? What comes first: the chicken, or the egg? What’s worse: the fact that they are hiring criminals, or the fact that they don’t want you to know about it?

Anyone who knows me or reads this blog knows how I feel about the lack of focus on criminal rehabilitation and prison re-entry programs that exist today.

I think this “Army Internship for the Previously Disenfranchised” is a ridiculous and underhanded attempt to subvert integrious recruitment tactics and keep the numbers of minorities in the armed forces nice and disproportionate. Think about it. We know that there are disproportionate numbers of black and Latin males in prison today. We also know that many lower-income urban communities are populated by black and Latin people. If I was stupid, which I may be, I could look at that and say, “if I want to find a bunch of black and Latin men, let me go to a population that has an abnormal proportion of these individuals and look.” That would leave me with two “legitimate” options. The first is to recruit from the hood, the second is to recruit from jail. I mean besides, these are already societies outcasts anyway (the poor and the imprisoned) in some people’s eyes, right? That is why they think it’s OK to throw the into the fire of war. If they lose their lives, at least it wasn’t someone “valuable.”

Why try to hide it? The military already does this! The numbers are clear and support that something fishy must be going on. People can’t think that Black people overwhelmingly want to join the military more so than others, can they? Maybe I’m the stupid one who fails to see that as reality, but I digress. Why not say “we are doing this because we fear we may not hit our numbers and must therefore re-evaluate how/where we recruit” out loud? Because they know that the program is sinister and racist, and don’t want this to be any more obvious, thus marking the difference in today’s struggle against covert racism with the yesterdays struggle against overt racism.

So what do we do about this? BE INFORMED! Spread the word and let people know about these underhanded tactics to take members away from our community and use them as pawns of oppression. Tell your friends and relatives and acquaintances and neighbors to be wary of recruiters using such carrot and stick tactics as higher bonuses (the carrot) to entice enlistment and possible execution by foreign adversaries (the stick).

The long war ahead…

In a recent speech, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said “the United States is engaged in what could be a generational conflict akin to the Cold War, the kind of struggle that might last decades as allies work to root out terrorists across the globe and battle extremists who want to rule the world.”.

I am so surprised that after the coalition launched its attack on Iraq, the predictions of a quick victory and no plans for an occupation have faltered. The implications of Rumsfeld’s speech are profound because it seems odd that Presidents get credit for starting wars and once that machine is in motion, it takes monumental circumstances for the political elite to actually end the war. But at least the characters are set up with Rumsfeld comparing al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to Adolf Hitler and Vladimir Lenin. Which makes me wonder why we would want to catch Osama when it is his being elusive that provided much of the impetus for invading Iraq? Just imagine how future historians will look back on this war; Bush vs. Bin Laden. It is so simplistic it is nauseating.

And with the Bush administration doggedly resisting all forms of a timetable, they are just waiting to pass on the real mess of this war to future Presidents. This will in turn allow Bush Jr. to enjoy fishing with his father saying “Dad, I really wanted to finish that war but those dang old term limits nipped me in the bud.” But on a more serious note, Rumsfeld and others have noted the war on terrorism could take years. Do you really think the neo-conservatives thought the US would invade Iraq and bring the troops home? Just think about the timing of the US media sudden infatuation with Iran and how it coincided with the ‘major’ elections in Iraq. The boys are already overseas, so we might as well keep them busy right?

All of this war-mongering is set against the backdrop of the Pentagon’s report stating the US Army is “in a race against time to adjust to the demands of war ‘or risk ‘breaking’ the force in the form of a catastrophic decline’ in recruitment and re-enlistment.” But who needs to really worry about troops when our troop levels revolve around our Star-Wars type weapons systems as confirmed by the “relatively minor adjustments in key weapons systems, with the biggest programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter and the Army’s Future Combat Systems escaping virtually unscathed.”

No matter how much we spend on our military, the million dollar question is how are we defining success, because surely you can’t end terrorism right? And in the words of my good friend Garlin, “when the “clear plan” is made “clear” by not “clearly” defining success, then is it really that “clear?”

It will be interesting to see how future historians analyze this war. That is if they ever get a chance to study the war that never ends.

Stay up fam,

Brandon

They still don’t get it…

How much more can you convince moderate Muslims that you don’t respect their culture any more than by printing caricatures of Muhammad wearing a headdress shaped like a bomb, while another shows him saying that paradise was running short of virgins for suicide bombers. Ask the Danish paper, Jyllands-Posten.

I wrote about a similar situation involving the media salivated over reporting about Bin Laden’s niece posing for GQ Magazine. What I failed to mention in my earlier piece is that the so-called war on terror is not happening in the abstract. The terrorists and their would-be supporters respond to stimuli, which hearken back to the Bush administration’s often cited claim that we are in a fight to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people. And while I am all for free speech, is printing articles disrespecting Islam and the prophet Muhammad really helping the cause for freedom and democracy?

Furthermore, Denmark has troops in Iraq (about 500 give or take) and they have already been exposed for torturing Iraqi prisoners, so what in the world was the Danish paper, Jyllands-Posten thinking? Maybe they were thought they were supporting the troops. But let’s keep it real, the terrorists are not easily dissuaded from their aims but the terrorists do not represent the majority of the Muslim population. Therefore, it is probably not wise to disrespect Islam because this will only encourage more people to join terrorist organizations.

This is what really gets me heated though; these caricatures were first published in Denmark on September 30, 2005. Muslim ambassadors in Denmark complained to the Danish PM on October 20th. So someone tell me why between January and February, reprints of the cartoons appeared in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Norway? That is a three month window!! So this clearly means that the papers in these countries had no respect for the fallout these cartoons raised and wanted to throw gas on the fire.

And to top it off, “Reporters Without Borders said the reaction in the Arab world ‘betrays a lack of understanding’ of press freedom as an ‘essential accomplishment of democracy’.” A lack of understanding!! Are you serious? Now let’s flip the script and have publications in Muslim countries print cartoons that have Jesus and the Virgin Mary having sex. Now I could be wrong, but I don’t think Western countries, or any country for that matter, would look at the cartoons and say, “Thank goodness for free speech!” There is a line that has been crossed repeatedly during this war that makes winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people and Muslims-at large unreasonably difficult.

But apparently, the powers that be don’t get it yet.
.

Super Bowl Party for the Homeless

NPR has an interesting story on how Detroit is treating its homeless during Super Bowl Weekend. Detroit has a high homeless population, and many are arguing that the city is trying to sweep these people under the rug while company is in town for the Super Bowl. Others say that they want these people to have a nice place to watch the game like everyone else. What do you think?

The idea of a Super Bowl Party for Homeless Detroiters is not in and of itself a bad idea. In fact, I think it presents an amazing opportunity for all involved. It gives homeless individuals an opportunity to fellowship around the big game and a decent meal, it gives volunteers a unique opportunity to commune with richly diverse people during a happy event as opposed to sorrow, it gives sponsors great PR, the list can go on to infinity.

Where problems arise is in the sustainability of services, which is not a problem unique to a Super Bowl Party. The questions are: what will happen next Monday? Will these people still get the same attention for the rest of Black History Month? The rest of 2006? This list also can expand forever.

How can these potential problems be mitigated? The answer is by taking advantage of this time to create personal connections that can lead to homeless people achieving their personal and financial goals. Job placement service representatives, credit rebuilding service representatives, Money Mentors, low-income child care representatives, psychological counselors, etc. should make it their business to volunteer at these events. The mutual benefits are obvious. Party A gets helped while Party B gets business and publicity. It would be shameful if the publicity was the motivation for participation, but I’ll take that over doing nothing.

In order to participate and/or to donate time/money, please contact the Detroit Rescue Missions Ministries.

Foreign Oil is Here to Stay

I told y’all the State of the Union was B.S. Some people in the administration apparently agree with me, including the Energy Secretary and National Economic Advisor.

From the article:
–
“What the president meant, they said in a conference call with reporters, was that alternative fuels could displace an amount of oil imports equivalent to most of what America is expected to import from the Middle East in 2025…But America still would import oil from the Middle East, because that’s where the greatest oil supplies are.”
–

I said that “…I can’t imagine BushCo’s oil buddies letting this kind of thing actually result in lower oil consumption.” The administrations agrees, as stated here:
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“He pledged to ‘move beyond a petroleum-based economy and make our dependence on Middle Eastern oil a thing of the past.’ Not exactly, though, it turns out. ‘This was purely an example,’ Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said.”
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Wow. I wonder what else was pure example or hypothetical rhetoric in the State of the Union. All of it? That would definitely not be a surprise. We need to keep our eyes and ears open to combat the lies that we are told.

The Weekly Dream: Love and Sacrifice

February is often seen as the “Love Month”. It is the one Hallmark holiday where everything is drenched in pink and red. If you have a special someone, you celebrate it, if you don’t, you try to ignore it. Either way, this is society’s celebration of romantic love.

As a shy, young grade school boy, I loved this time. Believing that timing was everything, I would wait all school year to tell whoever I had a crush on that I liked them. This would take the form of gifts, chocolate or a note. Although we might exchange treats with the class, I always tried to make sure that special young lady stood out from all the rest. It might cost all of my meager allowance, but if it made her happy, it was worth it. Unfortunately, my best friend, who had a paper route, had a habit of liking the same girls as I, and would out-spend me, but I must say I put up a valiant effort.
I reflect on this because in our formative years, we really do not understand what love is about. We get sold all of these “happily ever after” fairy tales of princes and princess, but that is not what we see in the world. So we grow up looking for a dream or an illusion not of our own creating. As a result, disenchantment normally occurs and people create any number of coping mechanisms to deal with the disappointment: bitterness, denial, nonchalance. Yet others intuitively redefine this concept for themselves. This is fine, but often their concept of love is an outgrowth of negative experience or it is emotion divorced from corresponding action. Personally, my idea of love is heavily influenced by the Christian faith. This month, it is my desire to explore this defining human characteristic in an attempt to tap into the true power and also deepen our understanding.

As stated earlier, this concept is personalized from person to person, so it is imperative that we collaboratively reflect and share on our experience and ideals. I encourage all of us to lend us the benefit of your wisdom and experience by emailing thesuperspade@gmail.com or posting your comments at http://www.thesuperspade.com/

Love without a limit

I am infinitely interested in the “dark side” of love and human relationships in general; the parts most people will not tell you about. Somehow, in the course of growing up, my ideal of love became intimately linked with sacrifice. To me, you cannot have love without giving something of yourself. By definition, love is to seek and promote the general well-being of others. It is altruistic and self-less. Pure sacrifice hurts, but when you put love next to it, the blow softens because you are glad to be able perform. You will give all that you possess and be glad about it.
We witness this time and time again with our families. Parents constantly place the needs of their children in front of their own, and never really complain. Or mom/dad might give you something that they know you cannot ever give back to them. However, they do not hold it over your head. They see it as part of their obligation as parents. They are responsible for you.

Too often, we find ourselves involved with individuals who profess to love us, but they do not give anything of themselves. They consistently take and take, but when we are in need, they turn a blind eye to us. That is not love. Love without sacrifice will inevitably breed resentment.

In the New Testament, Jesus stated that where your treasure is, your heart will be also. Time and time again, you saw Jesus putting people’s love to the test, with the Rich Young Ruler, his disciples and the crowd. When he asked them to give away all that they possessed to follow Him, he could see where there love was and what they were really willing to give in order to prove it.

In a Broader Context

February is also Black History Month. With the recent passing of Mrs. Coretta Scott King and also Rosa Parks, I began to think about the Civil Rights Movement and the history of the African American people at large. What distinguished those leaders of yore from the leaders of today is their genuine love of their people and their liberty. Perhaps it is my own personal skepticism, but I am hard pressed to believe that the Montgomery Bus Boycotts could have happened today. Too many of us would be concerned about it being too cold, too hot, having to pick up the babies from daycare, etc. etc. We are talking about tremendous inconvenience and sacrifice on the parts of our ancestors in order to claim basic societal rights. But the love and hope for a better future for the children and society at large kept them moving onward and upward. It took tremendous love for the likes Malcolm and Martin to do what they did. But it also took tremendous sacrifice and strength on the parts of their wives to stand by them while they did so. So the one lesson I am going to take from this month is this: You cannot lead the people if you do not truly love the people. If we began to truly walk in love and seek the good of our brother, we would see more of that true leadership that has marked our history time and time again.

Let’s us honor those who have loved us enough to give even when it was not convenient.

Let love reign: Give more of yourself.

R.I.P. Coretta Scott King

Truth and Peace,
Steven M DeVougas

Question of the Week: How do you know when you are loved and what have you given to prove your love?