Chimp to Guerrilla

First off, I had to go look up how to spell guerrilla. Akeelah would kick my ass.

Of course everyone is now aware of the chimpanzee incident and the NY Post cartoon which followed. As for the incident, what the hell would make a person think having a 200lb chimp as a pet makes sense? They are like 2x the strength of humans. You should never have a pet which if things go bad you can't handle. If any of my friends or anyone I know has a pet like this, I'm not going in your damn house. I know this is ignorant to say, but these people could not have been black. Although we are starting to do more and more of the things one would tend to think blacks don't do.

Now for the Post. WTF. This magazine first of all is all about shock journalism and things like that so to give them too much credit is a mistake. This is the same paper that had "A-Hole" on the front. The person who drew the cartoon could be racist, but I don't know and don't think so. I really think they were just trying to get attention and sell papers at a time when papers aren't doing so well. But, to try and justify it as if people wouldn't associate the chimp with the president is trying our intelligence. Someone at the paper thought about what someone might infer from the picture. True, Obama did not write the bill but the bill is associated with him and everyone knows that. That stimulus bill will define his presidency. So I don't believe for a second they didn't figure someone would take that cartoon that way. If they wanted to poke fun at congress they could have had more chimps, or put a sign on the chimp with congress written on it. The whole thing just lacked taste. Because of the history with blacks and monkeys they could have picked a different animal even though the chimp story was out there.

Honestly I'm not upset though. Not offended either. For those who are, I understand. I'm just tired of every time something happens black people making it into something big. Or how the world is against us and blah blah blah... Sometimes it is very necessary for us to take note of these things. Obama is the president people. He is going to get jabs from people. Everyone doesn't love the man or think he is the greatest thing ever. Bush was hated. Bush got drawn as a monkey. Bush got called many things. Same for Clinton and any other president. It comes with the job. So before you get all riled up about this cartoon I just challenge you to look at some of the things that have been drawn about other presidents? Other things said about other presidents? If this is so far out of the ordinary and not close to things that have been done before, then outrage is warranted. I just think at some point we have to move past these things even upsetting us. Hell, instead of boycotting these advertisers, take your ass to a school and volunteer. Use that effort to do things to better black communities. Just like with the Imus thing. Big to do about some comments (which honestly I was thinking those girls looked rough the night before) from a show but what perspective did you have of the man's show? I listened to him later and he says crap like that about all kinds of things. Pretty intelligent and kind of funny at times actually. The same thing can go for the sermons of Pastor Wright. Can't just take clips of a sermon and judge the whole man from that. You have to get some context.

I wonder at times what it is like to be a white person in this country. Are the comments, statements, and actions of whites held to the same standards as others? I challenge you to listen to comments your friends make. Listen to what radio personalities say that are minorities. Think about the callers to talk shows and what they say. Then think about would that be accepted coming from a white person about another race. I'm not saying it should be okay for them to say all things, but at the same time it shouldn't be okay for minorities to get a pass either.

The Post should be ashamed, but that is what they do. People should feel however they do, but keep it moving. Don't buy the paper anymore. This isn't worth some kind of movement. It isn't something to look at and say this is how they do blacks. Everything isn't because someone is black. But people will take it that way and continue to carry the baggage with them into their day to day lives. This only fuels their beliefs. Whites will continue to think blacks just make everything racist. And that is why we will never in my lifetime move past racism.

Is the dream achieved?

With recent events, the election of Obama, I have noticed many people saying Dr. King's dream has been achieved. That, according to the speech that I read, is not the dream. It may serve as a nice symbol or moment to point to in order to show the dream has been achieved but that is it. I actually thought the dream had been achieved for years now. After recent conversations and things I have heard or read, I believe that maybe I was naive in my thoughts. When I read that speech last week I took from it that the dream Dr. King had in mind was one of equality for all people. Equality that equates to opportunity in all facets of life. So if by some miracle, McCain had won this past election would not the dream still have been achieved? I believe so.

I bring this up because in a sense I believe this does a disservice to what Dr. King and others fought for. The main focus was definitely in regards to black and white relations, yet the idea of the dream is all inclusive.

So I thought to myself, have I felt held back because of my color? Have I ever felt I couldn't do something because I was black? No. Did I feel it may be more difficult? Yes. Was that an accurate feeling that I have? No one can say, but it is definitely how I have felt. But that feeling has only motivated me to work harder so why not carry that with me? The thing to me is that we carry these burdens along with us in life and they affect us. How can we leave racism (and yes I know that blacks can't technically be racist but you get the point) behind and move forward if we continue to carry it? I've experienced some racism and I have probably made other things into racism that were not. Racism does exist, but not in everyone.

What we need to do in this country is stop being afraid to talk candidly about race with each other. I heard today the new attorney general say words along this train of thought. How can you understand another race if you don't communicate open and honestly with them? People are afraid to say how they feel or think and say why. If you are white and you think blacks are lazy, then say that and back it up with why you feel that way. If you are black and you think whites try and hold you down or whatever, then express that. Have these conversations with people of all races but be respectful of the other persons opinion. The goal would not be to change ones thoughts but to give them food for thought. It may not hit either of you for days after the conversation. Wouldn't you rather know where a person is coming from whether than speculate and have that affect the way you view a person? I talk with my coworkers about things such as my conversation about church with them. Since then I have really had a better understanding of how others may think, and at the same time I realized some things about myself. This is growth. Government can't force race relations to go any farther than they have. We all work together in diverse environments, but away from work how diverse is your life? Do you worship with other races? Invite a mix of races into your home at the same time?

It would be nice if we continue to move forward toward truly achieving Dr. King's dream. Take the dream further than he ever imagined.

From Republican to Race conversation

Now I have stated before that I am new to politics so there is much that I do now know or understand. I work with all republicans. They also happen to all be christian and white. I constantly mess with them about losing the past election and about being republican. They try and pull me over to Republican thought a.k.a. the darkside. I don't care for either party more than the other. Anyways, I was asked why I'm not republican or what I think about them. I have stereotypes about them. The joke I say is old crusty whites are republicans. I began to tell him that fiscally I tend to agree more with republicans, but socially not. He wanted me to elaborate. I told him that I perceive that most republicans are just like they are. They see the world as all rosy right now and that if as an individual you work hard you will be fine in life simple as that. You get what you work for. An idea that I agree with and want as everyone's attitude and belief. The problem I said is that everyone is not playing on a level field. So because of that I think more money or efforts need to be put into certain rural and urban areas, and not just for blacks. Also hiring practices and things need to be monitored. This is where the conversation got going.

They say that you get hired off of your efforts and resume. I said I disagree somewhat. There is some nepotism that exist out there. I then said that people hire and want to work with people they are comfortable with and relate to. I believe that if there are equally qualified candidates and one is white, one black and one mexican that the white would get the job. I should have extended it to an equal pool of people of all the races and said that more whites than the other two pools would get hired. Of course, they did not agree. And I don't think they are racist and maybe they are right it would be no factor. So I brought up college football. 119 top level schools and only 5 black coaches. I said in a sport with a lot of black players and coaches only that many are head coaches. So I asked, if it is not racist then what is it? My coworker responded that he didn't think when Alabama hired coach Saban that they cared what color he was but that they thought he could win the most games. Okay I said, then what about Auburn? They hire a guy who in the two years he was coach at a school the team got worse. Turner Gill, a black coach, turns around a program in a few years and wins his conference and has a winning record gets interviewed and doesn't get the job. How he didn't get the job over that guy is beyond me if it had nothing to do with race. Again he is basically saying that is who they thought was best but they are just stupid. I brought up Notre Dame and how they extend a white coach to a ten year deal, but did nothing and fired there black coach. At the time of the extension the coaches had the same record. One got an extension and one didn't. I said I don't know if it was racist, but it is interesting. He also said they were stupid and are now paying for it. Then it gets to him saying that there aren't enough qualified candidates maybe or that all the good black coaches go to the NFL for money. I said no that there are plenty of black assistant coaches, coordinators and position coaches in college football. I said the Auburn guy goes out and hires like 5 to his staff. I said so they are good enough to coach the team in many areas but never improve enough to be head coaches while the white coaches do improve to be head coaches? He threw in a well there you have it they have black coaches on the staff. Now I almost lost it here but it is my job so I remained calm. I simply told him being on the staff is not the same as being in charge. But he kept going back to what I think of as the republican attitude, that if they were the best coach and candidate to give the school a chance to win they would get hired. And I kept saying it is odd to me that in all those jobs with so many blacks out there coaching only that many make it to be head coaches. I also included other races. So then I started saying that by default, you are saying that the black coaches are not good enough (qualified) to be in charge. He says no, but I repeat what he said and that is that the best get hired and therefore the black coaches must not be good enough. After a while he just says so how many would be enough. I don't know, if I have to give a number it should at least have two digits in it. My other coworker ask what percent of America is black. Somehow we just through 30 out there and I pointed out that percent was no where near 5/119.

I tried to take this same attitude and apply it to corporate America. They all still felt the same way. I told them my point in bringing up college was that the people in charge and a lot of the boosters are of one race and they happen to be white. And whites get the coaching jobs. Is it racist? I don't know, but there has to be something there. I said the same goes for corporate America. Because of slavery, we started off on the bottom floor and all those in power were white. So I just ask, why would the same sort of thing not take place in other areas of life be it that they are racist or not? Is it that there just are enough qualified blacks and we aren't as good as the whites? I told them by their thinking that has to be what it is, because if you are deserving and qualified you get the job. I don't think they got what I was saying. Maybe if you are reading you don't either. To them racism really isn't a problem anymore. Of course, look at who is president came up at some point. Not that I didn't know when he was running that from this point forward no one will care what reasons you may try and have because the president is mixed. One person getting through doesn't fix anything or many the problem is solved.

In a last ditch effort, before we left for the day I asked them all if there church was predominantly white. They said yes. And I said mine was predominantly black. Then I said that I don't think any of you are racist and neither am I nor are your churches. But, in a place that is supposed to represent the most important aspect of our life, we remain segregated. So if it is not racism then what is it? They kind of had blank looks on their faces for a second as they thought. Then they asked me if I thought it was because of racism. I said no, and I don't really know why. I know there is a history to it, but if everything is so rosey as they say then surely this area of our lives would not be so heavily separate. I told them that I thought it was a comfort thing. And to me, if in this area we remain separate for whatever reason, why would it not be fair to think that this phenomena would not spread over into other parts of society like corporate America? Between us no one had a good reason why church was like that and they just pointed out they had invited me to church before and that all people are welcome they just seem not to come back. Then my coworker as we were walking out talked about their pastor search. He said he was sure there were no blacks applying and wondered if they would even truly consider a black pastor at his church. He knows that it wouldn't happen. Then we discussed ways churches could change this by coming together across racial lines with things like the youth doing things together. What I should have said but didn't because I had thrown a lot out there that day, was that at your predominantly white church they would have trouble following someone of another race. They may not be racist, but something does still remain here in America.

I know this was long, but I just wanted to hit most of the highlights. It was just so interesting to me talking to them about this stuff. Me being the lone black, and them all white. I'm always throwing stuff out there. I threw in stuff about me and cops (which one said he gets pulled over, and I responded like dude I've had a gun in my face twice for nothing and been in cuffs several times for nothing.) and racist experiences. Not sure if they can understand how these things can shape my view of the world but its nice to have a forum and people I can discuss this stuff with.

Is heaven segregated?

I know it sounds outrageous and ridiculous because surely heaven is not. But look at society today. Where and when is the country most segregated? Sunday morning at church. So if we Christians don't interact and mix here on earth with our religion, and we hopefully will make it to heaven, will our souls behave differently? This question is more of a look at a way we worship rather than something I'm concerned with a true answer to. But if a good answer is there I love to hear it.

The division in church became apparent to me at a young age but I just accepted it because it was what I knew and grew up in. Then I read a book given to me by a coworker that breached the topic and got my mind going again. Also yesterday I had a conversation with my coworkers about this (I love working with Christians who are open with their faith by the way). That conversation started off Republican/Democrat talked but evolved into this. I will recap that conversation in the next entry because I found it to also be very interesting and maybe you will as well.

I really can't think of a "good" reason for the separation of race in church. I have attended white churches, Puerto Rican churches, etc... and they have all be friendly and invited me to come back and worship with them again. The fact that I/we can at times even label churches, as _____ church says a lot to me. So is it about our comfort? The style of church? A refuge from a racist or integrated society? Around people who look like us we can then be ourselves? Or is it just nice to be around people that look like you?

The Bible, according to this book, does not speak of race but rather of nations and groups of people based on geography and ancestry. We have taken those descriptive differences and run with them. We are all God's children, yet we choose not to worship in a manner that reflects that. So then are Christians racist on some low or unconscious level? Churches have historically preached and justified racist attitudes with justification from their Biblical interpretations. At those periods good Christians somehow believed these preachings. In hindsight we can see how absurd some of those things were. Will the future look back at the division in church now and think the same about us? (Although we are living in the last days and have been since I can remember, at least according to my mom and grandmother).

If we are to be a beacon of God, what our we then showing the world? Surely this is not what He wants. I wonder how many churches consisting predominantly of one race has a pastor of another race? Or when a church searches for a pastor are there any viable candidates outside the churches dominant race? Of all the churches that I have been to, non-denominational churches seem to be the most progressive when it comes to the racial mixture of the congregation. (Non-denominational - Ummm.., by being non-denominational aren't you a denomination? Really makes no sense. Might as well have a name like Methodist.)

So maybe it is just the style in which we worship. Blacks seem a bit more passionate and interactive than other races, but I have been to churches of other races that were very similar to what I grew up in. After our conversation, my coworker sent me this article:

https://mercury.dynetics.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/08/04/segregated.sundays/index.html%23cnnSTCText

I just think Christians need to work to change this phenomenon. Segregation by color is not of God. If we change, maybe this could bring about change in our attitudes towards each other and spread throughout society. Then again, I'm not sure if that is realistic. At least not in my lifetime.