You gotta have faith

Today is the first day of 2012. It’s also the last day of Kwanzaa, a festival celebrated by African Americans as a commemoration of the first harvest in the motherland. The week long celebration is centered around the seven priniciples of African Heritage or Nguzo Saba. Interpreted from Swahili the are as follows: Umoja (Unity),
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics),
Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity)and of course Imani (Faith).

These principles are encouraged during this time within the black community to help strengthen black families, bring communities together and look forward to a better day. So it’s appropriate that it end as a new year begins. Black folks need this. New beginnings, new perspectives… hell, a chance! We lack unity, especially downtrodden African Americans, 27 percent of whom are impoverished and need a unified movement to improve their lives. There exists a self-determination but in many ways it seems to be misplaced, shadowed by dreams of grandeur. Many people, not just black people, are determined to live grand as encouraged by Diddy and Jay-Z, and stay determined and denied for a lifetime. Collective work and responsibility, now this one gets me. When I was young, I had heard black people never work together, I have seen the anti-thesis of that theory I’m glad to say. Black people have spearheaded movements, opened charter schools, mastered the march and the sit in, and taken responsibility for their neighborhoods. But…the scale of this collective work, in modern times, is small, too small in fact to claim to be responsible for any good in the ‘hood. Cooperative Economics, sharing the wealth. Let’s just say that’s been another dream deferred. Purpose, black people have one, we all do in fact. But the storied, painful and powerful history of African Americans is too massive to not be purposeful. Do too many of us squander their purpose, especially within the community, no doubt. It is truly the most prickly pill to swallow because I see, and have experienced the spirit of unworthiness, assigned by my people to others like them. Many of our urban educational institutions, colleges, businesses, lack the investment from the community, emotional, physical, and economic investment to realize their true purpose.  Creativity, this one has been mastered by African Americans, despite the lack of credit. From rock and roll, to style and fashion, hip hop culture, even just surviving on less, takes a creative spirit. But it’s overshadowed by the more sensationalized, more disturbing media images of black folk being to desperate to be inspired, or inspiring… so that leaves us with faith.

Faith is a funny thing. Christians, like myself, read a bible that tells us, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, the smallest of seedlings, you can move mountains. Within the black community, mountainous journeys are as common as sweet potato pie at holiday gatherings. Because of the oft times torturous circumstances, insurmountable road blocks, and isolation that pits black folk against one another, its a hard thing to hold on to, let alone share. From my perspective, which is admittedly cloudy, I am troubled by the lack of faith within my people, and the limited of faith in them to be purposeful, united, determined, creative, economically cooperative, responsible and faithful. It’s troubling because even in affluent black communities, there exist a divide, stimulated by competition, and nurtured by an inferiority complex. True there are adversarial circumstances in all communities, but African Americans were taught throughout the history of this country that we are not as good as… so we can ill afford to be bested by the worst society has to offer. We have so much to overcome, from high unemployment, to catastrophic HIV rates, plummeting income, and increasing violence, we’ve gotta believe in each other to make these problems, even approachable. Bottom line we’ve gotta have faith.

People who stand up, get noticed

Recently, Time magazine revealed their person of the year: “The Protester”. Arab Spring was the wave of rebellion in the Middle East and Northern Africa in 2011. It’s started a year ago, in Tunisia and ended with the citizens of that nation bidding adieu to their leader President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011. People watched, and imitation became the surest form of flattery. Leader, after leader fell, or fled their respective nations. From Egypt to Yemen, to Syria. Even the most infamously stubborn of dictators Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi met his end at the hands of the rebels who once were faithful citizens. The middle east became unhinged under the pressure of its people.

Americans seemingly took notice of the not so quiet coverage of the Arab revolt. And over the summer many decided it was time for a little organized chaos of our own. Occupy Wall Street began as a barely covered, barely noticed, movement by main street — a whimper to the rich. Basically a call to ’stop screwing with and hoarding our money!’ Somewhere along the road of persistence, the bullhorn that is the Internet gave voice to the movement and Americans started occupying everything. From Detroit to San Francisco they even inspired folk to Occupy a financially crippled Europe, people sat in, yelled back and ultimately said we represent 99 percent of this country’s population, so you really need to give a damn.

So far, the occupy movement has yet to show as much muscle. But the occupiers seem to be standing strong. Toppling the financial giants of this capitalistic nation is the impossible dream, that has taken over the American dream. In the past protesting Americans have had short lived successes. ‘Si se Puede!’ was the chant of the undocumented worker a few years ago in need of respect, and protesters will forever live under the shadow of the mantra ‘we shall overcome’, which punched a significant hole into the box black Americans were suffocating in. Still barely breathing…

So the protester, once again demonstrated their dissatisfaction and I am proud to be a witness. However, victory seems to be illusive, as does the pay off. Unrest in Egypt continues over military rule. Russians erupted in the streets after the last leadership election, and American streets are still occupied while the 1 percent remain, well, comfortable. Sam Cooke, once sang, ‘it’s been a long, long time coming, but I know a change gonna come’. The status quo of haves, and have nots, hasn’t changed much before and since the protests of the people, at least no a change for the better. But the belief that improvement is just a sit-in away is infectious to idealists like me. After all its the squeaky wheels that gets oiled, and hopefully not replaced.

Some things are more important than football

Today, Penn State coach Joe Paterno, announced he would step down… at the end of the season. The end of his tenure comes as the beginnings of a bombshell that landed right in his football field. Over the past week Penn State has become more talked about for its scandal than its football program, the storied one 84 year old Joe Pa has coached for nearly 50 years. That’s in part because of Jerry Sandusky, whose been accused of molesting eight boys over the course of 15 years, all the while maintaining his prestigious post as Joe Pa’s trusted assistant.

Coach Paterno allegedly found out about these disgusting events in 2002. He was told by a graduate assistant who witnessed Sandusky and a young boy in the locker room showers on campus. First let me back up. 2002 a graduate assistant sees a boy with a grown man in the showers. The man is a superior. Does he risk his career by being a squeaky wheel? The short answer is HELL YEAH! Seeing a child in the arms of a monster and walking away to think about what you should do, is comparable to seeing a child in a burning building and making no attempt to save them. Both children, if they survive the tragedy will be scarred for life. Apparently this fool called his daddy for advice, no doubt while this child wished for his to come rescue him. The cowards are countless in this episode of as the College Scandal turns. The latest is Joe Paterno and his higher up the President of Penn State University.

Three men including the athletic director have lost their jobs and most likely their freedom as an investigation continues into what really happened. Paterno has said he is saddened by “this tragedy” and “with the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.” That hindsight is something. It’s funny how it shows up what’s the skeletons in the closet start to stink! Joe Pa released this statement, and submitted his plan for retirement  all the while intending to stand on the sideline this Saturday while PSU football players battle Nebraska. If he is allowed to do so, that will be something the President of the University will no doubt look back on with shame in hindsight.

Football at Penn State University is dead. It has to be. At least for the remainder of the season. This institution of higher learner, one where tens of thousands of parents send their babies entrusting them in part to the care, and direction of educators, mentors, and yes, coaches, is badly stained, with crime and cover-up. For that reason the season can’t go on, at least not with Joe Pa. Taking ownership in “this tragedy” is no longer just a moral obligation, it’s probably a legal one. Enabling a child molester to do his things, and/ or turning your head when he does by simply keeping it in the Penn State family for almost a decade is  criminal. Penn State as an institution cannot be trusted, unless and until it takes a stand. For once football revenue should not outweighed the value of a child’s vindication.

I am admittedly critical of the media, which all too often tries and convicts people unjustly, but I hope the media spotlight gets hot. And in turn it runs the tarnished PSU staff off the field for good. Only then can fans, friends, and future college students consider trusting Penn State again.

The Value of Our Children

I saw the story on the missing 5 year old girl in Arizona. She’s been gone from her home in Glendale, since October 11th and police are diligently searching for clues to her whereabouts. I read the story on CBS news which picked up from a local affiliate. The title of the story was “Family of missing 5-yr-old Arizona girl asks, why no national media coverage?” I saw her picture. The little girl is black. In the past two weeks since the girl’s disappearance I’ve seen the Today Show, Good Morning America and the Evening News tell me about Baby Lisa, a 11-month old that went missing just a week before Jahessye Shockley of Glendale.

The stories about Lisa are thorough, and consistent. The stories abut Jahessye are non-existent. That bothers the hell out of me. I’ll tell you why. By covering Baby Lisa’s story, which most certainly should be covered, media is assigning a value to this child. She is someone who is too precious within our community to let lie. She needs your attention. Lisa needs you to know she’s not where she should be. She needs you to be on the look out. Jahessye has had local media cry out to viewers for help, but the national media is on mute.

Without question Jahessye’s disapperance should be a national story. Why isn’t it? As far as I can tell children, just like adults are assigned value in this country, based on race and subsequent expectations. This past August, an elementary school teacher referred to her first grade class as being populated with “future criminals“. The teacher is white her students mostly black and Latino. While she was supposed to be teaching these children, and helping to prepare them for their future, she’d already assigned negative aspirations to these black and brown babies.

The teacher is not an anomaly in our society. Over and again I hear we are not post-racial. Over and again I am reminded what that means. Media personalities are teachers in their own right. They are in charge of the transfer of information, explaining the best and worst diets, reasons behind international conflict and the quagmire of public policies. So when the group as a whole, which has been dubbed overwhelmingly liberal but many conservatives, refuses to acknowledge that the nation needs to be on the look out for precious little Jahessye, it’s yet another lesson for the public to learn. Media cannot turn a blind eye to the black community when it is in need. It is neither convenient nor justifiable, to deny such an invaluable search engine to the cause of finding a most valuable little girl. So the national media needs to get it together and stop categorizing stories by race, because that’s what they do! Once they stop that madness, the public will learn how to give a damn.

Sympathy for the overpaid athlete

I used to be a big NBA fan. HUGE! Back in the day, as it were, when Jordan reigned then transitioned out leaving the league in the hands of stars like Mourning, Bryant, Webber, and O’Neal. Those were my days. I lived in a place where all seemed right in the NBA world. I was never perturbed by the arrogance, opulence, and appetite for self destruction many stars surrendered to. The NBA was where boys were men and could still behave like boys, and we loved them for it. Even when the 1998-1999 season was sliced in half because owners wanted to put a cap on the multitude millionaires could make, I didn’t blink. Not really.

But now, I’m tired. One of the reasons behind my increasing fatigue is the repeated and over use of the words slave and athlete as interchangeable. Recently on Real Sports with Bryant Gumble, the aforementioned host, in his commentary referred to the NBA Commissioner David Stern, as an overseer intent on keeping the slave in check. It wasn’t two years ago Rev. Jesse Jackson slapped Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert with the slave owner title when he became upset after his mega-star bolted taking his “talents to South Beach”. Before that, respected NY Times sports columnist Bill Rhoden wrote a book titled “40 Million Dollar slave”. I live in a country where slaves worked in fields picking cotton, cooking meals, birthin’ babies, and tending to farm animals. Not one of them made a dime! Reparations anyone? But I digress.

I find it difficult to find the melody of this sad song these well to do men continue to serenade us with. First of all WE ARE IN A RECESSION! I personally cannot give a damn about a whether Kobe gets $80 million or $40 million. There are low wage workers giving 70 hours a week to fortune 500 companies and they actually need champion for their cause. Kobe and ‘nem don’t. Truly those in the league who do need a voice don’t have one in this media. You know those journeymen and bench warmers who are no where near a camera or microphone and are no doubt, sweating over the loss of income this ridiculous lock out has taken away. We are repeatedly are hit over the head with the $40 million fool, flaunting his lavish lifestyle, and crying about it not being enough.  I for one, am sick of it.

Ignorance is bliss, and the NBA seems quite blissful. It seems to me if players were willing to actually invest in the league, by working together building ownership, taking the free MBA and business seminars offered by the NBA seriously, growing a collective in their communities to get true return on investment, I would hold my fist up. For now, I sit on my hands. The fight for a bigger paycheck in the midst of an America where many Americans are fighting for their respectives lives is insulting. So I will save my money, and my time in front of the television come playoffs, and most of all I will keep my sympathy to myself.