Religious and Free

Religious freedom is said to be a basic human right. Who said? The authors of our constitution. The first amendment which reads,  Congress shall make no law  respecting  an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; made it possible for a Mormon to a Presidential nominee.

First, by saying this, I am neither congratulating nor ridiculing the Republican presidential candidate. My point has little to do with politics, outside of the constitutional rights of Americans. I feel I am, in a way, pursuing a sort of push back against those who think the laws of the constitution, this portion of the first amendment in particular, is a waste. Here’s why I think otherwise.

Last week, with a few moments of down time one evening, I watched Rock Center on NBC. The program featured a highly promoted “expose’” on Mormonism. I watched and learned. While I do not believe in the religious doctrine, I saw with this community, a sense of service toward their “fellow man”. They hired fellow Mormon missionaries, set up Costco style warehouse stores for their needy, staffed with volunteers who were otherwise well-to-do businessmen and women. They served one another.

I saw similar behavior among Jews when I lived in an Orthodox neighborhood years ago. The looking out for one another was God’s order–and it was to be followed. Within the Christian faith, the Salvation Army has made goodwill a mainstay in mainstream communities. There are networks of faith, that help, harvest and herald their own. A but, goes along with that.

Many look at the conservative “Christian right” as an accurate example of Christianity in America. Gun-toting, racist, sexist, excessively rich, with no pity for the poor. Mormons have shared the same disturbing characterization with Rmoney, a clever faux paus, Romney staged himself during a public appearance. Detached, greedy, cult, Mormon. At the other end of the spectrum, Hollywood, home of the liberal extreme, has been a haven for Scientology. Many have concluded that religion is unspeakably, well, weird. Even efforts like the establishment of drug rehab centers have been targeted for making false and even dangerous promises. And that’s pretty much the only kind of news we hear about them.

Of course those of the Jewish faith have endured some of the worst prejudice, aside from black people in this country. Yet their schools, and community centers, have been extremely influential. Also, Muslims have had to contend with the greatest misconception of all, that they are all committed disciples to a terrorist religion.

Religion in this nation has lost its beauty, its purpose, skewed not only by media misconception, but inner degradation. It is hard to defend a religion I believe in, within a society that has banned prayer in schools, and wants “In God we trust” erased from money and federal buildings. The truth is greed, misdirection, and prejudice has maliciously defaced pretty much all religions. But there’s a there, there. They have a core of goodness, and in my belief Christianity in particular holds a specific truth.

Religions need to be reshaped, evolve even, but at their core they need to be left alone, to exist. The RNC’s open commitment to prayer at its convention is to make a point, that being they have the freedom to do so. For that effort, they need to be applauded, not ridiculed because of another’s disbelief.

Again, I do not believe every religion is right, but I do believe in everyone’s right to be religious. It is after all a basic human.

Working by Faith

Bullies exist. They are inescapable. Most of us align our vision of “the bully” with the overstuffed kid at school that is acting out his/her own insecurities. One of those memorable acts of unkindness was caught on tape. A bus monitor was tormented by a tribe of atrocious acting adolescents. They made her job hell. For her trouble she copped a six figure retirement fund, donated by empathizers who opted to show her favor.

It was awful, what this woman endured on her job, but the incident, and others that followed, got me to thinking about what happens to these damaged kids when they grow up. Millions of adults endure what that bus monitor endured, on their jobs every day. Only the predators have long past puberty.

I’ll be the first to admit, I worked with a bully. A point my finger in your face, and purposely sabotage  assignments just for spite, type of supervisor. In other words no rhyme or reason, just want to make your life miserable, because. My experience called up lessons from my past. I wrestled with the two sides of my own upbringing, which was rooted in the church. Over and again, we children, were encouraged, to turn the other cheek. Adults rattled off a myriad of biblical messages, cloaked as cliches´. Pray for those who persecute you, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, forgive just as you would want to be forgiven. Trouble is I’m not a psychotic monster with a baseless vendetta. I am, now here comes the other side, a strong woman who has a backbone and taught ceaselessly to stand up for myself. See what I mean, conflict.

But I found that conflict needs a resolution especially in toxic situations. I recently saw a message on Facebook that said some people are alive simply because you didn’t want to go to jail. Or something like that. It resonated with me. Suddenly, I realized that if I could still relate to that message, I instantly thought of the bully, I had not absolved myself of the victim tag. The truth is the bully effect, tests your faith. It just does. If someone has never demonstrated kindness, concern, or any redeeming qualities, it can be easy to dismiss their humanity. And that’s not good. Losing that since care and concern for any human being can be devastating. It can turn you into a bully. See where I’m going with this?

Small-mindedness can be contagious. People can teach you how to hate, just as they can teach you not to. Adults, have to deal with so many stresses in life: deadlines, children, house details, enough sleep, family crisis, and on. If someone initiates of game of Simon says structured to make you a terminal loser, they might find success in the workplace, but only if you follow their direction. Boss’ offer direction, they are supposed to offer direction, but, we as adults need to recognize when they are ill-equipped to do so. Turning the other cheek, in retrospect, probably would have changed the situation and possibly the person.

Faith sometimes seems, fleeting in those unnecessarily situations. But imagine if my bully brought her hammer and I didn’t break, not with the strongest swing. I’ve seen people break. Confronted by a bully that pushed them to the edge, things get loud, and even physical. Bully’s constantly taunt employees with a sort of dare. Pushing workers to their mental and even physical limits just to get a simple task done. The bridge to sanity has to be peace through prayer. Not just saying a prayer hoping to believe in it, but believing it your inner strength and self control so much that it is something that just needs to be said. What if?

I wonder about moving forward dragging this hard lesson from my past. Because we are all bullied, most of the time we are not as intimate with our bully. Big banks, law enforcement officials, and politicians aren’t necessarily pointing their fingers in our face. Then again…

We all endure. We have to. Bullies abound and will continue to test our faith, our very foundation. Knowing that, shouldn’t we get prepared to battle back? We may not win a tangible victory in our workplace war-zone, but by faith we can be last man standing.

Gabby, Cullen, and the makings of an Olympic champion

I admit it. We root for us. I mean black people root for other black folk, especially in arenas where we exist as a few little peppers amid a sea of salt. Many people of color have their fingers and toes and maybe even eyes crossed, in the hopes that Gabby Douglas, Cullen Jones, John Orozco, and Lia Neal, will shine. Our collective hope is most focused on the aforementioned Olympians because they are in gymnastics and swimming… and we don’t do that.

We don’t fly over the uneven parallel bars, or somersault off of a 3 inch wide balance beam with precision. We don’t power through a pummel horse performance using strength unheard of, without a flaw. And we don’t swim. Again when I say we, I mean black people. We play basketball, run track, many jokes have been made about black dominance in both sports, and neither should be belittled or taken for granted. But to shine where we are not expected to, it is worth noting. We are once again reminded that’s also what we do. I remember the story of Olympic icon Jesse Owens dominating track and field at a time in Germany when white power was exalted. He proved his worthiness as a man, and as an athlete in front of a world of unbelievers.

Venus and Serena dominated Olympic tennis in 2000 becoming a story not only because of their sisterhood, but the fact that many saw them as sistahs from the hood. Their grace and power prevailed over and over and over again. Several other athletes of color have become recognizable Olympians; Dominique Dawes a part of team Atlanta’s magnificent seven, Jair Lynch a silver medalist at those ‘96 Olympic games. And of course track and field, legends have passed the baton, from Wilma Rudolph to Jackie Joyner Kersee, and Carl Lewis, Flo Jo to Marion Jones and Maurice Greene, Michael Johnson to Allison Felix and Sanya Richards Ross and Tyson Gay. Again dominance. Speaking of… what are on dream team six now. I made my point about the pepper.

So when I see the cameras turning to the swimming pool anxiously awaiting the emergence of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, I beam when Cullen Jones shows up. He is a after all of gold medal winning Olympian from the Beijing games. And as I’m force fed stories on Jordyn Wieber, I anxiously await Gabby’s turn to soar, as she is the gymnast who got the sole guaranteed spot on this US Olympic gymnastics team.

Don’t get me wrong, I root for team USA regardless of color. I want the sons and daughters of my homeland to do well. But my heart strings are pull for those who reflect an image of me, and my people, proving once more, what we are capable of. We are not limited by color, or race, we are in fact inspired by it. It’s made these Olympians something to behold, and I believe it’s made them  champions.

Presidential Flashback

Since the departure of George W. Bush from the White House, I haven’t been breathing that much easier. I believed the transition from the W to the O, would provide relief. Admittedly, it is a comfort to hear my President talk authoritatively and intelligently on some issues, like creating jobs for veterans or incentives for hiring those who served, and getting rid of don’t ask don’t tell, and rescuing the auto industry to the point where some factories have re-opened. BUT, enough has not been done to undo what W did.

It’s the economy stupid, it’s an overcooked cliche`. Those of us who have been wondering when opportunities will again become bountiful, are weary of the “Hope”-ful campaign promises of four years ago. Let me go back. When George W. Bush was our nation’s leader, the economy tanked, the nation began an unrelenting war, and our rights (thank you Homeland Security) seemed to erode. Just try to take a flight and avoid a shake down before departure at the airport. The Bush administrations legacy is overshadowed by, inaction post-Katrina, over-reaction, after the unfortunate attack on the World Trade Center, and the proliferation of gaps in education and wealth betwixt and between black and white Americans.

The holes that were dug, during that time where deep, but I thought they’d be at least half full by now! Not even close. Child poverty is historically high, the rate of foreclosures sky-rocketed in the past four years, and the deficit has swelled. Oh yeah, and jobs for more than 8 percent of the US population have proved elusive. We haven’t gone from bad to worse necessarily, but when does it start gettin’ good?

Today, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, held an unveiling ceremony revealing the presidential portrait of George W. and his lady. While at the podium to speak on his unveiling, the former President jokingly said to President Obama, and I paraphrase, if you, while walking these halls pondering a tough dilemma regarding our nation, look at my portrait, just ask What would George W. do? My response, then do the opposite.

It’s tough to hear jokes, from the President who dug us in a hole, the one who despite acknowledging several missteps during his terms, says he has a clear conscience. It is also tough to see our President celebrity, taking advantage of the good life, voters afforded him, while so many “hopefuls” suffer.

What has been done to us as a nation, takes time to undo, but you gotta do something more, to overcome. You have to be extraordinary, flashback to leaders who’ve lifted the burdens and brought on the booms, it can be done. So do it and please let sleeping W’s lie.

20 Years Later: “Can we all get along?”

It’s been 20 years. 20 years since I was a senior in high school. I went to Shaker Heights High, in a suburban part of Cleveland, Ohio. At the time, the Rodney King beating was a blur on the TV screen. The riot that followed was a distant reminder that America’s racism was still showing. 1992.

I wish I could have that year back. Many people say they don’t have regrets, they have “what ifs”. No, I have regrets. Choosing the wrong college, choosing the wrong boyfriend, not hanging with the nerds, and not taking my SAT seriously enough. Regrets. I’m quite sure Rodney King, the LAPD, and the people who lived near Florence and Normandie back in the day, have regrets.

Rodney King had no control over his beating, to be sure. He had even less control of the out come of the case which acquitted the four white officers, that unknowingly brutalized him on camera. And he had zero control over the way black Angelinos handled the travesty of justice. People 20 years ago lost their minds.

I remember at my high school, there was a platform set up for students to speak their minds about the tragedy that was happening 3,000 miles away. I said something about the need to build up our community instead of tearing it down. I remember also not being so eloquent. Regret. Not what I said but how I said it. I was stirred by what I saw, the flames on television, the rage on the faces of folk that lit the blaze. They showed no self-control. I wasn’t in control of my nerves, so I wasn’t that memorable, I missed my moment.

In the same way, 20 years ago Rodney King stood before a podium, to address those who turned to violence in response to this reminder that black Americans hadn’t reached the mountain top. But I remember his trepidation, his dis-ease, the pressure, and I remember the jokes that followed. “Can we all get along?” was King’s plea, but it was mocked, by black comedians, even I chuckled at the oddity of the statement. It was too simple to be effective.

As buildings burned, people looted, and killed and maimed one another, and police sirens screamed into streets that were suddenly at there mercy, King simply asked “can we all get along?” In that moment we all couldn’t. No way. So it seemed to be a ridiculous request. The verdicts ignited rage in black people, the riots drew concern even embarrassment in our community. We were trashing our neighborhoods, because they were there and they still aren’t good enough.

Opportunities to do better eluded those that looted, and reactionary people, fueled by discouragement, racism, bitterness, and a lack of knowledge, found a place for their own pint up infernos, within the walls of south central LA.

The nation, the world watched racism’s anger burn. 20 years later, racism still haunts our neighborhoods, it hangs on the corner of Florence and Normandie, disguised by a now clean street that still holds no promises to its citizens for a better life. And people still don’t get along. There is still a racial divide that pits white against black against Latino, in the city.  The fire that burned 20 years ago, has been reduced to a simmer, as black people, according to the L.A. Times face even more dire times now.  The median income has dropped and the unemployment rate, which was not good in 1992, has increased. In two areas of South Los Angeles — Florence Graham and Westmont — unemployment nears 24%. Back in 1992, it was 21% in Florence Graham and 17% in Westmont.

Some say black people are too tired to explode, to run over to raise up again, to watered down to ignite. “Can we all get along?” King’s questions haunts those streets, as too many black people try to get along, as best they can in a nation that seems to have forgotten them not their tragic piece of the past.

I wonder about the rewind, the regret I no doubt possess along with others. If we could go back, and do over, been as eloquent, articulate, channeled the rage, where would we be? Getting along, I would hope.