A Step Forward; A Step Back

This semester has been difficult. During the summer, I started a new job that is both physically demanding and mentally debilitating. My night begins at 5:30 p. m. and the shift is not over until the job is complete. The supervisors lack communication and organizational skills, and the behavior of the employees is exactly what you would expect to find on any street corner of urban communities throughout the city. The lack of structure, discipline, and the wavering schedule have all affected my performance this semester. I frantically struggle to keep up with class assignments, and have little time to study and properly prepare for exams. As a result, I have incorporated different techniques to help me stay awake during lectures and maintain focus while taking exams. For example, I take a walk outside between classes in hopes that the fresh air will revive my senses. I drink a cold Dr. Pepper before the start of each class for a quick caffeine boost. And, before exams, I stroll the halls silently meditating on key terms and conceptional principles that may determine success or failure on an exam. Meditation is crucial for me. It allows me to step away from all distractions and enter into a transient state of solitude.
On Tuesday, I found myself struggling more than usual. Class was dismissed fifteen minutes early, which gave me a twenty-five minute break before transitioning from English to Hebrew. "Proverbs" says that "an idle mind is the devil's playground," and he was at his best on this occasion. "Go home! You can miss this class. You need a nap. You need to be refreshed. You deserve a break." While wrestling with these thoughts, my solitude was interrupted by an African-American woman questioning the intense look on my face. "You seem to be in very deep thought," she said. "Whatever it is, don't take it so seriously," she added. "It's been a long week," I replied. "I wish that I could go home and take a well deserved nap." "You can," she replied in a whispering voice. "Haven't you heard? Obama is President." "I know," I responded. "And, that is precisely why I cannot go home. Obama's election does not provide for me an excuse but an incentive to succeed in spite of any opposition."
It appears that many African-Americans have received the wrong message from Barack Obama's election. While America seems to have taken a step forward, some African-Americans have taken a step back. Some have adopted the mentality that America is now ours and we can do whatever we choose. Some have adopted the hubristic attitude of self-exaltation and now believe that we are the superior race. Some see this occasion in history as an opportunity to be rebellious deviants rather than constructive members of society. Everywhere I look, I see new behaviors and attitudes that are detrimental to the history of this election season. African-American women are dressed like whores on the Internet in outfits designed to resemble the American flag. Drug dealers are selling crack in the community while wearing shirts that say "Yes We Can." African-American students are involved in brawls on college campuses because they feel untouchable. And, a woman insinuated to me that I could miss class because Obama is President.
African-Americans must see the election of Barack Obama as a challenge to be better people, and not an opportunity to proliferate ignorance. We must take this opportunity to educate our children to succeed where we have failed. We must be productive contributing members of society, and not deviants that stain this moment in our nation's history. And, as college students, we must strive to do our finest work.
The Presidential term is only four years; eight if re-elected. We must be careful not to allow the behaviors we demonstrate during Obama's Presidential term to move the African-American race backward, but propel us towards a higher level of expectancy. The world is watching America to see how our nation will respond to the first African-American President. And, my fellow African-Americans, America is watching us.

Time and Knowledge are too valuable to be taken for granted. We have wasted enough time in our despondent states of complacency. And, we have failed to vehemently stress the importance of knowledge to this current generation. Time will not wait for the slothful; and our people are perishing from a "lack of knowledge."

THE PUPPET MASTER

The tragic events of September 11, 2001, have changed the face of American culture forever. No longer is the threat of a terrorist attack a mere theory, but now twenty-first century citizens of the United States have firsthand experience of the tyranny suffered by many Middle Eastern and third-world-country citizens . As a result of these events, widespread panic and hysteria have caused the American people to question the safety and security of our nation. Therefore, many preventative measures, such as stricter airport security, have been implemented in an attempt, not only to prevent a future terrorist attack, but also to restore the idea of security to the American people. As a result, citizens of America have been forced to choose between security and civil liberty.

Orange, red, and yellow terrorist alerts are the tools that the Republican administration have used in order to divert our attention from the abuses of our government. And, whenever the American people question the policies of our government, the Puppet Master dangles the colors of fear before our eyes, and we assume our proper position of silent, obedient consent.

On November 4, 2008, American citizens regained their voices and demanded change. The American people elected the first African-American President and sent a resounding message around the world—we want change. And, that change was exhibited in the miscellany of faces that were painted on the canvas of Grant Park, in Chicago, IL, as President-elect Barack Obama delivered his victory address. I am proud to be a part of that change. Young and old, black and white, Asian and Hispanic, gay and straight all stood together in unity as one nation under God. And, even when our nation is on the cusp of revolutionary change, the Puppet Master seeks to divert our attention to the colors of fear and the possibility of a terrorist attack.

He plants the idea of an inaugural assassination in our minds to diminish our hope. He alleges an Al-Qaeda alliance between Obama and Bin Laden. And, he alludes that the current administration is more committed to the fight against terrorism than the newly elected one. However, the American people have spoken and we will no longer listen to the voice of the Puppet Master. We will no longer allow the government to possess the authority to enter the homes of private citizens without probable cause. We will no longer allow our library records and phone conversations to be subjected to the invasive ear of our government. We dispel the lie that racial profiling is a small price to pay in order to prevent future terrorist attacks.

Finally, I say to the Puppet Master: Perhaps instead of focusing so much attention on potential terrorist attacks, you should redirect your attention to our lawmakers on Capitol Hill to ensure our way of life as we know it.

SHOULD WE HOPE?

The electoral season has placed the United States of America on the cusp of revolutionary change. The Democratic nominee was chosen from two unprecedented candidates; Barack Obama, an African American male, and Hillary Clinton, a Caucasian female. Obama won the party's nomination. And now, the race for the White House has paired together, on both sides of the party lines, former oppressor and oppressee. Barack Obama has chosen Joe Biden as his Vice Presidential running mate. Biden, a sixty-four year old white male, could be viewed as a model of the legislative body that deemed blacks as property rather than humans afforded the same inalienable rights guaranteed to white United States citizens. On the other hand, John McCain has chosen Sarah Palin, a forty-four year old white female, as his Vice Presidential running mate. Palin, could serve as a model for the women of America who have courageously fought for women to share the same rights that were granted to men. It was not until August 26, 1920, that the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution became law, granting women the right to vote in the Presidential election. However, this electoral season has provided our nation with a female Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate.

It would appear, on the surface, that this is a great time of change in America. However, appearances are often the masks that we wear to disguise the true hatred and resentment, that have so often defined American society. In Pittsburgh, a young, white female volunteer devised a plan to further incite the racist and prejudicial attitudes that have become a part of the presidential campaign. Ashley Todd claimed that she was robbed and pinned to the ground, while having the letter "B" carved into her forehead, by a black male, due to her political support of John McCain. After further investigation, Todd admitted that she lied and was charged with making a false police report. Todd's behavior has been attributed to recurring "mental health issues," rather than its obvious motivator- hatred. It is because of this type of hatred that I wonder if America has a reason to hope.

Police have reportedly foiled over two hundred attempts and conspiracies to assassinate Barack Obama. If there have been over two hundred reported attempts, how many have been unreported? And, what impression of America will Malia and Sasha, Obama's children, have of a nation that would advocate murdering their father, in an effort to resist change. And, this is part of America's history. We have a history of silencing the voices of change. We silenced the voice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the voice of Malcolm X. We silenced the voices of John and Robert F Kennedy and the voice of Abraham Lincoln. And now, once again, America is determined to silence another revolutionary voice of change, Sen. Barack Obama.

Therefore, I ask "Why should we hope?" Why should we hope that the voices of slavemasters are not as loud and cruel, in today's society, as they were over four hundred years ago? Why should we hope that we have become a society of intelligent people, able to see beyond the color of a person's skin, and see only a majesty of cells, forming and reshaping themselves, in this wonderful system known as the human body? Why should we hope that racism, prejudice, and hatred are the institutions of a decadent past, when the Christian community proliferates such institutions? Why should we hope?

The conclusion of the presidential elections frighten me. If Obama wins, how long will it be before we receive a newsflash that the president has been assassinated? If McCain wins, we endure another four years of peril, while the supremacists gleefully shout cheers of victory, filling more empowered than during the days of colonization. And, again I wonder, why should we hope?

It is my sincere hope, that when casting your vote, you are able to look beyond the opinions that have been ingrained in us by our parents; and programmed in us across the pulpits of our churches. It is my sincere hope that our country can begin afresh with a future as bright , as our past is dark. It is my hope that we will be friends, and educated colleagues on November 5th, instead of adversaries that pass one another in the hall staring while silently saying, "Go to hell!" It is my hope that my faith in my fellowman may be renewed, and not separated from me, as far as the east is from the west. This is my hope.

LIVE A LITTLE

I have been confined to the same routine for the last two years; school during the day, work at night, and studying on the weekends. Do not be mistaken, I love my life and the direction in which it is moving. However, I sometimes miss the freedom of having no responsibilities. I miss lazy days and long nights. I miss the freedom of spontaneity; living for today, unconcerned with tomorrow. I miss late night dinners on Saturdays, the big game on Sunday, and Monday night football. It would seem, that in the process of pursuing my goals, I have forgotten how to enjoy my life. And, that is what I miss the most- enjoying life. I believe that in the process of pursuing our goals that we can become so determined, so strong willed, and so career motivated that we forget to enjoy life. We forget what it was like to be a child that found pleasure in the simple and ordinary things of life. As children, we did not need the services of online dating systems; we simply wrote a note which read: "Would you be my girlfriend? Check yes, no, or maybe." We did not need Gladiator games, but a small piece of chalk, an unmarked slab of concrete, to play a game of hopscotch. We did not need goal posts and white chalked lines, to indicate midfield, the telephone poles on the opposite sides of the street marked the boundaries of our playing field. Although goals and personal achievements are important, I think that I will spend a little more time taking pleasure in the simple things. I think I will stay up late on Saturday, and sleep in on Sunday. I think I will use the lawn hose for a water gun, and wet my daughter for no reason at all. I think I will take a long drive today and worry about gas prices tomorrow. In short, I think I will live a little.

VOTERS BEWARE!

It is evident, from the recent political campaign, that racism and prejudice remain at the core of American society. At a recent Republican rally, held in Clearwater, FL, Gov. Palin criticized the media for unjustly portraying her as an unqualified, Vice-Presidential candidate. During her address, Palin supporters yelled obscenities at the camera crew-with one supporter shouting to an African-American sound man, "Sit down, boy." At another McCain-Palin rally, members of the crowd yelled, "Kill him, kill Obama" following Sarah Palin's rant concerning the nature of Sen. Obama's relationship with radical Bill Ayers. It is clear (at least to me) that the objective of the republican party is to incite the two main issues that lay at the heart of American society- race and prejudice.

In a recent class discussion, following a story told to us by Professor Smith, we were asked the question, "What does it mean to sound white?" I was blown away when the majority of the class acted clueless in response to her question. The silence suggested that there is no stereotype attached to speech and the way we speak. In the summer of 2001, I was employed as a customer service representative for American Express. During my training, I was instructed to listen for idiomatic dialects and word patterns as indicators of the potential race and social status of incoming callers; a tool that I believe many people use in their daily lives. Proper speech and enunciation are characteristics of "whiteness". While slang and broken language are characteristics attributed to minorities-a fact that we must all face.

Although the United States has made great strides in race relations, it would be presumptuous of us to assume that this country is not driven by racism and prejudice. With our nation in a state of emergency and economic crisis, our choice for President should be based entirely on the merits of each candidate and the solutions that are offered to redeem us from the debauchery of the current administration; not the inflammatory words of racism and hate that incite the prejudice in all of us. This country is in need of a President that leads by example and has the best interest and welfare of every citizen at heart. I propose that when you cast your vote for President, you look beyond the racist fabric of our nation and vote for the future success of America, and not the prejudicial stereotypes associated with our shameful past.

FROM THE DESERT OF MIDIAN

I read my Bible today for the first time in a year. Since retiring from the ministry, I have avoided reading the Bible for fear that it may arouse within me passions and desires, I wish no longer to feel. However, today I was drawn to the book of Exodus, particularly, the narrative of Moses and his forty year exile in the desert of Midian. After killing an Egyptian, who was assaulting a Hebrew servant, Moses was forced to seek refuge from the vengeance and sword of Pharoah. Moses had been adopted by Pharoah's daughter and educated in the customs and traditions of the Egyptians. However, in this narrative, he was a lowly shepherd tending Jethro's (his father-in-law) sheep. While reading the text, I wondered if Moses ever looked toward Egypt and wished for the life that was no longer his. I wondered if he ever compared the landscape of Egypt to the desert of Midian. I wondered if he missed the sweet smell of fragrance and incense, now replaced with the odor from the flock of the sheep. I wondered if he thought that his life would ever have more meaning than that of a shepherd. To me, it seems as if Moses was in a "valley of despondency" trapped between two worlds; the life he once had, and a future that was uncertain. And, that is why God led me to this text. Like Moses, I am in Midian. I am in a "valley of despondency", trapped between two worlds-the life I left behind and the uncertainty of the future.

In The Miseducation of the Negro, Dr. Carter G. Woodson challenges mainstream Blacks and those that have overcome depraived situations, to help their fellow brothers and sisters to succeed and overcome their situations as well. However, he did not live during this generation. He did not live to see the first genertion ever to be less educated than their parents. And, if this generation is less educated than their parents, then what will be the future of their children. He did not live to see a generation devalue the struggles of their predessors. I recently struggled with the decision of changing my major from Biology to Psychology. I thought, that as a Psychology major, if I gained a better understanding of myself, I could help other young men and women with similar backgrounds. I was wrong; this generation does not want to be helped.

When I visit my former neighborhood, I am saddened by the level of ignorance and the outright refusal of help. Worst of all, I am saddened when I see the same patterns of behavior have pervaded this college campus. I am saddened when I visit the University Center and observe young black men and women calling one another bitches and whores while playing a game of dominoes. I am saddened when I sit in college classrooms and witness sagging pants being worn by young black men. I am saddened when neighborhood slang is preferred over proper English; and, when young women behave like "hoodrats" rather than intelligent, well-trained ladies.

I have made many mistakes and bad choices that have me here finishing what I should have completed years ago. However, once complete, "what will I do?" Egypt no longer wants me and I can not see on the other side of Midian. Will employers want people like me? Are people willing to forget who I was and embrace who I am at this moment? I do not know. Moses sojourned for forty years in Midian. I wonder how long will my journey last. Finally, I wonder if I will lead my people through the wilderness, so that some, may enter the promised land.

TRULY DISTURBING

I had an Hebrew exam Tuesday and found myself unable to focus. I had not slept much, my vision was blurry, my body was aching from a long night's work. Although I hate the heat, I felt that I needed some fresh air and time to meditate before I took my exam. While standing outside, I noticed a young African-American female waiting anxiously for her ride. Normally, I pay little attention to others while meditating, however, she was engaged in an hostile conversation using words that no lady should use; with no regard for potential listeners. A few moments later, a man appeared and questioned her about the conversation. After she explained that it was a disagreement between friends, he further questioned her about standing in a place other than where they had agreed to meet. "Where were you and why are you out here?" he asked. "Is it him?" he asked while pointing in my direction. I had never seen the young woman before. "No," she replied. "I don't know him." "Then who?" he responded. "It must be someone." The conversation moved beyond an interrogation into verbal assault. He cursed and berated the young woman as she cried and tried to reassure him that she had made an innocent mistake. She had simply forgotten where they agreed to meet. Unsatisfied with her answer, he continued to scold her; she continued to cry. She looked embarrassed. She looked battered. She looked helpless. It reminded me of the stereotypes and the way that society at large views Black men and the way we treat Black women and my heart is broken. How could he treat her that way; and more importantly, how could she allow it? How could she, an intelligent woman, think so little of herself, that she did not demand better? I have two beautiful daughters, and I dread the day that anyone abuses them; either physically, verbally, or mentally. Psychologists predict that most women marry men that remind them of their fathers. Perhaps, this is where it all begins; with fathers. I have been accused of being an overprotective father that spoils his children. I have been told that I have made it almost impossible for any man to fill my shoes. I think that is great. I tell my daughters to marry a man that loves and respects them as much as their father. I believe that if they do, then they will find more than a husband; they will find a friend and a lifelong partner.