Friday, December 5, 2008

Are We Living In A Post-Racial Society?

by Kofi Khemet (Reposted 9/13/2013)

This blog was originally posted one month after the first election of Barack Obama. Sadly, it's just as relevant today as it was then.

See if you can answer the question posed by the moderator of the Facebook group The Center of Pan-African Culture. "Can you accurately determine, from looking at these photos, who is Black and who is White?" Write down your answers on a sheet of paper, read the blog and check your answers using the key provided at the end of this post. Then think about the question, is race a biological reality or a social construct designed to keep one group on top and the other on the bottom?

'With the election of Barack Obama to the presidency the question has come up, are we living in a post-racial society? In other words has the concept of race lost its cache, or meaning? Let's examine this and see what we come up with, it may be that we've reached that land that Dr. King saw from the mountain top. Of course, it may be as illusory as a mirage in the Sahara on a hot day.

What lies at the heart of this question is the notion that something fundamental has changed within society, either as a result of Obama's campaign or independent of that campaign. As we consider this question it would be good to lay out some facts that we can take into account. First of all 53% of Americans voted for Obama, or against McCain, as the case may be. While an almost equal number voted for McCain/Palin or against Obama. This being said we're talking about millions of people on each side of the line in almost equal numbers. You'll recall it was the independent/undecided voters that tipped the scales in Obama's favor.

Fact number two: throughout the campaign Obama was dogged by questions of lack of experience, etc. This was not the first time a candidate was labeled with that tag, but it was particularly galling in Obama's case, because it was very reminiscent of the infamous "grandfather clause." Witness the contrast here between McCain, who like Bush had generations of "leadership" experience behind him, while Obama had only his own experience in college and community organizing. How was he to overcome this gap without going back in time and rewriting history. It appeared to be an insurmountable gap.

Fact number three: everything was thrown at him, including the kitchen sink, by Hillary, McCain and Palin. No stone was left unhurled, including the use of his middle name as a label of unfitness for the job.

Fact number four: everything was thrown at him short of playing the obvious race card. Obama was cool enough to never even bring up race, but he did respond forcefully when his opponents tried to broach it in a circuitous manner.

Fact number five: race was an issue, albeit an unspoken issue. It was the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, but Obama deftly avoided it to the consternation of some of his Black supporters, who in the end were understanding enough to know why he was leaving that issue alone.

What his opponents did say about race came through when they spoke of his numbers. They always tried to make him "the Black candidate." In the past other candidates, like Carl Stokes, were dogged with accusations like this and came up with creative ways of addressing it, without alienating his supporters of either race. Obama was just as deft in dealing with the Reverend Wright issue, which was a race issue; his middle name issue "Hussein," which was a race/religious issue and the terrorist association issue, which was not so much a race issue; but spoke to how "different" he was compared to the other candidates.

All of the above issues were couched in a blanket of "difference." All the diversity training in the world was not enough to keep the other candidates from pointing out, "he's not like us." The logical conclusion here is that race is still very much an issue that cannot be overlooked, just like that 800 lb. gorilla in the room.

In the end it appears that Obama won not because of some drastic shift in the status quo, or the racial proclivities of whites, but rather by the use of superior strategy, gamesmanship and good timing.

The fact is America is as backwards when it comes to attitudes about race today as it ever has been. In a presentation I'm readying for publication entitled, "Black Men On The Money," I'll deal with the some of these attitudes and perceptions. Here's a little exercise you can do right now to see where you're really at on the issue of race. Take a look at the picture at the beginning of this article and make a note of what race you think each of these people represent. Some of them you may know by name and/or face and others may be unfamiliar to you. Regardless, without using a reference work, or the internet to try and identify them first, just look at them as people and see if you can correctly identify their "race."

When you're done use the photo key that below for information on each person seen in the picture. This is something that we all need to look at very carefully and consider what our own attitudes are toward the persistent question of racial identity in America."

Photo Key

(As you go down the list of names apply them to the pictures from left to right starting at the top left corner.)

1. Walt Disney (1901-1966), cartoonist and founder of the Walt Disney, Co. We assume that he's white, but have not done the research to prove it yet.
2. Adam Clayton Powell IV (1962), son of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. One of a long line of African American politicians in NY. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. had a long and illustrious career as a congressman. What many young people may not remember is the personal side of his story. He had 3 marriages to Isabelle Washington, Hazel Scott and Yvette Diago. Adam Clayton Powell IV was born of his 3rd wife and should not be confused with his nephew, also a New York politician. His half brother Adam Clayton Powell III is the father of the other Adam Clayton Powell IV.
3. Halle Berry (1966), African American movie star and Academy Award winner.
4. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. (1908-1972), the African American congressman from NY, who served continuously from 1945-1971.
5. Walt Disney (1901-1966), an older picture of Disney for comparison with Powell.
6. Fredi Washington (1903-1994), African American movie star, famous for her portrayal of a mixed child who decided to pass for white in the 1934 movie, “Imitation of Life.” The theme of this film was derived from the idea of the “tragic mulatto.” In other words someone who could not fit in the Black world and wouldn't be accepted in the white world. In part this idea developed as a result of Reconstruction Era politics, where the Black representatives from the south were disparaged as dysfunctional incompetents who were foisted on the southerners. In part this attitude could have developed from the fact that there were no African American representatives from the north until well into the twentieth century. Her sister married Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.
7. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, SC (1947-), African American congressman from South Carolina, showing us that racial standards have not changed. He comes from a well known African American family in South Carolina.
8. Governor Pio Pico (1801-1894), the last Mexican governor of Alta (upper) California, also of African descent. In dealing with this subject it has to be kept in mind that “racial” designations in Mexico are much different than in the U.S. Pio's mother was described as a mulatta (half white and half Black); his father was described as mestizo (half Indian and half white). In the Wikipedia article on Pico he's described as African, Native American and Spanish. This is very misleading, because the assumption is that Spanish equals pure white. Three hundred years after the Moors were ousted from Spain and they're now white as the driven snow, I don't think so. To this day the Spanish still show traces of their Moorish heritage, which by the way was synonymous in Europe for Black.
9. Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. (1865-1953), an obituary picture of the founder of this powerful NY dynasty showing the similarity and differences in his appearance and that of his offspring. He presided over the well known African American, Abyssinian Baptist Church in NY for years.
10. Mary Ellen Pleasant (1814-1904), African American civil rights leader from California, entrepreneur and supporter of the abolitionist cause.
11. Master Fard Muhammad (1877-?), mentor to Elijah Muhammad. Identified only as an Asiatic Black man. No further information on him has been forthcoming. As with the origins of many religious organizations his own origins are shrouded in mystery.
12. Lt. General José Antonio Maceo y Grajales (1868-1896), second in command of the Cuban Army of Independence. This picture was the first one I've found of him where he actually appears to be of African descent. Many pictures of him have been bleached or altered to the point where he appears to be “white,” however his mother was definitely was definitely of African descent. His father was from Venezuela, which does not exclude the possibility of an African admixture. As of this writing I need further information on him.
13. Barbara Walters (1929), I haven't done the research on her background yet, but pay close attention to the lips and the nose and compare them with other people in this collage. She admittedly, had an affair with the African American Sen. Edward Brooke and wrote about it in her recent book. Her father also made his living from a well known chain of night clubs known as the Latin Quarter. Even today, many ball players from the Caribbean claim their Latin heritage, while the story of their African heritage is written all over their faces.
14. Commander Winston Churchill (1874-1965), admittedly had Native American predecessors. His mother was Lady Randolph of the American Randolphs, which were also related to a number of other American aristocratic families. Keep in mind that depending on what tribe we're talking about and when, that could mean an admixture of African blood, as well. Many if not most living descendants of Africans mixed with Native Americans somewhere along the way.
15. Rep. Augustus Hawkins, CA (1907-2007), African American congressman for many years, often mistaken for white.
16. Mary Church Terrell, (1863-1954), one of two women founders of the NAACP, her father was believed to be mulatto and she was obviously very light-skinned, but did not pass. She attended two Ohio schools, Antioch and Oberlin and graduated with a Masters from Oberlin in about 1886. She was prominent in the women's movement and the struggle for civil rights up until her death in 1954.
17. Generalissimo Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña, (1782-1831), here's the 2nd president of Mexico, one of the revolutionary fighters and liberator of the African slaves in Mexico. They say he's the George Washington and Abraham Lincoln of Mexico all in one. Really! Maybe that's more true than they realize. I could do a series of depictions of him also showing the same tendency to downplay his African origins to the point where we could actually call it artistic genocide. This applies to many Mexican and American leaders, as well.
18. Walter White (1893-1995), former Executive Director of the NAACP, author and NAACP undercover agent. One of his main tasks with the NAACP was to infiltrate white hate groups, like the KKK, and report back with their activities. At one point White had to leave a town when word got out that he was in town as a spy. As he was leaving one of the white train attendants commented on what they were going to do to that “nigger” when they caught up with him. Here's a statement by White as to his appearance,
    "'I am a Negro. My skin is white, my eyes are blue, my hair is blond. The traits of my race are nowhere visible upon me.' Five of his great-great-great-grandparents were black and the other 27 were white. All of his family was light-skinned, and his mother was also blue-eyed and blonde. Her maternal grandparents were Dilsia, a slave, and William Henry Harrison, the future President. Her mother Marie Harrison was one of Dilsia's daughters and her father Augustus Ware was also white.

       Here we have one of the best examples of what it means to be and African American in the U.S., even today. I know people right now who are Black in every sense of the word, but in appearance (blonde hair and white skin) appear to be white.

19. Charles W. Chesnutt (1858-1953), African American author. He could have passed for white, but chose not to.
20. Sen. Edward W. Brooke III (1919), Here we have Senator Brooke. I had a recent picture of him with President G.W. Bush and you could not tell the difference between their skin color as they shook hands or in their hair texture. Obviously, he could have passed for white, but did not. He's in the record books now as the “first” and only African American Senator from Massachusetts.
21. Mariah Carey (1970), of Afro-Venezuelan extraction. Again, I've seen “white” people with darker tans than hers, but she's admittedly Black.
22. William Alexander Leidesdorff (1810-1848), of Afro-Germanic extraction from the West Indies. He had a bad experience with race in Louisiana. When he moved to California he passed for white and never looked back. He was a huge landholder in California, leaving an estate valued in excess of 1 million dollars upon his untimely death; a government official for the Mexican government; one of San Francisco's first hoteliers and a ship captain. The California gold rush began on his property out near present day Folsom, California where this picture hangs in the local museum.
23. James Beckwourth (1798-1866), discoverer of the lowest pass over the Sierra Nevada mountains, rancher, fur trapper, professional gambler, mountain man, trading post operator and Indian chief. His African heritage is clear, however he too has been a victim of artistic genocide and in many pictures appears white. In fact he was portrayed by a white actor in the 1951 film production “Tomahawk.” His first name is changed to Sol, but clearly we recognize in the character Sol Beckworth frontiersman, the real man James Beckwourth.
24. Dr. Halle Tanner Dillon Johnson (1861-1904), here's one of my relatives. I picked her for the similarity in her appearance and that of Empress Menen. They could be sisters. I was originally going to use her brother Henry Ossawa Tanner, but I couldn't find a good copy of the picture I was looking for. Amazingly, with all of her education and knowledge she died birthing her 3rd child.
25. General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas (1762-1806), born Thomas-Alexandre Davy de la Pailleterie, the son of a low-ranking French nobleman and a slave woman from Haiti, he was France's answer to Toussaint L'Overture. Totally loyal to France, supporter of the revolution and father of two of the greatest men of France, who are both included in this photo-essay.
26. Fredi Washington (1903-1994), here's another depiction of Fredi Washington where she appears to be “white.” This was part of the advertisement for the original version of “Imitation of Life.”
27. Alexandre Dumas, fils (1802-1870), born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie, the elder Alexandre Dumas, author of “The Three Musketeers,” “The Man in the Iron Mask,” “The Count of Monte Cristo” and many other full length novels too numerous to mention here. Clearly, you can see his African roots in his face and hair. It was a well known fact that he was of African origin at that time. He was quite wealthy and popular with the ladies of France, but he was advised to pick another vacation venue, besides the U.S., because of the attitude of whites and the fear of a “white backlash” affecting his book sales if it became known that he was Black in the U.S.
28. Alexandre Dumas, pere (1824-1895), the younger Dumas was famous for his theatrical productions. I am not familiar with his most famous productions, but suffice it to say that all three Dumas' have statues in a place of honor in France today.

29. Empress Menen of Ethiopia, (1889-1962) born Wolete Giyorgis, she was the consort of Haile Selassie. Despite appearances this woman is actually a dark-skinned Caucasian. It was very difficult to find a good picture of her without her crown on, but I was able to dig this one up. More research needs to be done on her life and accomplishments. To some extent she's been overshadowed by her husband the Emporer.
30. Dr. William Key (1833-1909), last, but not least. Here we have Dr. William Key, ex-slave turned horse doctor from Shelbyville, TN. Most noted for his “talking” horse. Yes, that's right. I said it. A talking horse. As a matter of fact this horse could do quite a few things. See Blakfacts Volume I for more information on Dr. William Key and his horse Jim Key.

KNOW YOUR TROPES

First of all, what is a trope? A trope is a figure of speech which can boil a complex idea down to a few words. All cultures have tropes. The beauty of all cultures is in discovering the tropes unique to each culture.

In the case of President Obama and the recent comments comparing him to a Tar Baby. Let's examine the evidence carefully before we "jump off the deep end" into instant pundit land. In the story, all Americans know and love, Br'er Rabbit is tricked by Fox into having a fight with a "straw man," or in this case, a "Tar Baby." Fox planned for Br'er Rabbit to get stuck to "Tar Baby" allowing him and Bear to make a meal of him. Instead Br'er Rabbit tricks both of them into tossing him into the briar patch, where he makes good his escape. Watch the video excerpted from Walt Disney's "Song of the South" to refresh your memory on exactly how the story goes.

The point here is that if we follow the story to its logical conclusion, the Democrats/liberals who get stuck to "Tar Baby" Obama come out the winners in this story, only because the Republicans/far right are so stupid Br'er Rabbit/liberals trick them into giving them exactly what they want.

So, what's the downside here? Oh yeah, Obama appears to be foolish for the moment. But, if the story ends anything like it does in "Song of the South" the good guys win. "He who laughs last, laughs best."

Before we "jump off the deep end" we need to know our tropes and how to use them. It certainly wouldn't do for Fox to use our tropes against us. Next time, maybe we oughta beg Fox not to throw us into "the briar patch," instead of "jumping off the deep end" before we look at a situation thoughtfully carefully weighing all of our options and the resulting consequences.

OBAMA COMPARED TO HITLER AGAIN

In my last blogpost I warned readers to be on the lookout for more insults, barbs and racist attacks to be leveled against President Obama. This past Monday an African American reporter, by the name of Harris Faulkner, read two comments from their website. One of them compared Obama to Hitler while the other called him a monkey. These types of comparisons are expected from the general public, but it is totally out of order for a major news organization like Fox to read it over the air. Theses kinds of comments should not reach the light of day and should certainly not be given credence by responsible purveyors of the daily news.

Well, that explains it! Obviously, Fox News network is not a responsible news agency, as evidenced by the fact that this is not the first time Fox News has read these kinds of incendiary comments on the evening news. On February 14th, 2008 Tom Sullivan a Fox News radio personality took a call from a listener that compared Obama to Hitler. The funny thing is that he already had a tape of Hitler and a tape of Obama cued up ready to play if a listener called in making this comparison and wasted no time in playing them back to back.

"When a later caller complained that Sullivan was "denigrating" Obama with the comparison, Sullivan said he wouldn't play it again, then begged: 'Can I, please, one more time? Just one more time? Then I won't do it again. ... Until the next time.'"

There's an old saying that when you point one finger at someone else there are three fingers pointing back at you. Seeing as how the Fox broadcasters have Hitler recordings so handy, it appears as though they may be some of his biggest fans. How else do you explain their ability to pull up a Hitler recording at a moments notice.

I understand the NAACP has started a campaign to bring these racist assaults to a halt. As Dick Gregory used to say to us in the 70's "you young people have a big job to do." Certainly, it is a big job. Racism is woven into the fabric of this country, which makes it particularly difficult to eradicate without destroying the fabric itself.



"Fox News' Faulkner highlights viewer blog comments on stem cell policy invoking Hitler, comparing Obama to a monkey." Media Matters staff, 3/9/2009

Kofi's Inauguration Journal: Part I

Last week Barack H. Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States. His part was well orchestrated and quite dramatically portrayed on an international stage. With the exception of John Roberts misstep during the swearing in ceremony it appeared to go off without a hitch.

When Obama's in town it's as if a hurricane just landed. Thousands of people rallied to his cause during his presidential campaign. Millions attended his inauguration and now the hopes of the nation rest at his doorstep. Will he be up to the challenge? Will the Congress back him to the hilt or will his flower wilt and die along with the hopes of the nation.

I was in D.C. for the inauguration with my oldest daughter, Miri Muhammad and Rita Rogers, a teacher from Stewart Africentric Elementary School in Akron, OH. Our first night in town we attended the African Inaugural Ball at the Hilton hotel in Silver Springs, MD.; a well attended international affair. The program and the participants were from numerous countries on the three most populous continents in the world. Africa was well represented, of course, but there were also guests from the U.S. and the U.K. as well.

The entertainment on Sunday evening derived from Africa, and the Americas. Countries represented included Canada, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Nigeria, USA and Kenya. The organizers of the event are US residents from Nigeria. Featured performers of the evening included a Nova Scotian African dance troupe and Emma I.K. Agu, a Nigerian singer who regaled us with his rendition of "Obama: the Wind of Change." Marcia Griffiths, one of Bob Marley's back-up singers, ended the evening with her hit song "Electric Slide." Everyone had a good time dancing the night away.

Following the Ball we went around the corner to Langon Ethiopian restaurant, where we enjoyed a well deserved meal of beans and vegetables. This was to be the first of a number of Ethiopian establishments we visited that evening. At each location we visited the excitement level was high and everyone was planning on attending the ceremonies the next day. It appears that Obama has broken down many of the barriers and eliminated many of the stereotypes of Black American men.

We spent the day before the inauguration and inauguration day in and around the National Mall. The day before the inauguration we visited the Pavilion below the Old Federal Post Office and traced part of the parade route down Pennsylvania Avenue, all the way to the North side of the White house to the see the presidential reviewing stand. Spirits were high and the atmosphere was congenial. People were in town from all over the world, not just the U.S. We got to meet many of these people and recorded their stories. It seemed like everyone was a vendor or a news reporter. There were armies of both in town for the swearing in ceremony.

Traveling to and from the mall was a breeze on the Metro. I was glad that we planned to stay with friends who had the foresight to plan ahead and purchase our commemorative passes in advance. The lines to get any kind of pass at the station were extremely long. But, with our prepaid passes we breezed right on through to the lower level where we got on board a train to the Federal Triangle station.

The next day we arrived at the Metro station at about 4am. The rush to get to the National Mall had already begun. Cars were lined up to get into the Park & Ride lot at the Old Branch Metro station. We managed to skirt some of it, by coming in another entrance. But, long lines would be the rule from then on out.

We had been told not to bring folding chairs, ice chests, back packs or even a thermos because of security concerns. So, upon exiting the Metro station the first thing we did was go to Star Bucks, where we encountered 2 uniformed Secret Service agents in line to get their morning cup of Joe. However, when we actually got to the National Mall very little of the security we had been expecting was in place. We arrived at the ninth street entrance at about 6:30am and waited patiently for the gate to open at 7:00am.

The crowd continued to grow larger by the minute. Everyone was in high spirits and on several occasions started up an Obama campaign chant, "Fired Up, Ready to Go!" As the crowd continued to grow several people passed out. In order to get to them the authorities sent a truck directly into the crowd. This caused a lot of confusion. A few cool heads prevailed and disaster was averted not once, but twice as the first vehicle was followed by a Humvee going the opposite direction. Soon after these incidents concluded we expected the gate would open, however we were informed that we needed to go to another gate on 14th Street.

We headed down the street to the appointed gate, but before we arrived someone in the crowd saw a gate that was open near the Smithsonian Castle. It was an unmanned gate hanging wide open. No metal detectors, no TSA officers, nothing but an open gate to the inauguration. People streamed through that gate with metal folding chairs and anything else they cared to bring with them. We had diligently come with only what was officially allowed according to information on the Secret Service website. Among the items we did bring with us were included three blankets. Each of us carried one of these blankets to the Mall.

Once we reached the Mall things went pretty smoothly. We found ourselves a spot with a good view on the hill around the Washington Monument and laid out some of our blankets. Rita and I headed across the street to the National Museum of American History (NMAH) to get warm. We were met there by throngs of people with the same idea. Here we did have to go through the pretense of security. But, by the time we arrived there at 9am the museum was packed to overflowing, seriously beyond capacity.

We stayed in the museum until 11:30am, before we finally ventured back out onto the Mall. By this time it was impossible to cross 15th street to return to the base of the Washington Monument and there was a huge crowd in front of the Capitol. so, we reconciled ourselves to a clearing near a jumbotron on the Mall just outside of the NMAH. This turned out to be a good spot, as we had plenty of room around us and an unobstructed view.

No sooner had we stepped on the Mall many of the noted dignitaries made their grand entrance, including Malia and Sasha. Cheers rose up from the crowd at the mention of their names. Then Joe Biden took his oath and the crowd roared with delight. Last, but not least it was Obama's turn to take the stage. Right before he took the oath of office Cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Izhak Perlman, pianist Gabriella Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill performed a special piece composed especially for the inauguration of Barack Obama entitled "Air and Simple Gifts." We are not told that what we heard was actually a recorded rendition of the piece, as it was too cold to keep their instruments in tune. Obama took the oath and gave his inaugural address and the crowd dispersed.

Many of them did as we did and reentered the NMAH. The cold was bone-chilling, penetrating our outer garments in short order. All of the Smithsonian buildings were open that day. It purportedly cost the Inaugural Committee approximately $700,000 for these accommodations and was well worth it. Many of us would not have made it through the day without the respite offered us by the Museum complex.

Our plan was to give people a chance to exit the Mall before heading to the nearest Metro station, which on that day was at Le Enfant Plaza. We had found a cafe in the NMAH and decided 12:30pm was a good time to get something to eat. There are 2 cafes in the NMAH. We decided to go to the largest one on the Lower Level. There was a long line there, but it moved quickly. We went through the line and got our food.

The place was packed with people like ourselves from various places. Some of the most interesting people we met during our stay were seated at our table. One woman we met had been to the March On Washington, The Poor People's Campaign of 1968, three inaugurations and numerous other major events on the Mall. Everyone agreed the camaraderie was the main attraction for the day, not the swearing in ceremony, not the celebrities or the media, but the everyday people who willing and patiently shared their stories, they were the main attraction.

Are We Living In A Post-Racial Society?

With the election of Barack Obama to the presidency the question has come up, are we living in a post-racial society? In other words has the concept of race lost its cache, or meaning? Let's examine this and see what we come up with, it may be that we've reached that land that Dr. King saw from the mountain top. Of course, it may be as illusory as a mirage in the Sahara on a hot day.

What lies at the heart of this question is the notion that something fundamental has changed within society, either as a result of Obama's campaign or independent of that campaign. As we consider this question it would be good to lay out some facts that we can take into account. First of all 53% of Americans voted for Obama, or against McCain, as the case may be. While an almost equal number voted for McCain/Palin or against Obama. This being said we're talking about millions of people on each side of the line in almost equal numbers. You'll recall it was the independent/undecided voters that tipped the scales in Obama's favor.

Fact number two: throughout the campaign Obama was dogged by questions of lack of experience, etc. This was not the first time a candidate was labeled with that tag, but it was particularly galling in Obama's case, because it was very reminiscent of the infamous "grandfather clause." Witness the contrast here between McCain, who like Bush had generations of "leadership" experience behind him, while Obama had only his own experience in college and community organizing. How was he to overcome this gap without going back in time and rewriting history. It appeared to be an insurmountable gap.

Fact number three: everything was thrown at him, including the kitchen sink, by Hillary, McCain and Palin. No stone was left unhurled, including the use of his middle name as a label of unfitness for the job.

Fact number four: everything was thrown at him short of playing the obvious race card. Obama was cool enough to never even bring up race, but he did respond forcefully when his opponents tried to broach it in a circuitous manner.

Fact number five: race was an issue, albeit an unspoken issue. It was the 800 lb. gorilla in the room, but Obama deftly avoided it to the consternation of some of his Black supporters, who in the end were understanding enough to know why he was leaving that issue alone.

What his opponents did say about race came through when they spoke of his numbers. They always tried to make him "the Black candidate." In the past other candidates, like Carl Stokes, were dogged with accusations like this and came up with creative ways of addressing it, without alienating his supporters of either race. Obama was just as deft in dealing with the Reverend Wright issue, which was a race issue; his middle name issue "Hussein," which was a race/religious issue and the terrorist association issue, which was not so much a race issue; but spoke to how "different" he was compared to the other candidates.

All of the above issues were couched in a blanket of "difference." All the diversity training in the world was not enough to keep the other candidates from pointing out, "he's not like us." The logical conclusion here is that race is still very much an issue that cannot be overlooked, just like that 800 lb. gorilla in the room.

In the end it appears that Obama won not because of some drastic shift in the status quo, or the racial proclivities of whites, but rather by the use of superior strategy, gamesmanship and good timing.

The fact is America is as backwards when it comes to attitudes about race today as it ever has been. In a presentation I'm readying for publication entitled, "Black Men On The Money," I'll deal with the some of these attitudes and perceptions. Here's a little exercise you can do right now to see where you're really at on the issue of race. Take a look at the picture at the beginning of this article and make a note of what race you think each of these people represent. Some of them you may know by name and/or face and others may be unfamiliar to you. Regardless, without using a reference work, or the internet to try and identify them first, just look at them as people and see if you can correctly identify their "race."

When you're done go to www.quadratix.org for information on each person seen in the picture. This is something that we all need to look at very carefully and consider what our own attitudes are toward the persistent question of racial identity in America.

I Never Thought I'd Live To See The Day!!

As we bring 2008 to a close I'd like to reflect on some of the commentary regarding President elect Obama. The media pundits seem to have achieved a state of nirvana regarding the election of Obama to the presidency of the United States. They act as if a Black man had never run a country before. For their information I'd like to speak on this matter.

Clearly, the election of Obama to the presidency is something that many of us thought we would not see in our lifetime. However, it's not all that the media would like to make out of it.

Number One: Africa's descendants have led many great nations, down through the ages.

Number Two: Some of these great leaders have led the United States of America.

Number Three: Great nations continue to be led by Black men today.

Let's look at these three points. The word president is a title to describe the leader of a country. Many countries around the globe now use this title in emulation of the government of the United States of America. Many countries also use the title prime minister, some continue to use the word king and, or queen. However, you want to look at it, it's just a title. It conveys no more status than any other title. In fact, it conveys less status than the title emperor or king.

The descendants of Africa have ruled as many, if not more, nations as any other group of people on the globe. So, why should it be so amazing that Obama could be elected president of this nation? Well, as a matter of fact the descendants of Africa have occupied this office before. Admittedly, we were not taught this in school, but I think the facts will bear me out.

The economy of the U.S. was based on the chattel slavery of Africans for over a hundred years. During the course of this enslavement a doctrine of "white supremacy" developed. This doctrine had as one of its basic tenets the idea of the purity and sanctity of the white race. Therefore, even one drop of "Black blood" would cause one's lineage to be tainted, and would also cause all of one's progeny to no longer be of the white race, but rather of the "Black" race.

Oftentimes this led to the labeling of people that appeared to be white as Black. This was a handy device, especially in the later years of slavery, when the importation of new slaves had been outlawed. Many a "white person" was enslaved after having been accused of being Black. If they could not produce paperwork proving their "whiteness" slave-catchers could snatch them up and spirit them away to a slave state where they would be bought and sold. There are a number of well documented cases where this happened and the family eventually "proved" the person was not Black and should therefore be released.

It's also been documented and attested to by eyewitnesses that a number of presidents of the United States of America were known to have been from Black families. These presidents include Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Warren G. Harding, Calvin Coolidge and Dwight Eisenhower. There are other prominent Americans still "passing" for white, as did Alexander Hamilton.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term "passing" as it is used in the Black community. Passing is when you cross over the color line by denying any and all association with your blood relations and create a new life out of sheer fiction. This is something that is quite common in the Black community. Examples of this phenomenon abound. Some prominent people who could and did pass, on occasion, include Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Walter White, John G. Jackson, T. John McKee, Mariah Carey, Queen Charlotte Sophia, Alexander Dumas, Alexander Leidesdorff, Alexander Pushkin and President Warren G. Harding. Many of these individuals accepted their "Blackness" and even reveled in it. But, this was not true across the board.

Alexander Leidesdorff's story was particularly tragic. He lost his first love when he informed her of his "tainted" background. Following that incident he moved to the other side of the country and kept his background in the closet. Alexander Dumas the French author of "The Three Musketeers," "The Man In the Iron Mask" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" was told, in no uncertain terms by his agent, that he should not even consider vacationing in America, for fear of losing a major market due to the endemic racism of the times.

On the other hand there were individuals like Adam Clayton Powell, Alexander Pushkin, Walter White and James G. Jackson who not only reveled in their "Blackness," but at times used their white appearance to infiltrate "white supremacist" organizations as spies.

So, when we hear of someone passing it's not far-fetched at all, because oftentimes we have people in our families who have been passing for years.

Last, but not least there should be no doubt that the descendants of Africa have been leaders in every field including cotton, since we arrived on these shores. So, why in heaven's name should it be amazing that a Black man could be elected to the presidency. There's a poem by "Straight Out Scribes," entitled "I Never Thought I'd Live To See The Day," that talks about the election of Nelson Mandela to the presidency of the unabashedly racist country of South Africa. If Mandela could be released from a life sentence for treason, after 30 years smashing rocks and then become President of South Africa, surely this could happen in the U.S.

The thing that's most "amazing" is that in spite of the racist policies still in force in this country, a Black man has risen to the top without having to deny his racial heritage. Yes, he's Black! They'll never let him forget. He's Black all right, he'll never let them forget.

Announcing publication of, "Blakfacts Volume 1"

Featuring updated facts about President-elect Barack Obama!!!

It's been a long time coming, but it's finally ready for prime time. "Blakfacts Volume 1" is a compendium of notable facts in the history of the African diaspora. You'll encounter heroes and sheroes; warriors and peacemakers; presidents and popes. In fact there's no telling what kind of folks you'll encounter.

This book is for young and old! You'll learn about things your teacher never told you in school. They say,

"those who do not know their history are destined to repeat it!"

This fully illustrated volume is the first in a series of books which will broaden the horizons of its readers. If you thought you knew something about African American history, think again.

As the editor of this series, based on the research of J.A. Rogers and the illustrations of A.S. Milai, I am particularly proud to present this unique offering to the children of today following the most auspicious occasion of the election of the first Black President of the United States, in the 21st century.

Buy it now by selecting this live link to PayPal's secure server. PayPal can accept Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express and other forms of payment. Take advantage of our low introductory price.

Shipping is free and tax is included!

For those of you unfamiliar with eBooks, you will be sent a link to your eMail address within 24 hours of your payment, which will allow you to download this digital book and print it out in its entirety or one page at a time.

This book is recommended for children and adults alike. The short bios are no more than 1-2 paragraphs and there are numerous illustrations on each page to engage your readers. They're perfect for ages 8 and up. Download your copy now and give them away as Kwanzaa gifts! Use the colorful depictions on the cover to inspire further research by your students.

Please feel free to suggest new subjects for upcoming volumes.

Yours Truly,

Kofi Khemet, M.Ed.
Editor and Researcher

All Hail Commander-in-Chief Obama!!

President Obama

Another long campaign comes to an end. We now know what we may have been unsure of yesterday. The most powerful man in the world is a Black man! The Obamas will soon be occupying the White House, not as a butler and maid, but as the residents of the house.

This is a significant occurrence in American history, but not like some of us may think. "Race" has been a significant issue during this run for the White House. However, this is not the first time an African American has occupied the White House!! According to J.A. Rogers, their have been 4-5 African American presidents already! Now, just in case you missed this lesson during American history class I'll give you a quick recap.

In 1963 Attorney-General Robert Kennedy and Senator Jacob Javits stated:

"there might be a Negro President in the next thirty or forty years, FACT, most outspoken of the big magazines, replied there was already one and in its January-February, 1964 issue had an article 'America's First Negro President.' It named Warren G. Harding as the one and had affidavits from elderly whites who knew the Harding family.

But before Harding three other Presidents had been loudly proclaimed by white people as being of Negro ancestry . . . . Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln."

J. A. Rogers published a small booklet entitled "The Five Negro Presidents: according to what white people said they were" in 1965, offers up more evidence to back up these claims. Oftentimes, these claims of the first Black this and the first Black that is not only overblown, but is actually incorrect.

Ask anyone who the first African American in professional baseball was and they'll readily cite Jackie Robinson. When were the first "Freedom Rides?" Of course, everyone knows they occurred in the 1960's. Who was the first Black Astronaut? That's an easy one, Guion Bluford. However, when we go back and check the records we find that Moses "Fleetwood" Walker preceded Jackie Robinson by about 50 years. The first "Freedom Rides?" Well, as a matter of fact my cousin's husband went on the "Journey of Reconciliation," with Bayard Rutsin and other members of CORE in 1948. This was a test of an interstate transportation law enacted by President Truman outlawing segregation in interstate transportation. Last, but not least, Guion Bluford, one of our best and our brightest was preceded by Capt. Edward J. Dwight, Jr. who entered an astronaut training program in the early 60's.

As you can see from this short list, it can be a lot more difficult to nail down some of these so-called firsts than is apparent at first glance. I have purposely left a lot unsaid. My feeling is that in order to really know something it's best if you find it out for yourself. I will be returning to this topic as we continue to cover the story of Barack Obama, which has become decidedly presidential at this point.

Obama & "The Boss" Come to Cleveland After 20K Rally @ The Q

Young people turned out in force for a political rally at the Quicken Loans Arena on October 29th, 2008. LeBron James, Jay-Z, the Obama Campaign and the Democratic Party held a large rally in downtown Cleveland that was well staged and attended.

News media from around the world were represented, including a Kenyan paper called "The Nation," "Al-Jazeera English," and all the major U.S. news outlets.

The event was significant in that it drew a large crowd of young people during the middle of the week. The program opened up with prayer by a local preacher and continued with appeals to the youth to vote early and in massive numbers. Chris Redfern the head of the Ohio Democratic Party and field organizers within the Obama organization urged the youth to go to the polls enmasse and cast their ballot no matter what the difficulties involved.

They were warned about long lines, lack of food and water. Event host LeBron James and recording artist/entrepreneur Jay-Z implored them to go to the polls and stay there until they had cast their ballot. These were not exactly prophetic words, since long lines have already been noted in Atlanta, GA and other swing states, as well. Some of these lines have people waiting in line for up to 8 hours or more. It's been noted that the majority of these voters are new, young voters supporting Obama. It's a testament to their tenacity and the seriousness of the times that they continue to spend this much time waiting in line to cast their ballots. The much maligned youth have been cast as apathetic and unreliable, however it's this reporters' opinion that they are about to destroy this particular myth.

Senator and Mrs. Obama will be in Cleveland this Sunday at the "Change We Need Rally," Lakeside Malls A, B and C on Lakeside Avenue. The doors open at 2pm and the program begins at 3:45pm on November 2nd. Now we all love Barack, Michelle and the children, but this rally will feature the "real" BOSS! That's right Bruce Springsteen himself will be on the stage with the man we want to be the "BOSS" of the U.S. government. Wow!!! Does it get any better than this?

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you can't make it to the rally remember this, "power concedes nothing without a fight." We've all got to do our part. Don't wait for the last minute to go to the polls. The earlier you go the more likely you are to successfully cast your ballot and be one in 100 million to begin to turn this country around. Your children's posterity and your posterior hang in the balance. Do your duty.

Obama Delivers Closing Argument: Assassination Plot Foiled!

Today Senator Barack Obama wrapped up the presidential campaign that began "on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, "with his "closing argument," delivered to a full house at the Canton Memorial Civic Center in Canton, Ohio. His closing argument summed up the current state of the campaign and, I'm sure, inspired many residents of Northeast Ohio to continue to work even harder to put him in the White House, on November 4th, 2008.

Even as the diverse crowd basked in the words of the presidential candidate, plans to implement the "final solution" for African Americans, Barack Obama in particular, were being foiled by federal agents in Jackson, Tennessee. This makes the 4th assassination attempt on Baracks life, that's been publicized, since he began his campaign on the steps of the Old State Capitol.

The first incident was the sabotage of his plane by deploying one of the emergency ramps while the plane was in flight, creating a situation where the plane was very difficult to control. Luckily, the pilots were seasoned enough to land the plane without further incident. Aviation authorities said they'd never had an incident like this occur.

The second incident occurred just before the Democratic Convention in Denver, when a conspiracy was uncovered amongst a well armed group of young, White, methamphetamine users in Denver, CO. For those of you unfamiliar with methamphetamines, people who use them become extremely violent and prone to uncontrollable fits of violence.

The third incident was particularly perplexing because it had nothing to do with a White supremacy philosophy or organization. In fact, it involved the grandson of the publisher of one of the oldest African American newspapers in the country, who already had a felony rap sheet. Therefore, he should be doing some hard time.

But, this latest incident, which happened today, involved some White supremacists. In all of these cases, with the exception of the very first incident, heavy firearms and protective gear was involved. However, from the commentary that aired on MSNBC on the "Countdown with Keith Olberman" it appears that this too will be swept under the rug.

Each of these incidents, with the exception of the first one, was serious enough to illicit conspiracy charges and lengthy jail time for the perpetrators. However, we've yet to hear of even one of these cases resulting in a trial, and or jail time. In fact, what we have heard is that the conspirators have been sent home as if to say "boys will be boys." This is not gonna fly, not today, not tomorrow, not ever!

As if all that wasn't enough we also had another incident occur earlier this week involving a young woman who claimed that a "big Black man robbed, assaulted and disfigured her" in part, because she was a supporter of John McCain. This was a ridiculous claim, which was not investigated by the McCain staff, but was instead taken at face value, as evidenced by the calls of support from McCain and his running mate. Even after the young lady confessed to having made a fraudulent claim, which could have led to violent attacks being perpetrated on innocent people McCain has yet to address the issue.

This is a pattern that we've taken note of over the course of the campaign. In fact, the whole tenor of the McCain campaign is having the effect of enabling or endorsing this type of activity. The calls for "Obama's head," the crys of "kill him" when his name is mentioned at McCain rallies have not been addressed by the McCain campaign.

Black folks take these threats seriously. The response of White people is not that these are serious incidents but, rather just some "young knuckleheads." For Black folks these threats are much more serious than White people can even imagine because, many of us have had members of our families discriminated against, threatened with physical violence, murdered and lynched. In many instances we've experienced these things ourselves.

Our wealth, celebrity, educational background, etc. do not usually come into play when these incidents occur. It's the rare exception when our social status comes to our aid. In the case of O.J. Simpson we saw a good example of social status and wealth coming to his aid. Everything about the way he was dealt with was atypical, from the "slow speed" chase to his arrest following the chase. The whole thing was tightly choreographed, all according to the book. It was nothing like the Rodney King incident where he was in a high speed chase and was mercilessly beaten by some of L.A.'s finest.

If his beating hadn't been caught on tape by an amateur videographer he would have just been another number in the system. So, when these kinds of threats are issued, no matter how amateurish they may seem Black people take them very seriously. The federal authorities need to take these incidents just as seriously, because there have been too many nameless African Americans that have been murdered by "amateur" White supremacists. These, so-called amateurs, oftentimes are trying to make a name for themselves and, in fact, could care less whether or not they are killed in the process. Either way, they figure they're going into the history books as die-hard patriots who went down for the count.

Everyone who's interested in seeing Obama actually occupy the White House needs to write a letter to their state representatives and the local newspapers effectively putting them on notice. We should not delay, not even one day in carrying out this task, Obama's life could hang in the balance.

This is an issue that has not and will not be dealt with in any significant way by the media, unless we call them on the carpet. They've shown us this repeatedly, by how they've dealt with all of the incidents mentioned above (I'm getting reports of more incidents as we speak). They'd like to just sweep it under the rug and continue to talk about the issue of "race," without dealing with the reality of race that we're dealing with down here on the ground every day and that Barack and his family is dealing with every day.

All of us have been praying for them since this campaign started. So far, our prayers have been answered. But, prayer without works are futile and works without prayers are empty. We've got to combine positive action with affirmative prayers.

The Day of Jerusalem's Fall

September 16th, 2001
Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Transcription by Kofi Khemet from an audio recording posted by Roland Martin

All rights reserved 3/28/2008

Would you repeat these words after me. Remember O'Lord [Echo from audience] against the Edomites [Echo] the day of Jerusalem's fall. [Echo] Most of us are only familiar with what we read earlier in the service today, the first 6 verses of Psalm 137. They contain the powerful and immortal words of a people who are in exile. Words that have been made into anthems and sacred songs both in North America and in Jamiaca. Forty years ago when I was in college our college choir sang Psalm 137, "by the waters of Babylon, we sat down and wept when we remembered thee O'Zion." Twenty years ago almost everybody in the Caribbean was singing the Jamaican version, "by the waters of Babylon, dere we sat down and wept."

The captives in Babylon asked the question, "How shall we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" The captives in America answered that question by creating an entirely new genre of music, the Spirituals. They sang sorrowfully, "Sometimes I feel like a motherless child a long way from home". They sang thoughtfully, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows, but Jesus." They sang defiantly, "O'freedom, O'freedom, O'freedom over me, before I'd be a slave, I'd be buried in my grave and go home to my god and be free."

To quote Dr. Martin Luther King, they took Jeremiah's question mark and straightened it out into an exclamation point. Jeremiah, who saw his people in exile asks the question "Is there no balm in Gilead?" The Africans who were in exile, in a strange land, said yes there is "O'yes there is a balm in Gilead."

The exiles in Psalm 137 ask the question, "How can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land?" The Africans in exile in America answer their question and said, "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free." "His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me." Psalm 137 is a psalm that has inspired anthems and spirituals, poems and sermons.

Psalm 137 is a song that has inspired the hearts of millions, as they have reflected on the beauty and splendor of the city of god, Jerusalem. If I forget you O'Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunnning. Let my right hand, the Hebrew says, become useless. Let my right hand, my strength, just wither away. Let my tongue designed to sing praises cling to the roof of my mouth; if I do not remember you O'Jerusalem; if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

Most of us are familiar with just that part of Psalm 137. Most of us are only familar with the first 6 verses of Psalm 137. Most of us have not read or heard the last 3 verses of this song, and most of us, I can guarantee you, have never heard a sermon that touched any of the thoughts or feelings expressed in these last 3 verses.

I told Freddie Haines this week that in all of my years of preaching. I was licensed to preach in May of 1959, I was ordained in January of 1967, and I became a pastor in March of 1972. But, in all my years of preaching I have never preached a sermon which dealt with these difficult verses, these last 3 verses in Psalm 137, these brutally honest verses. And, these verses which express what the people of faith really feel after a day of devestation and senseless death. And, that is exactly what these three verses express.

Now, in our class sessions, on our church study trips, I have lifted up these verses to help our church members understand much of what it is they feel as they have stood in the slave castles in West Africa; as they have stood among the poverty in Ethiopia; stood in the townships of South Africa; and stared at the favelas in Salvador do Bahia and Rio De Janeiro, in Brazil. African Americans have a surge of emotions as they see the color of poverty in a world of wealth and begin to understand that it is no accident that the world's poorest are one color and the world's richest are another color. And, and when they, when they tie together the pieces of 500 years of colonialism, racism and slavery with what it is they see in in 2001, a surge of emotions hits them. And, the last 3 verses of Psalm 137 help them to understand what it is they are feeling. I have treated these verses in a classroom setting and on the study tours that our congregation has taken, but I have never touched them in a sermon.

Today I was telling Freddie Haines the spirit of god has nudged me to touch them and to treat them prayerfully; as many of us try to sort out what it is we are feeling and why it is we are feeling what we feel after the trauma and the tragedy of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, symbols of who America is, the money and the military.

Some of the feelings we have, as people of faith in the 21st century are similar to the feelings of the people of faith had in the 6th century, B.C. And, when you read and, and study this Psalm, in its entirety. The parallel between those feelings becomes almost eerily crystal clear. That's why I didn't want you to stop at the famous and familiar verse six. I wanted you to read, to hear and to experience all nine verses of Psalm 137 to get the full scope of what it is this song is saying. Pray with me for just a few moments on this subject.

The day of Jerusalem's fall. The day of Jerusalem's fall. The day . . . of Jerusalem's fall. If you got your Bibles with you turn back to Second Kings the 25th chapter, Second Kings 25th chapter. In that chapter, there is a graphic description of the carnage and the killings that took place, on the day of Jerusalem's fall. The King of Judah, with all of his army, fled. Verse 4, they tried to run, but the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, captured the king and literally committed murder.

Verse 7, of Second Kings 25, says they slaughtered, senseless killings, they slaughtered the sons of Zebekiah and made him watch it. Then they put out his eyes, so that would be the last thing he had any visual image of, like a commercial airliner, or passenger plane slamming into an office building, two office buildings, killing thousands for no reason other than hatred. Remember, O'Lord the Edomites. The day of Jerusalem's fall.

Verse eight of Second Kings 25 says,

Nebuzaradan a soldier in the service of the King of Babylon came to Jerusalem and burned. Now get this image clear. Burned! Get it in your mind. He burned the house of the Lord. He burned the King's house. He burned all the houses of Jerusalem. And, every great house he burned down. Remember, O'Lord, against the Edomites. The day of Jerusalem's fall. All the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

Now, you got to remember the real and the symbolic significance of the walls of Jerusalem. Our choir sings about it. You can read about it when you get home. Most of you just enjoyed the sound of the music, and miss the meaning of the words to the music. Read Psalm one, Psalm 48 when you get home.

Great is the Lord and greatly
to be praised in the city of our god. Jerusalem! Let Mt. Zion rejoice.
Jerusalem! Let the daughters of Judah be glad. Walk around Zion. That's
Jerusalem! Go 'round about. Account it's towers, it's towers. Tell the towers
don't miss this, don't miss this. Tell the towers thereof. The towers of
Jerusalem were the visible symbols of her greatness, her power and her
invincibility! Mark ye well her bulwarks and consider her palaces. This is
Jerusalem! Invulnerable, Jerusalem! Invincible, Jerusalem! The city where God
dwell, Jerusalem. The Chaldeans smashed and shattered that sense of security and
invincibility. When first and Second Kings 25:4, look a breach was made in the
invincible walls.

One side of the Pentagon was wiped out and the people who were in there, like the people of Jerusalem who defended Jerusalem, on that wall wiped out. First there was a breach in the wall in verse four, and then verse 2, 10. Verse 10 says they broke down all the walls of Jerusalem. Then they burned everything they could burn and took most of the people into exile.

Remember, O'Lord against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem's fall. The symbol of power was gone! The substance of their military and their monetary system was gone! The Towers of Jerusalem were gone. It took 8 months to, pardon me eight years, to build the World Trade Center. It took Solomon 7 years to build the temple in Jerusalem, with its towers and within 8 hours it was gone. It took Solomon 14 years to build his palace, the symbol of wealth, the symbol of magnificence, the symbol of might and majesty and within 8 hours it also was gone.

The writer of Psalm 37 says look, look, look what they said in Psalm 137, tear it down, tear it down, down to its foundations O'daughter Babylon you devestator. The day of Jerusalem's fall was a day that changed these peoples lives forever. The day of Jerusalem's fall was a day of pain, a day of anger, a day of rage, a day of terror, a day of outrage, a day of death, a day of destruction. And, verse 8 of Psalm 137 says a day of devestation.

The people who sang this song saw their loved ones die. The people who sang this song saw senseless carnage. The people who sang this song saw their landmarks burned. They saw their church burned. They saw their town burned. They saw their places of employment burned. They saw their places of enjoyment burned. Some of the people they worked beside, they would never see again. Some of the people they walked beside, they would never see again. Some of the people they lived beside, they would never see again.

And, the day of Jerusalem's fall was a day that would live forever in their memories. The day of Jerusalem's fall was a day that changed their lives forever. The day of Jerusalem's fall was a day for the people of faith, remember these are people of faith. It was a day of pain. It was a day of anger. It was a day of rage. It was a day of outrage. It was a day of terror. It was a day of fear. It was a day of death. It was a day of destruction. It was a day of devestation.

And, when you read this song of remembrance, "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and we wept, when we remembered." When you read this song of remembrance, look what you see, look what you see. Look! Look! You see the people of God. The people of faith, move 3 distinct moves. They move, first of all from reverence, reverence, reverence. The thought of Jerusalem. Those thoughts are thoughts of reverence. The memories of Jerusalem are memories of reverence.

Jerusalem is where the house of God was, reverence. Jerusalem is where the temple of Solomon was, reverence. March about Zion and go 'round about her. Tell the towers thereof, for this God is our God, forever, reverence. The Lord is in his holy temple, reverence. Isaiah said in the year that King Azaiah died I saw also the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up. And, the train of his garment, the hem of his robe filled the temple, reverence. The Seraphim were in attendance above the Lord. Each had six wings. I said now Isaiah six wings? Two, they covered their face with 2. They covered their feet and with the other 2 they flew and crawled out, one into the other. Holy! Holy! Holy is the Lord of hosts. The earth is full, the whole earth is full of his glories, reverence. Jerusalem means reverence.

When Solomon prayed and asked Gods blessing on that temple in Jerusalem. You know the story, fire came down from heaven, in second Chronicles 7. And, the Glory of the Lord filled the temple, the priests could not go in and the people fell down and worshipped. The thoughts of Jerusalem in Psalm 137 are thoughts of reverence. If I forget you O'Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning, reverence. Let the tongue, my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you Jerusalem, reverence. If I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy, reverence.

But, keep on reading. The people of faith move from reverence in verses 4 to 6, to revenge in verses 8 and 9. They want revenge! They want somebody to destroy those who devestated them. In fact, in fact they want God to get even with those who did evil. Remember O'Lord against the Edomites. Remember O'Lord the day of Jerusalem's fall. The first move is where the people of faith move from reverence to revenge. The second move in this text is a move from worship to war. Jerusalem is where they worship. Now, they have declared war!

Let me put it another way. Let me put it another way. The second move is a move from the thoughts of paying tithes. Jerusalem is where the people of faith paid tithes. Solomon led the people of God in paying tithes at the temple, in Jerusalem. Jerusalem, the temple of God, the House of God, is where the people made sacrificial offerings to God. Way after the temple was restored and rebuilt, way down 600 years later, when Jesus was born the temple in Jerusalem, the House of God, is where the people of God brought their tithes and their offerings. Jesus' mother and father brought him to the temple to present him to the Lord. When the time came for their purification then they brought a sacrificial offering. Jerusalem, the temple, the House of God is where the people or God pay tithes and sacrificial offerings to God.

What, what does God, God's self say in Malachi 3:10. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, the temple. And, prove me now, here with the second move in Psalm 137, is a move from paying tithes to the thoughts of paying back. O'daughter of Babylon you devestator. Happy, blessed shall they be, who pay you back for what you did to us. That's payback. The "Big Payback."

Every public service of worship I have heard about so far in the wake of the American tragedy has had in its prayers and in its preachments sympathy and compassion for those who were killed and for their families, and God’s guidance upon the selected presidents and our war-machine as they do what they got to do - pay backs. There’s a move in Psalm 137 from thoughts of paying tithes to thoughts of paying back. Move if you will from worship to war. A move, in other words from the worship of the God of creation to a war against whom God has created. And I want you to notice, very carefully, the next move. One of the reasons this psalm is rarely read in its entirety. Because it is a move that spotlights the insanity of the cycle of violence and the cycle of hatred.

Look at verse 9, look at verse 9, look at verse 9, “Happy shall they be who take your little ones and dash them against the rocks. The people of faith are the rivers of Babylon. How shall we sing the Lord’s song if I forget the (unintelligible). . . The people of faith have moved from the hatred of armed enemies, these soldiers who captured the king, who slaughtered his son, they put his eyes out, the soldiers who sacked the city, burned the towns, burned the temples, burned the towers, and moved from the hatred of armed enemies to the hatred of unarmed innocents, the babies, the babies .“Blessed are they who dash your baby’s brains against a rock.” And that my beloveds is a dangerous place to be. Yet, that is where the people of faith are in 551 BC and that is where the people of faith are, far too many people of faith are in 2001 AD.

We have moved from the hatred of armed enemies to the hatred of unarmed innocence. We want revenge. We want paybacks and we don’t care who gets hurt in the process.Now I-I-I asked the Lord, “What should our response be in light of such an unthinkable act?”

But before I share with you what the Lord showed me, I want to give you one of my little faith footnotes. Visitors often get faith footnotes, so that our members don’t lose sight of the big picture. Let me give you a little faith footnote. Turn to your neighbors and say “faith footnote.”I heard Ambassador Peck on an interview yesterday. Did anybody else see him or hear him? He was on Fox news. This is a White man and he was upsetting the Fox news commentators to no end. He pointed out. You see him John? A White man he pointed out – an Ambassador! He pointed out that what Malcolm X said when he got silenced by Elijah Mohammad was in fact true. America’s chickens are coming home to roost!

We took this country by terror away from the Sioux, the Apache, the Aroawak, the Comanche, the Arapaho, the Navajo. Terrorism! We took Africans from their country to build our way of ease and kept them enslaved and living in fear. Terrorism! We bombed Grenada and killed innocent babies, non military personnel. We bombed the black civilian community of Panama with stealth bombers and killed unarmed teenagers and toddlers, pregnant mothers and hard-working fathers. We bombed Gadhaffi’s home and killed his child. Blessed are they who bash your children’s head against a rock! We bombed Iraq. We killed unarmed civilians trying to make a living. We bombed a plant in Sudan to payback for the attack on our embassy. Killed hundreds of hard-working people; mothers and fathers who left home to go that day, not knowing that they would never get back home. We bombed Hiroshima! We bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye! Kids playing in the playground , mothers picking up children after school, civilians – not soldiers – people just trying to make it day by day.

We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and Black South Africans, and now we are indignant? Because the stuff we have done overseas has now been brought back into our own front yard! America’s chickens are coming home to roost! Violence begets violence. Hatred begets hatred and terrorism begets terrorism. A White ambassador said that y’all not a Black Militant. Not a reverend who preaches about racism. An Ambassador whose eyes are wide open, and who’s trying to get us to wake up and move away from this dangerous precipice upon which we are now poised. The ambassador said that the people we wounded don’t have the military capability we have but they do have individuals who are willing to die and to take thousands with them and we need to come to grips with that. Let me stop my faith footnote right there and ask you to think about that over the next few weeks if God grants us that many days. Turn back to your neighbor and say, “footnote is over.”

Now, now come on back to my question to the Lord. "What should our response be right now in light of such an unthinkable act?” I asked the Lord that question Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

I was stuck in Newark New Jersey. No flights were leaving LaGuardia, JFK, or Newark airport. On the day the FAA opened up the airports to bring into the cities of destination because those flights that had been diverted, because of the hijacking; a scare in New York closed all three airports and I couldn’t even get here for Mr. Bradford’s funeral. And I asked God, “What should our response be?” I saw pictures of the incredible. People jumping from the 110th floor. People jumping from the roof cause the stairwells above the 9th floor were gone. No more. Black people jumping to a certain death. People holding hands jumping. People on fire jumping. And I asked the Lord, “What should our response be?” I read what the people of faith felt in 551 BC. But this is a different time. This is a different enemy. This is a different world. This is a different terror. This is a different reality. “What should our response be?”

And the Lord showed me three things. Let me share them with you quickly and I’m going to leave you alone to think about the faith footnote, number one. The Lord showed me that this is a time for self-examination. As I sat 900 miles away from my family and my community of faith, two months after my own father’s death, God showed me that this is a time for me to examine my relationship with God; my own relationship with God, my personal relationship with God. I submit to you that it is the same for you.

Folks flocked to the church in New Jersey last week. You know that fox hole religion syndrome kicked in, that emergency cord religion; you know that old red box cord to pull in case of emergency, it showed up full force. Folk who ain’t thought about coming to church for years were in church last week. I heard that mid week prayer services all over this country, which are poorly attended 51 weeks of the year, were jammed packed all over the nation the week of the hijacking the 52nd week filled full. But the Lord said, “This ain’t the time for you to be examining other folks’ relationship, this is a time of self-examination”

The Lord said to me, “How is our relationship doing Jeremiah? How often do you talk to me personally? How often do you let Me talk to you privately? How much time do you spend trying to get right with Me, or do you spend all your time trying to get other folk right?” This is a time for me to examine my own relationship with God. Is it real or is it fake? Is it forever or is it for show? Is it something that you do for the sake of the public or is it something that you do for the sake of eternity? This is a time to examine my own and a time for you to examine your own relationship with God, self-examination! Then this is the time, in light of the unbelievable tragedy, this is a time to examine the relationship with my family, self examination.

As soon as the first plane hit the World Trade Center I was on the phone talking to Marcus Cosby about him flying up there to preach for me, while I could fly home to do Mr. Bradford's service. He said, "you got the T.V. on?" I said no, what channel? He said, "it don't matter what channel." And, as I turned it on and watched the first tower burn, I saw the second one fly into it. As soon as the first plane hit The World Trade Center I called home and I called my mother.

Raima was taking Jamila to the school bus. My mother's phone was busy. And, the thought hit me! Suppose you can never talk to her again? Suppose you never see Jamila, Janet, Jerry, Stevie, Jazzy, Jay or Raima ever again? What is the quality of the relationship between you and your family? The soul station in New York kept playing Stevie Wonder songs with these three words; when is the last time you took the time to say to your family, honey I love you?

And, and then that family thought led me to my extended family, and my church family. We, we fight. We disagree. We, we fall out. We have diametrically opposed views on some critical issues. But, I, I still love you. When is the last time you said that to your church family? When your daddy died? Well, that was two months ago reverend. You need to say that every chance you get. So, let me just say it to you now. I love y'all! I love you! [applause] I love you! Listen, listen! Don't, don't clap, don't clap! Turn to the person sitting next to you, worshipping next to you and say it while you have a chance. Say I love you! [Echo] Listen, listen, listen! This, this past week was a grim reminder of the fact that you might not have the chance to say that next week. So, say it now. I love you! [Echo]

I had two deacons, two deacons. When they realized I could not fly home, Dedrick wanted to be anonymous, but Dedrick Roberts and Deacon Reggie Crenshaw; they got in a car and drove 12 straight hours, put my bags in the trunk, put me in the back seat, turned right around and drove back 12 hours, because they love me. And, I want them to know I love you man. I love you! I love you! [applause] I thank God for you. Turn back and tell your neighbor one more time, I love you! [Echo] This is what a church family is, the beloved community, a community of love. Fights, yes! Disagreements, yes! Falling out, yes! Different viewpoints, yes! Doctrinal disputes, yes! But, love that is of God and given by God, who loved us so much that while were yet sinners God gave God's son, rather than give up on us.

This is a time of self-examination. A time to examine our personal relationships with God. A time to examine our personal relationships with our families. And, a time to examine our personal relationships with our extended family, the family of God. Then the Lord showed me that this not only a time for self-examination. This! This is also a time for social transformation. Now, they ain't gone put me on PBS for the nation to see this. This will be around the Chicagoland area. This ain't gon' be in no national cable. But, this is the time for social transformation. And, this is going to be the hardest step we have to take.

But, now is the time for social transformation. We have got to change the way we have been doing things. We have got to change the way we have been doing things as a society, social transformation. We have got to change the way we have been doing things as a country, social transformation. We have got to change the way we have been doing things as an arrogant, racist, military superpower, social transformation. We just can't keep messing over people and thinking that can't nobody do nothing about it. They have shown us that they can and that they will. And, let me suggest to you that rather than figure who we gon' go to declare war on, maybe we need to declare war on racism! Maybe we need to declare war on injustice! Maybe we need to declare war on greed!

Those same lawmakers you saw gathered at the capitol praying, are the same lawmakers who just passed a 1.3 trillion dollar gift for the rich. Maybe we need to rethink the way we do politics and declare war on greed! Maybe we need to declare war on AIDS! In 5 minutes the Congress found 40 billion dollars to rebuild New York and the families of those who died in sudden death. Do you think we could find the money to make medicine available for people who are dying a slow death. Maybe! Maybe! Maybe! We need to declare war on the healthcare system, that leaves a nations poor with no health coverage! Maybe we need to declare war on the mishandled educational system and provide quality education for everybody, every citizen, based on their ability to learn, not their ability to pay!

This is a time for social transformation. We, we, we can't go back to doing business as usual and treating the rest of the world like we've been treating them. This is a time for self-examination. This is a time for social transformation. But, then ultimately, as I looked around and saw that God had given me a another chance to try to be the man that God wants me to be. Another chance to try to be the person that God meant for me to be. Another chance to try to be the parent that God knows I should be. Another chance to try to make a positive difference in a world full of hate. Another chance to teach somebody the difference between our God's awesomeness and our nation's arrogance. When I, when I looked around and saw that, for whatever the reason, God had let me see another day, I realized that the Lord was showing me that this is not only a time for self-examination, this is not only a time for social transformation, but this is also a time for spiritual adoration.

In otherwards, this a time to say thank you, Lord! This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. I may not have tomorrow, so I'm going to take this time, on this day, to say thank you Lord! Thank you for my life. You didn't have to let me live. Thank you for my blessings. I could have been on one of those airplanes. I could have been in downtown New York, or a few blocks from the Pentagon. But, for whatever the reason you let me be here.

So, while I am here, I'm going to take this opportunity to adore you and to say, thank you Lord! Thank you for the lives of those who were lost! Thank you for the way in which they touched our lives and the way in which they blessed other lives! Thank you Lord! Thank you for the love we have experienced, for love itself is an inexpressible gift. And, then thank you Lord for the gift of our lives, because when I look around, I realize that my life itself is a gift that God has given me. And, so I say thank you. Thank you Lord, while I have another chance. Thank you to say it! Thank you Lord, for my friends and my family. Thank you Lord, for this opportunity! Thank you for another chance to say thank you! If you mean that from your heart throw your head back and adore Him this morning! Say thank you Lord [Echo]! Thank you Lord, for another chance, another chance to say thank you!

It's time for spiritual adoration.

Psalm 137 (NIV)

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill .

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do not consider Jerusalem my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, what the Edomites did on the day Jerusalem fell. "Tear it down," they cried, "tear it down to its foundations!"

8 O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, happy is he who repays you for what you have done to us-

9 he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.