"The practice of domination is always legitimized by the existence of an enemy"~Ched Myers
"Is it possible that we all love compassion and justice... until there's a personal cost to living compassionately, loving mercy, and seeking justice?"~Eugene Cho
"I sit on a man's back, choking him and making him carry me, and yet assure myself and others that I am very sorry for him and wish to ease his lot by all possible means--except by getting off his back"~Leo Tolstoy
This past week has been filled with news articles that are highly critical and derogatory against the "Black Lives Matter" movement. Presidential candidate Donald Trump referred to the BLM group as "looking for trouble" and Fox news did a report identifying the movement as a dangerous "hate" group. There is a conscious agenda in some cultures to degradate the movement without a significant understanding of the opportunity available for significant discourse but also real change. I find that real discussion is impossible because before we can actually grapple with facts, trends and events that demonstrate inequity and injustice, the culture of fear has already distorted and largely denigrated the movement in order to justify ignoring, slandering, and then ultimately, destroying of a movement of change.
A couple of things to contemplate that I hope allows greater discussion on the advocacy that birthed the movement in the first place:
1. Black lives matter is first a proclamation of a truth in the face of conflicting evidence. Black lives matter despite Blacks in the US are jailed, killed, and neglected more than any other group of people. Through events like Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, the entire Ferguson Mo law enforcement history, and Fred Gray, it was clear that their lives did not matter. It is a statement of protest!
2. Black lives matter is not the antithesis of all lives matter. No one advocating for fair policing, reduction in health care disparities among African Americans, and legal system reform wants to deny that for all other Americans. Because all lives matter, the reality that, non-White people face negatively prejudicial treatment is unacceptable. One can proclaim "Black lives Matter" and proclaim "All Lives Matter" harmoniously and without tension.
3. Black lives matter is not an offical organization with distinct tenets and activities. It is a loose affiliated group of activitists who self-identify with the movement. There is no offical spokesman or official doctrine. What one person says in Minnesota during a Black lives matter walk can not be construed to be as the "offical" understanding of what the movement stands for.
4. Black lives matter represents the outrage and frustration of many communities where there is continued injustice. The approach has been overwhelmingly anti-violent with the choice to advocate by public disruption. This is the use of civil disobedience to bring about change.
5. Black lives matter does not mean anti-police, anti-White, anti-government, anti-law enforcement, or anti-republican. It simply means that Black lives must be cherished and aforded the dignity by all communities that is promised in the Constitution.
6. Black lives matter is a movement that can be co-opted like any other movement and must remain clear on its ideology. I read several articles where the agenda of Black lives matter was intertwined with LGBTQ advocacy, labor movements, and Gender advocacy. While they are all related in many ways, they are separate movments and advocates often use the publicity generated by the Black Lives matter to bring attention to other issues. The greater the focus on the primary issue, the greater the effectiveness in the end.
So, instead of looking for a way to discredit and ignore the movement, why not take moment to dare to make a difference. Instead of promoting fear and racial stereotypes, how about understanding that if we are to have a great nation where all lives matter, we must first wrestle with the struggle of whether we live in communities where Black lives really do matter.
Lets make a difference,
Dr. M Traylor
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Monday, December 8, 2014
A Painful opportunity
“A person or group of people can suffer real damage, real distortion, if the people or society around them mirror back to them a confining or demeaning or contemptible picture of themselves”
— Charles Taylor in "The Politics of Recognition"
“How does it feel to be a problem?”
— W.E.B. Dubois in "Souls Of black Folk"
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17)
The last few months have been very interesting times. As a student of movements and change, a unique phenomena has arisen and hope, rather, I pray that you understand that you (yes, you!) are in a unique position to change our world for the better.
Allow me to share a couple principles and disclaimers on this highly volatile subject:
1. I recognize the need for strong law enforcement for a civil society.
2. I am a strong supporter of law enforcement officials and recognize the tremendous responsibility that comes with the position.
3. As an African American man, this issue is not hypothetical but the mistreatment and suspicion is real.
4, I understand the seeking of justice as an expression of faith.
I invite you first to take a step back so that you can see the big picture. In the cases of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, or more accurately, the non-cases of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, we see the tragic death of unarmed young men at the hands of law enforcement. Without any qualification, the death of unarmed young adults is always tragic, regardless of context, ethnicity, nationality, or socioeconomic background. When a pattern develops where death, injuries, and unfair suspicion are displayed, it is clear that there is a systematic root to the pattern of injustice.
A pattern is demonstrated when we note that although African American men do not commit a majority of the crimes in the U.S., they are more than 21 times more likely to be shot by law enforcement officials, 3 times more likely to be arrested, and when convicted will serve significantly longer sentences (Click here for a review). Think about the fact currently the U.S. incarcerates a larger percentage of its Black population than South Africa in apartheid. Likewise, consider the fact that the vast majority of illegal drug users and distributors are White but 75% of people who are incarcerated for drug charges nationally are Black or Latino (The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander).
Unfortunately, popular media shows Black people in images of dangerous, lazy, impoverished, and ignorant people. This media portrayal is not merely the case of an exploiting media but the collusion of dozens of national and civil myths that began in the founding of this nation. These are narratives that justify European-American identity in a positive manner, often to the exclusion and denigration of others. For example, the myth of the chosen nation posits the U.S. as a nation chosen by God to demonstrate His purposes and priorities. It was used in justifying the near extermination of Native Americans. Genocide is not possible unless you first dehumanize. (The same could be said for a number of other civil myths). That process of dehumanization was often instigated and implemented by individuals who would identify themselves as people with a strong moral compass. In fact, one does not need to hold racist or evil intentions, to participate and promote racist and unjust practices and systems.
Too often, the general populace is unable to see the overall pattern, instead focusing on the "rightness or wrongness" of individuals involved, This tendency is then flavored by the perceived and often stereotyped character of the agents involved. That's where the racialization begins.
While there has been a popular wave of sentiment to consider popular culture as "post-racial" and a push to develop color-blind policies (such as rescinding many affirmative action programs). Most sociologist recognize that racism or racialization has not been eliminated but merely readdressed in color-blind terms.(Please see "Racism without Racists",E. Bonilla-Silva). This process is largely covert to the vast majority of citizens.
"A new form of prejudice has come to prominence, one that is preoccupied with matters of moral character, informed by the virtues associated with the traditions of individualism. At its center are the contentions that Blacks do not try hard enough to overcome the difficulties they face and that they take what they have not earned. Today, we say, prejudice is expressed in the language of American individualism."~Sociologists David Sears and Donald Kinder in Divided by Color
I have read so many people respond that Michael Brown was a "thug", a "criminal", or that his behavior with Officer Wilson single-handely justified his being shot multiple times despite being unarmed. There is an emphasis on his character and his behavior as the driver of the violence. We learn only afterwards that Michael had no record. Siimilar concerns were expressed in the Trayvon Martin case. Trayvon's character was assassinated while the troubles of George Zimmerman were not thought to be relevant to the case. In an initial report on the tragic shooting of 12 year old Tamir Rice, Cleveland.com reported his parent's criminal records.Its concerning that its important to identify the victims as a criminal while ignoring the character and history of the shooters.
All of this points to a very subjective analysis of the evidence and a very subjective treatment of the victims..
The process of seeing the victim as subhuman is the first step in justified killing. Study any genocide, and you will see a systematic dehumanization prior to violence. Several years ago, I wrote elsewhere describing the process needed for justified killing of a group of people:
1, A Divisive and Dehumanizing Ideology: In our case, the pervasive perception, amplified by media, that African Americans are less intelligent, lazy, violent, sexually promiscuous,irresponsible, and unambitious.
2. A Corrupted and Co-opted Theology: The historical context of racial perception in the United States is formed by powerful narratives and civil myths that gave European Americans a divine mandate to subjugate people of color. These myths were often co-opted from the Judeo-Christian traditions and not only supported by religious institutions, but often designed and developed there as well.
3. A Scarcity Economy: The dynamics of oppression are often under-girded by economic crisis. Unemployment, poverty, under-education have colluded to lead to a permanent underclass in Ferguson, Mo.
W.E.B. DuBois described a phenomena at the turn of the 20th century where African Americans saw themselves through a "double consciousness". The understood themselves through the eyes of Whites at the time. The effect of that identification is both tragic and traumatic. Over 100 years later, we still the same process, sanitized through color-blind terms.
I am not saying that all or even most law enforcement officials are racists. I am not saying that all African Americans are of good character. What I am saying is that there are racially-oppressive systemic processes and structures in which some law enforcement officials are participating. The statistics bear this out.
I believe that this is a great opportunity to make change and bring awareness. A couple of thoughts:
A. Diversify law enforcement to reflect its community: Only 6% of the Ferguson Police is Black while nearly 70% of its residents are. Mirroring the population serves to increase the force's understanding of the culture within the community and often neutralize the antagonism of the community towards its law enforcement agencies.
B. Reform the justice system: The inequity of violence, arrests, and sentences must be reviewed and examined. Where there is excessive force and violence, there must be accountability. Where there are disparities in the arrest records, there must leadership put in place to ensure fair and balanced treatment.
C. Develop Civil Forums: Some of the most hateful and denigrating speech was used in the discussion of Ferguson and the Eric Garner. There was anger and a tremendous amount of disrespect for everyone involved. Jonathon Sacks in "The Dignity of Difference" accurately says "The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation." Not yelling at each other, but genuine conversation. The statement " Rioting is the protest of the unheard", is attributed to MLK Jr. While I do not condone rioting in anyway, it is understandable for some who simply feel injustice without a voice. Its my hope the communities of faith could take a lead on these discussion and encourage people from all over to see one another with dignity and respect.
D. Refrain from declaring the heroes and villains in these tragedies. Everyone loses. Instead use language that gives dignity to everyone involved and does not make snap judgments. (An aside, a good person can still make poor decisions, and evil people can still do the right thing). Lets focus more on reconciliation and healing rather than further name-calling and division.
Just my thoughts,
I would love to hear yours,
Pastor M Traylor
— Charles Taylor in "The Politics of Recognition"
“How does it feel to be a problem?”
— W.E.B. Dubois in "Souls Of black Folk"
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. (Luke 8:17)
The last few months have been very interesting times. As a student of movements and change, a unique phenomena has arisen and hope, rather, I pray that you understand that you (yes, you!) are in a unique position to change our world for the better.
Allow me to share a couple principles and disclaimers on this highly volatile subject:
1. I recognize the need for strong law enforcement for a civil society.
2. I am a strong supporter of law enforcement officials and recognize the tremendous responsibility that comes with the position.
3. As an African American man, this issue is not hypothetical but the mistreatment and suspicion is real.
4, I understand the seeking of justice as an expression of faith.
I invite you first to take a step back so that you can see the big picture. In the cases of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, or more accurately, the non-cases of Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner, we see the tragic death of unarmed young men at the hands of law enforcement. Without any qualification, the death of unarmed young adults is always tragic, regardless of context, ethnicity, nationality, or socioeconomic background. When a pattern develops where death, injuries, and unfair suspicion are displayed, it is clear that there is a systematic root to the pattern of injustice.
A pattern is demonstrated when we note that although African American men do not commit a majority of the crimes in the U.S., they are more than 21 times more likely to be shot by law enforcement officials, 3 times more likely to be arrested, and when convicted will serve significantly longer sentences (Click here for a review). Think about the fact currently the U.S. incarcerates a larger percentage of its Black population than South Africa in apartheid. Likewise, consider the fact that the vast majority of illegal drug users and distributors are White but 75% of people who are incarcerated for drug charges nationally are Black or Latino (The New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander).
Unfortunately, popular media shows Black people in images of dangerous, lazy, impoverished, and ignorant people. This media portrayal is not merely the case of an exploiting media but the collusion of dozens of national and civil myths that began in the founding of this nation. These are narratives that justify European-American identity in a positive manner, often to the exclusion and denigration of others. For example, the myth of the chosen nation posits the U.S. as a nation chosen by God to demonstrate His purposes and priorities. It was used in justifying the near extermination of Native Americans. Genocide is not possible unless you first dehumanize. (The same could be said for a number of other civil myths). That process of dehumanization was often instigated and implemented by individuals who would identify themselves as people with a strong moral compass. In fact, one does not need to hold racist or evil intentions, to participate and promote racist and unjust practices and systems.
Too often, the general populace is unable to see the overall pattern, instead focusing on the "rightness or wrongness" of individuals involved, This tendency is then flavored by the perceived and often stereotyped character of the agents involved. That's where the racialization begins.
While there has been a popular wave of sentiment to consider popular culture as "post-racial" and a push to develop color-blind policies (such as rescinding many affirmative action programs). Most sociologist recognize that racism or racialization has not been eliminated but merely readdressed in color-blind terms.(Please see "Racism without Racists",E. Bonilla-Silva). This process is largely covert to the vast majority of citizens.
"A new form of prejudice has come to prominence, one that is preoccupied with matters of moral character, informed by the virtues associated with the traditions of individualism. At its center are the contentions that Blacks do not try hard enough to overcome the difficulties they face and that they take what they have not earned. Today, we say, prejudice is expressed in the language of American individualism."~Sociologists David Sears and Donald Kinder in Divided by Color
I have read so many people respond that Michael Brown was a "thug", a "criminal", or that his behavior with Officer Wilson single-handely justified his being shot multiple times despite being unarmed. There is an emphasis on his character and his behavior as the driver of the violence. We learn only afterwards that Michael had no record. Siimilar concerns were expressed in the Trayvon Martin case. Trayvon's character was assassinated while the troubles of George Zimmerman were not thought to be relevant to the case. In an initial report on the tragic shooting of 12 year old Tamir Rice, Cleveland.com reported his parent's criminal records.Its concerning that its important to identify the victims as a criminal while ignoring the character and history of the shooters.
All of this points to a very subjective analysis of the evidence and a very subjective treatment of the victims..
The process of seeing the victim as subhuman is the first step in justified killing. Study any genocide, and you will see a systematic dehumanization prior to violence. Several years ago, I wrote elsewhere describing the process needed for justified killing of a group of people:
1, A Divisive and Dehumanizing Ideology: In our case, the pervasive perception, amplified by media, that African Americans are less intelligent, lazy, violent, sexually promiscuous,irresponsible, and unambitious.
2. A Corrupted and Co-opted Theology: The historical context of racial perception in the United States is formed by powerful narratives and civil myths that gave European Americans a divine mandate to subjugate people of color. These myths were often co-opted from the Judeo-Christian traditions and not only supported by religious institutions, but often designed and developed there as well.
3. A Scarcity Economy: The dynamics of oppression are often under-girded by economic crisis. Unemployment, poverty, under-education have colluded to lead to a permanent underclass in Ferguson, Mo.
W.E.B. DuBois described a phenomena at the turn of the 20th century where African Americans saw themselves through a "double consciousness". The understood themselves through the eyes of Whites at the time. The effect of that identification is both tragic and traumatic. Over 100 years later, we still the same process, sanitized through color-blind terms.
I am not saying that all or even most law enforcement officials are racists. I am not saying that all African Americans are of good character. What I am saying is that there are racially-oppressive systemic processes and structures in which some law enforcement officials are participating. The statistics bear this out.
I believe that this is a great opportunity to make change and bring awareness. A couple of thoughts:
A. Diversify law enforcement to reflect its community: Only 6% of the Ferguson Police is Black while nearly 70% of its residents are. Mirroring the population serves to increase the force's understanding of the culture within the community and often neutralize the antagonism of the community towards its law enforcement agencies.
B. Reform the justice system: The inequity of violence, arrests, and sentences must be reviewed and examined. Where there is excessive force and violence, there must be accountability. Where there are disparities in the arrest records, there must leadership put in place to ensure fair and balanced treatment.
C. Develop Civil Forums: Some of the most hateful and denigrating speech was used in the discussion of Ferguson and the Eric Garner. There was anger and a tremendous amount of disrespect for everyone involved. Jonathon Sacks in "The Dignity of Difference" accurately says "The greatest single antidote to violence is conversation." Not yelling at each other, but genuine conversation. The statement " Rioting is the protest of the unheard", is attributed to MLK Jr. While I do not condone rioting in anyway, it is understandable for some who simply feel injustice without a voice. Its my hope the communities of faith could take a lead on these discussion and encourage people from all over to see one another with dignity and respect.
D. Refrain from declaring the heroes and villains in these tragedies. Everyone loses. Instead use language that gives dignity to everyone involved and does not make snap judgments. (An aside, a good person can still make poor decisions, and evil people can still do the right thing). Lets focus more on reconciliation and healing rather than further name-calling and division.
Just my thoughts,
I would love to hear yours,
Pastor M Traylor
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
If Rush Limbaugh was Black
Me: I don't understand why we (Blacks) can get outraged at Rush's sexist comments and ignore even more sexist comments by Black entertainers
Friend: "I don't really listen to the lyrics. I mean, Young Jeezy is way different than Rush Limbaugh. Its just fun"
This past week, Conservative columnist Rush Limbaugh called a female law student a "slut". The reaction was swift and decisive as his show has lost sponsorships and numerous people from an wide spectrum of poltical backgrounds have condemned his words.
I have never been a Rush Limbaugh fan, and find his show polarizing and condescending. I believe that his characterization of the Law student who was discussing the importance of contraceptive accessibility, revealed an simmering sexist sentiment that is often assumed, but rarely stated.
However, I think we wouldn't being having the discussion, the outrage, or the moral indignation if we could simply change one thing.
If Rush Limbaugh was Black, we would not only accept what he said, but possibly defend his right to say it.
If Rush Limbaugh was a Black entertainer, instead of a White entertainer, we would be "shuck and jiving", laughing and dancing to what he said.
Why would I say such a thing? Because we do it every day by supporting, defending, and enjoying Black rappers, comedians, and entertainers who say significantly worse things about women. Last week, I wrote a blog entry on Young Jeezy and his lyrics, and he has won numerous Grammy awards for use of all kinds of words of denigration.
Is Rush Limbaugh's declaration substantially different than rappers calling women B****hes, hoes, or by their genitalia? Worse yet, do Rush's sexist rants infiltrate and impact the mindset of our developing youth in a way that even approaches that of today's popular explicit rappers? The answer for the Black community is that Rush's statements are just supporting what our young men and women have already have thumped into their psyche a hundred times every day by Black entertainers.
Its time to feel outrage. Not just against the Rush's of the world, but the entertainers who do far more damage, regardless of ethnicity. When I was growing up, we, in the Black community, did not expose our dirty laundry or confront one another publicly in order to maintain respect. I contend, that respect has been lost, honor has been shattered, and dignity has been destroyed due to our silence and complicity.
Join me in speaking out, acting out, and looking out!
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
Friend: "I don't really listen to the lyrics. I mean, Young Jeezy is way different than Rush Limbaugh. Its just fun"
This past week, Conservative columnist Rush Limbaugh called a female law student a "slut". The reaction was swift and decisive as his show has lost sponsorships and numerous people from an wide spectrum of poltical backgrounds have condemned his words.
I have never been a Rush Limbaugh fan, and find his show polarizing and condescending. I believe that his characterization of the Law student who was discussing the importance of contraceptive accessibility, revealed an simmering sexist sentiment that is often assumed, but rarely stated.
However, I think we wouldn't being having the discussion, the outrage, or the moral indignation if we could simply change one thing.
If Rush Limbaugh was Black, we would not only accept what he said, but possibly defend his right to say it.
If Rush Limbaugh was a Black entertainer, instead of a White entertainer, we would be "shuck and jiving", laughing and dancing to what he said.
Why would I say such a thing? Because we do it every day by supporting, defending, and enjoying Black rappers, comedians, and entertainers who say significantly worse things about women. Last week, I wrote a blog entry on Young Jeezy and his lyrics, and he has won numerous Grammy awards for use of all kinds of words of denigration.
Is Rush Limbaugh's declaration substantially different than rappers calling women B****hes, hoes, or by their genitalia? Worse yet, do Rush's sexist rants infiltrate and impact the mindset of our developing youth in a way that even approaches that of today's popular explicit rappers? The answer for the Black community is that Rush's statements are just supporting what our young men and women have already have thumped into their psyche a hundred times every day by Black entertainers.
Its time to feel outrage. Not just against the Rush's of the world, but the entertainers who do far more damage, regardless of ethnicity. When I was growing up, we, in the Black community, did not expose our dirty laundry or confront one another publicly in order to maintain respect. I contend, that respect has been lost, honor has been shattered, and dignity has been destroyed due to our silence and complicity.
Join me in speaking out, acting out, and looking out!
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Remoralization of Rap
If you want to truly understand a people, listen to their songs
Anonymous
Today, a friend of mine told me that they were considering going to a rap concert. I actually like rap and own a significant amount of rap music myself, although I can say with some certainty, that my tastes have not been very current. Rap is an incredibly powerful means of expression and has represented the voices of many different communities who use rap as a vehicle of expression to the pain, struggle, and hope.
This morning, I took a look at the lyrics of the artist known as Young Jeezy or more recently, "Jeezy". Jay Wayne Jenkins, aka Jeezy, is a 35 yr old accomplished rapper who has won a grammy award in 2009, 2010, and 2011. He has a significant following and performs to sold out venues.
A sample of his lyrics: (Warning, profanity and offensive)
I got a bitch named Banana, pussy bananas
That's why I gotta say it again, pussy bananas
My little cool ass bitch, she from the Westside
She let me hit from the back, say that's her best side
Call it her bed side, I call it her wet side
And every time the bitch cum, she holler, "Westside!"
From his song "All we do"
I do not listen to Jeezy, nor have I purchased his music. While my children are familiar with him, I have not listened or looked at his content until this morning.
Every week, I see young adult after young adult come into my medical office with the consequences of terrible decisions that end up in life threatening and life altering changes. I see women of color whose understanding of themselves is to be nothing more than an object of some man's pleasure. Many of give up their virtue so easily because that is what it means to be a woman to them. The reasons for this are complex but are often unexplored. Maybe, there's a connection to the media in which they enjoy.
It has been said that to understand a people, you must listen to their songs. This was true for African Americans via slave spirituals, the tragic-comedic blues, and the innovation of jazz.
I listened this morning, and I haven't stopped crying since.
This is what people died, suffered, and struggled for? This is what captures the imagination, dare I say, the soul of African-American and young adults today:
The degrading of women into objects only valued for their ability to please men:
The glorification of risky, lifeless, exploitive sexuality;
The use of profanity as an artform;
The celebration of lovelessness.
I don't know which came first, rap music like this as an expression of depravity, hopelessness, and degradation, or rap influencing culture, but essentially it does not matter. It must end. I have nothing against Jeezy and certainly do not advocate censoring his music. But I am saying that it is time that people of color develop voices that express reality in terms that do not celebrate degradation and cheapness. It is time for people of color to choose not to support music or art that celebrates the objectification and treatment of women. It is time for people of color to stop being the modern day ministrels and the butt of the American entertainment joke. The stakes to are too high.
Theologian Cheryl Sanders (Howard University) speaks of the need for "remoralization" when empowering a people. It is the opposite of the de-moralization that often occurs due to long term stress, oppression, and tragedy. There is a loss of morality that needs to be re-established. The morality is not to set up a police-state that seeks to restrict and repress, but to restore the values and behaviors that define a positive, productive identity. Re-moralization begins when you and I proclaim and demonstrate values in which we see ourselves and others as made in the image of God.
Its time to make a difference,
Let me know what you think and what you can do,
Pastor M Traylor
Anonymous
Today, a friend of mine told me that they were considering going to a rap concert. I actually like rap and own a significant amount of rap music myself, although I can say with some certainty, that my tastes have not been very current. Rap is an incredibly powerful means of expression and has represented the voices of many different communities who use rap as a vehicle of expression to the pain, struggle, and hope.
This morning, I took a look at the lyrics of the artist known as Young Jeezy or more recently, "Jeezy". Jay Wayne Jenkins, aka Jeezy, is a 35 yr old accomplished rapper who has won a grammy award in 2009, 2010, and 2011. He has a significant following and performs to sold out venues.
A sample of his lyrics: (Warning, profanity and offensive)
I got a bitch named Banana, pussy bananas
That's why I gotta say it again, pussy bananas
My little cool ass bitch, she from the Westside
She let me hit from the back, say that's her best side
Call it her bed side, I call it her wet side
And every time the bitch cum, she holler, "Westside!"
From his song "All we do"
I do not listen to Jeezy, nor have I purchased his music. While my children are familiar with him, I have not listened or looked at his content until this morning.
Every week, I see young adult after young adult come into my medical office with the consequences of terrible decisions that end up in life threatening and life altering changes. I see women of color whose understanding of themselves is to be nothing more than an object of some man's pleasure. Many of give up their virtue so easily because that is what it means to be a woman to them. The reasons for this are complex but are often unexplored. Maybe, there's a connection to the media in which they enjoy.
It has been said that to understand a people, you must listen to their songs. This was true for African Americans via slave spirituals, the tragic-comedic blues, and the innovation of jazz.
I listened this morning, and I haven't stopped crying since.
This is what people died, suffered, and struggled for? This is what captures the imagination, dare I say, the soul of African-American and young adults today:
The degrading of women into objects only valued for their ability to please men:
The glorification of risky, lifeless, exploitive sexuality;
The use of profanity as an artform;
The celebration of lovelessness.
I don't know which came first, rap music like this as an expression of depravity, hopelessness, and degradation, or rap influencing culture, but essentially it does not matter. It must end. I have nothing against Jeezy and certainly do not advocate censoring his music. But I am saying that it is time that people of color develop voices that express reality in terms that do not celebrate degradation and cheapness. It is time for people of color to choose not to support music or art that celebrates the objectification and treatment of women. It is time for people of color to stop being the modern day ministrels and the butt of the American entertainment joke. The stakes to are too high.
Theologian Cheryl Sanders (Howard University) speaks of the need for "remoralization" when empowering a people. It is the opposite of the de-moralization that often occurs due to long term stress, oppression, and tragedy. There is a loss of morality that needs to be re-established. The morality is not to set up a police-state that seeks to restrict and repress, but to restore the values and behaviors that define a positive, productive identity. Re-moralization begins when you and I proclaim and demonstrate values in which we see ourselves and others as made in the image of God.
Its time to make a difference,
Let me know what you think and what you can do,
Pastor M Traylor
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Responsibility and Rights
67% of all people between the ages of 15 - 24 yrs of age with reported cases sexually transmitted Chlamydia infections are African American.
25% of all African American males report having sexual intercourse by their 13th birthday.
Dr. Diane Straub, Associate Professor, University of South Florida, reporting on most recent statistics on sexual activity in teens and young adults.
When I was a child, there was immense pride and shame within the African American community in which I was raised. My mother was an officer in the NAACP and the Urban league. She taught us to advocate for our rights, our voice, and our seat at the proverbial table. I can remember also the shame that we would own when someone else, African American would do something less than honorable. It was a different time, and dare I say, a different culture.
In the 1970's, it seemed to be all about rights. We took responsibility for our actions (almost to a point of pathology) in order to prove to others, and ourselves, that we deserved the rights we were rallying in for. Interestingly, the entire neighborhood seemed to be keeping us accountable for our character and it was always tied to sense of demonstrating our worthiness for the rights our parents were demanding.
Today, I was listening to a speaker at American Academy of Pediatrics Adolescent Review course, and she shared the statistics I listed at the beginning of the blog. I have heard the sad state of affairs in regards to early sexual activities and the high incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the African American community for sometime. More over, my pediatric practices have witnessed the tragic consequences of said behavior. Case after case of incredibly promiscuous behavior that is seen as the norm. There is no sense of shame, no community outrage, no alarm, just a mix of an apathetic acceptance and deliberate denial of our behavior.
I know that there are systematic things at work such as grinding poverty, economic injustice, and discrimination. However, Its time that African Americans fight for responsibilities like we used to fight for right. Wholeness comes when we are able to redeem our mind, bodies, souls, and relationships. This does not come from a program or a specific benefit, but a wholesale change in the cultural norms, which is defined by community and codified by culture.
Dr. Straub reported studies that showed that authoratative parenting where parents demonstrate firm boundaries, limits, and expectations significantly reduces early sexual activity. Simple activities such as tracking our children, have amazing abilities to help encourage sexual wholeness. These are community interventions.
I have been praying about what my community can do to help change culture. No more blaming, no more stalling. Just organizing and communicating a new sense of expectation, a new sense of responsibility, and new sense of wholeness.
Daring to make a difference,
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Powerlessness and Rage
"What begins as aspiration leads to exasperation, which in turn leads to desparation. Desparation is the beginning of rage"
Brian McLaren
You can feel it at the family reunions. You pass it on the streets. You see it at our own kitchen tables and living rooms. It is a silent, simmering rage. An anger that is palpable. I would see it in my father's eyes as he read at the Kitchen table. Although he was one of the kindest people I have known, deep down inside, he, like millions of other African American men of his time and in this time, was angry. I can even feel it in me, when I am at a meeting advocating for my kids in something as simple as a basketball team meeting.
This anger spills out in many ways. It can be directed inward through self-destructive behavior or in abusive language and actions towards those who look like self. It can be directed outward through incredible acts of violence and pathos at the greater socieity. All we need is to look within any African American community, and there it is: Rage.
Black men in general experience this rage to a signficant higher degree than Black women. Some have attributed this to differences in gender approaches to life, but I think that there are significant historical forces that have helped to shape this anger.
If you do not believe me, then just consider the amount of violence that we, as Black men perpetuate, mostly on other Black men and women. That isnt just an issue of poverty and closed living space, but of stormed up angst and bottled up pain.
When I think about my father's generation, I see a group of men who did not have opportunities to follow their dreams but more specifically, to provide and protect their families. Generations previous to my father's were even more polarized in this manner. Black men were disproportionately denied opportunities for education, training, and wealth generation. Black women here often seen as less threatening and have gained significantly more opportunities for career advancement and income generation.
Even today, many Black men are noted to have an achievement gap with Black women by the time of elementary schools. The images that Black men have of themselves are often loose connection of masuclinity with dominance, street smarts, and the ability to endure. When I think about my families and friends, often there are celebrations of someone coming home from prison (as there should be), but they are celebrated as more masculine and now credible as a man. When is that last time that I attended a party to celebrate a Black man who got his Ph.D, or developed a non-profit organization of change?
Today, many Black men secretly stress that their professional wives or significant others will desire what they can not give. A man who is professional, possesses high income, has generations of wealth accumulation, and who relates in a way that is based upon experiences that are outside of the realm of Black Culture. In Tyler Perrry's, "The Family that Prays together", this was the quintessential struggle for one of the main characters.
The violence, the abuse, the neglect, the apathy that is found in the actions of many Black men, comes down to a deep seeded anger that comes from malshaped aspirations, society imposed exasperations, and a painful, lonely desperation to be of significance: to be valued and successful in opportunities. We can not tell a young man who barely passed his public education to pick up his bootstraps and become a sucessful "entrepreneur" when he is 25 yrs old. Nor can we compare the exceptions, those who are generating wealth and living violence-free, with the masses.
My question for the African American community is: "How do we process the anger?" When do we stop internalizing and sharing pain through violence, abuse, and crime and begin to heal the legitimate wounds that many Blacks, particularly Black men are experiencing.
I would love your comments,
God bless,
Pastor M Traylor
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Relational Reality Check
"The damage still seeps out. It's notable in the abandonment, debasement, and violence we inflict upon ourselves, our spouses, our lovers, and our children"
Tom Burrell, founder of "The Resolution Project"
Somewhere deep inside something is broken within many African American families. Its hard for me to say that as a person who has been taught not to air out the dirty laundry. I grew up in a generation where pathology was hidden or ignored, as not to compound the shame that was already being inflicted by the general public. You were constantly under the pressure of feeling that you were not as good, as smart, as clean, as attractive, as important, as valued, as moral, and possibly most devastating, not as whole as White Americans. In the 1970's, this was made clear in the language used, the preferences given, and the body language of people in every sphrer of life.
Today, many people speak of a post-racial society, citing the election of President Obama as a sign that racialization is largely a historic phenemona. However, the effects of racialization, racism, and the systematic dehumanization of people of color remains today, and is amplified in the painful relational dynamics of African American peoples today.
Tom Burrell, Marketing guru and a member of the advertising Hall of fame, recently released a devastating book called "Brainwashed". In this book, He describes the forces behind the propaganda that perpetuates Black-inferiority complexes. He specifically identifies five different destructive relational truths that are evidence of perpetual Black self-hate due to perceived inferiority.
1. Diss-respect: The persistent mutual mistrust, disrespect, and redicule of spouses, mates, and parents. Nearly 45% of all Black men and 42% of Black women will never marry. We need only to visit a Black barbershop or a beauty shop to listen to the way the we (Black people) actually speak about one another. The norm is suspicion and exploitation, not trust and service.
2. The Beat-down: The disproportionately high rates of physical, verbal, sexual, and spiritual abuse in our families. From 1993 to 1998, Black women experienced domestic violence at a rate of 35 times (yes, 35, not 3.5 or 35%) higher than that of White women. Violence is so prevelant against women that in some of our subcultures, it is a sign of masculinity.
3. "Can't be true to my Boo": The acceptance and normalization of infidelity. Whereas the songs of a culture tells its stories, you need only listen to popular songs of Black culture to understand the acceptance of sleeping around. One friend of mine says "all men will cheat, I just need my man to provide". How did we lower our expectations to this?
4. Icing: The employment of relational distance and emotional shut down as a tool for coping. In Black families, there is a startling rate of abandonment. In fact, in my pediatric practices (mostly serving predominantly Black communities), most of the pregnant teen mothers did not even consider or desire to have the father of their children involved. Most of the teen fathers, also had no sense of expectation or obligation that they were to have a lifetime bond with their child or the mother of their children.
5. Mutual Dis-enabling: Perpetual cycles of irresponsible fathers and over-protective mothers raising sheltered boys and neglected girls. We see this with the 28 year old Black boy who still lives with momma, still talking about his next hustle, and is looking a another momma in the form of a girlfriend who will allow him to "lay up" in her house to do the same. The mother will vehemently defend her man-boy as being victimized from the system, but never develops the appropriate relationship with her son that teaches him to take the responsibility for himself, his family, and his community. This is often because the mothers did not receive that appropriate love from their fathers and see their man-boys as their "little man". Unfortunately, these man-boys have children in which, they neglect or abandon because they have never been taught a sense of responsibility, thus continuing the cycle.
Now, you may look at this list and disagree. If you are African American or live in community (true relationship, not just geographically) with African Americans, you will immediately recognize that what I say is true and things are getting worse instead of getting better. I am not one to generalize and say that all families are this way, but can say with authority, looking at my African American family, as a pastor, and as a pediatrician, that this is a description of the reality of many. One of the purposes of this blog was to talk about roots and solutions. If this blog has hit a sensitve spot, would you consider commenting? I would love to hear thoughtful response regarding the genesis of these problems and solutions.
I believe that there are solutions, but that they all begin with the ability to see the reality of the true condition.
Lets Talk,
Pastor M Traylor
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