Response to the Morning Joe

For a while, I wanted to avoid this one but I guess as a cultural commentator, I really can't since this is the issue of the day. Is some of the criticism of President Obama racially charged....unfortunately yes...when protest pictures show Barack Obama as an ape, a witch doctor, or individuals wear shirts that refer to a phrase used by Abraham Lincoln's assassinator, then clearly there is an undertone of race!

Alternatively, is everyone who criticizes Barack Obama a racist? Well no... That’s an extreme perspective as well, although some would argue that he does represent an interesting paradigm shift for the mainstream... a black male not as an athlete, or as an entertainer, but as an intellectual and family man.

Here are some uncomfortable facts:
1. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center there has been a 40% uptick in hate group in the last 8 years; following the election Barack Obama received more death threats than any previous president elect
2. A poll conducted by AP Yahoo in conjunction Stanford University, found these disturbing results, (7% of those polled would be upset by a black family living next to where they lived, 10% would be upset by a black person being President of the United States and 25% of those polled are upset by black leaders asking for racial equality in the workplace. Of whites polled, 48% felt the word "violent" described black people moderately, very or extremely well, 57% shared those sentiments about the word "complaining", 38% felt that way about "lazy" and 40% thought "irresponsible" was a good descriptor.)

Sad but true folks, not quite the kumbaya results we wanted to see. It highlights an interesting truth; the fact that we see more African-Americans excelling despite the aforementioned views may be as much a testimony to their tenacity, intellect, and hard work rather than merely the changing racial landscape.

This leads to the point that while unpleasant, the race discussion remains important. If Oprah magazine's recent feature article offers some insight it is this, while more of us have friends across ethnic boundaries, we often don't talk about race. Anecdotally, one of my great mentors, a Caucasian woman in her 70's from Iowa confided," I have black friends in the social work field...we've known each other 30 years, and you know, we have never talked about race...I realize now that it was a missed opportunity."

The discussion is critical because frankly if I don't face an experience every day, there may be challenges to being sensitive to its real affects. For example, what is it like being a religious minority- a Hindu, a Muslim, a Morman,? What is life like as a person with a disability? What is it like to have a gay partner? My experience has been that when I have spoken to these minorities, I gain more perspective on the realities of our nation's level of tolerance. I also learn that my society may not be humane as I would like it to be. I learn that there are privileges associated with not being a member of those groups.

What does it all mean? Perhaps instead of assuming we have solved all of the problems associated with living in a multi-racial, diversely religious, and lifestyle rich environment, recognize that this is an organic discussion that requires a variety of voices to judge how far we have really come. More importantly, grab a coffee and have an honest talk with a friend...you may be surprised what you learn......I have always been better for it. Kumbaya

The Blog: Other Boleyn Girl, Checks and Balances

Henry VIII the man that would be god…he turned into a monster some argued. Henry VIII, once considered a Christian king, was treated as a child as no man should. He won every game he participated in, was complimented at every turn, and never really developed an understanding of his own limitations and weaknesses. In the Other Boleyn Girl, we saw how this led to some flagrant abuses of power. That was before he became the final authority of the church.



Whatever one thinks of democracy, there is one important value it serves, the value of checks and balances. While I may not agree with many of the points made by the Republican party, I have always appreciated their role in offering alternatives. The legislative and judicial branches check the over-reaches of power in the executive branch.

Our job as citizens is to make sure that we check discussions that take place in the public square. No person, Rush Limbaugh or anyone else for that matter should be able to run rough shodd over the truth without facts or logic to support them. As citizens, we must do some digging to determine whether the data supports the opinions being espoused. We also must evaluate and decipher perspectives to make sure that logic underpins their analysis. Henry VIII teaches us that when anyone is allowed to go unchecked, it leads to flagrant abuses and monstrous outcomes occur. My hope is that as some of the heated debates continue in the US, we will make a commitment to learn the facts and challenge views based on neither fact nor logic.

The Blog: Other Boleyn and The Misuse of Religion

The goal of this blog is to develop a platform that speaks truth to the consciences of my peers in America. The timing is excellent since I recently moved to London. As such, I have the vantage point of some distance as I conduct my analysis. To add some color, I will integrate various readings and apply insights from these readings to the great issues of the day.

I planned to start with Carla Harris (Expect to Win) but instead I chose to start with the Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gray. Anyone familiar with the story knows that is loosely based on the life of Mary Boleyn. Mary was the mistress of Henry VIII and sister of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife. Anne is secretly the lynchpin of the story since it’s her ambition to be queen that contributed to a religious reformation resulting in the Church of England.

What I find fascinating about this are the peripheral characters, many of whom are seen as great Christians. One example is Thomas Cromwell, whose role in helping Henry dispose of his first wife is unseemly at best. He also helped Henry VIII eventually dispose of Anne in favor of a new bride, Jane Seymour. I found myself thinking about how even then, people used religion brazenly to further their own ambitious agendas. What has resulted is a secular country, weary of religion with church leadership chosen by the state.

Today, I see some interesting parallels to the US. Like the UK, many posing as Christians use their influence to serve the rich and influential. Instead of addressing the concerns of the fatherless, the widows, and the needy, they are staunchly in the arms of the wealthy and well-positioned. And others, increasingly disenchanted by this hypocrisy, have dismissed religion altogether. Is it no wonder when the very people whose theology commands care for the weak, walk away from that cause, people walk away from them and their seemingly self –interested god!

Perhaps a return to some of the preliminary teachings of this and many other faiths is necessary. As America tries to gain its bearings, religion need not be excluded from the discussion. Instead it should be evaluated apart from colonialism, capitalism, and the other “isms” religion has been misused to support.