I know some of you have heard the news about the convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardener who was executed in Utah via a firing squad. Now without any reference to what he did, I am staunchly against the death penalty for several reasons. For people who support the death penalty, the phrase "eye for an eye" is always tossed around – so let’s start there:
Exodus 21:23-25 (KJV)
"And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe."
Many people interpret the aforementioned scripture in terms of revenge, but the intent of the law of retribution was to ensure that the punishment corresponded to the crime in order to control the punishment inflicted on the guilty one. It is important to note that this law, along with many other levitical laws (as recorded in the Old Testament) were in place BEFORE Jesus Christ. That is not to say that we are to completely disregard the Old Testament (i.e. we still follow the Ten Commandments because when God came to us as Jesus Christ in the New Testament we were instructed to keep all of His commandments), but the traditions/customs that were in place following the exodus out of bondage were no longer necessary. Jesus was sent to earth to save us from ourselves – and He loved us so much that He took the ridicule, He took the abuse, He got on the cross, He died for us, and He rose again. He paid the ultimate price so that we would not have to. From a spiritual standpoint, this is why I do NOT agree with the death penalty. In following the Ten Commandments – God said to us: "Thou shall not kill." Just because Joe Smith killed Jane Doe, does not mean any person, any state, or government has the "right" to extract punishment in the form of taking that person life (execution) as well. Just as Joe Smith will face God's judgment so will everyone else who had a part in his execution. I don’t care if Joe Smith raped 10 girls, sodomized 50 boys, and blew up an airplane. He will be judged by God & God's wrath is greater than anything that we could ever do to Joe Smith. Please don't confuse me with those idiotic Islamic & Right-Wing radicals who preach that God is vengeful because that is simply not true. However, when it is all said & done – each of us will have to stand before God and account for everything that we have done. Are we perfect? Of course not. But does that exclude us from accountability? No.
The second reason I do not agree with the death penalty is from a criminal justice theoretical standpoint it is incredibly faulty & useless. Many states ended the death penalty after various FBI & independent investigations found that there were people on death row who were innocent, convicted with false evidence, and other various unjust circumstances. Look at the state of Illinois: several death row inmates had been found wrongly accused, convicted, and sentenced – a situation which forced the then governor George Ryan to issue a moratorium on capital punishment in 2000. Punishment for crimes should deter would-be criminals and I don't think there is a soul who would argue against the fact that our prison system is not doing a good job in that area. But if deterrence is a goal: some one explain to me why do all the states that happily support the death penalty have high felony murder rates? Obviously your method isn't working. If deterrence is not the goal, doesn't that make you guilty of supporting the very same crime that the prisoner just stood trial for? What makes you better than them?
People have said "what if they kill your parents, friends, loved ones - then what?" Honestly you never know exactly how you are going to react to any situation until it happens to you. But I know one thing, I would have to have it in my heart to forgive them. The one thing that I respected about the Amish community after what happened to those little schoolgirls in Pennsylvania is that as hard as it was for them – they forgave Charles Carl Roberts IV for what he did. They weren’t quick to pass judgment and they didn't allow themselves to hold any animosity to him or his family. Was that easy? I'm sure it wasn't. But in their response to many reporters – they did it because that's what God commanded them to do.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
C'mon Son!
GETDAFUCKOUTTAHEREWITDATBULLSHIT
If you haven't seen any of Ed Lover's videos (*NY voice* C'mon Son!) - you really need to slap yourself & get with the program ... start here (the newest one is #14, so you'll have to backtrack to the beginning).
If you haven't seen any of Ed Lover's videos (*NY voice* C'mon Son!) - you really need to slap yourself & get with the program ... start here (the newest one is #14, so you'll have to backtrack to the beginning).
A Woman's Worth
I saw a video the other day about a woman named Sara (her real name was Saartje) Baartman. Earlier this week, I had finished reading a book entitled: "Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present" by Harriet Washington which talks the usage of Africans and African American bodies for non-therapeutic, "scientific" studies. Washington also talked about Sara and the terrible life she lived as a "caged subject" – showing off her body to Europeans who had never seen an African woman before.
If you are not aware of the history behind her life -- she was a woman from South Africa who was kidnapped from her home (the video clip said she went to Europe ... but other researchers said that she was taken not of her own free will) only to be but up on the stage to be clamored and laughed at because of how anatomical different she was from the white woman. They came up with a scientific name for her large butt, steatopygia and another scientific name for her what they considered to be an elongated labia, sinus pudoris. They believed that her large breast and elongated labia justified their reasoning that the black woman is oversexed and hypersexual. They called her Hottentot Venus and she was put on display for many many years until she died of disease. The woman narrating the video states that some people call Sara Barrtman the first video vixen...but she didn't willingly choose that profession. Sara Baartman and her story has become the icon of racial inferiority and black female sexuality for many years.
Youtube Clip Narrator: Where is black America? We are on the sidelines cheering because baby girl is no longer a resident of the ghetto. She's riding in Bentleys and Benz draped in furs and diamond and the record label just brought her a phat house. But have we forgotten, massa always kept his main ho in the big house or house of her own as long, as she opened the door when he came knocking. And he will be coming back. It's so sad. Back then we were forced to degrade ourselves to level of being some man's whore. Today we willingly degrade ourselves. We have forgotten our grandmothers pain? Her struggles to carry the burdens so we wouldn't have to? Do you hear the ancestors crying out: 'is this what we died for'!?
I write this blog because there are too many women who do not respect their bodies or know their worth. Long disrespected and un-admired by society at large, black women were not known as possessing ideal Western standards of beauty. Years ago, we were plagued by self-doubt, emotional inferiority, suffering internal conflicts about their sexuality and womanhood. By respecting and loving yourselves, you can let go of the issues, obstacles, negative people, fears, and phobias to bring the love and sensuality you desire into your life. Never permit anybody to limit or restrict you in any way. Black women now have the knowledge and vision to honor their female sexuality, while never taking sensuality and pleasure lightly. Pleasure is a gift and a blessing. It is something that should be cultivated, honored, and respected by a loving and attentive mate. Your body is a temple and you need to be extremely careful about who you allow to commune inside of it.
If you are not aware of the history behind her life -- she was a woman from South Africa who was kidnapped from her home (the video clip said she went to Europe ... but other researchers said that she was taken not of her own free will) only to be but up on the stage to be clamored and laughed at because of how anatomical different she was from the white woman. They came up with a scientific name for her large butt, steatopygia and another scientific name for her what they considered to be an elongated labia, sinus pudoris. They believed that her large breast and elongated labia justified their reasoning that the black woman is oversexed and hypersexual. They called her Hottentot Venus and she was put on display for many many years until she died of disease. The woman narrating the video states that some people call Sara Barrtman the first video vixen...but she didn't willingly choose that profession. Sara Baartman and her story has become the icon of racial inferiority and black female sexuality for many years.
Youtube Clip Narrator: Where is black America? We are on the sidelines cheering because baby girl is no longer a resident of the ghetto. She's riding in Bentleys and Benz draped in furs and diamond and the record label just brought her a phat house. But have we forgotten, massa always kept his main ho in the big house or house of her own as long, as she opened the door when he came knocking. And he will be coming back. It's so sad. Back then we were forced to degrade ourselves to level of being some man's whore. Today we willingly degrade ourselves. We have forgotten our grandmothers pain? Her struggles to carry the burdens so we wouldn't have to? Do you hear the ancestors crying out: 'is this what we died for'!?
I write this blog because there are too many women who do not respect their bodies or know their worth. Long disrespected and un-admired by society at large, black women were not known as possessing ideal Western standards of beauty. Years ago, we were plagued by self-doubt, emotional inferiority, suffering internal conflicts about their sexuality and womanhood. By respecting and loving yourselves, you can let go of the issues, obstacles, negative people, fears, and phobias to bring the love and sensuality you desire into your life. Never permit anybody to limit or restrict you in any way. Black women now have the knowledge and vision to honor their female sexuality, while never taking sensuality and pleasure lightly. Pleasure is a gift and a blessing. It is something that should be cultivated, honored, and respected by a loving and attentive mate. Your body is a temple and you need to be extremely careful about who you allow to commune inside of it.
Material & Spiritual Progress
"To make our wills obedient to good influences and to avoid evil, is to show the greatest wisdom. In order to follow this aim one must be guided by religion. Progress without religion is just like a life surrounded by unknown perils and can be compared to a body without a soul. Knowing that material and spiritual progress are essential to man, we must ceaselessly work for the equal attainment of both. Only then shall we be able to acquire that absolute inner calm so necessary to our well-being. Whenever conflict arises between material and spiritual values, the conscience plays an important role and anyone who suffers from a guilty conscience is never really free from this problem until he makes peace with himself and his conscience. Discipline of the mind is a basic ingredient of genuine morality and therefore of spiritual strength. Spiritual power is the eternal guide, in this life and the life after, for man ranks supreme among all creatures. Led forward by spiritual power, man can reach the summit destined for him by the Great Creator. Since nobody can interfere in the realm of God we should tolerate and live side by side with those of other faiths. In the mystic traditions of the different religions we have a remarkable unity of spirit. Whatever religion they may profess, they are spiritual kinsmen. While the different religions in their historic forms bind us to limited groups and militate against the development of loyalty to the world community, the mystics have already stood for the fellowship of humanity in harmony with the spirit of the mystics of ages gone by. No one should question the faith of others, for no human being can judge of the ways of God. However wise or however mighty a person may be, he is like a ship without a rudder if he is without God. A rudderless ship is at the mercy of the waves and the wind, drifts wherever they take it and if there arises a whirlwind it is smashed against the rocks and becomes as if it has never existed. It is our firm belief that a soul without Christ is bound to meet with no better fate. The love shown by our God to mankind should constrain all of us who are followers and disciples of Christ, to do all in our power to see to it that the message of salvation is carried to those of our fellows who have not had the benefit of hearing the good news. It is our conviction that all the activities of the children of men, which are not guided by the Spirit and council of God will bear no lasting fruits; they will not be acceptable in the sight of God. It will therefore come to naught as the tower of Babel came to naught. The grace of God is Eternal. Angels in Heaven and the Creation on Earth sing His Praise . We thank the Master of the world Almighty God. Power belongs to God. May God Our Creator, the Helper and Guiding Light of us all grant you His Wisdom that you may bear fruits for His Glory."
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I
We Used To Be Homies...
Let me share a story with you:
Jane & Brent have been close friends for several years – his parents adore her, her parents respect him. They consider each other long lost siblings. They protect and stick up for each other. And if anything goes down, they always have each other’s back. Then Brent meets a girl. On the outside, the girl seems to be cool – well with the exception of one thing – she is not okay with the relationship Brent & Jane share. Jane has expressed no desire to ever have more than a friendship with Brent and everyone else knew that as well. But nevertheless, in an effort to please his girlfriend – Brent cut off ties with Jane.
The story was a rather simplified version of a commonly seen series of events. I’ve been there before. One of my male best friends started dating this trick (because that’s exactly what she is) and she told me that he was her man and not mines. So in an effort to keep his steady flow of coochie, he ditched me. Never mind the fact that we had known each other since middle school. Or forget the fact that whenever he was down & out, I was the one who had to listen to him whine, moan, complain, and eventually helped him see it through. Of course there was a time where I may have looked at him differently, but when he began dating ol' girl – I never once disrespected their relationship. So I came to the conclusion that the bit was simply insecure and envious of the fact that while she may be giving up the coochie & wearing the title of "girlfriend" – she could never really take my place in his life. Now I know that sounds petty – but admit it – if the family likes you (the friend) more than they like the girlfriend…that speaks volumes.
So to anyone reading this blog – take a hint: do NOT let anyone come between you and your friends. Because let me tell you this – not everyone will put up with you the way your good friends will. Good friends, and I mean good, true friends are HARD to come by. So if you’re dating someone and they are jealous of the bond that you share with your friends – tell that bit to either a) shut up & deal with it, or b) hit the road jack! This is not to say that you shouldn’t spend time with your new beau, but you should never hang your friends on the self & use them when you feel like - because sooner or later - people are going to get sick & tired of being treated like a clutch.
And "homie" if you're reading this...I hope she's worth it.
Jane & Brent have been close friends for several years – his parents adore her, her parents respect him. They consider each other long lost siblings. They protect and stick up for each other. And if anything goes down, they always have each other’s back. Then Brent meets a girl. On the outside, the girl seems to be cool – well with the exception of one thing – she is not okay with the relationship Brent & Jane share. Jane has expressed no desire to ever have more than a friendship with Brent and everyone else knew that as well. But nevertheless, in an effort to please his girlfriend – Brent cut off ties with Jane.
The story was a rather simplified version of a commonly seen series of events. I’ve been there before. One of my male best friends started dating this trick (because that’s exactly what she is) and she told me that he was her man and not mines. So in an effort to keep his steady flow of coochie, he ditched me. Never mind the fact that we had known each other since middle school. Or forget the fact that whenever he was down & out, I was the one who had to listen to him whine, moan, complain, and eventually helped him see it through. Of course there was a time where I may have looked at him differently, but when he began dating ol' girl – I never once disrespected their relationship. So I came to the conclusion that the bit was simply insecure and envious of the fact that while she may be giving up the coochie & wearing the title of "girlfriend" – she could never really take my place in his life. Now I know that sounds petty – but admit it – if the family likes you (the friend) more than they like the girlfriend…that speaks volumes.
So to anyone reading this blog – take a hint: do NOT let anyone come between you and your friends. Because let me tell you this – not everyone will put up with you the way your good friends will. Good friends, and I mean good, true friends are HARD to come by. So if you’re dating someone and they are jealous of the bond that you share with your friends – tell that bit to either a) shut up & deal with it, or b) hit the road jack! This is not to say that you shouldn’t spend time with your new beau, but you should never hang your friends on the self & use them when you feel like - because sooner or later - people are going to get sick & tired of being treated like a clutch.
And "homie" if you're reading this...I hope she's worth it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)