So what is going on in the US now?
I know I am late on the blog, but I thought I would put some thoughts on my blog since I have been out of the blog scene lately.
How do things look in the US on this issue?
It has been quiet here in Canada as to what they see from the Hurricane. However it seems like things are sending up red flags for me.
William Bennett says: “[Y]ou could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down”
A Specious ‘Experiment’ by Eugene Robinson
He writes:
I have a thought experiment of my own: If we put our racial baggage on the table and talk about it, we’ll begin to take care of a lot of unfinished business.
I thought his assesment of Bennett was fair. He doesn’t lambast Bennett, which is easy to do for such an ingnorant statement. I thought it was a good op-ed piece.
Another thing suprised me was Kanye’s comment on the Red Cross Fundraiser.
Here it is if you missed it:
I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, “They’re looting.” You see a white family, it says, “They’re looking for food.” And, you know, it’s been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I’ve tried to turn away from the TV because it’s too hard to watch. I’ve even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now I’m calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help — with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way — and they’ve given them permission to go down and shoot us!”
When I saw him talk I thought he had fliped out. It seemed like he didn’t really know what to day. I thought it was wild. Mike Myers didn’t seem to know what to do. It was funny how they made fun of it on SNL. I was a little dissapointed on his song choices or even his lyrics. I thought he could have made a stronger stance by doing some different songs, maybe “Diamonds from Sierra Leon” to talk more about his statements on the fundraiser or even written another song to expand more on his criticism of the US government. I did like the orchestra he had on the show. It was powerful to hear all the strings with the rap.
Cornell West writes:
Now the black bourgeoisie have an even heavier obligation to fight for the 33 per cent of black children living in poverty – and to alleviate the spiritual crisis of hopelessness among young black men.
Bush talks about God, but he has forgotten the point of prophetic Christianity is compassion and justice for those who have least. Hip-hop has the anger that comes out of post-industrial, free-market America, but it lacks the progressiveness that produces organisations that will threaten the status quo. There has not been a giant since King, someone prepared to die and create an insurgency where many are prepared to die to upset the corporate elite. The Democrats are spineless.
There is the danger of nihilism and in the Superdome around the fourth day, there it was – husbands held at gunpoint while their wives were raped, someone stomped to death, people throwing themselves off the mezzanine floor, dozens of bodies.
It was a war of all against all – ‘you’re on your own’ – in the centre of the American empire. But now that the aid is pouring in, vital as it is, do not confuse charity with justice. I’m not asking for a revolution, I am asking for reform. A Marshall Plan for the South could be the first step.
So what is next for NO or the rest of the South? or What will we do to resist the power of racism in the US.
I have been reading William Stringfellow’s book “An Ethic for Christians and Other Aliens in a Strange Land”. Check it out some time. I like what he had to say in there.
Pastor Johnson at Regent Carey
Wandering Thoughts 2 