I love memorable meals. Some are planned to be memorable, but then others include surprise experiences that breakthrough and demand a space in the archives of my memory. Last week we had a memorable family dinner at Stix. (It's an Asian eatery out at The Legends, which is a large shopping and entertainment district on the outskirts of Kansas City, KS. We try to do a lot of our shopping out there because it supports our county and state economies, and because for some reason it just feels comfortable when we are out there.)

My expectations for the meal were low. We have enjoyed the sushi and entrees at Stix, but this time we were trying out the Hibachi. We have been to other Hibachi's before, and they are always a good time. 8-10 people sit around a huge grill and a chef comes out and does comedic performance cooking. Tricks with the food. Light ribbing of the customers. Convincing eaters to catch shrimp in their mouths. Lots of funny hahas.

But we have found that most of the Hibachi's in KC are adequate. Not nasty, but not great either. And we had never seen anyone in the Hibachi at Stix, as we usually eat there during off-peak hours. Thus, the low expectations.

Well, the first thing I need to proclaim about the dinner was that it included the tenderest meat I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I went with the filet instead of the KC Strip, and I'm never going back to the strip at a Hibachi. Halfway through the meal I leaned over and told Stacy it was the tenderest steak I'd ever had. She assumed the statement to be either a joke or hyperbole. And then she tried it. It melted in her mouth. She was sold. I don't know what they do to the meat at Stix. They could very well use some kind of illegal meat tenderizing techniques. Perhaps it's some of that meat sacrificed to idols that they are always talking about in the New Testament. Whatever it is, it's the bomb.

In addition to the culinary memory that was forged that night, I also found the sociology of the Hibachi that night to be fascinating. It was very well the most racially diverse place I have ever been since moving to Kansas City. I would venture to say it was close to a 40-40-20 breakdown of white, black and Hispanic customers. (There were also a lot of Asian employees, but no Asian customers. As if. I've been to restraints that have high Asian populations, and they are not this gimmicky/touristy. Just like you aren't going to find any Hispanic folks looking forward to dinner at Carlos O'Kellys).

So one of the cool and sometimes comedic aspects of a Hibachi is that there is a lot of mixing of customers. They try to fill all of the seats around each grill, so unless you are rolling deep there is a good chance you are going to be sitting with strangers. We had 6 in our group and got to eat with a lady and her middle school son.

In a hilarious display of forced segregation, the table across from us had quite the mix of people. There were three Hispanic couples who looked to be pretty urban. Lots of tats. Gold chains. Baggy clothing. Drinking bottles of Bud Light. The works.

After they had been seated for a few minutes, the greeter brings another couple back. They are White. They are clearly suburban. As they grab their seats, one of the Hispanic dudes gives a head nod to the White guy. He uncomfortably nods back.

So it's clearly an unnerving situation for these two. They go out for a date, and the next thing they know they are, perhaps for the first time in their lives, put in a situation where they are the minority. And they are struggling. I'm pretty sure the lady looked down at her food the entire time. All the while, the Hispanic group is just enjoying each other's company. They are telling stories. Laughing.

Finally, the entire table has their food. But the Hispanic group is requesting hot sauce before they will eat. Lots of it. Like a whole bottle. Finally it comes. They pass it around the table and everyone is using generous amounts. When the sixth person gets done with it, he looks at the White guy and holds the bottle up. Dude looks for a second. Takes the bottle. Proceeds to follow the example of his eating neighbors and applies a generous amount to his food.

Now I'm cracking up. No way this guy is going to be able to handle that plate of food now. But he handles it like a pro.

I'm always going to remember that whole exchange. I'll remember it because the white couple didn't get up and leave. I'll remember it because the guys in the group were making efforts to be kind and neighborly to each other, even though it didn't seem like they had much in common. And I'll remember it because I saw a person who before that night didn't know what it felt like to be a minority, handle his first experience of minority with as much grace and dignity as he could muster even though he didn't have any time to prepare himself for the experience.

Renew and Restore

The night after the election we our weekly Bible study with our middle school and high school kids. My supervisors felt it was really important that we carve out some significant time to talk about the election. I'm glad they encouraged me to do that, because up until that point I had been pretty guarded in how I talked with the kids about politics. They were so engaged in this election and were asking everyone who they were going to vote for. They were so exited about it that I told them I would tell them who I voted for once the election was actually over. So we had conversations, but I worked hard to ask more questions than give answers because I felt it was important for them to learn how to think.

I was finally able to have a more candid conversation once the outcome had been determined, and it ended up being really helpful. I've put some of their questions/thoughts below in bold, followed by our answers in regular type.

Why were people who wanted Obama to win crying?
For a couple of reasons. Some people were big supporters who worked really hard during the campaign, and they were just really happy. But you had a lot of other people for whom that night was filled with emotion. People who were reliving a lot of raw feelings, and who were seeing something happen that they never thought they'd see in their lifetime. Sometimes it's tough for us to internalize what this really means, because we haven't experienced some of the indignities that our parents and grandparents had to face. Like there was this woman who I heard speak at a conference last week. She was a little older than my mom, but younger than my grandma. She grew up just a couple of hours from here. And when she was younger, she had an experience where people spat on her an urinated on her because of her race. Think about that. In America. When you think about the history of our country and the fact that the first 16 Presidents could have literally owned Barack Obama as property, you see that this is a big deal. A couple of generations ago he wouldn't have been allowed to vote, and now he's been elected President. So between the joy of the present and the pain of the past, a lot of people shed tears.

Yeah, but at the same time, what's really changed?
You're right. Some things are the same. The streets aren't paved with gold this morning just because Obama has been elected President. We still have issues with our schools and our communities and our families and ourselves. But what's changed is that today we really do see that anything is possible. That you guys have tons of opportunities, and now there is a responsibility for you to live up to the possibilities that generations before you have made possible through hard work and suffering. So let me throw it back on you. What changes do you guys need to make? In light of what's happened, how does your community need to change.

We need to stop killing each other. [This is very sobering when it comes from the mouth of a 12-year old. When you sit there and look at him and realize that this kid has seen so much violence that at a young age he has an awareness of things that are very adult and very unhealthy in his own community]

Yeah. But that happens when you guys lead. When you guys show a better way to your peers. And that's a lot of responsibility.

Man, why do people be lying on Obama? I can't stand that.

What do you mean?

Like, they say all this bad stuff about how he supports abortion. And then McCain wants to outlaw birth control. I can't stand that dude.
Ok. Timeout for a second. Let's unpack those things one at a time. First of all, Obama has not been at all pro-life with his voting record. That's fact. And secondly, McCain does not want to outlaw birth control. I'm almost 100% sure he's never ever said anything along those lines. But this raises a good point for us to remember. As Christians, we need to be engaged in politics. We need to be passionate about things. But we also need to be truthful, and we need to be uplifting. There were a lot of lies spread by both sides, and we as Christians need to speak out against that attitude that you can just say whatever you want to get elected. So let's just make sure that we repeat things that are true, and that we don't allow ourselves to be agents of falsehood.

[As an aside, I found it interesting how middle school and high school students engaged with politics this time around. It seemed like a lot of them would hold to the ideas that there parents held to, but then the kids would take it one step further and add all kinds of hyperbole and vitriol to the conversation. So the kids I work with would get all worked up about McCain and say things that are clearly not true, but then on the other side I saw kids from my church using racial slurs on election night and in the days following. So perhaps we should be a little more guarded in how we as adults get caught up in the hype machine, because our kids pick up on that and run with it.]

Ok. Now. Do you have to hate one candidate to support another?

Well. No. But you want your person to win.

Fair enough. But at the same time, we are not called to hate we are called to love. So it sounds like most of you support Obama. But you can't allow yourself to hate McCain. And you really can't allow yourself to fall into the trap of racism when you speak about him. The fact is that McCain loves this country. He has been a good leader for a long time. He will continue to be a leader in this country with his work in the Senate, and we need to support him. So that's a good lesson for us as we continue to be a bigger part of the political process in the future, and as you guys get to vote. Seriously. Some of you will vote in the next election. That's really cool, but there is also great responsibility there in how you vote as well as in how you conduct yourself during the process.

Renew and Restore

Every once in a while I flip over to MTV to take the pulse of pop culture. Gotta see what them kids are looking at these days. Guess what I learned? Britney Spears has a new video out. Culturally relevant again, I see.

The song itself is pretty catchy. It's called "Womanizer". A scathing critique of some dude who has a bunch of girl friends and uses women. Britney stands up to him. Lets him know he's not getting any attention from her. Really, it might be her best song in a long time. I mean, it's obviously a sliding scale, but still.

Things take a turn for the dumb with the video, however. This lady who is singing out against womanizers spends half the video...naked. I know I'm prone to hyperbole, but I'm serious. I would post the video, but it's essentially porn. She is laying completely naked in a sauna, covering only the most private of parts. Even for MTV it is pushing the envelope. The rest of the video finds Britney dancing around in her underwear.

Ok. Stop. This song could have stood on its own. But Britney's handlers come in and under the guise of creativity womanize her. In the process, they talk her into being complicit in her own objectification.

Now the video is on MTV. We all know that pop music is both a reflection and influence on pop culture. So now we are communicating to girls that they should liberate themselves from promiscuous men by cutting them out of the process. Why let someone else objectify you if you can just sell yourself and keep all of the profits?

But then I guess it isn't that different from what has happened in mainstream hip-hop and the black community. I mean, Robert Johnson (the founder of BET) is about as helpful to the black community as a plantation owner.

This is crazy.

Renew and Restore

This week, a Kansas City teacher was suspended over a video posted on the internet that showed a group of boys performing a pro-Obama step routine. In the aftermath of this incident, many inflammatory words have been written and spoken concerning the video. (Both the video and reporting on the incident can be found HERE , and the entire transcript of the step routine can be found at the end of this post)

Of highest concern to me is the incessant reiteration that this is somehow linked to Nazi/Fascist indoctrination techniques that were used on children during the height of those movements. Ross Blano, one of my fellow Midwest Voices columnists, made this connection on the Kansas City Star’s editorial blog . Brian Hanson posted the video on facebook along with the commentary that it reminds him “of the fascist youth movements started by Hitler and Mussolini”.

I found both the nature and frequency of this paradigm to both trouble and anger me to the point of response, both on my blog and on facebook.

First, a few concessions…

• Teachers at schools that use public funds should not endorse individual candidates, much in the same way that churches should not endorse candidates since they are tax-exempt.
• Generally, I think Americans overuse military symbolism. We use it in church. We use it in sports. Our kids spend hours upon hours playing violent military-themed videogames. Eventually we come to the point where we use the symbols so much that they loose the power of their meaning through desensitization.
• Though step groups often wear camouflage and boots in their performances (regardless of subject matter), I can see how a person viewing a performance for the first time would jump to certain conclusions about these particular outfits. However, before voicing these inflammatory conclusions, it is important to do some background work and fact checking.
• It is generally not constructive to have kids recite talking points from a policy briefing. As educators, we should teach children how to think and not just what to think.
• The first two minutes of the step routine come across as much more authentic, in my opinion. When the boys launch into the portion about Obama’s healthcare initiative, it just seems a little more mechanical and a little less inspired. Again, in my opinion, it was probably a mistake to include that portion if it was not something that the boys researched and came up with themselves.


Having made those concessions, I vehemently disagree with the assertion that this incident is anything like “the fascist youth movements started by Hitler and Mussolini”. To make this assertion is at the very least negligent, and shows a lack of understanding for both the practice of step in the African American community as well as the importance that the Obama campaign has in the identity formation of black boys. Some who have made connections between this step and Nazi/Socialist fascism are undoubtedly sinister and malevolent in their intentions.

The roots of step in Black American culture go all the way back to the tribal dances of Africa. The very moves and rhythms have been both preserved and developed as a symbol of our cultural heritage. Step can inspire. Step can inform. Step can persuade. Step can convict. It is a powerful artistic medium that takes both skill and effort to do well.

It is not shocking that black boys would utilize as the basis of a step routine what, for them, is perhaps the most inspiring speech given by a black man in their lifetime. I applaud black boys who voice a need for increased personal responsibility, a renewed connection to the struggles of the past without succumbing to the victim mentality, engaged fatherhood, and scholastic renewal. It was a call that was desperately needed, and one that I am glad to see resonate in the hearts and minds of black boys.

I completely understand that there are a lot of people in this country who will vote for someone other than Obama on Election Day. McCain will get a lot of votes. Nader, Paul and Clinton’s names will receive tallies. I hear there is even a movement to write in Jesus for President. That’s the great thing about everyone getting a vote. You can use it however you wish.

But I ask you to understand that even if you are categorically opposed to every one of Obama’s paradigms, his Presidential campaign has been formative for black boys. 11 of the 12 boys I work with do not have consistent and constructive relationships with their fathers. Most of the images of black men that they look up to are glorified because they have the ability to bounce/throw/catch/shoot a ball, or spit 16 lines over a sampled beat while half-naked women dance behind them. Conspicuously absent from their lists of role-models are poets, artists, writers and academics who look like them. In Obama, they are able to see an articulate black man who demonstrates that education and family are attainable goals. In an environment where they all too often see people solve problems with violence, they are able to see someone try to solve disagreements with grace and dignity.
Some will dismiss this point as some kind of messianic mindset. But as we look back on our lives, I think we can each pull out instances where we emulated someone who had been elevated to some type of pedestal. As an adolescent, I went through a Dr. Dre phase. I purposefully bought the same armband that Michael Jordan wore. It’s something we do. It’s part of growing up.

If you feel that Obama will socialize too much of the government, I encourage you to voice that opinion with grace and dignity. If you have questions about how he will lead us out of economic crisis, then ask those questions with grace and dignity. If you want to address how he did in the debate last night, then do so with grace and dignity.

But please do not compare a teen step routine to Nazi indoctrination. It’s an asinine assertion that speaks poorly of you as an individual, as well as our ability to engage in the democratic process with civility.

Renew and Restore

Because of Obama, I’m inspired to be the next doctor.
…Lawyer
…Automotive technician
…Sherriff
…Architect
…Engineer
…Fireman
…Architect
…Chemical engineer
…Entrepreneur

Yes We Can
Obama speaks on Race in America: “Yes We Can”.

Embrace the burdens of our past without becoming the victims of our past

Take more responsibility for our home lives…yes we can

Have our own dreams [indiscernible words] at the expense of your dreams...yes we can

Teach others that while they may face challenges of discrimination in their lives, they must never succumb to despair. Yes We Can.

As Americans we believe that we write our own destiny…Yes We Can

Demand for our fathers that they spend more time with their children by reading to them and teaching them. For we have a choice in the country. We can accept things that bring division and create conflict, or we can come together [indiscernible words]…yes we can

“Obama’s healthcare plan will include coverage of all necessary medical services”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will provide all participants minimum copay for deductibles”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will simplify paperwork for providers”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will provide subsidies for families who cannot afford Medicaid”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will be able to provide participants the ability to move from job to job without taking their healthcare coverage”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will extend coverage of young adults up to the age of 25 through their parent’s plan”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will not turn any American away from any insurance plan”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will offer health information technology”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will reform our market structure to encourage competition”
“Obama’s healthcare plan will offer federal reassurance to employers”
“THE TEAM, RETREAT!”

This past weekend we took some of the parents of the kids I work with to the camp that their kids attend each summer. The camp has been putting on this parents retreat for the past few years, and we were finally able to get some of our parents to attend.

I came a way with a lot of thoughts. The dominant one however, is that I really love, appreciate and respect my wife.

A lot of people are nice. A lot of people say they want to break down social walls. A lot of people talk about how into justice they are. Stacy doesn't say those things very often. She's just not the prophetic voice that is always out front bringing attention to issues.

(Side note: I realized last night that I could never run for President. I watched Cindy McCain sit there with the camera on her every 30 seconds, and remembered how prominent a role Michelle Obama played in the DNC last week, and I thought about how that much attention would be pure hell for Stacy. So we'll just scratch "The Presidency" off of my list of goals)

What Stacy does have is a fearless and passionate heart for others. Especially those who are caught in systems of injustice. She is passionate to the point where she lives life as God has called her to live it, which has quickly thrust her to exist in society's margins. It's not an easy calling, especially when you are part of the dominant culture and the calling leads you to the role of minority.

At this parents retreat, everyone was black. With the exception of maybe 8 white people and two Hispanic people. And yet, Stacy was completely herself. The girl who grew up in a rural white community just hung out and had the confidence to gracefully be herself even though she was being immersed in experiences that were pretty new to her. She experienced "black church" twice each day. She hung out in a culture that is far more expressive than the one's she usually exists in. She got to meet women with amazing stories about love of family and perseverance that she otherwise would not have had the opportunity to hear. And she did it all coming off of an awesome 30-hour shift at the hospital.

So, I love my wife. It's cool to see how God has made her bold enough to do things that completely flip the script and that a lot of other people just aren't willing to do. And it's good for me to see what it looks like to live justice and reconciliation while saying very little.

Fair Dinkum

I've been a pretty cynical American for the past few years. Very discontent with our foreign policy. Very discontent with our reputation and standing in the world. Very discontent with the way that we had defined ourselves and been defined.

But over the past 18 hours we've taken two huge steps in our history. A black man accepted a major party nomination for the Presidency. And then today, the Republicans (!) announce that they will be presenting a woman for Vice President.

So it's a good day. And I'm proud. Because I feel like we have grown and it is now all but assured that no matter what happens in November, the result will be historic. Huge walls have been blasted through, and will continue to crumble in the coming months.

Today is a good day. And I'm proud to be an American.

Mmmmmm. Insensitivity is putting it too lightly. Much was made last week when Spain's national basketball team appeared in a racist print ad last week where they all made slanted eyes. Not good. Shock was expressed that the Spanish could do something so dumb and racist. While I found the behavior to be disgusting and inexcusable, I wasn't all that shocked.

Over the past couple of years, I have watched a lot of Spanish soccer. If there is one thing I have learned, it's that the Spanish have little sense when it comes to showing respect to people of other races. This is especially trues when it pertains to sports.

Over a two year period, Barcelona striker Samuel Eto has had to endure numerous racial attacks from Spanish fans. Shoot, a couple of years ago Spain's coach was caught on tape making disparaging racial comments about French (and eventual Barcelona) stiker Thierry Henry.

So the Spanish ad is despicable. It's inexcusable. It's completely out of line and offensive. Unfortunately, it also isn't all that surprising.

Fair Dinkum

Sometimes it helps to have a little distance from a tense situation. Space can allow for truth and reason to shine through. It’s easy to become irrational when one is in the middle of the drama. Hyperbole takes over and you can literally talk yourself to the polar extreme of an argument as you work to make your point.

And so I was thankful for this article a couple of weeks ago because it gave me perspective. I almost didn’t read the article because our prolonged discussion about race lately has me a bit fatigued, but I’m glad that I dove in. I think I’ve read it three times now.

The article reminds me that we have come a long way. We have a ways to go. But more than that, it highlights people who are thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions to the problem of communities that do not value education.

As I look back on the past year of ministry, this is one of the questions that we have wrestled with the most. We made some strides, but we have a lot of work to do as we strive to create a culture where educational success is a normative value. It’s a tough fight, because we are going against the grain of what popular hip-hop culture is preaching, and we are also working with a population that doesn’t have a whole lot of faith in the city’s educational system.

If you are also worn out by the discussion on race, gut it out for one more article. You won’t be disappointed.

Interesting story in the Star, yesterday. For years, people have been screaming that the sentencing guidelines for powder cocaine and crack cocaine are racist. Those people were right. According to the article, "previously, a single gram of crack cocaine triggered the same punishment as 100 grams of powder cocaine. Crack penalties routinely were as much as eight times longer." The kicker is that crack is more widely used by poor black people, while powder coke has a rich white customer base.

So now, the penalties are getting evened out. Great. The judicial system is making itself pretty vulnerable by essentially admitting that things haven't been fair for a while. But that vulnerability is just one domino that is now knocking a whole bunch of other dominoes over and creating some interesting questions.

Namely: should inmates previously sentenced under the old guidelines have their sentences adjusted?

My first reaction is that if you are going to adjust the guidelines, you should not punish people just because they got caught before the reformation. So, working under the premise that convicts might get their sentences adjusted, there are a handful of measures I would like to see taken...

*Communicate to these inmates that they are not being absolved of their guilt. Their sentences are just being made more fair.
*Look at ways to differentiate the street-level dealer from the high-end trafficker.
*What would happen if you took the money, or even a portion of the money, being saved by releasing these inmates and use it for a very intentional and very structured rehabilitation program? The fact of the matter is that if we just release there folks to the streets, they will probably resort to these crimes again for the sake of survival.

Just some things to think about.

Fair Dinkum

The problem of racial and socioeconomic segregation in Kansas City is a difficult one to wrap one's mind around. Those not from this area have a hard time believing things are as bad as I make them out to be. Those from this area generally have the same reactions, because the "walls" we have built up in this metro area are so high and thick that those with relative power and wealth have effectively insulated themselves from coming in contact with people of color and low socio economic status. The entire situation is difficult and ugly and requires a long nuanced discussion.

Enter Cross-X. A few years back, Joe Miller took on the task of chronicling the season of the area's best high school debate squad. That squad just so happened to be Central High School, which is located two blocks from where I work in the heart of inner city Kansas City. It is 99% black. It is over 90% free lunch. Prior to high school, none of the kids had any debate experience. And yet, they had a habit of traveling to prestigious national tournaments and competing for hardware.

Cross-X is one of those books that tells two stories at once. There is the story of the team, but then there is also the story of the author. As a white man of relative wealth and privilege, it is fascinating to watch how Miller's experience with the team opens his eyes to what is going on in his community. Already a socially conscious individual, he delves deeper into systems of injustice as he stands beside the oppressed and begins to advocate on their behalf while living life with them.

If you live in the KC area, I will put you on notice. You have to read this book. If you don't, you are avoiding the harsh truth about what our community looks like. We are all culpable for the problems it faces, and we all bear responsibility in the renewal of our neglected and oppressed populations. I know those are strong words, but I feel that strongly about how well this book discusses race and power.

If you don't live in the KC area, I still strongly recommend the book. If nothing else, it's a very compelling story. But there is a lot more than that, as well.

Fair Dinkum

Isiah Thomas' video-taped deposition, played the other day in a federal courtroom, contained a curiously phrased denial. When asked if a white male Knicks executive had referred to a black female Knicks executive as a "bitch," Thomas became vehement, certain that it could not have happened under his watch.

Forget team policy, he said: "It would have violated my code of conduct ... A white man calling a black woman a bitch ... That is a problem for me."

But a black man calling a black woman a bitch — just one of the offensive terms Thomas himself is alleged to have used in addressing the plaintiff — is somewhat less offensive in his estimation. "Not as much," said Thomas. "I'm sorry to say. I do make a distinction."

-From a Mark Kriegle article on Foxsports.com

As a person of color, Al Sharpton tends to be problematic for me when I engage in discourse on matters of race. He's always in front of the cameras, and many times his presence and presentation leads one to believe that he is more interested in advocating for himself than for the voiceless.

White people are very aware of this fact. In conversation with people, I have often heard some form of the hypothesis, "If the roles were reversed and the black person were in the wrong, would Sharpton make such a big deal out of this?" On the one hand, it's a fair question. But at the same time, the question serves as an unintentional and unnecessary diversion from whatever relevant issue is being debated.


So I was delighted to hear Rev. Sharpton come with a take this past week that adds a helpful dimension to his public persona, effectively undercutting the caricature that most people (present company included) view him as.

Isaiah Thomas was recently held liable in court for sexual harassment of a fellow New York Knicks front office member. As part of his hearing, he submitted a taped deposition where he made distinctions about how language by black men and white men toward black women should be judged. It was a distinction that a lot of people found ridiculous, and for good reason. One of those people just so happened to be Al Sharpton.

A few days after the Thomas decision was made, Sharpton publicly called for Thomas to apologize for his comments. He upped the ante by then contending that if Thomas does not apologize, Sharpton's organization will picket Knicks games this season.

This is a huge development. Obviously, Sharpton calling out a popular African American is a big deal. But to then picket a sport and team that is wildly popular within the African American community is arguably a bigger stand. It's an unexpected stand, but a welcomed one.

My hope is that Thomas realizes that a sincere apology would be appropriate. If not, then I hope that Rev. Sharpton makes good on his pledge to picket. I think it would be helpful to both of us.

Fair Dinkum

There has been a lot of talk about the use of the N-word ever since the Don Imus and Michael Richards incidents. Both sparked a lot of conversation and debate, especially about the view that racial slurs were appropriate within the black community as in-group slang. The NAACP went so far as to have a ceremonial funeral for the N-word, as they felt its use within the black community was corrosive and unhealthy.

I had my doubts as to what long-term effect this "funeral" would have. It seemed like a nice gesture, but unlikely to spark any type of substantive change.

I was wrong.

This past weekend, Black Enterprise magazine was holding an event. They invited Eddie Griffin to do a standup routine, and he accepted that invite. When it comes to black comedians, Griffin is a pretty big name. He has been in many feature films and has had his own TV show. He's a funny guy.

What Black Enterprise did not find funny on this occasion however, was Griffin's repeated use of the N-word in his routine. It has become a very common practice by black comedians for many years, much the same as the Hip-Hop community uses it regularly. It has become socially acceptable, though it seems as though that opinion might be changing.

As Griffin proceeded through his routine, the leadership of BE decided that they were not comfortable with his use of profanity, including his use of the N-word. It wouldn't be enough to let him finish and then apologize later. They were not content to slip it under the rug and simply learn from their mistake. They were not intimidated by his celebrity. In the middle of his routine they pulled him. They pulled him in front of 1000 people, and BE's publisher came on stage to explain. And they didn't even have to do it. You and I would have never even known the performance happened. Even if we did, it would have been normative in light of other performances by prominent black comedians.

That takes a lot of guts. But it was worth it. Those guts proved that it is possible to change the tide, and it showed a new way forward for a paradigm of appropriate language within the black community. So props to those cats. Sorry I doubted.

Fair Dinkum

The Civil Rights Movement does not get enough run in schools. The very fact that I had never heard of the Children's March is proof enough of that sad fact. It's a good thing I saw a clip from a documentary about the subject that prompted me to chase it down and watch it. I'm glad I did.

The Children's March took place in Birmingham, AL in 1963. As the story goes, Birmingham was one of the most oppressive cities in America. However, the adults in the city were afraid to really speak out against the oppression for fear of losing their jobs. The kids in the town didn't have such concerns however, so they organized a huge march to protest their oppression. It was a created protest. It was a measured protest. It was brave, and it was meant to go to great lengths. In the sense that it changed the game, it worked. In the sense that it was totally nonviolent? Not so much. At least not for a sustained period of time. The March achieved that goal the first day, but was later beat into submission by the Birmingham authorities.

You know those images you see during Black History Month of people getting sprayed with hoses and attacked by police dogs? That was Birmingham. I have to admit that seeing those images in motion was slightly shocking and made my heart sad that people had to endure such hardships in this country. It was also appalling to hear racist venom coming from the mouths of elected officials, but such was the social situation at that dark point in our history.

In the end, the kids accomplished a lot. It was those revolting pictures that helped prod President Kennedy to speak out. It was that turnaround that helped lift Dr King's spirits as up to that point he was feeling frustrated and a little burnt out. And it showed what kids are capable of. Let's just hope we don't put kids in a situation where they have to prove themselves like that again.

Fair Dinkum

The thing I most value about my seminary is the diversity we have. I visited a seminary across town for a class once, and it was kind of like the Twilight Zone. Everybody had the same extreme views and I was always a little afraid to open my mouth because I knew I'd get unceremoniously blasted behind my back. It was a little freaky.

You would be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks Central Baptist Theological Seminary is homogeneous. Ok. I think we're all Christians. But racially and theologically, we cover a pretty broad spectrum. People who will only use the King James are able to sit down with hard core NRSV proponents and talk about all things God. It's cool.

One of my favorite students is a gentleman who is part Cherokee. He ministers to Native American populations in Oklahoma, and I always find his theological, spiritual and sociological insights fascinating. So in class yesterday, he introduced me to the acronym NDN. It sounds like "Indian", but he informed us that it stands for Non Dominant Native.

At first I thought it was just a cool label. But as I've thought about it over the past day, I have found it to be both scathing and creative. You know that I have come to a point where I find the use of any derivative of "Nigger" unacceptable regardless of the color of the person using it. Not that adopting racial slurs and laying claim to them is a new idea. Some historians think the term "Hebrew" was a slur used by the Egyptians to disparage the Jewish people. There are other countless examples. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

What I found to be refreshing about NDN is that it seems to speak a poignant truth. There are a group of people in this country whose history in this place is much deeper and richer than ours. And yet, this group does not have a dominant voice. That is one powerful acronym, using sounds that were actually a misrepresentation of who this group was thought to be. It's a statement that is not overly pugnacious, nor is it hollow and destructive to the community. It certainly will be stored away in my mind as a reminder every time I hear someone use the term "Indian".

Fair Dinkum

“I realize I’m not supposed to get in the political arena as a football coach,
but if anybody were ever to ask me about that damn Confederate flag, I would say
we need to get rid of it. I’ve been told not to talk about that. But if
anyone were ever to ask me about it, I certainly wish we could rid of it.”

Steve Spurrier

There has been a lot of discussion about race in America and most of it has in some part involved college campuses. The Duke and Rutgers stuff got on my nerves after a while because so many of the causes and reactions were based in thinly-veiled opportunism. There were eloquent and constructive opinions in the wake of each, but there was also a lot of fluff and grandstanding.

Of all the incidents, the story I found most interesting was the one coming out of South Carolina. Steve Spurrier is the football coach at South Carolina. He is of the opinion that the Confederate Flag should come down from the state capitol. And this weekend, he decided to make his opinion known at a couple of banquet events he was speaking at.

I'm not a big Confederate Flag fan. I will never fly one, and the sight of it tends to make me uncomfortable. I make certain assumptions about people who do take pride in the flag, shallow as that might make me. I wouldn't shed any tears if it came down from the South Carolina state house. And yet, it's not one of the causes I would throw myself out there for right now because I also understand that the flag is a part of our country's history, and it wasn't created as a symbol for the causes that would later come to represent.

With that being my own personal paradigm, I'm pretty shocked that Spurrier came out so strongly against the flag. Hey, mad props to him for doing so. He has a lot to loose. He is the highest paid state employee in South Carolina at $1.75 million per year. What puts him in a tricky spot however, is that he isn't exactly paid through tax dollars. Most of his salary is paid through private donations by university boosters, then allocated to the appropriate budgets. I haven't done the research on this, but I'm going to guess that most of these boosters are white. I'm going to guess that a good portion of them are from "old money" and are very proud of their Southern heritage. There is a slight chance that the majority of his salary is paid for by black people from the North who were drawn to The University of South Carolina for its great African Literature department, but I'm not willing to put any money on that.

Still don't believe me that Spurrier took a risk here? Ok. Explain to me why two of the most prominent Republicans in the 2008 Presidential race have refused to denounce the flag when asked about it point blank. Ok. I'll do it for you. In the 2000 Republican primary it was a pretty big issue. McCain denounced. GWB did not. That, coupled with a well-timed rumor that McCain had an affair with a black woman turned the race in GWB's favor after McCain had been winning early on.

I have a lot of respect for Spurrier. He owes a lot of his fame and fortune as a football coach to black athletes. While nobody would have blamed him for ducking the issue, he went out there and spoke his heart because he felt that his community could do better in respecting members of that community. I'm down with that.

Fair Dinkum

Yesterday I was messing around with some of the kids I work with. We got to the topic of video games, and I made the astronomical claim that I own a PiiBox 360. For those who might not be up on the current generation of gaming hardware, my hyperbole was an obviously witty amalgamation of the three biggest systems right now (Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3). In one of those "never saw that coming" situations, the following conversation ensued...

Kid 1: Dang. Mr Christian's all rich.
Kid 2: No he's not.
Me: How do you know?
Kid 2: Because. If you were rich, you wouldn't be here.
Me: Why not?
Kid 2: You wouldn't be a Christian.
Me: I'm pretty sure rich people can be Christians.
Kid 2: No, they can't.
Me: Why?
Kid 2: Because. They are greedy and
mean.

There are times when I am saddened because kids say things that are profoundly true. Sometimes these truths have to do with the levels of brokenness and dysfunction in their lives. And sometimes these truths have to do with the paradigms they have developed as a result of the social dysfunctions around them. In the 6 months that I have been working at The Hope Center, I have had kids communicate to me that: rich people can't possibly be Christians, the huge houses in Brookside (a wealthy area in KC) must be where the white people live, and black people don't get married.

Technically, these statements are not 100% factually accurate. And yet, there is truth in those statements as far as these kids' experience is concerned. They don't see a lot of people who they perceive as rich treating them with dignity. They don't see a lot of black people getting married. And they don't see a lot of black people who are wealthy.

And so we have two problems. Both fall under the umbrella of "segregation". A group of people who is segregated from people who are of a different color than they are. This is a huge issue in Kansas City (as well as in Christianity). Races just simply don't mix. The other issue is a group of people who are largely segregated from people of different classes. Including people of their own skin color who have attained a measure of upward mobility, socially speaking. When black people reach the middle class, they leave they hood. They follow the example of white flight and create pockets of black people in the suburbs. They still go to church in the 'hood, but they don't live here. And so our kids grow up touching very few people who are different from them. They grow up feeling like other possibilities are not possible for their own lives, because they just don't see them all that often.

And so we teach them to dream. We teach them to listen to God's story. We teach them that God is bigger than all of these walls that they perceive and that God has big plans for them. Sometimes, it can just be a slow learning process.

Fair Dinkum

I had to do it. Twice. It was either going to be one of the greatest hip-hop moments in television history, or it was going to be an absolute train wreck. It was a little embarrassing when my wife called me out for Tivoing Ego Trip's (White) Rapper show on VH1, but I got over it.

From VH1's website...

Since the first rhymes flowed in the parks of the South Bronx, most of rap's major emcees have been African American. Then, in 1985, NYC's Beastie Boys crossed over rap's race divide to great acclaim. LATER, in 1999, Marshall "Eminem" Mathers did the same, becoming the undisputed KING of RAP. But Slim Shady is slowing down, and VH1 is majorly concerned about rap's future. Who will be the next great white emcee of the new millennium? That's the question that will be answered on the new VH1 series, Ego Trip's White Rapper Show.Hosted by white rap legend Michael "MC Serch" Berrin (of the group 3rd Bass - the missing link between the Beasties and Eminem) ..., Ego Trip's White Rapper Show will go where no man has gone before ... to find rap's next great white hopes. Set in the birthplace of hip hop-the South Bronx-12 contestants hailing from all over America will have to find a way to make it through challenges that will test their musical cred, knowledge of hip hop culture and their ideas about race along the way, hip hop pioneers of all hues will be brought in to school and critique our eager rappin' competitors. the winner recieves $100,000 and a whole nation of devoted fans.It won't be easy. ... Ego Trip's White Rapper Show on VH1 will leave only one man or woman, standing alone victorious in the original hood of hip hop.

With all of that being said,I'm now officially over the show after only two episodes.

I'll start by saying this; there were moments where I was mesmerized by the history lesson being laid out before me. The show presented a lot of aspects of classic hip-hop that has generally been overlooked in this era of Gangsta, Bling and Big Pimpin'. It introduced a new generation to a lot of the classic hip-hop icons. Honestly, if they would have spliced together all of the historic segments of the show, you would have a very appealing documentary.

The problem with the show is that the rest of it is a complete and total disaster. You would assume that if a network set out to find the next great rapper of any color, they would find people who could actually rap. VH1 decided to go with an alternate strategy and gather together a bunch of people who are mediocre rappers when they have time to sit down and write a couple of verses, but who get downgraded to just plain horrible spitters when it comes to rhymin' off the dome. It was really unbelievable how bad they are. I hope whoever wins actually invests their money and retires from the rap game, because staying in is going to be a losing proposition.

Here's what's really trippy about White Rapper...

It's racist. I say this in all seriousness. White people should be really, really offended by this show. In some ways it's poetic because the entertainment industry has been doing this to people of color forever. It should make white people mad, and they should resolve to not support entertainment that unfairly portrays people of any ethnicity in an unfair light.

Here's the deal. All of the people who were chosen for this show are caricatures. Usually any good reality show has one or two people who is off their donker, but for the most part the rest of the contestants dwell in the neighborhood of normal. Not this show. Everyone's crazy. Everyone gets drunk and tries to fight with each other. Two contestants slept together on the third day of filming. One contestant used the N-Word and then proceeded to justify it's use. She also waved a prosthetic penis in another contestant's face in order to disrespect him while assaulting him with a profanity-laced tirade.

Not all white people act like this.

I understand that people swear and sleep with each other every day. This wasn't real life, though. This was gimmicky and asinine. It was sad.

I don't think that you really want your ethnicity portrayed in this manner. Not only is it embarrassing, but it's pretty irresponsible television. I'm sure there are actual talented white rappers who act like decent human beings and have great stories. It can't be that easy to be a white rapper. If it were, Eminem wouldn't be the only one to have great commercial success in recent history. Isn't there a good story somewhere about a white rapper that is good but has experienced racism? Wouldn't that make a good story about how the tables can be turned, but how flipping the script and repaying racism with racism doesn't help anybody? Probably Somewhere far far away from this show. But as it is, a potentially good show with a potentially powerful story is instead perhaps one of the worst shows I've ever seen in my life. That's too bad. It's embarrassing for hiphop and for white people.

Fair Dinkum

The other day I was saying, I always try to do a little converting when I'm in jail. And when we were in jail in Birmingham the other day, the white wardens and all enjoyed coming around the cell to talk about the race problem. And they were showing us where we were so wrong demonstrating. And they were showing us where segregation was so right. And they were showing us where intermarriage was so wrong. So I would get to preaching, and we would get to talking—calmly, because they wanted to talk about it. And then we got down one day to the point—that was the second or third day—to talk about where they lived, and how much they were earning. And when those brothers told me what they were earning, I said, "Now, you know what? You ought to be marching with us. [laughter] You're just as poor as Negroes." And I said, "You are put in the position of supporting your oppressor, because through prejudice and blindness, you fail to see that the same forces that oppress Negroes in American society oppress poor white people. (Yes) And all you are living on is the satisfaction of your skin being white, and the drum major instinct of thinking that you are somebody big because you are white. And you're so poor you can't send your children to school. You ought to be out here marching with every one of us every time we have a march."

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Today I'll be going to a local MLK program with the kids from The Hope Center, but I also wanted to take some time this morning for some private reflection. I broke out my book of Dr. Kings writings, sermons and interviews. After skimming the contents I settled on the sermon entitled "The Drum Major Instinct". My selection had something to do with my interest in marching bands as captured in a recent entry.

One of the things that really stood out to me was how timeless Dr. King's words are. There was so much stuff in the sermon that we could directly apply to our society today. His critique of foreign policy, his righteous indignation at the fact that some people were being held down even though they thought they were being built up and a consistent ethic of peace and equality.

I was also struck by both how intelligent and funny Dr. King was. Not only was he well-versed in theology but he also broke out some serious knowledge pertaining to sociology and psychology. It was fantastic. The humor piece is something that is easy to take for granted, because the clips of Dr. King that networks show on the news all of the time are more serious clips. But over the course of an entire sermon he showed great wit that demonstrated great resolve in the midst of all the stress I'm sure he was under all of the time.

If you are interested in having your own private celebration today, I highly encourage you sample some of Dr. King's wisdom for yourself. You'll find it both convicting and encouraging. The perfect balance.

Fair Dinkum