Nicki Minaj discusses how unbelievably great Nicki Minaj is.
Nicki Minaj discusses how unbelievably great Nicki Minaj is.
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Donations Pour Into Ferguson Church Destroyed In Protests
Caught in the midst of a wave of protests following a grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown, The Flood Christian Church suffered an arson attack that head pastor Carlton Lee said he believed to have been racially motivated. Not to be discouraged, Lee took his congregation outside, holding services in a tent next to the badly damaged property he bought less than a year ago for $160,000. Lee told the Columbus Dispatch the cost to repair the church was estimated at $200,000 — a cost the pastor is not able to cover without some help. Quick dispatch from…
Caught in the midst of a wave of protests following a grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting of Michael Brown, The Flood Christian Church suffered an arson attack that head pastor Carlton Lee said he believed to have been racially motivated.
Not to be discouraged, Lee took his congregation outside, holding services in a tent next to the badly damaged property he bought less than a year ago for $160,000. Lee told the Columbus Dispatch the cost to repair the church was estimated at $200,000 — a cost the pastor is not able to cover without some help.
Quick dispatch from @CARLTONRLEE‘s streetside sanctuary earlier today http://t.co/7DsfNbt6Va pic.twitter.com/2gvejd14zO
— Wesley Lowery (@WesleyLowery) November 30, 2014
Lee set up a GoFundMe page to raise the repair costs and had already rounded up nearly $90,000 at the time this article was published.
“We’re very appreciative of everything that everyone has been doing,” Lee told the Dispatch. “It is really a blessing. Every day God just continues to amaze us with his love and the love people have for the Lord.”
Several congregations have also taken it upon themselves to fundraise for The Flood’s rebuilding. Two Ohio churches — First Church of God and Vineyard Columbus — are among those leading the cause. Over the weekend both churches will host special collections for the Ferguson church, and their pastors told the Dispatch they hope congregants will rise to challenge.
“The Bible teaches us that the church is a body, and as a body we have various parts,” pastor Timothy Clarke of First Church of God said. “Each part contributes to the whole of the body, and if any part suffers, the whole body suffers.”
Other businesses in Ferguson and surrounding areas sustained damage during the protests and had reportedly raised close to $500,000 for repairs via GoFundMe pages as of Dec. 3.
“The many recent campaigns started for Ferguson business owners are shining examples of what can happen when communities come together for a common cause,” Kelsea Little, a spokeswoman for GoFundMe, told The Washington Post. “It’s incredibly heartwarming to see so many generous people come together to help these businesses rebuild.”
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Watch A Woman Confront Manspreaders On The Subway
“Are you familiar with the term manspreading?” Despite measures taken to raise awareness of “men taking up too much space on the subway,” there are still many who aren’t aware that “manspreading” is even a term. In their new video “Manspreading,” the dedicated journalists at Gothamist confront men on New York City subways to ask if they’ve ever heard of “manspreading” and if they realize they’re doing it. The results were a bit awkward. Most of the men had no idea what manspreading was but, hearteningly, all were open to fixing it once they were educated on the phenomenon. “Manspreading” by Gothamist Manspreading has …
“Are you familiar with the term manspreading?”
Despite measures taken to raise awareness of “men taking up too much space on the subway,” there are still many who aren’t aware that “manspreading” is even a term. In their new video “Manspreading,” the dedicated journalists at Gothamist confront men on New York City subways to ask if they’ve ever heard of “manspreading” and if they realize they’re doing it. The results were a bit awkward.
Most of the men had no idea what manspreading was but, hearteningly, all were open to fixing it once they were educated on the phenomenon.
“Manspreading” by Gothamist
Manspreading has been discussed at length through projects like “Men Taking Up Too Much Space On The Train” and “Move The Fuck Over, Bro,” prompting the MTA to launch a campaign encouraging courtesy on the subways.
To conclude their deep-dive into manspreading, Gothamist clarified the amount of lounging that’s unacceptable when riding a subway: “If there’s space enough for a litter of puppies or a celebrity selfie group shot, you are taking up too much space. Pull it in.”
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In The Wake Of ‘The Interview,’ A Brief Look At America’s Film Censorship Through The Years
As we’re bombarded with developments surrounding Sony Pictures’ decision to cancel the release of “The Interview” in the wake of terrorism threats, we’re reminded of America’s long history with film censorship — one that, thankfully, doesn’t often rear its head anymore. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s comedy stars Rogen and James Franco as journalists ordered to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un after landing a rare interview with him. It’s an (almost) unheard-of case of executives electing to pull a movie; historically, it took a court order to strong-arm studios into cutting their losses over a controversial project. This is, after all, an entertainment industry that operated under the Motion Picture Production Code (aka the Hays Code), which regulated …
As we’re bombarded with developments surrounding Sony Pictures’ decision to cancel the release of “The Interview” in the wake of terrorism threats, we’re reminded of America’s long history with film censorship — one that, thankfully, doesn’t often rear its head anymore. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s comedy stars Rogen and James Franco as journalists ordered to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un after landing a rare interview with him. It’s an (almost) unheard-of case of executives electing to pull a movie; historically, it took a court order to strong-arm studios into cutting their losses over a controversial project. This is, after all, an entertainment industry that operated under the Motion Picture Production Code (aka the Hays Code), which regulated what could be seen onscreen from 1930 to 1968. That set of regulations brought about an onslaught of imbroglios over what did and didn’t violate standards. We’ve compiled a list of several movies that act as precursors to the censorship questions being raised with the “Interview” controversy. It only skims the surface of film restrictions in American history, but it’ll give you an idea of some of the battles filmmakers and distributors have faced over the years.
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In The Wake Of ‘The Interview,’ A Brief Look At America’s Film Censorship Through The Years
‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Uzo Aduba Quit Acting On The Day She Got Hired
Not even Crazy Eyes could come up with something this outlandish. Uzo Aduba, known as scene stealer Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on “Orange is the New Black,” confirmed to Seth Meyers on Thursday that she actually quit acting to go to law school on the day she landed her famous role. “I just kept getting, ‘No, no, thank you, no,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe this isn’t for me,'” the actress said. Aduba says she got the call from her representation an hour after making her decision, and it wasn’t even for a part she auditioned for. That call couldn’t have come any sooner. Now two seasons in on “OITNB,” and with Season 3 set to premiere sometime …
Not even Crazy Eyes could come up with something this outlandish.
Uzo Aduba, known as scene stealer Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on “Orange is the New Black,” confirmed to Seth Meyers on Thursday that she actually quit acting to go to law school on the day she landed her famous role.
“I just kept getting, ‘No, no, thank you, no,’ and I was like, ‘Okay, maybe this isn’t for me,'” the actress said. Aduba says she got the call from her representation an hour after making her decision, and it wasn’t even for a part she auditioned for.
That call couldn’t have come any sooner. Now two seasons in on “OITNB,” and with Season 3 set to premiere sometime mid-2015, Aduba has already won an Emmy and is now nominated for a Golden Globe. Plus, who needs law school when you have pie?
Image: Giphy
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” airs weeknights at 12:35 a.m. ET on NBC.
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‘Orange Is The New Black’ Star Uzo Aduba Quit Acting On The Day She Got Hired
This Awesome 16-Year-Old Wants To Be The Youngest African American Chess Grandmaster
There were plenty of signs that 16-year-old Joshua Colas was a chess prodigy. “He told me one day, ‘Daddy, I can play you blindfolded,'” his father Guy Colas recounted to The Huffington Post. “And I said, ‘You sure? I’ve never seen you practice.'” Joshua was right; he could not only match his dad but beat him, with his eyes closed. At age 12, Joshua became the youngest African American chess master in history. This past weekend, he won the national chess championship for the second consecutive year. Now a high school junior, Joshua’s goal is to attain the highest rank in chess, grandmaster. His family is running an Indiegogo campaign to cover the requisite tournament fees and travel…
There were plenty of signs that 16-year-old Joshua Colas was a chess prodigy.
“He told me one day, ‘Daddy, I can play you blindfolded,'” his father Guy Colas recounted to The Huffington Post. “And I said, ‘You sure? I’ve never seen you practice.'”
Joshua was right; he could not only match his dad but beat him, with his eyes closed.
At age 12, Joshua became the youngest African American chess master in history. This past weekend, he won the national chess championship for the second consecutive year.
Now a high school junior, Joshua’s goal is to attain the highest rank in chess, grandmaster. His family is running an Indiegogo campaign to cover the requisite tournament fees and travel costs. So far, they have raised just over $4,000 — but they only have until next week to raise a lot more.
“He wants to be the role model for all these other kids from poor neighborhoods everywhere, to understand that chess is not only for the rich kids and for the smartest kids,” his father said. “He wants to show, if you work hard enough, you can reach the top level.”
The Colas family lives just north of New York City, but both of Joshua’s parents were born in Haiti. Joshua grew up watching his dad play chess, and at age seven he asked to be taught the rules.
Within months, Guy said, “I was giving him puzzles that people who’d been playing chess for years couldn’t solve, and he was able to solve them instantly.”
Joshua’s college expenses won’t be a problem. He’s already been offered full rides to two universities, although he’s still holding out for his top pick, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
But to be a grandmaster, he’ll need to compete in a series of professional tournaments, including spending weeks playing in Europe.
“You have to pay a month’s hotel fees, and travel, and the entrance fee,” Colas said. “It’s just to a point now — that’s why I’m asking for people to help me, because he’s just too talented to let it go to waste. He really wants it, and he has the ability. So I’m hoping by some luck, someone sees him and says, you know what, let me spring for this kid.”
Only one African American, Maurice Ashley, has attained grandmaster ranking. He was 34 at the time. But Joshua is one of three black New York City-area boys who in recent years reached the master rank when they were 12 years old. “To have three young players do what they have done is something of an amazing curiosity,” Ashley told The New York Times. “You normally wouldn’t get something like that in any city of any race.”
The competition schedule can be grueling. Matches last up to six hours and Joshua has played over 100 of them around the country this year. Amongst nearly 57,000 players of all ages registered with the U.S. Chess Federation, he currently ranks #239.
But he takes his success in stride. “Every time you find out he’s able to do something unusual, to him, it’s nothing,” Colas said. “I get so happy, my wife is so happy, but to him it’s no big deal. That’s one thing that makes him a good chess player. He is not too high, he is not too low, he’s always even-keeled.”
Guy feels his most important responsibility is to be there when Joshua falters. “I’m just as happy when he loses a game as when he wins a game,” he said. “I understand the game. I know how difficult it is. So when he loses, I try to make him realize that that’s part of it. That’s the road. Chess is a life-long lesson.”
He added, “That’s the approach that parents should take if they want their kids to do well in just about anything. When they do well, you’re so happy. When they don’t do well, you have to comfort them, rebuild their confidence, and let them know that’s how life is. You have to work all the time to get better.”
Below, video of Joshua playing ‘blindfolded’ chess. Joshua’s website is here.
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This Awesome 16-Year-Old Wants To Be The Youngest African American Chess Grandmaster
The Revolution Will Be Tweeted, Instagrammed, YouTubed, Snapchated, Etc.
Last week I participated on a panel at the Rainbow Push Telecom conference with Reverend Jesse Jackson on the topic “From Exclusion to Inclusion, Getting to Equal in our Society Economically, Politically and Socially. As you could imagine the conversations quickly turned to Ferguson case and the Garner case. As we discussed I realized something significant and shared it with the crowd. That two days prior I watch the Grand jury verdict for Ferguson or TV realize that was the first time that I had received any information about the case of any place other than the Internet. This was impactful for several …
Last week I participated on a panel at the Rainbow Push Telecom conference with Reverend Jesse Jackson on the topic “From Exclusion to Inclusion, Getting to Equal in our Society Economically, Politically and Socially. As you could imagine the conversations quickly turned to Ferguson case and the Garner case. As we discussed I realized something significant and shared it with the crowd. That two days prior I watch the Grand jury verdict for Ferguson or TV realize that was the first time that I had received any information about the case of any place other than the Internet. This was impactful for several reasons, the first one being that I was fully up to speed well-versed on all the issues related to what was happening there. The second because the account CNN was really one-sided and focused on the looting in the anger and negativity of the outcome and it was really obvious that there only goes to show Black people looting and rioting and causing construction. But it was from the Internet and stupid people on the ground that I was given the full picture of what was going on there the TV would never show.
• The full video of what happened to Michael Brown
• The Black men protecting local businesses from being looted
• The peaceful protesting by the people of Ferguson
• How people from across the country came to Ferguson to show the support and come to the aid of the people that town peacefully
I was able to get the whole story I was able to form my own opinion I was able to have the right emotion the right temperament and thoughts around the issue because the Internet allowed me to see the full picture one in a way that TV would never allow me to see. The same has continued with the Garner case New York. I’ve witnessed us use the Internet to create unified organized peaceful protest and allow the voices be heard, the pictures to tell the story of our pain and we’ve allowed ourselves to make an impact from die-ins on the street to celebrities showing their support everyone in the own way lending to that one voice and the internet is taking center stage in that. It’s a powerful testament to what we are capable what we focus on leveraging the tools in front of us. But what I also said on the panel that we often allow ourselves in situations like this inconsistent to go back into our everyday lives once the issue dies down and we forget about the impact we are capable of creating.
My hope is that this time we allow ourselves to stay awake after this wake up call. Looking back on what we have accomplished over the last week and saying to ourselves.” If the Internet could help us do that with us can we achieve?
• Learn the skills to create better economic opportunities for ourselves
• Give our children for educational opportunities no matter where they live
• Be vocal participants in any issue that needs voice not just the ones that make National news
• Level the playing field for ourselves
When I travel to give speeches and workshops for the close divide project, my goal is to ensure we understand the opportunities in front of us and the power we have to make an impact economically, socially and politically. To start more of us on the path of searching for the facts ourselves and not let others guide our decision though emotionally laden remarks that are meant to play on our existing anxiety.
The beauty of the Internet is that the facts are there for you, you just have to know to look there. As I sat with Reverend Jackson and heard stories about how we was on the ground with Martin Luther King and partnered with Marion Barry as helped create economic opportunity in D.C. and is still on the ground today. I realized that is what real activism looks like. It’s not the armchair activists who look to insight people to causes without truly educating them on how the results of those changes will affect them.
The current Net Neutrality debate around title II is a great example. There are groups who throw out worlds like “discrimination” and “civil rights” as emotionally charged buzzwords to cloud the facts. They spend money on elaborate stunts but I don’ t see them in the community centers with me, on the ground connecting people with real information instead they just create emotionally fueled misdirection. Sadly even people of color have been mislead to attempt to direct people on a path that is not optimal for them. But it does not matter because the new revolution is about information; it’s about the facts. It’s about us using the platform in front of us to learn, organize and be heard. I believe the revolution has begun and we are ready for change and soon no one will be able to mislead us and we will take advantage fully of the voice we have on a regular basis. Not just in extreme times, so if you want to be a part of this revolution, don’t look on TV, look on your phone or your computer.
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The Revolution Will Be Tweeted, Instagrammed, YouTubed, Snapchated, Etc.
Percent Of Americans Who View Racism As Top Problem Skyrockets
The number of Americans who identify racism or race relations as the nation’s top problem increased dramatically to 13 percent, according to a new Gallup survey, a figure not seen since the Rodney King verdict and subsequent Los Angeles riots in 1992. In November, only 1 percent of Americans cited racism or race relations as the biggest problem. The rise comes on the heels of several controversial incidents in Cleveland; Ferguson, Missouri; and Staten Island, New York, in which black men were killed by police officers. Last weekend, protesters marched across the country, including thousands in the nation’s capital, to call for justice and decry racial discrimination. According to Gallup, nonwhites are now more than twice as likely to view racial issues as…
The number of Americans who identify racism or race relations as the nation’s top problem increased dramatically to 13 percent, according to a new Gallup survey, a figure not seen since the Rodney King verdict and subsequent Los Angeles riots in 1992.
In November, only 1 percent of Americans cited racism or race relations as the biggest problem. The rise comes on the heels of several controversial incidents in Cleveland; Ferguson, Missouri; and Staten Island, New York, in which black men were killed by police officers. Last weekend, protesters marched across the country, including thousands in the nation’s capital, to call for justice and decry racial discrimination.
According to Gallup, nonwhites are now more than twice as likely to view racial issues as the nation’s top problem as whites are, 22 percent to 9 percent. Even more stunning, however, is that the topic of racism or race relations now “matches the economy in Americans’ mentions of the country’s top problem.” Government still tops the list, though it dropped slightly, and the percent of people who identified unemployment or the economy as the most important problem also decreased — a sign of an accelerating economic recovery.
Some Republicans have attributed the sentiment to the nation’s first black president. Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, who is considering a run for the White House in 2016, said last month that race relations in the United States have actually gotten worse under the Obama presidency.
“I actually believe that things were better before this president was elected. And I think that things have gotten worse because of his unusual emphasis on race,” Carson said.
Gallup conducted telephone interviews Dec. 8-11 with 805 adults.
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Percent Of Americans Who View Racism As Top Problem Skyrockets
Beyoncé & Jay Z Do Not Cameo In ‘The Interview’
Following “This Is The End,” which featured cameo appearances from Rihanna, Paul Rudd, Emma Watson and pretty much every funny actor in Hollywood — all playing variations on themselves — it was assumed that co-directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg would continue to play with reality in “The Interview.” The comedy, which was pulled from theaters this week, is built around an entertainment interview program, “Skylark Tonight,” where host Dave Skylark (James Franco) interviews a variety of celebrity guests. (During an MTV special to promote the film this summer, Franco as Skylark spoke with Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea…
Following “This Is The End,” which featured cameo appearances from Rihanna, Paul Rudd, Emma Watson and pretty much every funny actor in Hollywood — all playing variations on themselves — it was assumed that co-directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg would continue to play with reality in “The Interview.” The comedy, which was pulled from theaters this week, is built around an entertainment interview program, “Skylark Tonight,” where host Dave Skylark (James Franco) interviews a variety of celebrity guests. (During an MTV special to promote the film this summer, Franco as Skylark spoke with Nicki Minaj and Iggy Azalea.) And when the 210-page budget for “The Interview” leaked online this month, many famous names appeared: Jay Z, Beyoncé, Brad Pitt, Neil Patrick Harris, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Vick and even Kevin Federline, among them.
But the finished film includes none of those stars in any significant capacity, if at all. (It’s possible they could appear in the background or during a brief glimpse of the “Skylark Tonight” opening credits. Having seen the film twice, however, I feel comfortable saying they’re absent altogether.) In fact, only three recognizable faces appear as variations on themselves in “The Interview”: Rob Lowe (who reveals he’s bald), Eminem (who reveals he’s gay) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who reveals he likes puppies).
There were reports too that Kanye West made an appearance in “The Interview.” He doesn’t either, but it’s likely audiences would have seen West before the movie, in a trailer for an untitled Christmas Eve comedy (that might be called “XMas”), which stars Rogen, Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie. Sony is set to release that film next year.
“The Interview” is not coming out on Christmas Day.
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Why Rants on Sharpton, NAN and the #JusticeForAll March Are Immature, Insensitive and Irresponsible
Rev. Charles E. Williams II, gives opening remarks at Justice For All March in Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: Dale Rich Growing Up Civil Rights I’m 33 — I’ve been around the civil rights community and all of its many different facets since I was 18. In college at Eastern Michigan University, I started working during the fight to protect affirmative action, and ever since then I have been involved in organizing and mobilizing around issue after issue. I have worked in every facet of people movement organizations from volunteer to paid staff — and by the way the pay never equaled the job. What I have learned in my time of doing civil rights work is…
Growing Up Civil Rights
I’m 33 — I’ve been around the civil rights community and all of its many different facets since I was 18. In college at Eastern Michigan University, I started working during the fight to protect affirmative action, and ever since then I have been involved in organizing and mobilizing around issue after issue. I have worked in every facet of people movement organizations from volunteer to paid staff — and by the way the pay never equaled the job. What I have learned in my time of doing civil rights work is that it is a thankless and payless job. It’s a challenging line of work. I can go on and on about so-called civil rights leaders who have snubbed me, went behind my back, block me, talked about me, and tried to discredit me. Through it all, I’ve taken it in stride, and have worked diligently to a establish credibility with media, my community, and other leaders in this work. However, I have learned in my training and time spent with Rev. Al Sharpton that all of that is simply a part of the process of becoming who you are. It serves as a measurement of your effectiveness, and it strengthens your conviction for who you are and why you do what you do. These are the lessons that are learned and ultimately mature and grow you as an activist.
Think Before You Speak
Speaking truth to power, not truth to tear down each other is a personal motto of mine. I have observed and watched the events of what happened Saturday at the #Justiceforall march and I have read the snide commentary by those who now have taken the memory of the victims who we fight for and turned it into a personal political agenda to take shots at Rev. Sharpton. I cant help but watch in disgust and dispel the myths and lies that could and if go uncheck turn into reality for many.
Unfortunately, yesterday's DC march felt too much like an attempt from the civil rights managerial class to co-opt the struggle.
— Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) December 14, 2014
Really, NAN is a part of the managerial class? How does Rev. Sharpton become the managerial class of the movement? The managerial class doesn’t hold a membership meeting every week and meet and greet individually members while also training them once a month at a new members class to engage and build activist. The managerial class doesn’t preach at storefront churches for little to no honorarium, or help ghetto families that some would simply dismiss. The managerial civil rights leadership doesn’t have a paid staff with the majority under the age of 35. What makes NAN effective, what makes Rev. Sharpton effective, is that the black bourgeoisie managerial types, who are typically the ones that are quick to dismiss or segregate themselves from us regular folk, don’t make up the base of followership of NAN or Rev. Sharpton. In other words, people who are members of NAN aren’t seeking approval from their sorority sisters or fraternity brothers. NAN members are the manufacturing employees, the bus drivers, and street sweepers.
I know managerial class black leaders, and usually you don’t see them until they blaze into town, meet with corporate CEOs and governors singing the economic empowerment hustle song. They go to a reception and blaze back out. They spend more time in the suites than in the streets, in ivory towers than on picket lines, and posh studios than urban ghettos. They have huge oversize civil rights banquets and have to be extra careful who they give awards to and careful about what is said so the corporate Walmart like giants don’t get offended. They have a issue analysis process that usually puts them on the fence and at best with the status quo. If thats the managerial class thats being talked about, National Action Network is far from that.
Disrespecting the Families
As a pastor, I know that dealing with grieving families is a highly sensitive and tedious job. One wrong move, or one wrong misjudgment, could send a family member either into seclusion or a frantic rage. So just imagine your child being shot by Zimmerman or Darren Wilson and for every piece of mail sending you well wishes, there are three pieces of hate mail making threats on your life. So not only are you grieving, but you are paranoid. I can’t imagine grief and paranoia in the same emotional moment. So in a scene of 50,000, it seems highly insensitive and wrong for those families to be judged for wearing VIP badges, only so they can know and trust that everyone around them is a friend. The vicious attacks on the #justiceforall march and its VIP section are ridiculous and insensitive to the family of those who are victims. It really just shows the pettiness of one who may be concerned why they didn’t get one.
Whose National Action Network? Our National Action Network
I drove eight hours from Detroit, Michigan with two bus loads of youth activist who were sponsored by the members of the National Action Network Detroit Chapter. They committed resources and made donations so they could march in solidaity with others from across the country with one mission in mind: to take part in a national action to highlight the issues that we face across the country around police brutality. When I arrived on site, I was greeted by Dr. Marcus Bright, a young man who is under 30, who is leading a non-profit effort called Education For A Better America which NAN is partnered with on many projects. Then I stopped to check in with my little sister, Dominique Sharpton, who is under 30 and was overseeing the run of show. She made aware of my place on the program. As I waited, Kearston John Foy, under 35 and a long-time NAN activist, introduced me and I proceeded to take the stage and give opening remarks at the pre-march rally. The point is National Action Network is ours. It belongs to young people who are committed to carrying a tradition of civil rights leadership on into generations to come. We are not Rev. Sharpton fan club members. We are civil rights workers. This is serious business and we intend to build the strongest civil rights organization to produce long systematic change in this country.
We come out of the tradition of Dr. Martin luther King Jr. and our founding chairman of the Board was Wyatt T. Walker. Our current president was former youth director of Operation Breadbasket. This is our lineage — not our part-time hobby.
Purpose
During the civil rights era there were many defragmented facets that were competitive: young vs old, bourgeoisie vs grassroots, labor vs community-based, Christian vs Muslim, politicians vs preachers. Meanwhile, so many people today wouldn’t believe the things that were said or actions that were taken, but most don’t know the stories. Why? Because there was a certain decorum that was a standard. It was an unwritten rule that maybe we don’t like each other but we definetly want the same things.
I once knew an activist who was asked about why he wasn’t involved in a certain issue? he replied, “There are enough fires for everybody to pick up a bucket of water.” In short, do you, and do you for as long as you can. The truth is, for as long as I been involved, I’ve seen many young people get in and get out — most of the time graduating and deciding to rest their butts on a seat in a corporate cubicle or in bureaucratic building somewhere. Meanwhile, movement and civil rights work becomes a distant memory of something they did when they were in college or high school.
So for those of us who have set aside goals of pastoring mega churches, becoming political executive appointees, or big time CEOs, this is serious for us and we are not playing games. We are working to build on a tradition and a body of work that keeps moving the next generation forward by breaking down barriers and continuing the fight for justice. I honor the enthusiasm, the tenacity, vigilance of all who have marched, took rubber bulletts, made financial sacrifices, and found strength to go on anyhow. But as you assess where you are, and you find that this work is in your purpose, grab hold to your lane and stay in it with consistency and persistency. Let this moment mature you, and grow you up and I promise the concern of being looked over will be the farthest thought from your mind.
Romans 14:16-19
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Follow Rev. Williams on Twitter or Facebook at www.therevcw.com
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Why Rants on Sharpton, NAN and the #JusticeForAll March Are Immature, Insensitive and Irresponsible
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