http://www.aolnews.com/politics/article/barack-obama-vows-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-military-policy-on-gays/19334979?icid=mainmaindl1link7http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Farticle%2Fbarack-obama-vows-repeal-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-military-policy-on-gays%2F19334979
In 2010, in a world where gay marriage is accepted, where gay pride flags are recognized by nearly everyone, it should be hard to believe that this has brought so much controversy.
Like racism, anti-gay policies have resulted in a huge disservice for America. When I was swearing in to come into the Air Force, I almost backed out. In a video moments before, they explained in detail what it meant to commit "homosexual acts" and how such acts could result in court-martial and possibly immediate and less than honorable discharge.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Was it that serious? Really? I, wrongfully and remorsefully, justified the video as a means to promote sexual privacy...or something. I was so convinced that the Air Force was what I wanted to do, that I ignored that video.
Then, since I have been in, I have seen the effects of that policy. I have met Airmen who have been forced to live an "alternative" lifestyle. They have been forced to declare themselves heterosexual or to remain completely closeted. Not only do they have the government to fear, but they have their fellow service members to fear as well. Hate crimes do occur in the military.
So, we are fighting in two wars, our men and women die everyday; we serve everyday to protect the freedoms afforded us by our Constitution. But, while we serve, we cannot live those freedoms? It isn't enough that we have to worry about terrorists attacking us and protecting our families back home? We now should care about the sexual orientation of our wingman? We don't have time to care about that. And even if we did, what good does that do?
I am not homosexual, I don't really agree with the principles associated with it, but I accept people wholly for who they are. At the end of the day, you have to live with your decisions and I have to deal with mine. I choose not to judge people, but to accept them and be tolerant of our differences.
I am vegetarian. There are many who don't agree with the principles and the concepts that permit my decision. But that's who I am. Am I less of a person because of it? Should I say I am not Christian? The Bible allows people to eat meat. So, should I be kicked out of the military because I take all of the vegetarian MREs? I mean seriously. People can choose to accept it or not. This is not to undermine the seriousness of the issue but to highlight the pettiness and the shame of the situation.
To the senator that claimed that "this country was founded on the Christian principles of heterosexuality," I say back- this country was founded on hatred, intolerance, and the backs and lives of others. I would even suggest that some of the members of the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria were closeted homosexuals. And, I am quite certain that they all partook in the turkey dinner!
Just my thoughts...what do you think?
Friday, January 29, 2010
Chris Matthews MSNBC: 'I Forgot Obama Was Black for an Hour'
Chris Matthews MSNBC: 'I Forgot Obama Was Black for an Hour'
What do you think about this?
Personally, I am not in the least bit surprised. It is so easy for someone who does not live a problem daily to feel as if we have somehow overcome that problem. Racism is alive and well. It's not just against Black people, it's against Latinos, Asians, and even Caucasians. The perpetrators are not all Caucasian either. I have known Black people to denigrate other Black people (i.e. Jamaicans, Africans, Haitians, etc). I have witnessed people of all colors and socioeconomic status promote racist views of other races. Unfortunately, as I sit here to type this, I cannot say that there has been any major group of people against whom racism hasn't been thrust. There is no question about the prominence of racism in American or even global society.
However, the effect of the racism varies from one population to another. Black people have felt the pain of it for hundreds of years. That has not subsided. Nor will I be willing to claim that it has begun to subside. It has never been the case that every White person hated Black people or even succumbed to the beliefs that have driven the egregiously committed acts and policies of American history. I uphold that today, racism is not the flaw of every White person. However, it is a flaw of more than we'd like to admit. It is the flaw of many Americans- of all races- way more than we'd like to say.
Again, though, the question returns to the effect of the racism. If a prominent Black man decided not to like White people, would that influence an election or a major policy? Would it change the way Americans see the White person? Would they question his nationality? his morals? his ethics? No. They would think the Black person was offensive and racist. The majority of Americans would call it what it would be: RACISM. But when the tables are turned, does this still hold true? I'd think not.
We have always known the White man to be the hegemony of the world, especially here in America. He sits at a huge table where his influence reaches far and wide. Yes, we are starting to have dialogue at this table, but he's still at the head. The table isn't round as it should be.
So, while Chris Matthews comments were not meant to be offensive, they were a blatant reminder of what it is to be Brown in America. It doesn't stop at the White House. In corporate America, brown men and women are vying for recognition and promotions to top positions. They are fighting hard to be seen for their accomplishments and capabilities, not for their skin complexion. In the military, the Army, partially due to the higher number of Brown service men and women, is perceived to be inferior to their sister services. A historically Black college or university (HBCU) degree is somehow less valuable than one from a predominately white school. Latinos and Blacks are being blamed for the increase in welfare costs, but the reality is that more White people receive welfare than any single group. The list could go on...
But for every achievement, for every new name taught in schools during the month of February, those who do not live in brown skin every day tend to forget the daily struggles. They tend to use a displacement theory to replace many "bads" with one great "good." The notion that a Black president means racism is over is naive and remorseful. This is especially true when you see how hard many have tried to thwart every effort he has made, or when you consider the death threats, or the racial commentary that permeates the media. Even Black activists are 'disappointed' because he hasn't done much for the Black community....WHAT!?! He is helping America...which, to my knowledge, includes Black people. Did they think that just because he is Black that he would pass the "Black Act" giving all Black people some entitlement at the exclusion of others? That has never been his rhetoric and we should fear that approach as much as any racially driven objective.
If racism were over, we wouldn't even notice he was Black. No expectations would come from his skin color. And that goes both ways.
What do you think about this?
Personally, I am not in the least bit surprised. It is so easy for someone who does not live a problem daily to feel as if we have somehow overcome that problem. Racism is alive and well. It's not just against Black people, it's against Latinos, Asians, and even Caucasians. The perpetrators are not all Caucasian either. I have known Black people to denigrate other Black people (i.e. Jamaicans, Africans, Haitians, etc). I have witnessed people of all colors and socioeconomic status promote racist views of other races. Unfortunately, as I sit here to type this, I cannot say that there has been any major group of people against whom racism hasn't been thrust. There is no question about the prominence of racism in American or even global society.
However, the effect of the racism varies from one population to another. Black people have felt the pain of it for hundreds of years. That has not subsided. Nor will I be willing to claim that it has begun to subside. It has never been the case that every White person hated Black people or even succumbed to the beliefs that have driven the egregiously committed acts and policies of American history. I uphold that today, racism is not the flaw of every White person. However, it is a flaw of more than we'd like to admit. It is the flaw of many Americans- of all races- way more than we'd like to say.
Again, though, the question returns to the effect of the racism. If a prominent Black man decided not to like White people, would that influence an election or a major policy? Would it change the way Americans see the White person? Would they question his nationality? his morals? his ethics? No. They would think the Black person was offensive and racist. The majority of Americans would call it what it would be: RACISM. But when the tables are turned, does this still hold true? I'd think not.
We have always known the White man to be the hegemony of the world, especially here in America. He sits at a huge table where his influence reaches far and wide. Yes, we are starting to have dialogue at this table, but he's still at the head. The table isn't round as it should be.
So, while Chris Matthews comments were not meant to be offensive, they were a blatant reminder of what it is to be Brown in America. It doesn't stop at the White House. In corporate America, brown men and women are vying for recognition and promotions to top positions. They are fighting hard to be seen for their accomplishments and capabilities, not for their skin complexion. In the military, the Army, partially due to the higher number of Brown service men and women, is perceived to be inferior to their sister services. A historically Black college or university (HBCU) degree is somehow less valuable than one from a predominately white school. Latinos and Blacks are being blamed for the increase in welfare costs, but the reality is that more White people receive welfare than any single group. The list could go on...
But for every achievement, for every new name taught in schools during the month of February, those who do not live in brown skin every day tend to forget the daily struggles. They tend to use a displacement theory to replace many "bads" with one great "good." The notion that a Black president means racism is over is naive and remorseful. This is especially true when you see how hard many have tried to thwart every effort he has made, or when you consider the death threats, or the racial commentary that permeates the media. Even Black activists are 'disappointed' because he hasn't done much for the Black community....WHAT!?! He is helping America...which, to my knowledge, includes Black people. Did they think that just because he is Black that he would pass the "Black Act" giving all Black people some entitlement at the exclusion of others? That has never been his rhetoric and we should fear that approach as much as any racially driven objective.
If racism were over, we wouldn't even notice he was Black. No expectations would come from his skin color. And that goes both ways.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Thank you, Angels
Greetings!
I hope and pray that this note finds each of you in the midst of good health, good spirits, and great peace. In my journey, I have been privileged to encounter each of you at some point. I honestly believe that every person you encounter in your life, no matter the brevity of such encounter, touches your life in some way, whether positively or negatively.
In my life, I have been adversely affected by many. Some of these encounters have affected my body, some my spirit, and I have even allowed my faith to waiver. People have stolen my joy, robbed me of my peace, and covered my world with darkness. And there were those unspeakable moments of my life when I didn't have enough faith, enough strength, enough love for myself to make it further. And it was in those moments, when the faith, strength, and love of my family and friends held me up. It was in these moments when my friends, family, and even strangers, seeing that I'd lost my way repositioned me in the direction of God.
There are people who smiled at me at that moment when I'd given up on the world. There is the man who helped me with my bags as I slid across the icy parking lot. There is the lady who offered me a ride when she drove past me walking in the rain without an umbrella. There are the customers who come in and thank me for helping them, letting me know my work is noticed and appreciated. There are the friends who randomly send messages on facebook or to my email just wanting to say hello. There is the family that holds me up when I feel faint at heart. My sister, Cale, who always listens and, when I was quieted by circumstances, helped me find my voice. She is one of my best friends. Another sister, Bri, my little copycat! She inspires me to continue, to be better than I was the day before, to remember that someone is always watching me. My sister Dee is my comedy relief, the one that makes me laugh when there is absolutely nothing to laugh at. My mother, oh the woman that has shown her courage and strength time and time again, who encourages me, lifts me up when I am down, pushes me to be better, tells corny jokes when I need them the most, and who taught me how to 'cry two tears in a bucket...' (smile).
There is Ryan who continues to support me. Who continues to love me, no matter how complicated things get. It is he who promised to spend the rest of his life with me, knowing that wouldn't be easy. He is a great source of motivation for me, his words and actions push me to be better, they push me to be the best I can be, no matter what happens. It is he that made me recognize that my own peace and happiness are my responsibility, and no one elses.
Then, there is Raheem, my best friend here in Korea. It is he that, literally saved my life, twice, here. He is a sounding board for the myriad of thoughts that seem to short circuit my brain sometimes. He's my bodyguard from all of the vultures that pervade Osan. He's great company: funny, considerate, kind, respectful. He never disrespects me, my marriage, or his. In fact, he has introduced new facets of loyalty that I'd never even considered before. He, too, inspires me to be better. He makes me appreciate the power of the sun, especially in the midst of great storms.
There are so many people who have touched and inspired me. There are some whose negativity and ignorance have propelled me ahead, forcing me to distance myself from the disappointing levels on which they reside. I am learning, the more I grow, that no man is an island. I am learning to find lessons in the good and bad situations. I am finding that someone can be an example of what I don't want to be. And, I am learning that sometimes, you have to let some people, some things, some thoughts, some feelings, some hurts and some memories go.
So this note, is a 'thank you' to all of you. Thank you for loving me when you did. Thank you for supporting me when you did. Thank you for the good, the bad, and the ugly. Thank you for being a part of my life and for allowing me to be a part of yours. I hope and pray that each of you continues to be a part of my life and that you continue to be the person that God created you to be. You are all angels sent to help someone make it in this world.
To this end, I have one request. Please send a message to me with an update about what's going on in your life. I want to know if you have children, if you are married, etc. Send your birthdays and anniversaries so I can add them to my calendar. Also, please send your email addresses so that I can do my best to keep up with you as we travel in our own directions. Happy New Year!
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