Sojourner Truth Bust unveiled by Michelle Obama

America is embracing African-American history a lot more

This is a Black Poem or These Are Our Heroes

Inspiration comes in many forms. I haven't written a poem in months. Yesterday while on skype with the little sister- Laura, we were discussing black poetry and the meaning or lack of meaning of some poems. I came up with an idea of parodying poetry by writing a nonsensical poem and seeing how people will react.
However after I had written the first line, inspiration hit, my creative juices flowed and I could no longer just write a mocking pastiche, I turned it to a commentary (if you can ever call poetry commentary) of African-American victimhood, stereotypes and symbols while placing 'black' food as the centerpiece. Anyway, here it is, it is called 'This is a Black Poem' or 'These Are Our Heroes' whichever title means more to you, so it shall be:

This is a Black Poem or These Are Our Heroes

I reach for the rainbow
Bending its arch toward today
what is to be found at its end?
A Pot of Gold?
or a Pot of Big Mamas Chicken Soup
Aunt Jemimas Pot Liqour
Cooked by Harriet Tubman
Seasoned by Sojourner Truth
I sojourn for the truth
Searching under nooks and in crannies
Emancipating black cooks and nannies
I yearn for better days
Better ways
Chicken, collard greens and rice
Made by Uncle Bens and Fredrick Douglass
Drizzled with Booker T's hot sauce
This is the Kentucky Renaissance
I yearn for that essential blackness
That undeniable cool
That steadfastness
and vigor
The strong black back
Withstood the slave-masters whips
and the water-hoses of policemen
in Alabama
spraying little children
and they Mama

Extreme Close Up

On Thomas Jefferson and America as a Christian nation

Is America a Christian nation? That is another question that is preoccuping the American media since Barack Obama returnded from his tour of Europe. While in Turkey, Obama said that although most Americans were Christians, there are also sizeable communities of Jews, Muslims etc. He stated that America does not consider itself a Christian nation, nor a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation, they are a nation bound by common ideals.
Of course, Fox News considered this statement tantamount to treason How dare he misrepresnt us like that? How dare he say that? The usual Anti-Obama vitriol flowed from the likes of Hannity and Rove.
I wonder what Madeleine Albright or Henry Kissenger would say about this idea of America as a Christian nation, two very prominent Americans, two former Secretaries of State, both Jewsih. Of course the anti-Obamans are quick to point out the term 'Judeo-Christian' they say America was created on Judeo-Christian values.
I have two points, the first one is about this concept of Christian values, no such concept exists, Christianity is not a uniform religion, it has been and is been interpreted in very many different ways. The complexity of what Christianity is is evidenced by the myriad of denominations that exist, with many denominations in stark contrast with each other. So what is a Christian nation then, if some say America is a Christian nation, then what about the Philippines, where 90% of the population is Christian, the values of these countries should be identical if they are found on this so called Christian values. Of course one can have the argument that the Philippines is a Catholic nation, and yes that argument holds water, so it would seem that in order to claim a state religion, the wide umbrella of Christianity needs to be fractionalized into denomintions. So is America an Episcopalian country, or a Baptist nation, or Methodist or Seventh Day Adventist.
The many ways in which Jesus Christ's words are interpreted make the concept of Christianity a very contentious one, yes the hatred and violence between Protestant and Catholic has reduced over the centuries but still one would accuse the other for not being Christian. When we add Mormonism and Jehovah's Witness and various strands of Pentecostalism, the issue of what exactly Christianity is becomes even more complex.
This brings me to Thomas Jefferson, one of the most revered American statesmen, a founding father of the great nation, his face graces the very rare 2 dollar bill.
He is still quoted today by many American politicians. He authored the Declaration of Independence, arguably the most important document in American history. The words on that document have framed American civic life and made it the unique country it is today, so this, and The Bill of Rights, authored by Jefferson's protégé James Madison, must be the source of the so-called Judeo-Christian values.
But a simple study of Thomas Jefferson would reveal his interesting brand of Christianity. Thomas Jefferson, unhappy with the divine Jesus, set about to write his own bible, removing all of Jesus' miracles and supernatural events during his life, claiming that these events were added by the authors of the gospels.
My point is that Jefferson saw Jesus Christ merely as a great philosopher, not as God as 'Christians' should believe. Yet despite his views, views that no self respecting Christian American politician today dare have, he is still revered today, and his Declaration of Independence is deeply cherished, and widely quoted.
The philosophy on which America is built does not stem from a religion, research tells us that most of Americans founding fathers were Deists and not Christians. It is a philosophy based on freedom and equality, a philosophy that was strengthened during the American struggle against Britsh Aristocracy and Monarchy.
While it is a fact that most Americans are Christians, and unlike in many European countries faith plays a prominent role in American political life, it is simply illogical to use those facts to claim that America is a Christian nation.

America is a Godly nation, however, would be a more truthful statement.

Nous avons confiance en Dieu

So, Did he Bow or Not?

Americans are back at it again, wasting time on pointless news. This time the furore is about President Obama's bow or semi-prostrate to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about it yesterday, and he denied it at first, then when pressed, he brushed the question aside.
Well, I took a look at the picture, and the video, and it clearly shows Obama bowing to the King.
The right wing is furious, they are, first Obama says in Turkey that America is not a Christian nation, then he bows to the King of a Muslim nation, the right wing and religious right have all but confirmed that Obama is a covert Muslim.
But, why did Obama bow to King Abdullah? When Bush Jr was in house he didn't bow to the King, instead they held hands.
American journalists are saying that it shows submission, it undermines the USA's image of power if the president is seeing showing too much respect to someone else.
But we forget one simple thing, it's all about image and the power of language, I think when one has the words King or Queen in front of their name, it kind of beats being a President or a Prime Minister, it means you are the top boss, no one can impeach you, vote you out, nothing, it means total control. It is enviable, when one is born into power, when leadership of a country is a birth right. One can not be surprised that when an elected leader meets a born leader, the lesser one bows. Obama bowed when he met Queen Elizabeth (although a less back breaking bow) and I suppose he'll continue to bow when he meets monarchs around the world.
I think the problem American's have is who he bowed to, Xenophobia and Islamophobia are rife in America, anyone who's traditional dress involves headgear is looked upon with suspicion in American society (look at the backlash Sikhs got after 9/11)
America is proud of its power, they are proud of the way other countries bend to their will, many respected African statesmen are reduced to boys when faced with the might of America. So when the so called Leader of the Free World bows to the Leader of the "Oppressed World", one can expect a storm to gather. If Obama gave that same bow to say King Harold of Norway or King Albert of Belgium then it will be seen as nothing but Obama showing reverence and respect to an old monarch, but when he does the same to King Abdullah, the variables change- the media would not construct it as Obama just greeting an old man, No, he is bowing to the King of a nation where women are not allowed to drive, he is bowing to the leader of the country where most of the 9/11 hijackers came from, he is bowing to an "inferior culture"

.....When really, he is Bowing to Oil.

Profile

I don't want you to get the impression that I'm simply blogging pictures of myself instead of my words, well that is partially true, but I promise something verbose soon. Till then, enjoy: