“You Can Not Blame This on Black Parents”

Every time there is a discussion about why African American High School Students are not making the grade, one of the first things said is, “It is because the parents are not doing their job.” This means the teachers and educators are not supposed to raise our young people. I agree with the later, teachers are not to raise our children, but they are supposed to educate them. To me, education is the process of learning. Learning includes teaching right and wrong, good and bad and how young men and women are expected to act a part of society. When teachers finish doing all of this, have not they helped to raise their students? The people who say it is the parents fault are the ones who do not recognize themselves as parents. When I was a young man, everyone acted like a parent, from uncles and aunts to friends and neighbors to the lady who lived down the street and knew your parents before you were born. All these people had the right to discipline you because they had an investment in our communities and how you turned out.

I just left a meeting of the Atkins High School Advisory Board. This group of civic leaders was organized to insure the success of the new of the new High School located of Old Greensboro Road. Most of this board are graduates of the old Atkins High School and have a vested interest in the well being of the student who attend this school. Of the fifteen to twenty-five members of this Board, there were three to five members of the board in attendance. All the other attendees were associated with the Board of Education or a Commercial Enterprise. Very important people from the White Community were there. People who make important decisions about the future of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. Men and women who run large Corporations and multi-million dollar businesses. Employers who understand how important an educated workforce is to the success of their business ventures. People who obviously care more about our children than we do. This is a voluntary assignment for those of us who serve on the Advisory Board. The people and civic organizations who have agreed to participate supposedly did it out of a commitment to better education opportunities for our children.

When less than five people show up to this kind of meeting, it reflects badly on the African American Community. It is an embarrassment that African Americans who understand how important the education of our children is to our success as a people find excuses for not attending these meetings. All of us, Black, White and Brown, have to find the time to do something about this corrupt and unfair education system. Is all we want to do is stand up at public meetings and compliant about how it is the parent fault that our children are not being educated? Do we believe because my children attend a private or majority high school, that minority student low graduation rate is not a concern? For those of you who simply do not care about educating all students, it cost more to incarcerate than to educate. The Bible says to whom much is given, much is required, and educating our children requires all of us. We cannot blame Black Parents for this one. Neither can we blame this on the White Man; this is a complete failure of African American Leadership. The message we have sent is this, “we as a people do not care about what happens to our children’s education, as long as we can find someone other than ourselves to blame.” It is like I said, if I were a White Civic Leader, Businessman, Education Administrator, College Executive, Member of the Chamber or just Joe Blow, the only conclusion I would leave this meeting with is they (black people) just do not care or do not understand how important the education of their children is to the success of their race. And if they (African Americans) do not care, why should I?

Evil Succeeds When Christians Do Not Vote

When I ran for City Council for the East Ward and suggested that we needed Economic Development in the East Ward, one of the County Commissioners asked, “Where are we going to get this land for businesses in the East Ward?” Well Mr. County Commissioner, get the City Council to exercise eminent domain. Eminent Domain is “The government's authority to convert privately owned land into public property, with the condition that fair compensation must be given to the former owner. “ I would like to add that eminent domain should only be used for the greater public good and fair compensation means market value for the property.

There is no greater public good for 1525 Liberty Street, only conflicts of interest. “A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, a politician, or an executive or director of a corporation, has competing professional or personal interests. Even if there is no evidence of improper actions, a conflict of interest can create an appearance of impropriety that can undermine confidence in the ability of that person to act properly.” You tell me, how many members of the City Council should not have voted on this issue according to the definition above? They clearly have a conflict of interest, their personal gain verus the public good. How many City Coucil Members are involved in the Real Estate and acquired real proverty from the City of Winston-Salem, North Carolina while serving on the City Council?

One of the major campaign issues in the recent Democratic Primary was a Reentry Program for African Americans returning from prison. The Firetree, Ltd. Non-profit 501 (c) (3) focues in two areas, Drug and Alcohol Treatment Programs and Community Corrections Centers. With local governing bodies moving away from the Downtown Health Plaza and problems at Center Point, what would serve our community better than a new private business East of Highway 52 focusing on the needs of the Black Community. The hypocrisy of the elected government officials is so thick that you can stand on it. One of them told me that we do not tell businessmen where to put put their businesses. This was in response to why we cannot get a Wal-Mart east of 52. Now that a private business wants to invest in our neighborhood, these same officials prevent investment in our community. Firetree, Ltd, according to the Journal, offered $172,500 and the City offered $145,000, if you owned this proverty, which offer would you accept? Where is there a better place in our community for this type of faciltiy than on Liberty Street? What is the better public good planned by elected officials for this location on Liberty Street?

How long will the African American Community continue to be fooled by elected officials who come to us every two and four years at election time and make promises to help us and as soon as the primaries are over they vote for themselves at the expense and well being of all of us who live East of Highway 52. These people are not concerned about you becuause they know, you do not vote. Until the Black Church takes the lead and tells its membership that voting is one way of carrying out Jesus instruction to Peter to feed my sheep, meaning take care of the ones who cannot care for themselves, we will not get the kind of government leadership that is in the best interest of the Citizens of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County.

“I Am a Uniter, Not a Divider”

The other day, I drove to Reynolds Park Golf Course to play golf. In the parking lot, in the middle of the roadway, sat an elderly white gentleman. His golf cart was parked so I could not pass on either side. Being black, I was used to people stopping their cars in the middle of the street and carrying on a conversation with their friends. When the gentleman saw I was a black man, rather than pulling the golf cart to the side of the road, he slowed down even more. So I waited the customary 90 seconds before blowing my horn. As I passed this gentleman, I roll down my window and I said, “Thank for letting me pass.” I was told after I left, one of my fellow golfers was challenged by another white man about where I parked my car. Reynolds Park Golf Course is fast becoming a poor White Man’s Country Club; my friends and I played at Winston Lake Golf Course, where we belong.

In this election season, I remember President Bush’s statement about being a Uniter, not a Divider. This country is more divided now than before the end of slavery. I remember when Black Golfers could not play at Reynolds Park Golf Course, although it was a tax supported public facility. Why bring back things from the ‘50s and ‘60s? Because people who forget their past are doomed to repeat it. People are poorer now than ever. When people are out of work and financially stressed, they began to look for someone to blame for their discomfort. Traditionally, the weakest in our society are the easiest to blame. Just driving to the golf course and paying the green fees under the Bush Administration has become a luxury, rather than an every day event. Rather than blaming President Bush for the raising cost of Gasoline, Healthcare, Higher Taxes and less spendable income, people are now ready to blame Blacks and Browns over the crumbs left over from the rich man’s Tax Cuts. The white gentleman above clearly saw me as the cause of his problems.

Supposedly, Black Christians are voting for President Bush. As I wait for my 40 acres and a mule, some Black Churches are still waiting for money from Bush’s Faith Based Initiative. President Bush is such a Uniter that he has divided the Black Church. The Black Church is such an important institution in the Black Community that dividing the Church divides the community. Suppressing the Black Vote is a goal of the Republican Party. The Democratic issues used to divide the Church are Homosexuality, Abortion and StemCell Research. As a Christian, there is no doubt where I stand on Homosexuality and Abortion, I stand with Jesus Christ. StemCell Research is a little more complicated. If you are against StemCell Research for religious reasons, are you also against blood transfusions, Bone Marrow and organs transplants? The Bible says, “For the life of a creature is in the blood,” Bone Marrow is the transfer of cells in hope that they will heal cancer, some organ transplants involve the death of the donor; so shouldn’t we also be against these medical procedures?

Nothing in any political party should be allowed to separate the Black Church. Any Political Party that divides the Black Church to suppress our voting strength is evil. No matter what we call ourselves politically, Democrat, Republican or Independent, our God is supreme in all phases of Black Christian Life. Our faith in Jesus Christ is a uniting, not dividing agency across all Racial, Economic and Political Affiliations. It is so ironic that the Christian Right is neither Christian nor Right. And it is too bad that the Democrats are not knowledgeable enough about our belief in Jesus Christ to counter the agurements from the Christian Right. Our savior is not a Democrat, Republican or Independent, but the Supreme God of Justice and Peace for all. The only true Uniter, not Divider.

Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church

On Sunday, April 30, 2006 I was invited by one of my oldest and dearest friends and his wife to visit their church on Friends and Family Day. Their church is Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church on Lansing Drive, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. For those of you who have never been to service at Cleveland Avenue, it is a brand new experience in Christian Worship. This is a very active and lively Church. I think most of its membership is under 35 years old. They are very professional and everyone seems to have a part to play and they enjoy their roles. This Church has more of its members involved in the Service than any other Church I have visited. The Church is very modern and makes use of all new technologies. There are two high tech very large displays that can be scene from any part of the Church. Expensive cameras record their Bishop and congregation. Young African American men at the age where they could be in gangs, in jail or selling drugs, are directing Church Members to the best places to park. These parking attendants are using wireless communication techniques and believe me it is needed. I arrived on time for the 9:00 a.m. Service and was at the end of a long line of cars driving into the Church’s Parking Lot.

Before you think this about a specific church or religious organization, it is not, how people choose to worship God is totally a personal decision. This is about a very professional planned and operated Organization Model. It is about making people feel good about themselves and their affiliations. Bishop Sheldon M. McCarter, Senior Pastor has tapped into a way of bring people together in such a way that everyone feels needed and proud to be part of the group. The marketing of this enterprise lacks nothing. I do not know what the Church owns, but they have a Bookstore and what appears to be a Gym. They own the land around the Church and the way they are growing; more land and resources will be needed soon. Some may say this Church is practicing Economic Development rather than religion, I say, things done to serve the Lord’s People will always be successful. Based on the two collections at this Service, one for the Friends and Family and the other for Tithes and Offerings, the Church is financially sound.

Think about this, a majority African American Enterprise that uses the latest technologies, bring young black men and women onto an organization that provides high level training that could lead to careers in television and movie production, and has Jesus Christ as the focal point, has to be good for all involved. Allowing Professional Musicians and Singers to operate to the fullest extends of their talent and ability is also good. Being financially sound and not asking the government or anyone else for anything allows this Church to fulfill their God given mandate.

Shouldn’t this be the Organizational Model for every organization in the African American Community and having the Church at the forth front is just the natural way of things in our Community?