Winston-Salem City Manager’s Position

Normally the hiring or firing of a City Manager does not have much impact on the citizens of a City. After all, the City Manager is just a Manager or Chief Executive Officer hired to carry out the wishes and desires of the governing body. In Winston-Salem, North Carolina the governing body is the City Council and City Manager. Some people seem to think that we need someone from outside of the City. Others say we have good people already part of City Government. Each opinion has its Pros and Cons.

If someone from the outside is hired, how will we really know what to expect? How long will it take for this individual to become successful in carrying out their responsibilities and being accepted by the people working under them? For an outsider to be successful, major changes have to be made and may require bring in his own people or staff he feels will make his job easier and make him successful.

If we choose from inside the present structure and personnel, all we get is a continuation of the policies and altitudes of the current administration. Can the African American Community take another twenty-five years of a very powerful City Manager? How long are we to be on the outside looking in? Why must African American Leadership demand a place at the table when decisions are make instead of being a integral part and primary participants in helping to govern the City?

It makes no different whether the candidates comes from outside or inside, the plight of the African American and other minority populations remain the same. As long as there is a weak City Council, the only full participation for African Americans is in paying property taxes. If there was a strong City Governing Body, the City Manager’s Position would just be a reflection of the City Council’s will. With this City Council, the City Manager’s Position is an unelected Ruler. While the City Manager is not elected, this position is the most powerful position in City Government. The City Council often hides behind the statement that we operate under a Council-Manager form of Government. Is it legal to have unelected and unaccountable people governing the citizens of Winston-Salem, North Carolina? How much power does a ruler have who was not voted into office and cannot be fired by the people he rules? Is this truly an American Form of Government when the people cannot do anything about a person governing them? If this is really the form of government we want, the City Manager should be elected every four years by the people he rules.

Economic Heresy

Last Sunday, like most Sundays, like most African American Christians, I attended the 11:00 a.m. service at a local Black Church. Before the preaching started, the Tithes and Offering were collected using the same scriptures that are used in all Black Churches, Malachi 3:10; “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” All good Preachers know this is a good verse to quote to make the congregation pay their tithes and offerings. This verse comes with a promise that if you give, the Lord will bless you in return, much more than you gave in the first place. Because of this verse, Black Christians give a lot of money to their Churches. The Christians have done their part and we know God will do his part, but what about the Black Churches; will they do what God has commanded of them?

The verse, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” means so that God’s People who cannot take care of themselves will be provided for through the tithes and offerings. At this point, no more scriptures about giving are quoted, and the Church becomes very pragmatic and the spirit giving leaves the Church. Now that the Tithes are in the storehouses, it becomes the personal property of the Black Church Hierarchy, meaning the Church Leadership, Pastor, Deacon Board and Trustees will decide how the resources are to be used. There is still nothing wrong with this process so far, everything is going along according to the Holy Scriptures and God’s intended will.

Now, if you agree that God wants meat in his storehouse to provide for his servants, attendees, widows, orphans, strangers, old people and people who cannot take care of themselves, the Black Church MUST use the tithes and offerings for the general well being of all God’s people. This means investing wisely to insure maximum benefits for the people who have given the tithes and offerings in the first place. Instead, our Black Churches put this money into Financial Institutions that will not lend our money back to us to improve our living conditions. The Black Church put our resources into Banks that will not lend the Church’s money back to the Church. The Black Church refuses to join with other Christians Churches so that there in more meat in the Master’s House. Doesn’t it make sense to put all the tithes and offerings into a Christians Bank or start a Credit Union controlled by Christians to the benefit of God’s People? Jesus said it very clearly, those who are against us are for us, there is no middle ground, either the Black Church’s economic policies hurt our communities or help the community. Nothing of importance happens in the African American Community until the Black Church move. Until the Black Church begins to quote this scripture, “If you love me, feed my sheep”, the meat in the storehouse means nothing, because God’s people remain physically hungry.

“Of Course, Jesus Christ is White”

Before writing this article, I ask for forgiveness from all God Fearing Christian who may be offended by the point I am trying to make. When I say Christians, I mean everyone who confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. Everyone who claims that God is their Father is my Brother or Sister, regardless of any other factors.

For a long time now, I have tried to figure out why Negroes or Blacks or African Americans, whatever label you choose, want so badly to act like and have the respect of White People. The reason is very simple; most African Americans are very religious and have a strong belief in their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I do too. Every since I first heard about Jesus, he has been portrayed as a young White Man. Therefore, to love and act like White People is only being Christ Like. We Blacks want to act like Christ so we can have Eternal Life in heaven with our Lord and since Jesus is White, we want act and be White also.

One thing about Christ is not debatable, Jesus is Jewish and “In Judaism, the making of any representation of God is strictly forbidden, as is the fashioning of any “graven image”. Islam has also adhered to this rule.” this quote from Britannica Online. This means that no one knows what God looks like and God himself forbids any images that represent his likeness.

Think about it, when Colored Politicians put the desires and comfort of White People before the needs and health concerns of the African Americans who elected them, they are not betraying their relatives, neighbors and friends; they are only being good Christians. In Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina, we have some of the best Christian Politician in the world when it comes to taking care of the needs of the White Community because it is the Christian thing to do.

To my White Brothers and Sisters in Christ, you have been brain washed by the same images of Jesus being a young White Man. If you do not think so, consider this, how would Jesus be portrayed if people of color governed this country. For me, a picture of Jesus as a White Man is an image. If the common portrayal of Jesus is accurate, then White People should be treated as superiors to all other people because they are the image of God. But because God knows and understands everything, Deuteronomy 5:8 says, “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:” I believe this was included so that one race of people would not consider themselves better than all other races and people because they looked like our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

If we believe what Genesis 1:26 says, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” all men and all races and all cultures were made in the image of God because God said this before the first man was created. It is not our birth right that makes us Christ Like, it is the confession of Jesus as our Lord and Savior and our willingness to follow him.

There is no doubt that Jesus was born on the continent of Africa, making him an African. For those of you on the Christian Right, I am sure you want Jesus to be an American. Therefore, it follows that Jesus Christ is more closely identified as being African American than anything else. This conclusion is just as stupid as Christ Jesus being a young White Man. Now will you agree with me that Jesus Christ far exceeds any images that mortal men can conceive?

Not Even God Scares the Powers That Be

In the Holy Bible, King James Version, John 21:16 says. “He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.” The He here is Jesus Christ talking to his disciple Simon Peter. Jesus is telling Peter to take care of those who cannot care for themselves. The “Feed my sheep” implies more than just providing food, but also includes meeting their spiritual, physical and health needs. We Christians know this to be true, because this is exactly what Jesus did. Of course Jesus fed thousands of people; he also healed the sick and raised the dead. The elected Powers That Be in Forsyth County care nothing about the people who are the primary reason for having Government Officials. Forsyth County Government should protect and provide services for those who cannot provide for themselves. The citizens of Forsyth County who have Power, Influence, and Health Insurance do not need the Downtown Health Plaza. For these reasons, I am appealing only to those Christians who voted for these people by asking their Religious Leaders and any other members of their Churches and people who called themselves Christians to do as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says, “If you love me, feed my sheep.”