There's Still Hope

B"H

My First Urban Faith Article

Last year, just after the presidential election, I wrote a blog entry entitled "We Have Been Slightly Healed." Now, after several conversations and e-mails, Brother Ed Gilbreath has finally succeeded in getting me to make a few revisions and submit this piece to his on-line magazine, Urban Faith. You can check out the article here.

We have added a few paragraphs that included mention of the Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to Pres. Obama in October and a section at the end which is an exhortation to the Community of Believers. I pray that this will be the beginning of my regular input on topics of race and religion and that the LORD might be able to use it for His purposes and glory.

I pray that there will be some honest and thoughtful comments and responses both on the Urban Faith site, as well as via FaceBook.

Blessings,

Shlomo

Racial Profiling - Part X

B"H

Last night my good friend Charles mentioned the current case of Prof. Henry Louis Gates being arrested

Harvard Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr.

In this photo taken by a neighbor Thursday July 16, 2009 Henry Louis Gates Jr. center, the director of Harvard University's W.E.B. DuBois Institute for African and African American Research, is arrested at his home in Cambridge, Mass. Police say they were called to the home of Gates after a woman reported seeing a man try to pry open the front door. (AP Photo/Demotix Images, B. Carter)

and the allegations that this was a case of racial profiling gone wrong. I hope that someone such as Brother Ed Gilbreath, hint hint, will take this up on their blog since very few readers happen by here these days.

Even though I don't agree with a lot that Prof. Gates represents, he is nonetheless one of the most prominent Afro-American scholars at present. When a man of his stature is brought into the news via a controversial arrest, it gives pause to a lot of other lesser concerns. The thought goes through my mind just as I imagine it must also be on the minds of many others, "If this could happen to someone like him (Prof. Gates), then what hope is there for other lesser citizens such as myself?" I don't fear being a victim of racial profiling on a ordinary day, but there most certainly have been several situations when I felt quite vulnerable.

Once, several years ago when our family was driving in a rental vehicle in New Jersey, I was questioned quite harshly by a State Trooper and forced to stand outside the car in the rain for several minutes. The fact that New Jersey had a bad reputation for racial profiling of black males was never far from my mind during that ordeal. On another occasion, as we were driving north from Jackson, Mississippi towards Tenn., I purposely chose not to go east through Birmingham, AL with my white wife and face who knows what, even in the year 2004.

The current case involving Prof. Gates is far from a simple case of racial profiling. It is entirely possible that some of his own actions contributed to the errors on the part of the police.

"Police said Gates was arrested after he yelled at an officer, accused him of racial bias and refused to calm down after the officer demanded that Gates show him identification to prove he lived in the home.

Gates' lawyer, fellow Harvard scholar Charles Ogletree, said his client showed his driver's license and Harvard ID — both with his photos — and repeatedly asked for the name and badge number of the officer, who refused. He followed the officer onto the front porch as he left his house and was arrested there."

I do feel that if he was a mere average citizen, his treatment might have been far worse than it was and may not have resulted in any charges against him being dropped quite so quickly. In my mind this case shows that fame and celebrity status won't necessarily protect Afro-Americans from police harassment, but that same status may well have assisted after the fact and that is not acceptable.

Peace,

Shlomo

Heads-up: Heavy Race Related Topic Coming

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"So much to do and so little time to do it." How often has that phrase been heard these days? I won't make any excuses for not posting here more regularly. Just this past week I was lead to several very poignant and pertinent posts through Brother Ed Gilbreath's site. I have been working on a very heavy post for quite some time now, but I have allowed other issues in life to jump their place in the line and thus this post has remained so far unwritten.

Blessings,

Shlomo

Remembering Dr. John Hope Franklin

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Dr. John Hope Franklin

I sadly learned a few hours ago that Dr. John Hope Franklin passed away yesterday (March 25, 2009). I was first exposed to Dr. Franklin over 40 years ago when his book From Slavery to Freedom was assigned in the Afro-American History class my high school offered. Over the years since then I have often turned back to that classic work and used it as an authoritative reference work. Dr. Franklin was a scholar par excellence and his work has withstood the test of time.

I have often cited Dr. Franklin as the original source for the title of my work, Integration: Try It Again for the Very First Time. This concept, which I developed into a class I taught over 5 years ago, was taken from a quote of Dr. Franklin. In response to a question about the receding vision of racial integration Dr. Franklin said that “Integration has not so much failed as it has hardly ever been tried.” The point Dr. Franklin was making is that integration was a concept grossly misunderstood by both white and black America alike. I have made mention of this idea here several times so I won’t belabor the issue now. I am deeply indebted to Dr. Franklin, as are so many of us, and I want to call attention to his life and legacy for those who may not have previously been aware of him.

Blessings.

Shlomo

The Meaning of B"H

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"Hey Shlomo,

"... I have been curious for some time about the way you start your posts with 'B"H.' After a little googling, and coming up empty, I'm even more curious.

Plodding for Him,

pew"

Hey PEW,

Thanks for stopping by and saying a few kind words, they are greatly appreciated. In regards to the abbreviation B"H, it's a Jewish thing.

B”H is an abbreviation for Baruch Hashem which, in Hebrew, means “Blessed be the Name” (or Blessed be G_d).

In the Black Church one oftens hears the expression, "First giving honor to GOD." This is usually followed by a holy "shout out" to the Pastor, the Deacons and anyone else present who may be deemed worthy of recognition. B"H - Baruch HaShem is the Jewish equivalent.

Thanks for asking, PEW. You can find additional information via Google if you include the keywords -  a Jewish abbreviation.

Blessings,

Shlomo