vendredi 5 décembre 2014
System Failure by Design: History of Race in America
Ce résumé n'est pas disponible. Veuillez
cliquer ici pour afficher l'article.
jeudi 6 novembre 2014
Positive Spin on Democratic Defeat
I know many of you are upset about the recent
elections and the idea of a Republican Senate, but I thought I would
share a positive perspective on things. For one, Democrats always do
poorly during off year elections, and this loss comes as no surprise. Regardless of what you think of Bill
Clinton's presidency, both houses were under Republican control almost
his entire tenure. This said, when Democratic candidates win presidential
elections that usually spells big wins for Democrats, and when
one party has too many seats there is usually a big correction during
a presidential election. So with a Hillary run, there is a chance that a
dramatic restructuring of both houses will occur in 2016, especially if
Warren is on the ticket, my secret wish, to energize the youth vote and
especially if the Republicans don't have a credible candidate to run
against her, which at the moment seems to be the case.
But I think the ballot measures were very promising and I was glad to see some very conservative measures voted down in referenda and liberal measures passed. Personhood amendments, that would pretty much outlaw abortion, failed in even deep red states, and marijuana legalization passed in more liberal states, but minimum wage increases were extremely popular in both blue San Francisco and red Arkansas. Gerrymandering has probably benefited Republican candidates in this election, even though the electorate tends to be older, whiter and more conservative, but the electorate showed itself to be center-left when asked to vote on drugs, abortion and minimum wage increases directly where there Gerrymandering effect is negated. So that is a strategy that progressives should keep in mind for future elections.
Another high point, judging from the lack of referenda on the topic; the gay marriage debate seems to be over, with pro-equality Republican candidates being reelected and more coming out for gay rights. Republican candidates, appealing to their base, in gerrymandered districts, seem to be more conservative than the electorate that votes for them. That is a positive development and is something to keep in mind as we go into 2016.
But I think the ballot measures were very promising and I was glad to see some very conservative measures voted down in referenda and liberal measures passed. Personhood amendments, that would pretty much outlaw abortion, failed in even deep red states, and marijuana legalization passed in more liberal states, but minimum wage increases were extremely popular in both blue San Francisco and red Arkansas. Gerrymandering has probably benefited Republican candidates in this election, even though the electorate tends to be older, whiter and more conservative, but the electorate showed itself to be center-left when asked to vote on drugs, abortion and minimum wage increases directly where there Gerrymandering effect is negated. So that is a strategy that progressives should keep in mind for future elections.
Another high point, judging from the lack of referenda on the topic; the gay marriage debate seems to be over, with pro-equality Republican candidates being reelected and more coming out for gay rights. Republican candidates, appealing to their base, in gerrymandered districts, seem to be more conservative than the electorate that votes for them. That is a positive development and is something to keep in mind as we go into 2016.
Post Election Minimum Wage Rant
I want to congratulate all the states and cities that voted to increase their minimum wage, from blue San Francisco to red Arkansas. Americans overwhelmingly support a living wage and were not deterred by scare tactics or rampant inflation and high unemployment. The purpose of the minimum wage was indeed to provide a basic standard of living for those at the bottom of the income scale. It was wholly and utterly progressive. People who work full-time shouldn't starve.
The only reason we don't see the full effects of poverty wages is because so many people who work minimum wage jobs qualify for assistance; something that many who don't want to raise wages also want to scale back. Looking at inflation data, an indicator of where prices are going, the last increase in 2009, rates were within historical averages, if not slightly lower. Which indicates there is no real effect on prices. Unemployment peaked in 2010, .3 points higher than 2009, but considering the state of the economy, probably had little to do with the increase, and the unemployment rate has been falling since. So it doesn't affect prices and it doesn't affect employment, it spurs economic activity and it gives people dignity.
A low minimum wage also has the nefarious effect of affecting everyone up the wage scale who works for their pay, around 5% make the bare minimum or below, but it sets a benchmark for all other wages to be compared to. Someone with a four-year degree makes the equivalent of what a minimum wage worker made in the 60s. If wages had kept pace with productivity and inflation the minimum wage would be nearly $20, so what would a college grad be making? We haven't been too good about raising the minimum wage, yet prices still increase, productivity still increases. So I would like someone to show me the link between a raise in the minimum wage and all these negative effects, because the data doesn't reveal that.
When I was in Paris a Chipotle opened up and I was surprised that a burrito cost $13. But then I thought, these workers are well-paid, probably living in decent apartments in the suburbs, they have stable full-time schedules, they have health insurance, and paid vacation, and the line was still going out the door. In the US we accept crap and think its ok that the people who serve it to us should live like crap. When you travel in Western Europe you realize how poor the average American is, despite how insanely rich our country is, our housing in sub-par, we are sicker, we don't take vacations. Look at CEO pay and productivity, which grow exponentially and compare it to real wages, which continually fall. That's not ok to me, at all.
If income inequality is the issue of our time, and its getting worse, then what other solution is there than raising taxes and raising the minimum wage, which was designed to provide the least skilled workers a dignified minimum standard of living; a living wage. We may still worship at the alter of upward mobility, bootstraps and ambition, but the US is increasingly the least socially mobile country, has the most entrenched wealth, and the highest income inequality.
People are suffering and need relief and they could care less about proving their mettle at the fry station when they know they are going to leave their full-time job with their food-stamps and head to Walmart. If service jobs are the new mining and factory jobs then for the sake of workers and for the economic health of the US they need to be living wage jobs.
The only reason we don't see the full effects of poverty wages is because so many people who work minimum wage jobs qualify for assistance; something that many who don't want to raise wages also want to scale back. Looking at inflation data, an indicator of where prices are going, the last increase in 2009, rates were within historical averages, if not slightly lower. Which indicates there is no real effect on prices. Unemployment peaked in 2010, .3 points higher than 2009, but considering the state of the economy, probably had little to do with the increase, and the unemployment rate has been falling since. So it doesn't affect prices and it doesn't affect employment, it spurs economic activity and it gives people dignity.
A low minimum wage also has the nefarious effect of affecting everyone up the wage scale who works for their pay, around 5% make the bare minimum or below, but it sets a benchmark for all other wages to be compared to. Someone with a four-year degree makes the equivalent of what a minimum wage worker made in the 60s. If wages had kept pace with productivity and inflation the minimum wage would be nearly $20, so what would a college grad be making? We haven't been too good about raising the minimum wage, yet prices still increase, productivity still increases. So I would like someone to show me the link between a raise in the minimum wage and all these negative effects, because the data doesn't reveal that.
When I was in Paris a Chipotle opened up and I was surprised that a burrito cost $13. But then I thought, these workers are well-paid, probably living in decent apartments in the suburbs, they have stable full-time schedules, they have health insurance, and paid vacation, and the line was still going out the door. In the US we accept crap and think its ok that the people who serve it to us should live like crap. When you travel in Western Europe you realize how poor the average American is, despite how insanely rich our country is, our housing in sub-par, we are sicker, we don't take vacations. Look at CEO pay and productivity, which grow exponentially and compare it to real wages, which continually fall. That's not ok to me, at all.
If income inequality is the issue of our time, and its getting worse, then what other solution is there than raising taxes and raising the minimum wage, which was designed to provide the least skilled workers a dignified minimum standard of living; a living wage. We may still worship at the alter of upward mobility, bootstraps and ambition, but the US is increasingly the least socially mobile country, has the most entrenched wealth, and the highest income inequality.
People are suffering and need relief and they could care less about proving their mettle at the fry station when they know they are going to leave their full-time job with their food-stamps and head to Walmart. If service jobs are the new mining and factory jobs then for the sake of workers and for the economic health of the US they need to be living wage jobs.
vendredi 3 octobre 2014
My Take on the Death of the Middle Class
I
was reading some articles on the death of the middle class and the
reasons why, I will post here below. Also some articles on the hidden
rich in America, and I decided to do some quick calculations. I googled
who the richest actor is, people we generally think of as the richest of
the rich, Seinfeld topped the list at 825 million. Then I looked up
simply the richest American, and no surprise it was Bill Gates at 81
billion. So 100x more than the richest actor.
I also read in one of the articles that the starting wage in the early 60s in say a steel mill, shoveling coal into a furnace for 8 hours payed in today's dollars $17/hour. Essentially an annual salary of $32,000 today. Some of you might be thinking that looks like the average starting salary for an entry level position requiring a Bachelors. Because I did. Which leads me to one of two conclusions: 1. jobs are vastly underpaid for the skills and education they require and employers are getting a great deal on labor; or 2. jobs require a bachelors degree the way that jobs of yore only required a high school diploma.
We need to figure out why our skills and education, which are harder and harder to come by, keep losing value, or we need to make undergraduate education free again (like it mostly was in the 60s) as it is the new minimum. Although that doesn't take into account fast food and retail, unless you add the loss of unions into the mix. Some economists want to scare us into believing that if we raise the minimum wage, which would be $20 today had it kept up with inflation, we would have high prices and fewer jobs, but the only tangible result I can see from all the data I have looked at shows the ability to lower wages at the low end of the wage scale drags all other wages down with it.
Now we are at a point where a computer programmer fresh out of college in 2014 can expect to make the same amount as a high school drop-out shoveling coal into a furnace in 1962 who walked in off the street. And the kicker, the computer programmer in 2014 probably has about $35,000 in student loans to pay back.
http://www.salon.com/2013/09/20/rip_the_middle_class_1946_2013/
http://www.salon.com/2013/12/30/the_middle_class_myth_heres_why_wages_are_really_so_low_today/
http://www.salon.com/2014/07/21/clueless_rich_kids_on_the_rise_how_millennial_aristocrats_will_destroy_our_future/
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/29/the_big_middle_class_rip_off_how_a_short_sale_taught_me_rich_peoples_ethics/
I also read in one of the articles that the starting wage in the early 60s in say a steel mill, shoveling coal into a furnace for 8 hours payed in today's dollars $17/hour. Essentially an annual salary of $32,000 today. Some of you might be thinking that looks like the average starting salary for an entry level position requiring a Bachelors. Because I did. Which leads me to one of two conclusions: 1. jobs are vastly underpaid for the skills and education they require and employers are getting a great deal on labor; or 2. jobs require a bachelors degree the way that jobs of yore only required a high school diploma.
We need to figure out why our skills and education, which are harder and harder to come by, keep losing value, or we need to make undergraduate education free again (like it mostly was in the 60s) as it is the new minimum. Although that doesn't take into account fast food and retail, unless you add the loss of unions into the mix. Some economists want to scare us into believing that if we raise the minimum wage, which would be $20 today had it kept up with inflation, we would have high prices and fewer jobs, but the only tangible result I can see from all the data I have looked at shows the ability to lower wages at the low end of the wage scale drags all other wages down with it.
Now we are at a point where a computer programmer fresh out of college in 2014 can expect to make the same amount as a high school drop-out shoveling coal into a furnace in 1962 who walked in off the street. And the kicker, the computer programmer in 2014 probably has about $35,000 in student loans to pay back.
http://www.salon.com/2013/09/20/rip_the_middle_class_1946_2013/
http://www.salon.com/2013/12/30/the_middle_class_myth_heres_why_wages_are_really_so_low_today/
http://www.salon.com/2014/07/21/clueless_rich_kids_on_the_rise_how_millennial_aristocrats_will_destroy_our_future/
http://www.salon.com/2014/09/29/the_big_middle_class_rip_off_how_a_short_sale_taught_me_rich_peoples_ethics/
vendredi 19 septembre 2014
The Scottish Referendum
The results for the Scottish referendum are in, and it appears Scotland
will remain in the UK (55%). This has been a very interesting campaign
that I followed closely out of political curiosity (I wrote my thesis on
the nation-state) and personal interest as an EU citizen. This could
have set a very interesting precedent. But even though the UK will live
on perhaps it sets an important precedent in that national governments
will take the concerns of their citizens seriously and implement
policies that reflect their values.The Yes campaign was very clear that they do not want to live in a country of individuals, in it for themselves, with state resources going to those who already have all they need. They want to be a Scandinavian style democracy where the country's wealth (oil and financial) is used to lift all people. A large number of people spoke out against neo-liberal policies championed by London and Washington that see corporations and countries richer than ever and the average citizen struggling more and more.
So I will continue watching this space to see what tangible reforms are implemented and if the rest of the UK takes notice of what people power can do and demand better from their government as well.
vendredi 29 août 2014
Anti-Gay Protest in Paris (originally posted on facebook 1/13/2013)
Anti-gay
protesters are out in the streets of Paris today, and as a gay man I
must say I agree with them. I mean it is unbelievable that in a
democratic country like France the government would force every adult to
get gay married, randomly assign every child to a couple so that the
entire country would be a haven of gaydom. I mean that's what they are
protesting against right? Cuz if not, WTF French Right? WTF indeed.
My Thoughts on the Gay Marriage Cases Before the SCOTUS (originally posted on facebook 4/3/2013)
I
have listened to both recordings of the Supreme Court cases dealing with
gay marriage and despite attempts to rationally argue against gay
marriage it comes down to one thing: the gays are not worthy. If you
argue that marriage goes back to the dinosaurs and has always been one
thing and if we change it who knows what the consequences will be, you
are arguing that gays have the ability, by mere proximity,
to do lasting harm. If you argue that marriage is a pillar of society
and brings untold benefits, tangible and intangible to the people who
are in them, you are arguing that gay people don't deserve them. The
only argument that I heard during the cases is that marriage is so
important, too important in fact, to share with the gays, because...?
Listening to the arguments of the anti-gay marriage side, I was struck by the weakness of their arguments. At the Supreme Court, where logic and reason are valued, and where justices are skeptical of moral arguments and deference to tradition, the other arguments were weak and easily countered, sometimes comically so. But for me the beauty is that these cases aren't between a large heterosexual majority vs a small homosexual minority. This is a case of a large and growing majority of justice-minded individuals vs a shrinking minority of dinosaurs.
Listening to the arguments of the anti-gay marriage side, I was struck by the weakness of their arguments. At the Supreme Court, where logic and reason are valued, and where justices are skeptical of moral arguments and deference to tradition, the other arguments were weak and easily countered, sometimes comically so. But for me the beauty is that these cases aren't between a large heterosexual majority vs a small homosexual minority. This is a case of a large and growing majority of justice-minded individuals vs a shrinking minority of dinosaurs.
Thoughts on the 14th Amendment (originally posted on facebook 4/9/2013)
So
the equal protection clause of the Constitution was only meant to
protect Black people, which is why it doesn't apply to LGBT, or for that
matter we must assume, Latinos, or Asians or anyone else you can think
of. Our constitution only protects White people, as was originally
intended, and then black people with the 14th amendment. So that only
leaves one course of action. We need to fight to amend the Constitution
to state that gay people are federally recognized as human beings.
Because equal protection only applies if you get a shout out from the
Constitution.
jeudi 28 août 2014
Moving to Senegal (originally posted on facebook 9/9/2013)
This has been in the works since January, but
it is finally official, official. I am moving to Senegal for a year and
I am leaving on the 21st of September. I am going to work for an NGO
called Tostan http://www.tostan.org/,
on a child protection project in Thies.
I am really excited if not also extremely anxious. The work will be exciting and the environment a big change from Paris. And I will also be away from Mikael and Beija. But the family has discussed this and we are all ok with the change. I hope I will have some visitors while I am there and if anyone has contacts in Dakar or Thies, I am eager to make as many friends as possible before and after I arrive.
I am hoping to keep my blog regularly updated to let you know what I am doing and what I am seeing, and I will be taking tons of pictures so you can see a bit of what I will be seeing on the ground. And of course I will be on fb whenever I can to see what you are all doing and stay connected while I am gone. Big kisses to all my friends and family and start looking at plane tickets now.
I am really excited if not also extremely anxious. The work will be exciting and the environment a big change from Paris. And I will also be away from Mikael and Beija. But the family has discussed this and we are all ok with the change. I hope I will have some visitors while I am there and if anyone has contacts in Dakar or Thies, I am eager to make as many friends as possible before and after I arrive.
I am hoping to keep my blog regularly updated to let you know what I am doing and what I am seeing, and I will be taking tons of pictures so you can see a bit of what I will be seeing on the ground. And of course I will be on fb whenever I can to see what you are all doing and stay connected while I am gone. Big kisses to all my friends and family and start looking at plane tickets now.
How's This for a First Day in Dakar (originally posted on facebook 9/21/2013)
It
seems like this moment has been years in the making, but I am finally in
Senegal. And it's only my first day and I left my passport, vaccine
card, emergency contact sheet and my US dollars in the taxi. Imagine my
surprise when he showed up 3 hours later with my green folder. Cost me
about 5 dollars to repay him for his trouble. So yeah, I think I am
having a good day.
I also learned two new things about Africa today. Damn there are a lot of black folk. And two, Senegal is approximately 2 feet from the sun inside a giant humidifier. Still taking in all the sites and sounds and meeting some of my colleagues and learning a bit more about the project I will be working on.
Not much to report since I spent most of the afternoon talking to my roommate who is from La Jolla and lost his shiz when I told him I was from Poway. Because even to a fellow San Diegan the question in their mind is always, "who the hell is from Poway". In short, I have arrived safe and sound, the Senegal adventure begins.
I also learned two new things about Africa today. Damn there are a lot of black folk. And two, Senegal is approximately 2 feet from the sun inside a giant humidifier. Still taking in all the sites and sounds and meeting some of my colleagues and learning a bit more about the project I will be working on.
Not much to report since I spent most of the afternoon talking to my roommate who is from La Jolla and lost his shiz when I told him I was from Poway. Because even to a fellow San Diegan the question in their mind is always, "who the hell is from Poway". In short, I have arrived safe and sound, the Senegal adventure begins.
What Is Up With All This Drama Sir? (originally posted on facebook 10/3/2013)
I had a
very interesting day yesterday. I went downtown to meet some Peace Corp
volunteers for dinner at the French Cultural Center. I had my first beer
in like 10 days. Oh was it sweet. Had sangria with the Peace Corp
cultural liaison and event planner, who got me on the guest list for a
pool party at the Marine's house. I got in a fight with a taxi driver
who claimed that I gave him bad information and
he wanted more money.
He kept me in his taxi for 15 minutes or so trying to get me to admit I had made a mistake. I realized that I was really french with him when I said, "Sir, I believe that there has just been a misunderstanding, but I told you exactly where to go and this does not appear to be that place, now is it?" And he told me, "I'm not stupid, you are saying it's no one's fault, but by your voice I can hear you are saying it's my fault". To the taximan, I say well played sir.
I told him if we are indeed where you say we are and that is the place that I told you to go, then I should be able to walk home in about five minutes. Am I five minutes from my home? No it is too far to walk, he replied. So I said, one can only assume then, you did not take me where I asked you to, but I will admit that there was a misunderstanding between us.
So eventually, after telling me he just wanted me to understand my mistake, I told him, noted and it will never happen again, he took me home. I was a little pissed, so I finally visited my rooftop terrace, curled up in the hammock and listened to NPR while watching the stars. I found my oasis of calm. All in all, I made some new friends, chilled in the hammock and felt cool (Africa is still hot) for like the first time since I arrived. Marine party is tomorrow, so here's hoping for no drama.
He kept me in his taxi for 15 minutes or so trying to get me to admit I had made a mistake. I realized that I was really french with him when I said, "Sir, I believe that there has just been a misunderstanding, but I told you exactly where to go and this does not appear to be that place, now is it?" And he told me, "I'm not stupid, you are saying it's no one's fault, but by your voice I can hear you are saying it's my fault". To the taximan, I say well played sir.
I told him if we are indeed where you say we are and that is the place that I told you to go, then I should be able to walk home in about five minutes. Am I five minutes from my home? No it is too far to walk, he replied. So I said, one can only assume then, you did not take me where I asked you to, but I will admit that there was a misunderstanding between us.
So eventually, after telling me he just wanted me to understand my mistake, I told him, noted and it will never happen again, he took me home. I was a little pissed, so I finally visited my rooftop terrace, curled up in the hammock and listened to NPR while watching the stars. I found my oasis of calm. All in all, I made some new friends, chilled in the hammock and felt cool (Africa is still hot) for like the first time since I arrived. Marine party is tomorrow, so here's hoping for no drama.
Update on Life in Dakar (originally posted on facebook 10/7/2013)
Here is an
update on the last few days in Dakar. Thursday I went out to a restaurant called
Sao Brazil, hoping for some Brazilian ambience. The owner, who is part
everything but Brazilian said she named the restaurant Sao Brazil
because it sounds exotic, no? Their signature drink is Tequila based, I
mean seriously. And it's not like they don't have cachaça behind the
bar.
Friday night I went to the US embassy to hang out at the Marine house with some Peace Corps volunteers and met quite a few cool people. The marines have a pool and a grill, so I think I will maintain this relationship. Since Peace Corps are government employees they are close to the rest of Embassy and USAID staff.
Saturday I went to the US embassy's opening softball tournament/Oktoberfest day, at a baseball field right on the ocean. Hotdogs and Sam Adams, beautiful ocean views and a giant American flag tent. Peace Corp and some other development workers, all looking for friends, were in full force. Later that evening one of my colleagues invited me to a Senegalese party, which was my first. Discovered a new dance and music called Mbalax, while rubbing shoulders with some of Dakar's wealthier residents.
Sunday was a lazy day at home. At one in the morning the electricity went out, and my fans turned off, and my god did it get hot quick. I was sweating and could not sleep. I spent the next 7 hours fanning myself until at about a quarter to seven the wind whipped up and it started raining buckets and everything cooled down quick. Since there was no electricity at the house or at work, work was cancelled and now I am downtown in a cafe having lunch and using their internet. Such is life.
Work is progressing well. Working on my first quarterly budget for the donor and just received the field reports to start working on the quarterly progress report. So things have fallen into place a lot quicker than I expected. I have friends, and I love my work and have a pretty good idea of what I am doing. My Wolof classes begin tomorrow, and I am super excited to learn a new language, my first African language. Now if there were only running water and electricity everything would be perfect.
Friday night I went to the US embassy to hang out at the Marine house with some Peace Corps volunteers and met quite a few cool people. The marines have a pool and a grill, so I think I will maintain this relationship. Since Peace Corps are government employees they are close to the rest of Embassy and USAID staff.
Saturday I went to the US embassy's opening softball tournament/Oktoberfest day, at a baseball field right on the ocean. Hotdogs and Sam Adams, beautiful ocean views and a giant American flag tent. Peace Corp and some other development workers, all looking for friends, were in full force. Later that evening one of my colleagues invited me to a Senegalese party, which was my first. Discovered a new dance and music called Mbalax, while rubbing shoulders with some of Dakar's wealthier residents.
Sunday was a lazy day at home. At one in the morning the electricity went out, and my fans turned off, and my god did it get hot quick. I was sweating and could not sleep. I spent the next 7 hours fanning myself until at about a quarter to seven the wind whipped up and it started raining buckets and everything cooled down quick. Since there was no electricity at the house or at work, work was cancelled and now I am downtown in a cafe having lunch and using their internet. Such is life.
Work is progressing well. Working on my first quarterly budget for the donor and just received the field reports to start working on the quarterly progress report. So things have fallen into place a lot quicker than I expected. I have friends, and I love my work and have a pretty good idea of what I am doing. My Wolof classes begin tomorrow, and I am super excited to learn a new language, my first African language. Now if there were only running water and electricity everything would be perfect.
Why I No Longer Celebrate Columbus Day (originally posted on facebook 10/16/2013)
Here is why I cannot in good conscience celebrate
Columbus day. I have always believed that no one has to feel guilty for
what their ancestors did, or for who their ancestors were. But you
should feel shame if you try to hide the reality of who they
were and what they did or if you remain willfully ignorant and believe
idealized versions of history.
I also wholeheartedly disagree that we cannot judge historical figures by modern standards, because it is our own hubris that makes us think we are more moral and knowledgeable than those who came before us and that we invented these standards. What surprises me whenever I look back at history is that there were always, and I mean always, voices that protested oppression, enslavement, genocide and all manner of inequality. But, as is the case in modern times, power does as it pleases, and privilege will always try to perpetuate itself.
Unspeakable horrors always live side by side with acts of profound humanity. That is why this article speaks to me, because it illustrates how one man's greed caused him to commit barbaric acts and how another man had a come to Jesus moment and found his humanity. Whether it was, or is, slavery, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia or racism, in every time there were people who knew it was wrong.
There will always be voices who are speaking truths that power and privilege do not want to hear, but that is not the same as ignorance and not knowing better. When people are confronted by their ignorance they either react with disbelief or curiosity. However, when people are confronted by their power or privilege, especially that they feel is legitimate, they respond with anger and violence. I believe that the people who have made the most meaningful changes in the world are those who have recognized their privilege, and its power, and used it in service of humanity.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day
I also wholeheartedly disagree that we cannot judge historical figures by modern standards, because it is our own hubris that makes us think we are more moral and knowledgeable than those who came before us and that we invented these standards. What surprises me whenever I look back at history is that there were always, and I mean always, voices that protested oppression, enslavement, genocide and all manner of inequality. But, as is the case in modern times, power does as it pleases, and privilege will always try to perpetuate itself.
Unspeakable horrors always live side by side with acts of profound humanity. That is why this article speaks to me, because it illustrates how one man's greed caused him to commit barbaric acts and how another man had a come to Jesus moment and found his humanity. Whether it was, or is, slavery, homophobia, sexism, xenophobia or racism, in every time there were people who knew it was wrong.
There will always be voices who are speaking truths that power and privilege do not want to hear, but that is not the same as ignorance and not knowing better. When people are confronted by their ignorance they either react with disbelief or curiosity. However, when people are confronted by their power or privilege, especially that they feel is legitimate, they respond with anger and violence. I believe that the people who have made the most meaningful changes in the world are those who have recognized their privilege, and its power, and used it in service of humanity.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/columbus_day
Privilege, Power and Oppression (originally posted on facebook 10/28/2013)
I love this article my friend Tina posted. I recently posted my
thoughts on privilege vs ignorance. And I love how this article so
expertly touched on all the points of privilege, social norms, and defensive
reactions to having privilege pointed out. You can substitute
any word for fat, or for thin, and you would be looking at exactly the
same phenomenon. I love the part about "real women have curves", it
reminds me of the "black is beautiful", or "our families are just every
bit as loving as yours".
Someone, very close to me, once asked me why "the black is beautiful" phrase is not racist, but that "white is beautiful" is. And just like this article explains "These types of phrases and attitudes were born of a need to say “I’m beautiful, too!” They’re responses to societal norms." White being beautiful, and more beautiful than anything else is the societal norm, it's the status quo. It's what everyone has grown up knowing, white, black, brown or otherwise. It's the reason black children prefer the white doll. In other words, it's not revolutionary.
I remember when I lived in Brazil, a girl asked me at a party if I thought Brazilians were pretty. And I said you are definitely known for being some of the most attractive people on Earth. Which she responded, well the white people. I was shocked, the white people? And she said, yeah the white people are more beautiful, it's obvious when you watch TV.
Now she said some other troubling racial things, but I tried to explain to her that the fact that there were only attractive white people on Brazilian TV is a decision a society makes and is in no way an indication of which groups are attractive. It just shows you where power lies in a society.
So let me close, before I ramble on any further. This is one of the best articles I have read that succinctly describes the social force behind privilege, prejudice and power. And how, for whatever reason we are oppressed, oppression as compared to simple hurt feelings feel very different. And whatever oppression we may be subject to, does not negate our privileges. The two go hand in hand. I always appreciate having my eyes opened to different realities so thank you for sharing this article.
Let's Talk About Thin Privilege
Someone, very close to me, once asked me why "the black is beautiful" phrase is not racist, but that "white is beautiful" is. And just like this article explains "These types of phrases and attitudes were born of a need to say “I’m beautiful, too!” They’re responses to societal norms." White being beautiful, and more beautiful than anything else is the societal norm, it's the status quo. It's what everyone has grown up knowing, white, black, brown or otherwise. It's the reason black children prefer the white doll. In other words, it's not revolutionary.
I remember when I lived in Brazil, a girl asked me at a party if I thought Brazilians were pretty. And I said you are definitely known for being some of the most attractive people on Earth. Which she responded, well the white people. I was shocked, the white people? And she said, yeah the white people are more beautiful, it's obvious when you watch TV.
Now she said some other troubling racial things, but I tried to explain to her that the fact that there were only attractive white people on Brazilian TV is a decision a society makes and is in no way an indication of which groups are attractive. It just shows you where power lies in a society.
So let me close, before I ramble on any further. This is one of the best articles I have read that succinctly describes the social force behind privilege, prejudice and power. And how, for whatever reason we are oppressed, oppression as compared to simple hurt feelings feel very different. And whatever oppression we may be subject to, does not negate our privileges. The two go hand in hand. I always appreciate having my eyes opened to different realities so thank you for sharing this article.
Let's Talk About Thin Privilege
A Quick Thought on Anniversaries: Good and Bad (originally posted on facebook 10/30/2013)
It
amazes me how anniversaries, good or bad, can snap us out of our daily
lives and routines and make us just sit back in stunned silence. Well, I am
definitely having one of those moments right now.
I lost a good friend 15 years ago and today would have been his 31st birthday. Time does heal all wounds, to a point, because there are times when you feel like its the day after and an intense grief and bewilderment overcomes you. Those times when it feels like not a single day has gone by.
So I guess not all wounds heal, or at least they do not heal completely, and maybe that is not such a bad thing. So today I will be thinking about my best friend and the good times we shared, especially on his birthday.
I lost a good friend 15 years ago and today would have been his 31st birthday. Time does heal all wounds, to a point, because there are times when you feel like its the day after and an intense grief and bewilderment overcomes you. Those times when it feels like not a single day has gone by.
So I guess not all wounds heal, or at least they do not heal completely, and maybe that is not such a bad thing. So today I will be thinking about my best friend and the good times we shared, especially on his birthday.
Articles I wrote for Tostan
I thought I would post some links to articles I have written for Tostan. They are about the project I am working on. A project to reform the Senegalese educational system and also put an end to forced child begging.
Learning About Child Protection in Senegal
Communities, Religious leaders, NGOs, and the Government of Senegal Discuss Children’s Rights
Doctors from International Medical Relief treat talibé students in Thiès, Senegal
Learning About Child Protection in Senegal
Communities, Religious leaders, NGOs, and the Government of Senegal Discuss Children’s Rights
Doctors from International Medical Relief treat talibé students in Thiès, Senegal
Crazy Weekend in Dakar (originally posted on facebook 12/13/2013)
I
can’t believe it’s already Wednesday and I haven’t given an update on
the last week. So last Thursday was a bittersweet affair. Went
downtown for my roommate Jeremy's
farewell evening. First dinner ate Chez Loutcha. I did not eat as I preferred to drink
my money at the French Institute, where we met up with some friends afterwards.
Later we shimmied over to the Viking for beer, and then somehow ended up
dancing at Ozio with Mouhamed and Zoumana,
who was also celebrating his last night in Dakar.
Dancing, though fun, was probably a bad idea, since I had to be at work the next morning. A very unproductive half day, but I was looking forward to taking a nice nap before heading to Charly Bar. Nap was cut short however, when Nick called to remind me that I had offered to make him dinner. So I had to hurry off to the grocery store for some veggies, cheese and meat. He had the Bordeaux waiting.
We grilled the steaks and I made a cheesy vegetable melange. Then I headed off to Charly Bar where I was chastised by several groups of friends for being so late. But you can’t just bounce on dinner, and a good meal requires you to take your time. Danced at Charly and drank beers poolside before heading home at some ridiculous hour.
Saturday I was dead. Woke up super late, picked up a pizza, watched Will and Grace and played Candy Crush. Sunday, met up with Iba and Mouhamed for brunch at Taste of America, and ordered a full spread. 3 cinnamon roll buttermilk pancakes (are you kidding me?), hashbrowns, sausage, eggs and hibiscus juice. Service was slow, took an hour to get our food, but the cook told us she had been open for only three weeks, and she was cooking all the food herself. Apparently it’s hard to find chefs in Dakar who can make American cuisine. So as long as you are not in a rush to get anywhere; definitely going back, getting the grits next time and the strawberry cheesecake pancakes. If you are homesick for the US, this place will sate you.
After brunch headed to Virage beach to enjoy the sun, sand and waves and several bottles of wine and a few whiskey cokes. Very fun and relaxing weekend to prepare me for this week. Yesterday I had a meeting in Thies and got to use one of the Tostan cars and drivers. So much more comfortable than public transportation, the sept-place is no fun. Once you’ve had a taste; comfortable SUV, the latest hip hop tunes coming from the driver’s MP3 player, door to door service… air condition. It’s really the only way to travel.
Tomorrow is a holiday, Tamxarit, Muslim New Year’s. Looking forward to a short week and perhaps some more parties. Who am I kidding? Definitely some more parties.
Dancing, though fun, was probably a bad idea, since I had to be at work the next morning. A very unproductive half day, but I was looking forward to taking a nice nap before heading to Charly Bar. Nap was cut short however, when Nick called to remind me that I had offered to make him dinner. So I had to hurry off to the grocery store for some veggies, cheese and meat. He had the Bordeaux waiting.
We grilled the steaks and I made a cheesy vegetable melange. Then I headed off to Charly Bar where I was chastised by several groups of friends for being so late. But you can’t just bounce on dinner, and a good meal requires you to take your time. Danced at Charly and drank beers poolside before heading home at some ridiculous hour.
Saturday I was dead. Woke up super late, picked up a pizza, watched Will and Grace and played Candy Crush. Sunday, met up with Iba and Mouhamed for brunch at Taste of America, and ordered a full spread. 3 cinnamon roll buttermilk pancakes (are you kidding me?), hashbrowns, sausage, eggs and hibiscus juice. Service was slow, took an hour to get our food, but the cook told us she had been open for only three weeks, and she was cooking all the food herself. Apparently it’s hard to find chefs in Dakar who can make American cuisine. So as long as you are not in a rush to get anywhere; definitely going back, getting the grits next time and the strawberry cheesecake pancakes. If you are homesick for the US, this place will sate you.
After brunch headed to Virage beach to enjoy the sun, sand and waves and several bottles of wine and a few whiskey cokes. Very fun and relaxing weekend to prepare me for this week. Yesterday I had a meeting in Thies and got to use one of the Tostan cars and drivers. So much more comfortable than public transportation, the sept-place is no fun. Once you’ve had a taste; comfortable SUV, the latest hip hop tunes coming from the driver’s MP3 player, door to door service… air condition. It’s really the only way to travel.
Tomorrow is a holiday, Tamxarit, Muslim New Year’s. Looking forward to a short week and perhaps some more parties. Who am I kidding? Definitely some more parties.
Good Gay News!! (originally posted on facebook 11/19/2013)
So
much good news I can barely keep up. Last year at this time six states
and DC allowed gay marriage. The number of places with marriage equality
has more than doubled in just one year. And apparently Illinois is
next, can't wait to see which states take the plunge in 2014.
Take a look at a map, there is an unbroken string of states, going from Maryland to Maine (wake up Pennsylvania). And though on the map it looks small, these states comprise a third of all people living in the US.
The sad, or in this case, the happy fact of history is that by having so many states enact such absolutist laws against gay people, the only direction is up. There will only be more states embracing equality, and those against it will be increasingly on the defensive. So that's a reason to smile.
Take a look at a map, there is an unbroken string of states, going from Maryland to Maine (wake up Pennsylvania). And though on the map it looks small, these states comprise a third of all people living in the US.
The sad, or in this case, the happy fact of history is that by having so many states enact such absolutist laws against gay people, the only direction is up. There will only be more states embracing equality, and those against it will be increasingly on the defensive. So that's a reason to smile.
Weird Monday (originally posted on facebook 11/27/2013)
One
month from tomorrow I fly to Marrakesh to see my boo!! And also to eat
lamb and eggplant tagine and couscous royale. Luckily I have a super
busy December which means the month should go by pretty quickly. I will
be posting pictures soon from the music festival with a few words, so
hold tight. But I would also like to take this moment to tell you about
the interesting day I had on Monday.
So my project manager on the child protection project I am working on is an imam. And I accompanied him to a meeting to visit the federation of Koranic teachers where I was the only person in the meeting who was not an imam. The meeting was also held in Wolof, which, thanks to the large amount of French vocabulary and my three months of Wolof classes, I was able to take a few notes.
As weird as all of that seemed, the weirdest thing was what happened after. My supervisor dropped me off near the French high school because I was late for my choir rehearsal where I helped the tenors with their pronunciation of Girl from Ipanema. That was weird. Something that seemed so mundane in Paris, like going to choir rehearsal, seemed so out of the ordinary in Dakar. I am sure it will soon be apart of my new normal, I mean, fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, this boy gotta sing, and a little piano in there too if the mood is right.
The night ended oddly as well. As I was waiting for a bus that never came, a woman who got into a taxi, told a bunch of people, if we were going her way, to get in. She paid for the taxi and spoke English, and told me she was neighbors with the founder of the Tostan. Small world.
So next week there is a big lobbying day in Dakar with the Koranic schools we work with throughout Senegal, a special visit with a partner from the US on the Heifer project, and my first real mission to visit all the regions where the Child Protection Project is in place to do follow-ups after the lobbying day. And then it's Marrakesh.
So my project manager on the child protection project I am working on is an imam. And I accompanied him to a meeting to visit the federation of Koranic teachers where I was the only person in the meeting who was not an imam. The meeting was also held in Wolof, which, thanks to the large amount of French vocabulary and my three months of Wolof classes, I was able to take a few notes.
As weird as all of that seemed, the weirdest thing was what happened after. My supervisor dropped me off near the French high school because I was late for my choir rehearsal where I helped the tenors with their pronunciation of Girl from Ipanema. That was weird. Something that seemed so mundane in Paris, like going to choir rehearsal, seemed so out of the ordinary in Dakar. I am sure it will soon be apart of my new normal, I mean, fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, this boy gotta sing, and a little piano in there too if the mood is right.
The night ended oddly as well. As I was waiting for a bus that never came, a woman who got into a taxi, told a bunch of people, if we were going her way, to get in. She paid for the taxi and spoke English, and told me she was neighbors with the founder of the Tostan. Small world.
So next week there is a big lobbying day in Dakar with the Koranic schools we work with throughout Senegal, a special visit with a partner from the US on the Heifer project, and my first real mission to visit all the regions where the Child Protection Project is in place to do follow-ups after the lobbying day. And then it's Marrakesh.
Being a Polyglot and Catalan (originally posted on facebook 12/12/2013)
I just discovered a new website and read an
article about this amazing polyglot from Ireland, and his tips for
quickly learning languages. I loved his post about Barcelona and
Catalan, as I taught myself Catalan in a few months before a five
day trip to Barcelona 3 years ago. During my trip I was amazed at how well the
Catalans treated me when I spoke to them with my limited Catalan. It is very unusual for foreigners to speak the language, considering that many assume the language in Barcelona is only
Spanish.
Interestingly, during a visit to Senegal by these American doctors for my project a few months ago, I pointed out to a doctor that the clinic was funded by a Catalan NGO, and she asked me how I knew, and I said because the sign is in Catalan. Then she asked me if Catalan was a local language? I'll just let that sink in... But I digress.
I had an amazing time in Barcelona meeting lots of really nice locals, who by the way, have a reputation for being cold, at least from other Spaniards I met. Nothing could be further from the truth, people wanted to buy me drinks, show me to the nicer clubs, get me in without paying cover, have me over for pre-drinking, chastise their Spanish friends for living in Barcelona for years and not learning even the basics.
I stayed with my friend Mauricio and his girlfriend, from Valencia, and spoke Catalan. And then to my great surprise last week while in a bar I met a girl from Valencia and started speaking Catalan to her. She was so surprised and said that my Catalan was better than hers, she could understand but she spoke Spanish better. So she spoke to me in Spanish and I responded in Catalan.
His description of Catalan is spot on, it's exactly how I describe it when people ask me what it is like, and how I explain to people how I was able to pick it up so quickly.
"... imagine a triangle with French, Spanish and Italian on the ends, Catalan would be in the middle of that triangle... Spanish sentence rhythm, French vocabulary and Italian verb conjugation..."
I love this article and this guy's website, because it's all about giving tips on learning languages, but not sugarcoating the fact that it is hard work. And because he stole my idea of spending a summer in Barcelona. And how important it is not be afraid to make mistakes and speak whenever you get the chance. Nothing worth having comes easy. Just start talking in the language and someone will probably answer back.
Interestingly, during a visit to Senegal by these American doctors for my project a few months ago, I pointed out to a doctor that the clinic was funded by a Catalan NGO, and she asked me how I knew, and I said because the sign is in Catalan. Then she asked me if Catalan was a local language? I'll just let that sink in... But I digress.
I had an amazing time in Barcelona meeting lots of really nice locals, who by the way, have a reputation for being cold, at least from other Spaniards I met. Nothing could be further from the truth, people wanted to buy me drinks, show me to the nicer clubs, get me in without paying cover, have me over for pre-drinking, chastise their Spanish friends for living in Barcelona for years and not learning even the basics.
I stayed with my friend Mauricio and his girlfriend, from Valencia, and spoke Catalan. And then to my great surprise last week while in a bar I met a girl from Valencia and started speaking Catalan to her. She was so surprised and said that my Catalan was better than hers, she could understand but she spoke Spanish better. So she spoke to me in Spanish and I responded in Catalan.
His description of Catalan is spot on, it's exactly how I describe it when people ask me what it is like, and how I explain to people how I was able to pick it up so quickly.
"... imagine a triangle with French, Spanish and Italian on the ends, Catalan would be in the middle of that triangle... Spanish sentence rhythm, French vocabulary and Italian verb conjugation..."
I love this article and this guy's website, because it's all about giving tips on learning languages, but not sugarcoating the fact that it is hard work. And because he stole my idea of spending a summer in Barcelona. And how important it is not be afraid to make mistakes and speak whenever you get the chance. Nothing worth having comes easy. Just start talking in the language and someone will probably answer back.
Wealth Inequality, Failed Development and Language Learning (originally posted on facebook 12/18/2013)
I feel like time is just slowing to a crawl. I
guess this is what anticipation does to you, can't wait to go on my
mission and then Marrakesh!! But in the meantime I wanted to share two
links with everyone, because they really encapsulate two
important motivators in my life. One is the Ted Radio Hour discussing
the haves and have nots and the problem with development and wealth
inequality. And the other is why there is no excuse to not learn a
language, and as many as you want.
I have been very fortunate in my life and these two talks do a good job of explaining how. I have worked with amazing organizations and with people who have opened my eyes to not just injustice, but the ways that assistance can be unjust. That it is not enough to have your heart in the right place, and it is not true that something is better than nothing. The fact is, international aid, and local aid for that matter, done poorly can destroy people and communities. Only in assistance do we look at the failure of a "product" and blame the "customer".
The other talk goes a long way in explaining the so-called "gift" for languages, which I have never believed in, and almost take as an insult. The notion of a gift, not only acting as a convenient excuse for not learning a second language, completely negates all the work, the classes, the travel, the embarrassment, the loss of self, the uprooting of identity, the successes, and eventual acceptance that is all a part of learning languages. And as Benny explains, there are efficient ways of learning languages, and each person will have to find what works for them.
But much like development, the official way of learning is very inefficient. If you are serious about learning a foreign language, let this guy be your guru, and of course you can always ask me for tips. I promise you my answer won't be, you just have to have the gift. Please take a look and listen and leave comments about what you think.
I have been very fortunate in my life and these two talks do a good job of explaining how. I have worked with amazing organizations and with people who have opened my eyes to not just injustice, but the ways that assistance can be unjust. That it is not enough to have your heart in the right place, and it is not true that something is better than nothing. The fact is, international aid, and local aid for that matter, done poorly can destroy people and communities. Only in assistance do we look at the failure of a "product" and blame the "customer".
The other talk goes a long way in explaining the so-called "gift" for languages, which I have never believed in, and almost take as an insult. The notion of a gift, not only acting as a convenient excuse for not learning a second language, completely negates all the work, the classes, the travel, the embarrassment, the loss of self, the uprooting of identity, the successes, and eventual acceptance that is all a part of learning languages. And as Benny explains, there are efficient ways of learning languages, and each person will have to find what works for them.
But much like development, the official way of learning is very inefficient. If you are serious about learning a foreign language, let this guy be your guru, and of course you can always ask me for tips. I promise you my answer won't be, you just have to have the gift. Please take a look and listen and leave comments about what you think.
My Thoughts on International Development (originally posted on facebook 2/28/2014)
This
field mission has been intense. On the road the past 7 days, with no less
than 5 meetings a day in each location, and hours on bumpy roads. Right
now I am in Podor, in the Fouta. Last night the electricity went out and
we had to walk down this country desert road in the dark to find a
restaurant, I had my battery-less flashlight (perfect birthday gift) and
saw something moving in the sand. It was
a lime green scorpion. Crazy looking thing. Oumou, the only woman in
our entourage, took her shoe and killed it good, screaming, it must die.
Later as we were walking back to the hotel, still in pitch dark, I was
looking up at the stars and thinking how crazy my life is, and wondering
how I ended up in this desert backwater on the Mauritanian border with
three imams. Oumou asked me what I was thinking about and I told her, I
used to live in New York. Of course she said, and? All I meant was that
life takes crazy turns, I no more set out to live in New York than I
planned to be walking down a desert road killing scorpions, but there I
was.
She said it must have been impossible for me to imagine there were people living in a place like Podor. Which of course is true, but not entirely impossible, but then she said something I found to be quite profound, a woman who has devoted her life to helping the marginalized in her country to improve their lives. She told me, it is just as impossible for them to imagine how New Yorkers live, even if they wanted to live that way themselves, they do not know how. But she said it is important to know that no matter how people live they remain determined and hopeful that a better life is possible.
As I walked down that crumbling road in the dark looking at the stars and wondering if the electricity would return and why it had gone out in the first place, my mind wandered back to New York and the stark contrast of a city replete with lights and not a single star in the sky and I wondered what is the end game here? Is the goal of development to create New Yorks and Londons and Tokyos throughout the developing world? I like to imagine a day within my lifetime of a Dakar with glittering skyscrapers, underground transportation, smooth roads connecting cities and sleepy suburbs. Or is the goal to recognize the determination and the hope inherent in all people and provide access to knowledge and opportunities for them to latch on to?
This question is an existential one for me as I have committed my life to this work, and I still have a lot to learn. But I will likely be back in a place like New York, DC or London making decisions that will affect the lives of people who cannot imagine a place like New York, DC, or London, but I hope that when I am called to make those decisions I remember walking down a crumbling desert road in the dark looking up at all those stars.
Later as we were walking back to the hotel, still in pitch dark, I was
looking up at the stars and thinking how crazy my life is, and wondering
how I ended up in this desert backwater on the Mauritanian border with
three imams. Oumou asked me what I was thinking about and I told her, I
used to live in New York. Of course she said, and? All I meant was that
life takes crazy turns, I no more set out to live in New York than I
planned to be walking down a desert road killing scorpions, but there I
was. She said it must have been impossible for me to imagine there were people living in a place like Podor. Which of course is true, but not entirely impossible, but then she said something I found to be quite profound, a woman who has devoted her life to helping the marginalized in her country to improve their lives. She told me, it is just as impossible for them to imagine how New Yorkers live, even if they wanted to live that way themselves, they do not know how. But she said it is important to know that no matter how people live they remain determined and hopeful that a better life is possible.
As I walked down that crumbling road in the dark looking at the stars and wondering if the electricity would return and why it had gone out in the first place, my mind wandered back to New York and the stark contrast of a city replete with lights and not a single star in the sky and I wondered what is the end game here? Is the goal of development to create New Yorks and Londons and Tokyos throughout the developing world? I like to imagine a day within my lifetime of a Dakar with glittering skyscrapers, underground transportation, smooth roads connecting cities and sleepy suburbs. Or is the goal to recognize the determination and the hope inherent in all people and provide access to knowledge and opportunities for them to latch on to?
This question is an existential one for me as I have committed my life to this work, and I still have a lot to learn. But I will likely be back in a place like New York, DC or London making decisions that will affect the lives of people who cannot imagine a place like New York, DC, or London, but I hope that when I am called to make those decisions I remember walking down a crumbling desert road in the dark looking up at all those stars.
A Quick Rant about College Sports (originally posted on facebook 4/23/2014)
As if
I needed another reason to not like professional sports, but the more I
learn about college football and basketball the more irate I get.
Forgive the hyperbole but when black people were doing all the work and
white men were making all the money we called it slavery. Now we call it
education, but no one is getting educated, a few men are getting
astonishingly rich and college kids generating
the revenue are going to bed hungry. The people making out like bandits
are telling the kids and the public that for college athletes the focus
should be education
But college kids whose only chance of getting an education is to accept athletic scholarships end up in sporting programs where they are given no time to study, nor are there any expectations that they will learn anything. The whole educational system is complicit and private individuals end up becoming fabulously wealthy. This isn't a relationship completely free of coercion, but maybe slavery is hyperbolic, perhaps something closer to sharecropping. You're free, but you're not going anywhere.
But college kids whose only chance of getting an education is to accept athletic scholarships end up in sporting programs where they are given no time to study, nor are there any expectations that they will learn anything. The whole educational system is complicit and private individuals end up becoming fabulously wealthy. This isn't a relationship completely free of coercion, but maybe slavery is hyperbolic, perhaps something closer to sharecropping. You're free, but you're not going anywhere.
This Too Shall Pass: Finding Inspiration in Gospel Music (Originally posted on facebook 4/24/2014)
My
views on religion are no secret to anyone who knows me, but probably
less known is that there are times when I need inspiration and an anchor
to keep me focused so as not to get so caught up in my struggles I lose
sight of my path. There is nothing like a good gospel song to provide
the catharsis such a moment requires. Though I have never, and could
never, subscribe to the supernatural message
in gospel music, the themes common to the genre: that life is a
struggle but we have the strength (some would say from God), I would say
from within and from those around us, to persevere and that no matter
how low we may feel we always have so much more to be thankful for.
For me gospel is also inextricably linked to my family (probably the only musical genre we can all agree on) and my upbringing in a Southern home, mostly in the South. Wherever I am in the world, when I am feeling world-weary and off-center, gospel music is the perfect mix of inspiration and motivation, sprinkled with history and home; stability in my constantly changing world. A musical home cooked meal if you will.
Mika once commented after I started working at ATD, after a particularly low point in my life, he found it amazing how I stayed so optimistic and in relatively good spirits, during more than a year of unemployment. I think my upbringing and the message of gospel was instrumental. I remember as a child whenever someone asked someone at church how they were doing, if things were not going well they would still answer "I woke up this morning and I have my health". Sometimes just remembering you're healthy and alive is enough to motivate you to "find a way where there is no way".
I have probably listened, willingly, to more gospel over the past ten years then I did the the first two decades of my life; proving that often appreciation comes with age. Moreover, it comes when we are at our lowest. No surprise that I "discovered" the power of gospel when I was no longer under the protective wings of my parents and forging my own path in life.
Because in life a little rain must fall, there are those moments where we question, doubt, second guess and fret over our lives and our choices. Fortunate are those who have family, friends or lovers who can bear some of the load and to lend a sympathetic ear. But at night, when those doubts come creeping back, as they inevitably will, hearing someone sing "I have decided, I'm committed, that I'll run even though at times I may get lost" (Smokie Norful), somehow puts things in focus.
It is definitely not religion for me. But is it spirituality or perhaps a philosophy? I don't know, but the soundtrack is unmistakable, the same powerful soundtrack of slaves in the field, of my grandparents in the Jim Crow South, my parents working to give their children all the advantages in life they never had, and now me at a moment of self-doubt despite being on this incredible journey. There is nothing like gospel, songs of joy, hope and praise during such dark times to reassure me, that "he never gives you more than you can bear, this too shall pass" (Yolanda Adams).
For me gospel is also inextricably linked to my family (probably the only musical genre we can all agree on) and my upbringing in a Southern home, mostly in the South. Wherever I am in the world, when I am feeling world-weary and off-center, gospel music is the perfect mix of inspiration and motivation, sprinkled with history and home; stability in my constantly changing world. A musical home cooked meal if you will.
Mika once commented after I started working at ATD, after a particularly low point in my life, he found it amazing how I stayed so optimistic and in relatively good spirits, during more than a year of unemployment. I think my upbringing and the message of gospel was instrumental. I remember as a child whenever someone asked someone at church how they were doing, if things were not going well they would still answer "I woke up this morning and I have my health". Sometimes just remembering you're healthy and alive is enough to motivate you to "find a way where there is no way".
I have probably listened, willingly, to more gospel over the past ten years then I did the the first two decades of my life; proving that often appreciation comes with age. Moreover, it comes when we are at our lowest. No surprise that I "discovered" the power of gospel when I was no longer under the protective wings of my parents and forging my own path in life.
Because in life a little rain must fall, there are those moments where we question, doubt, second guess and fret over our lives and our choices. Fortunate are those who have family, friends or lovers who can bear some of the load and to lend a sympathetic ear. But at night, when those doubts come creeping back, as they inevitably will, hearing someone sing "I have decided, I'm committed, that I'll run even though at times I may get lost" (Smokie Norful), somehow puts things in focus.
It is definitely not religion for me. But is it spirituality or perhaps a philosophy? I don't know, but the soundtrack is unmistakable, the same powerful soundtrack of slaves in the field, of my grandparents in the Jim Crow South, my parents working to give their children all the advantages in life they never had, and now me at a moment of self-doubt despite being on this incredible journey. There is nothing like gospel, songs of joy, hope and praise during such dark times to reassure me, that "he never gives you more than you can bear, this too shall pass" (Yolanda Adams).
lundi 25 août 2014
Musings on Ferguson
I am really saddened by the news I am reading related to Ferguson and other senseless violence against black people in America. From where I sit in Dakar it has been thrown into stark relief how divided America still is, in ways that are hard to explain to non-Americans. The image of white police forces facing off with black protesters reminds people of the Civil Rights Movement, good in the sense that people are fed up and ready to confront power, but sad that little has changed in 50 years. As a black man who has been to quite a few places I can tell you racism and prejudice exist everywhere, but I can also tell you that it has been a relief to spend the last 9 years not having to deal with American-style racism. There is a weight lifted that is hard to explain, but it is a freedom that I am loath to give up.
America is a great place full of amazing people, and at times I miss it so much, but I know America can be better, and I want America to be better. I sense that America is falling behind as other parts of the world are leaping forward and that fear reveals the tenuous peace that exist between different communities. I read a black person saying how it feels to always be a suspect, to have to teach your children how to not get shot by the police (interestingly many of these boys were following their parents advice when they got shot), and what it feels like to live in a police state where you are constantly harassed (the colonist revolted against the British for less than this). These are conditions that the white majority would never accept in their communities. And then to read a white man saying the media should realize how dangerous it is to be a cop, as if these things are mutually exclusive, with total disregard for what your fellow citizens are trying to tell you about their every day existence. In their communities it's "my taxes pay your salary buddy", in the black community it's "please don't shoot, I don't have a gun".
So when people ask me is America still racist, I have to answer, yes, extremely. There is no scenario where two large groups can have two diametrically opposed views on the world and have two separate lived experiences when it comes to power and the state without those groups, for the most part, living completely separate lives, and for no other reason than skin color. However, what inspires me, is that there are so many good people, of all races, faiths, national origins, sexual orientations and economic background who see this elephant in the room, and in big and small ways want to change a system that finds it so easy and justifiable to take black lives.
Evil happens when good people do nothing. It is possible in today's America for people to say they are not racist, and be sincere. But the racism that may or may not be in someone's heart is not my concern, was not the concern of the Civil Rights Movement and of little concern for most black people in America. You cannot police people's hearts. The problem is the system of power that oppresses black people which is mostly still intact. From chattle slavery, to Jim Crow, to redlining to subprime mortgages, there is a system of power, often invisible to those who benefit from it, and all to obvious to those on the receiving in, that needs to addressed.
I recently heard a good quote from Jane Elliot: "Racism exists because accurate history is not taught." I will leave you with that succinct phrase, because that accurate history to unwieldy to unpack here. But I implore you to read Ta-nehisi Coates article, it's long, The Case for Reparations http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparations/361631/, and check out this documentary Blue Eyes Brown Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQAmdZvKf6M, which is eye-opening (pun intended).
America is a great place full of amazing people, and at times I miss it so much, but I know America can be better, and I want America to be better. I sense that America is falling behind as other parts of the world are leaping forward and that fear reveals the tenuous peace that exist between different communities. I read a black person saying how it feels to always be a suspect, to have to teach your children how to not get shot by the police (interestingly many of these boys were following their parents advice when they got shot), and what it feels like to live in a police state where you are constantly harassed (the colonist revolted against the British for less than this). These are conditions that the white majority would never accept in their communities. And then to read a white man saying the media should realize how dangerous it is to be a cop, as if these things are mutually exclusive, with total disregard for what your fellow citizens are trying to tell you about their every day existence. In their communities it's "my taxes pay your salary buddy", in the black community it's "please don't shoot, I don't have a gun".
So when people ask me is America still racist, I have to answer, yes, extremely. There is no scenario where two large groups can have two diametrically opposed views on the world and have two separate lived experiences when it comes to power and the state without those groups, for the most part, living completely separate lives, and for no other reason than skin color. However, what inspires me, is that there are so many good people, of all races, faiths, national origins, sexual orientations and economic background who see this elephant in the room, and in big and small ways want to change a system that finds it so easy and justifiable to take black lives.
Evil happens when good people do nothing. It is possible in today's America for people to say they are not racist, and be sincere. But the racism that may or may not be in someone's heart is not my concern, was not the concern of the Civil Rights Movement and of little concern for most black people in America. You cannot police people's hearts. The problem is the system of power that oppresses black people which is mostly still intact. From chattle slavery, to Jim Crow, to redlining to subprime mortgages, there is a system of power, often invisible to those who benefit from it, and all to obvious to those on the receiving in, that needs to addressed.
I recently heard a good quote from Jane Elliot: "Racism exists because accurate history is not taught." I will leave you with that succinct phrase, because that accurate history to unwieldy to unpack here. But I implore you to read Ta-nehisi Coates article, it's long, The Case for Reparations http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2014/05/the-case-for-reparations/361631/, and check out this documentary Blue Eyes Brown Eyes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQAmdZvKf6M, which is eye-opening (pun intended).
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)