Here are some of my musings on King’s impact. This is not polished and not complete, but they are my thoughts.
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY
Today is a federal holiday - more than a day off from work - but a celebration of the life, work and impact of Martin Luther King, Jr. He was a preacher/teacher/speaker, civil rights leader, author, father and husband who helped to change the course of American society at a volatile time in our history. As I sit here thinking about his life and looking at my 15 month-old son playing on the floor, King’s legacy comes to mind. It’s been 44 years since King’s assassination in 1968, and we as a national and international community are still talking about his ability to galvanize and polarize a nation around civil rights issues and the true meaning of humanity, equality and justice.
October is National Bullying Prevention and Awareness month and we must use this time to raise awareness about what happens all year long—every year—in our schools. Asher Brown and Phoebe Prince lost their lives to bullying. Because of the increased frequency of this type of tragic outcome, the official term is bullycide: when a person commits suicide because of bullying.
WAKE UP! I’m sure Asher and Phoebe are not the only youth to die within the past year, but their stories were covered by national media. So in a sense, they are the “faces” of a growing epidemic in our country. And their deaths beg the question: How many children have to die before we take bullying seriously?
Some people are already tired of hearing about the death of Michael Jackson and the subsequent drama to determine what happened, who gets what, the state of his kids, etc… I don’t follow the news on Michael, every waking moment, but this is the price we pay when someone who’s rich and extremely famous suddenly dies. After all, Michael is one of the greatest - if not the greatest musical entertainer of this generation - who affected the lives of millions of people, with his music and life, across the globe. He wasn’t called the “King of Pop” just because he needed a title. He was undeniably the “King of Pop” (now people are asking who’ll be the next), so why would some think the news coverage to be too heavy? Anyway, I do want to share my point of view about Michael - now that things have simmered down just a bit.
Any time I’m out in the community the question is often in my mind, how can we help our young black men? Just over a month ago I was on the shuttle between Grand Central Station and 42nd Street and Times Square. A young black male got on the train, dressed like he was going to an interview. He had an apple pie from McDonald’s, which he proceeded to eat. When he was done, he threw the box and bag on the floor underneath his seat.
LAST NIGHT (Friday January 16th) I had the opportunity to hear Kevin Powell give a message on the topic, "Black Men in America: What Obama Means to Us." Mr. Powell was the Keynote Speaker for a quarterly men’s gathering which took place at the Bethesda Baptist Church of New Rochelle. Let me tell you… it was one powerful presentation! When he speaks, his humility, passion and intellect commands your attention.
For those of you who may not know, Kevin Powell is a multi-talented individual, working successfully in numerous areas revolving around Activism, Journalism, Business, Cultural Awareness, History, Politics and Entertainment. He’s also the author of several books, the latest being The Black Male handbook .
PLEASE WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW: It’s from James Nachtwey, an acclaimed journalistic photographer, and is about a new strain of Tuberculosis that is proving to be very deadly in 49 countries around the world.
The problem seems so large and I as an individual seem so small. It’s so easy to focused on our own lives that we are oblivious to countless others around the world who are suffering in ways we can’t imagine. It’s easy to shut our eyes and close our ears and restrict our hearts on this issue, but this would be the wrong choice. We are all created in God’s image. We are all connected.
I can remember walking with my dad when I was younger. Wherever we were - the sidewalk, crossing the street, or in a field - if dad saw a penny he would stop to pick it up. (Of course he’d look both ways to make sure there were no cars coming before stopping in the street!)
FINALLY! The Iron Man DVD is here! Just released today! I’ve been waiting for the DVD since Opening Day back in May. I’ve been saving my change for months and picked it up on my lunch break. It helps when there’s a Bestbuy right across the street. (Although it takes a lot of discipline to stay away from those un-necessary purchases. But I”m making it, thanks for asking.)
What is the power of the Saiyan? Why does it draw men? I don’t know about you, but I get a thrill when Goku or Vegeta or Gohan power up to Supersaiyan – especially when Goku powers up to Super Saiyan 3! The raw power is tremendous! And let’s not talk about the fight scenes against Majin Buu or Brolly!
But I just had a realization about a major draw – if not THE major draw of the series. It’s a deep-seated urge that most of us men may not even realize unless we take the time to think about it: it is an epic saga about Fathers and Sons . It’s a story about Mentorship .
If you watch the hit television show Heroes,(now in it’s 3rd Season) then I want to hear from you! What is it about the show that draws you and keeps your interest? How far does your fandom go? Just leave your comments below. I hope to write a series of posts about the show, people’s responses and comic book ideology - relating it to our everyday lives - so you don’t want to miss it.
(Although it takes a lot of discipline to stay away from those un-