Family, friends, good food, good drink, good conversation, good vibrations...
It doesn't come covered in overt religious raiment or adorned with material expectations...
Whether in word or deed, everyone is gathered to simply say, "Thank you!"
"THANK YOU!"
One simple phrase...Two small words...Eight elegant letters...Multitudinous meaning...
Noted author Brett Blumenthal said, "Gratitude is an expression of love."
Indeed.
Gratitude is an expression of love "to whom" and "for whom" you are thankful. But, it's also expresses the love of LIFE itself...and the innumerable opportunities which life has presented and continues to present.
The operative term in Blumenthal's quote is "expression."
Gratitude must be expressed to be effective! And, that expression ought to be heartfelt.
I am thankful on this and EVERYDAY for my health, the wealth of friendship, family, my beautiful children, dear loved ones, steady employment, liberty, freedom of expression...and too many things and people to list them all.
I credit everything that I am and will become to the wondrous people who "invested in me when there was no expectation of return on their investment" and loved me when I was most unlovable. To you, I am forever indebted.
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
Today, my "Thanks" are not random.
They are targeted with laser-like specificity.
Because of YOU, in this season of Thanksgiving, I am OVERJOYED!!!
President Abraham Lincoln
Haggard and Emaciated from the Ravages of the Civil War
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
Abraham Lincoln November 19, 1863
Lincoln spoke these words in dedication of the 51,112 men who closed their eyes for the last time on that Pennsylvania battlefield. Most of those men, Union and Confederate, had been rescued from hastily-dug shallow graves and buried properly on "Cemetery Hill" by ten Black men hired to perform the gruesome task. It was upon "Cemetery Hill" that Lincoln cast his spell.
The President was accompanied to Gettysburg by his personal valet, William H. Johnson. Johnson , a free Black man from Springfield, Illinois, was likely the only person to hear Lincoln's speech before he addressed the assembled mass.
As was customary for the time, several very long speeches were delivered prior to Lincoln's. At only 272 words, one might say Lincoln's address was a 19th Century "tweet." But ahhh, the brevity! Therein lies the genius! In less than three minutes, Lincoln had encapsulated the quintessence of American Demorcacy. He had recalled the Nation to its raison d'etre.
One of the most basic differences between Conservatives and Progressives is revealed in the first six words of this speech, "Four score and seven years ago..." Basic math will reveal that Lincoln references back to 1776, the year of the Declaration of Independence. While Conservatives give "pride of place" to the U.S. Constitution which became effective in 1789, Progressives adore the Declaration. Why? Because, while the U.S. Constitution condoned Slavery, the Declaration was "conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
Lincoln's Gettysburg address has been studied and memorized the world over. It was the "tweet" heard round the world. It declared that Union victory in the Civil War would usher in a "new birth of freedom." It declared to the world that this Nation, and its experiment with Democracy would not be derailed by the misguided ideals of the Confederacy..."and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
It has required plenty of struggle, but "ooh, ooh, child" things continue to get brighter!
When Gregory Porter's "Water" broke, he birthed a musical child that convinced us to also "Be Good." Now, that child is pouring out its "Liquid Spirit" and doing so in a way that blesses us all.
In a February blog post on "GP," I exhausted my vocabulary in praise of this immense and extraordinary talent. So, rather than bore you with facile and incredibly inadequate descriptions of his latest offering "Liquid Spirit," just check this out.
We are often at odds while finding our place in this world...as lovers...partners...colleagues...brothers/sisters...fathers/daughters...mothers/sons...husbands/wives...as individuals.
Black man shot...Black woman raped...Black man imprisoned...Black woman sexually degraded...Black man facing unemployment...Black woman facing the glass ceiling...Black male rapper/misogynistic lyrics...Black female singer/sexually degrading poses...young Black male dropouts...young Black female college graduates....pimps up/hoes down...and on and on and on...
We must LISTEN to one another and STOP comparing grievances!! It's not white supremacy OR male patriarchy. Perhaps, it's BOTH operating in tandem. Life is hard, and it's harder when a community is divided. It's going to take love, understanding, and personal discipline to overcome our challenges.
Listen to Nina Simone, in her own unique voice, make the case from a Black woman's point of view. Just listen...just listen...just listen.
12 Years A Slave...400 Years of White Power
Art by: Michael Ray Charles
Who knew?
Who knew that the uncultured, irascible, rabidly racist John Tibeats, the villainous overseer from 12 Years A Slave, would pose one of the most elegantly existential and profoundly provocative questions ever uttered in American movie history?!
As enslaved freeman Solomon Northup (Platt) explains to Master Ford (the "good master") his plan for building a raft to safely transport cotton across the swamps to the marketplace, Tibeats sarcastically, caustically, and condescendingly inserts the knife,
"Are you an engineer, or are you a nigger?!"
Of course, Solomon is impaled upon the horns of a dilemma. As a slave, he certainly can't say that he's an engineer. And, as a former freeman, he won't concede that he's a "nigger." But, Tibeats' intent is crystal clear. He intends to put "Platt" in his place. Tibeats intends to remind "Platt" that he may be a "smart nigger," but he's still a "nigger!" And, no "nigger" is smarter than a white man. Irrespective of Master Ford's sympathetic ear, Tibeats insists upon reinforcing the brutal white power structure which reigned supreme in the South. For him, no level of black intelligence, black ingenuity, or black brilliance, would upset the social order of the day or elevate "Platt" above the status of mere livestock.
Mind you, I absolutely loved this film!!!! But, if there's one downside, it's the temptation for certain folk to learn ALL the wrong lessons...to believe that unless you exhibit the cruelty of Tibeats or Epps, you're not a racist...to believe racism and bigotry is a thing of the past...to believe that institutional or unconscious racism is non-existent...to believe Slavery and its progeny is the sin of their southern forefathers only to be examined in the rear view mirror. Malcolm reminded us that there are different forms of racism, some blatant and others less so. Ultimately, we need to stop castigating the South. "As long as you're south of the Canadian border, you're south!" Malcolm said. So, I'm sure Northup didn't return to a racial utopia when he returned to upstate New York. No racial utopia then...no racial utopia now.
The old folks used to say, "It's in the blood." And, if that's true, the DNA of race discrimination is stubbornly resisting evolutionary extinction. It continues to flow freely, sometimes imperceptibly, in the veins of a few.
For sure, America is a much evolved place in 2013. So, Blacks should not be overly sensitive to legitimate criticisms or walk around with a perpetual "race chip" on their shoulder. But, how often do 21st Century Blacks hear Tibeats' insulting question phrased in more discreet and subtle terms? How often is your authority, expertise, or credentials called into question? How often are you reminded in small ways to "stay in your place," or "don't get big headed." They say, "you got a raise three years ago, boy," or "He's arrogant and aloof"..."She's uppity and ungrateful"..."You may be right, but you're not in charge!!" or, "Why should you gain admission to Harvard over me?" "Who do you think you are?"
Barack Obama: "You lie!" "Are you the POTUS, or are you a nigger?"
Michelle Obama: "Are you the FLOTUS, or are you a nigger?"
Eric Holder: "Are you the U.S. Attorney General, or are you a nigger?"
Susan Rice: "Are you the National Security Advisor, or are you a nigger?"
Oprah Winfrey (in high-end European boutiques): "Are you an international celebrity with more money than God, or are you a nigger?"
Trayvon Martin: "Are you an innocent teenager with ice tea and candy, or are you a nigger?"
Marissa Alexander: "Are you a scared woman defending yourself from an abusive ex-husband, or are you a nigger?"
Dez Bryant: "Are you an impassioned star wide-receiver playing for "America's Team," or are you a nigger?"
Are you a Doctor, or...Are you an Attorney, or...Are you a Professor, or...Are you a Nurse, or...Are you a Millionaire, or...Are you an Artist, or...
"This shit is getting out of hand! This is not my grandpa's America. If we'd known they'd be this much trouble, we'd picked our own damn cotton!!" exclaims a Tea Party Patriot in exasperation.
Yeah, right! LOL In railing against food stamps and social welfare programs, conservatives say, "There is dignity in work." That so? Well, enslaved Africans and their descendants are among the most dignified people in human history. But, plantation owners didn't seem eager to share in that dignity (or the WORK for that matter).
No matter how politically correct the phrasing, whenever Blacks are confronted with Tibeats' profound question, they too are faced with a modern day dilemma. They can answer boldly and be labeled arrogant, uppity, or ungrateful. Or, they can smile, hat in hand, and slink back into their "place" among the "niggers."
Solomon Northup never forgot Tibeats' question. He grappled with it for twelve long years, and he answered it in the end. What say you?
Are you an engineer, or are you a nigger?
Be wise and discerning enough to recognized the question when it's asked! Be courageous and competent enough to answer it boldly!!
...Or, so said the Jack Nicholson character in A Few Good Men.
Well America, TRUTH has been served with all the trimmings. And, we'll see how your taste buds respond to the bitterness. Prepare yourself for the most heartrendingly honest and agonizingly vivid depiction of slavery ever portrayed on the silver screen.
This film is a dramatic adaptation of the 1853 historical autobiography Twelve Years a Slave written by Solomon Northup. Directed by Steve McQueen and screen-written by John Ridley, the film magnificently describes the turbulent trials of Northup, a free Black citizen of New York, who was kidnapped in the shadow of the nation's capital, sold into slavery and transported to Louisiana to live in perpetual torment for 12 horrific years.
The book itself is masterfully written in an elevated prose reminiscent of Dubois' The Souls of Black Folk. In the age of tweeting and texting, 12 Years stands as a 19th Century triumph of linguistic dexterity putting the average American college graduate of today to shame. In describing a particularly barbaric slaver, Northrup pens:
"Yet to speak truthfully of Edwin Epps would be to say -- he is a man in whose heart the quality of kindness or of justice is not found. A rough, rude energy united with an uncultivated mind and an avaricious spirit, are his prominent characteristics. He is known as a "nigger breaker," distinguished for his faculty of subduing the spirit of the slave, and priding himself upon his reputation in this respect, as a jockey boasts of his skill in managing a refractory horse. He looked upon the colored man, not as a human being, responsible to his Creator for the small talent entrusted to him, but as a "chattel personal," as mere live property, no better, except in value, than his mule or dog...He could have stood unmoved and seen the tongues of his poor slaves torn out by the roots -- he could have seen them burned to ashes over a slow fire, or gnawed to death by dogs, if it only brought him profit. Such a hard, cruel, unjust man is Edwin Epps...Ten years I toiled for that man without reward. Ten years of my incessant labor has contributed to increase the bulk of his possessions. Ten years I was compelled to address him with down-cast eyes and uncovered head -- in the attitude and language of a slave. I am indebted to him for nothing, save undeserved abuse and stripes."
After reading the book, I was skeptical the filmmakers could muster the courage to give cinematic clarity to the unmitigated inhumanity blanketing the pages of Northrup's masterpiece. Well, congratulations, Messrs. McQueen and Ridley! You have accomplished a monumental feat in visual storytelling...as convincingly as 12 years of captivity and debasement at the hands of the brutish, the beastly, and the ignorant could be told in the span of two hours.
Chiwetel Ujiofor delivers a tour de force performance as Solomon Northup. Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson are also magnificent as the villainous Master and Mistress Epps. But, who can remain unmoved by the unrelenting torment, treachery and turmoil heaped upon poor Patsy played by Lupita Nyong? The youth and innocence of Patsy stole our hearts...leaving us in tears at her unfathomable plight. Our hearts having been stolen, perhaps Nyong's spellbinding performance will steal the Oscar.
Morgan Freeman stated that he was reluctant to see the film because, "I don't want my anger quotient exacerbated..." In a backhanded compliment, another reviewer referred to 12 Years as, "the film for folks too smart for The Butler." Due respect to those distinguished gentlemen, but I think their statements are both flippant and misguided!!
Mark Twain once said, "A man need be reminded much more often than he need be instructed." Accordingly, this film serves as a vividly brilliant reminder! It gazes into our brutal past equipping us with insight through hindsight. That insight clears our vision to see seeds of ignorance and intolerance sprouting in our very midst. If that insight makes movie goers "too smart," then thank goodness! You see, Mr. Freeman, I'm much more concerned with the "intelligence quotient" than the "anger quotient." In fact, intelligence is often an antidote for anger. (Take a hint Tea Party.)
As the hauntingly evocative soundtrack continues to echo in my head, thoughts drift back to Patsy....that tragic soul exemplifying the fate of so many enslaved African women...last seen staring despairingly as her former comrade strides toward freedom...and she remains mired in thralldom not so far from New Orleans' frolicking French Quarter.
In my actively optimistic imagination, Patsy finally escapes the cruel clutches of slavery, secures her "freedom papers" and finds her way to a stage in the French Quarter... telling her story through Salvant's song... and renaming it, "Patsy's Theme."
...and at a table in the corner of that dimly lit groggery sits Solomon Northup, eyes transfixed and heart overflowing...he proudly and loudly proclaims "Now, THAT is the TRUTH...the whole TRUTH...and nothing but the TRUTH!"
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