How Would Dr. King Want You to Celebrate the King Holiday?

Have you ever thought about how Dr. King would want you to celebrate the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday?  Would he want you to attend services where choirs sing songs of inspiration?  Would he want you to participate in programs where 6^th graders reenact the Dream Speech?  Would he want you to go to lectures given by other civil rights veterans?  Would he encourage you to enjoy lunch and dinner specials at your favorite restaurant, or take advantage of the deals provided by retailers?  Would he want the Holiday to be a day of service, or a day of rest?

 

In pursuit of his Dream, Dr. King probably had few days off.  Fighting for civil rights has no “down time”.  Discrimination and bigotry don’t take holidays.  Dr. King’s dream for us was to have freedom of opportunity in America.  The opportunity to elect those who would serve us best.  The opportunity to be educated at the schools of our choice.  The opportunity to live where ever we wanted to live.  The opportunity to be gainfully employed.  The opportunity to start our own businesses.   The opportunity to pursue our own dreams.

 

Celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King is not a singular event.  Instead it is a reminder that pursuing dreams is a 24/7/365 thing.  It does not begin or end on January 15^th.  I believe that Dr. King would want you to live everyday of your existence striving to be all that you can be.  He would encourage you to continually seek and find your purpose.  He would implore you to make sure you make a difference.  Above all, Dr. King would want you to persistently and tirelessly pursue your own dreams Everyday.

 

SoulVisionTV.com

 

Only One Nelson Mandela Will Pass This Way

As the world recognizes the passing of Nelson Mandela, the tributes narrate how this former South African president’s life changed the world.  Superlatives such as courageous, brave, passionate, compassionate, intelligent, and inspirational have all been used to describe Nelson Mandela’s life, but there was one statement that caught my attention.  One tribute suggested that “there will never be another Nelson Mandela”.  And that is true; there never will be because that is how the Creator planned it.

When Nelson Mandela was born into his earthly existence, the plan of what his life would become was already in place.  Though challenged with obstacles that would crumble most, Mandela was given a strength that allowed him to endure.  The impact he had on the world for his 95 years is exactly what the Creator planned.  The same can be said for others whose presence on this earth has inspired us.  There will only be one Ali; one Martin Luther King; one Rosa Parks, one Desmond Tutu, one Gandhi.  We can learn from their writings.  We can admire their courage.  We can emulate their behaviors, but the reality is that these people only pass this way once.  They are placed here to serve their purpose.

And so, the passing of President Mandela should prompt each if us to seek the purpose that the Creator has planned for us.  Your purpose may not have world-wide ramifications, but it might make your family better.  It might make your neighborhood or community better.  What you do may inspire others, young or old, to be all that they can be.  Connect with the Creator to find your purpose; then rely on the strength given to you by the Creator to fulfill your purpose, because there will never be another you.

SoulVisionTV.com

CHRISTMAS SPIRIT VS. CHRISTMAS COMMERCIALISM

The argument about Christmas Spirit vs. Christmas Commercialism is not new.  Retailers have forever been seducing shoppers at Christmas time with all kinds of deals and specials.  Most often it was a sideshow that only temporarily distracted humans from the real Spirit of Christmas.  But today, it seems as though Christmas Commercialism, for many, is what Christmas is all about.

There is no doubt that the power of Christmas Spirit has long impacted the family of man.  Humans, generally, treat one another friendlier during this time of year.  Wars stop because of Christmas.  People give to the less fortunate in a spirit of kindness.  Christmas has an enduring universal power that makes most humans, regardless of religious beliefs or practices, understand that caring for one another is simply the right thing to do.

Christmas Commercialism attempts to create its own power.  For many retailers and their media cohorts, it’s all about getting the consumer to spend.  They promise deals on items that they know won’t be in the store.  They create “scheduled” specials designed to manipulate your time.  This is nothing new; it has gone on for years.

The problem, as I see it, is that the consumer is starting to drink the cool-aid more and more.  People leave their Thanksgiving dinner tables to go shop instead of sharing family history and stories.  People camp out overnight to be one of the first in line to get that big-screen TV that will only last until next Christmas.  People are mean and rude to one another fighting over shopping carts, parking spaces, and that last item on the shelf.  They cuss at one another, they become physical with one another, they disrespect one another, not because of the Christmas Spirit, but because of Christmas Commercialism.

The retailers are not going to change.  Their souls were lost a long time ago.  However, as humans, we have the power to determine how we respond.  We need to remember that Christmas is about peace on earth and goodwill to all, not charging credit cards to the max then taking the next year to pay them off.

Somehow I don’t think that when (or if) you get to the Pearlie Gates, St. Peter is going ask you about that deal you got on that TV.

 

SoulVisionTV.com

WHO ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE?

“The American people don’t want Obamacare”.  Just about every republican member of congress utters this statement when they talk about repealing the Affordable Care Act.  When I hear this statement the first question I ask is, “What American people are you talking about?”  I can’t recall any African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American, Native-American, or European-American groups making notable protests against the Affordable Care Act, so what Americans are these politicians referring to?

It is the pinnacle of hypocrisy for republican members of Congress to attempt to de-fund the Affordable Care Act, while they make six-figure incomes, and enjoy the best healthcare benefits in the world.  Salaries and healthcare paid for by the American people.  All of the American people.

I think it would a good idea for any American who is represented by one of these republican members of congress to rethink who you want to represent you in the future.  They say you don’t want Affordable Healthcare, but it really doesn’t matter what you want.  The republicans have made it clear that their singular goal is to diminish the accomplishments of the President in any way that they can.  It’s not about you, the American people; it’s all about their agenda.

Many of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act are already benefiting the American people today, and soon millions more Americans will benefit from the Act.  The republicans in Congress don’t have a clue about what the American people want, let alone, what the American people need.

THE MOTHER-CHILD BOND OF LIFE

A while back, I attended a college graduation ceremony and observed something that verified something I already knew, but hadn’t actually thought about.  Seated in front of me was a young mother and next to her was her newborn baby.  The infant couldn’t have been more than two weeks old as it sat in the plastic car carrier oblivious to the world.  What I observed was this mother’s constant and deliberate attention to this new person.  Every few seconds she would look inside the carrier to see if everything was alright.  The baby was sleep, yet the new mother kept watch much like a mother robin does with her newly hatched babies; or like a mother lion does with her baby cubs.  And it occurred to me that there is a special bond between child and mother that is pure and natural.  It cannot be duplicated.  It can not be replicated.  Grandma doesn’t have it.  Auntie doesn’t have.  And definitely Dad doesn’t have it.  That bond between mother and child is like no other bond ever created.  You can’t describe it.  You can’t study it.  You simply have to know that it is.

And while the bond gets tested many times as a child grows, the bond remains intact.  Mom will defend you to the Supreme Court if need be, yet be your harshest critic when you act a fool.  I instinctly knew that this bond existed, but when you get to be grown, sometimes you have to be reminded of what you know.  That’s what the woman at the graduation ceremony did.  She reminded me that the Spirit created the bond between mother and child to be like no other human connection on earth, and because of that, we are blessed more than we can ever comprehend.

 

SoulVisionTV.com

Young Black Love

Is different from any other.
For the young lady, the young man,
It’s a different sense.
A feeling only some really experience.

Young Black Love is natural,
It’s not planned or pre-arranged.
It happens at moment’s notice,
And at times, ends just as fast.

But still the experience to love
A Black young man for a Black young lady
Is something her heart will never forget
And if her love is real, he won’t forget either.

Whether it be going to the “Friday night parties”
Or spending Sunday evening in the living room.
Talking every night on the phone about nothing
Or listening to Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway.

Black, young love is unique.
Together, hip, bad, and a good thang.
If you got it, keep it!
If you don’t, get it!

SAM

Black Women, Drama, and Network Television

What do Tamara Jones, Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington and Meagan Good all have in common?  All are actors of African-American descent who currently star or co-star in network (ABC, CBS, NBC) television series.  And we’re talking about drama series, not sitcoms.  I don’t believe that’s ever happened in the history of television.

We know Hollywood has difficulty creating original, positive roles for minorities, and it is rare for there to be so many opportunities at the same time.  I’m not sure why it’s happening now, but these women are part of successful shows; and the one thing that Hollywood does best is copy anything that’s successful.

The roles that these women portray are serious, intelligent roles.  They have substance.  They have depth.  As a writer I try to create similar roles for my female characters.  They are smart, accomplished, and confident women.  Yes, they might be a little devious at times, but overall they are positive portrayals.

Tamara Jones, Taraji P. Henson, Kerry Washington and Meagan Good have all starred in movies produced primarily for African-American audiences for years.  And now to see them all having success in network television is a success worth recognizing. 

I think this is a moment in time that we need to pay attention to.  Not because network television is that significant in the overall scheme of life, but because these women represent positive media influences.  It is a refreshing diversion from the characters so prominent in fake “reality TV”.

SoulVisionTV.com