Black Church or No Church

     Many people believe that Black churches have evolved into something that should be interrogated and frowned upon. They recall Black churches in the past to be completely focused on religion and all aspects of it; Jesus and the fullness of the Bible. They remember praising in sincerity and concentrating on living right to ensure their entry into the pearly gates of heaven. 

     As of now, Black churches are viewed as materialistic and monetarily motivated. Pastors, preachers and ministers are not expected to have a yearly income that contains six digits or more, for if they do it is suspected that they forgot where they came from and are now caught up in the world. A lot of pressure is being placed on the pastors of today especially after the Eddie Long case. However, I still believe that one person shouldn't screw up the views of others. And it must be kept in mind that people make mistakes and no one is perfect; even the man or woman leading the house of God. 

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20022204-504083.html

Don't Ask Don't Tell

For years, American citizens who are homosexuals, have been told that they are not able to serve openly in the military with the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. This law seems outrageous to many people who believe that this is an act of discrimination. However, others simply want to keep up the traditions of America. They believe that being gay is an abomination and they view homosexuals, especially gay men, as weak and incapable of serving. But where is the "liberty and justice for all" located in this law? There is none. The liberties that we have are shadowed upon because America is built on lies and materialistic endeavors. The most important things, like serving your country and making and impact on someone's life, are overlooked because the vast majority of Americans are instead focused on money and power. This Don't Ask Don't Tell law deprives human beings of their natural rights and also with a blow to the heart because it basically states that homosexuals are not welcome in society and that they might not be humans either. I don't understand how one can have the freedom to be gay, yet keep it a secret. This large secret is causing many homosexuals to commit suicide. By hiding who they truly are, homosexuals lose themselves and their identity. America needs to get it together because right now our constitution and pledge of allegiance are nothing but mere statements that prove the total opposite of what America represents.


http://www.sldn.org/pages/about-dadt

Understanding and Progressing

          African Americans possess a painful past that seems hard or even impossible to forget. For instance, we find it difficult to let go of the harsh memories that include our ancestors being forced to endure frequent beatings and watch as their loved ones were taken away from them to never be seen again. Furthermore, other parts of our history are stained with the element of racism at  work  and even on the streets. D.W.B., also known as Driving While Black, is an example of the racism that we face even now. Getting pulled over and receiving a ticket for no apparent reason (besides race) is despicable. Still, President Barack Obama stressed in his speech A More Perfect Union, that in order to solve the challenges of our time, which definitely include racism, we must understand that we have many differences i.e. our appearances, our origins and our stories; however, we all desire to “move in the same direction.” We all wish to create better lives for our future generations. Therefore, it is the duty of us African Americans to strive to let go of the past because progression accompanied with a grudge is impossible. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrp-v2tHaDo