No excuses: Blacks must become better equipped
Raynard Jackson/Guest Columnist
Issue date: 3/1/09 Section: Politics
What an amazing year thus far! President Barack Obama's inauguration, Mike Tomlin's Steelers' win the Super Bowl (the youngest Black coach in the NFL and the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl in history), and Michael Steele's election as the first Black to lead the Republican Party. God has brought us from a mighty long way.
As I reflected on how far we have come, I wondered what would happen if God said, "ENOUGH. I have done all I am going to do for you. I have equipped you with everything you need to solve all your problems. I gave you brains, determination, and the heart of a lion."
What if Obama's administration doesn't do all that we wish and hope for? What if White folks or "the man" says 'no more equality or government programs?'
Most of us are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the book of Daniel in the Bible. It is the story about how these three boys refused to worship the idol god of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king had issued a decree that whoever did not bow down and worship his idol would be sentenced to immediate death.
Daniel 3:16-18 says: " O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
These boys had such a strong belief in God and what they believed that they knew God had the absolute power to deliver them from death. But they said even if God didn't deliver them, they would not compromise their beliefs. Our community once believed this strongly in Godly values that would not allow us to condone the behavior going on within our community. We didn't need a bunch of government programs and handouts.
What if there is no welfare? What are we going to do as a community? When will we return stigma to out-of-marriage child bearing?
As I reflected on how far we have come, I wondered what would happen if God said, "ENOUGH. I have done all I am going to do for you. I have equipped you with everything you need to solve all your problems. I gave you brains, determination, and the heart of a lion."
What if Obama's administration doesn't do all that we wish and hope for? What if White folks or "the man" says 'no more equality or government programs?'
Most of us are familiar with the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the book of Daniel in the Bible. It is the story about how these three boys refused to worship the idol god of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king had issued a decree that whoever did not bow down and worship his idol would be sentenced to immediate death.
Daniel 3:16-18 says: " O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up."
These boys had such a strong belief in God and what they believed that they knew God had the absolute power to deliver them from death. But they said even if God didn't deliver them, they would not compromise their beliefs. Our community once believed this strongly in Godly values that would not allow us to condone the behavior going on within our community. We didn't need a bunch of government programs and handouts.
What if there is no welfare? What are we going to do as a community? When will we return stigma to out-of-marriage child bearing?
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