Archive for January, 2009:
29 Jan
A group of Ligon Middle School students eagerly raced to the top of the stairs of the Talley Student Center to participate in the the ninth annual Martin Luther King Service Challenge Saturday. Going on its third year of teamwork, Ligon GT Magnet Middle School and the N.C. State Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service (CSLEPS) joined forces once again in hopes that the Ligon Middle School students, most who are of minority and come from low income households, would learn the true meaning of teamwork, leadership, and service ethics. Edom Jones, director and overseer of College Prepatory Success (CPS) and Mike Giancola, director and overseer of CSLEPS, joined together once again for their third year, this time on N.C. state campus, with the sole purpose of making sure each middle school participant was given the opportunity to give service back to the community and have exposure to a college environment while honoring the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
N.C. State student volunteers sat by each middle school participant as the service challenge began with a rather controversial nine minute ABC News video clip entitled “Does White Privilege Exist in the U.S.?” The video touched on the topics of racial profiling in the work place, school, and local community.
“This is my second year volunteering for the MLK challenge and I can truly say that this service project is not just an eye opening event for the children but for me as well. It is truly amazing to see this video and how racial profiling is hidden everywhere.” Said Natalie Umesi, senior in biological sciences and botany. Ms. Toni Thorpe then gave a brief introduction of the purpose of the MLK challenge by asking students to not only remember Dr. Martin Luther King for his service to the community but also to give a brief moment of silence in honor of the life of N.C. State Women’s Basketball Coach, Mrs. Kay Yow, who died earlier that morning after a 22 year battle with breast cancer.
After sharing her goals for the days challenge, Thorpe shared the story of Sankofa. Her story kept the volunteers alert as she was able to connect it with the concept of dreams and how one must attain those dreams to stray away from “dreamcrushers.” She then shared with the students some words for thought written by Martin Luther King Jr. and asked the audience to repeat after her in hopes they digest the meaning having dreams and achieving them.
“I really did have fun and I liked working with the kids because they asked me questions about the college experience and I was able to answer them and tell them how important it is to have a higher education for the future.” Said Maritza Adonis, a junior in political science and biological sciences.
N.C. state volunteers asked groups in attendance to answer discussion questions related to discrimination. Students’ shared personal encounters they have had with racism in their communities, schools, churches etc. One group discussion even brought up discrimination in the political elections of 2008-2009, mentioning and reminding in some cases that the United States President Obama is black.
“I think today is really good. Martin Luther King has shown that we can change and that blacks and minorities are not just about gangs and violence” said Doris Riley a sixth grader attending Ligon Middle School.
In serving the community, the student volunteers were split up into three groups and responsible for creating health care kits, designing blankets and making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the less fortunate. During each project, middle school students held separate conversations with one another asking N.C. State volunteers about the N.C. State college experience and future goals they may have or goals they have already accomplished while in college. While the program was designed to service the community, learn service ethics and leadership while connecting with others in learning the history of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., some students actually went home with a sense of encouragement and new found friends of a different academic institution. Like past years, the MLK service challenge once again gave students the opportunity to learn more about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King in connection with service to the community.
29 Jan
In this day and age, we as a generation have tried to ease the pain of the past from ourselves and others. Sometimes this means poking fun at some of the past events that were looked upon years ago as horrendous. I’ve heard many people making jokes about enslavement and hangings. We also make jokes about each others backgrounds. We call ourselves “nigga” or “wetback” and try to make light of the words. We sometimes try to justify it as endearing or “turning it around” to make it cool. The truth is that that these words came about because of hate. These words were never meant to have a good connotation.
The media does an amazing job of tricking people into thinking bashing your own race, ethnic group, religious organization, etc. is okay. In movies, television, radio and all other forms of media people are constantly making fun of themselves. They are ignorant to the fact that these words still hurt. They also live up to the negative background these words give them. In hip-hop music I hear the words “nigga” every five seconds. Is there an explanation for this? The real contradictory act comes about when someone of another race calls a black person “nigga.” They may be trying to fit in and not mean any harm by it at all, but then black people get really mad and want to fight. This is a problem. If you don’t want everyone to say it, then you also have to live up to not saying it. Because the word is used so often, it seems like it is okay to say. I personally cringe every time I hear the word. Now, I know that the argument is that anybody can be called an N-Word because it is supposed to mean ignorant, but do you want to label yourself as ignorant? That is still horrible and no one deserves it.
One example of the media having a negative influence on perceptions of diversity is in the February 2009 issue of Essence magazine. They have a monthly “10 Things We’re Talking About” feature (compiled by Cynthia Gordy) and on the list was a quote from rapper, Soulja Boy. He is quoted saying during an interview with a BET correspondent, “Shout out to the slave masters! Without them we’d still be in Africa. We wouldn’t be here to get this ice and tattoos.” He later stated that he was only joking. To me, this is not something to joke about. Enslavement of innocent human beings is not something to joke about. I am appalled that he failed to realize that these were his ancestors he was poking fun at. Soulja Boy, like many others, seem to have forgotten from where they came. The Africans didn’t sail to America on a luxury carnival cruise, and they were not greeted at the piers with fine whine and cheese. Even though he said he was only joking, the words still sting and are highly inappropriate.
We all, not just African-Americans, have been discriminated against for some reason or another. It could be your religion, weight, sexuality or anything else about you that people don’t like. I do not agree with using words that bring others down as terms of endearment. I honestly have no idea who came up with the concept and why it is so supported. We are supposed to rise up from those stereotypes, not constantly degrade each other with evil words. I see little kids walking around using these words and it’s wrong. They have no idea what or why they are saying these things. They are using hurtful words because they see us using them. It is a vicious cycle that has yet to end.
There is no harm in joking around with your friends, but is it right to make fun of an era in history that has shaped the racial tensions of today? Can you imagine one of your friends or family members being whipped and chained with no hope of escape? If you can, I would ponder on that thought for a moment and then think about what you are really saying. According to Soulja Boy, the only important things in life are “ice” and “tattoos,” but I would like to think that we as college students are smarter than him and want more than that. We know that our ancestors were not brought over here for freedom and a life of happiness, so it is up to us to keep that dream of “rising above” alive. They paved the way for all of us; the least we could do is give them the respect we owe them.
The next time you call yourself or a friend, a “nigga,” “chink,” “guido,” “fag,” or whatever “endearing” term you use, think about those who came before you. There were many activists that stood up for each group that is discriminated against today. Don’t be like Soulja Boy, be a solider for respect and equality.
29 Jan
The inauguration of President Barack Obama was bound to be a truly historic event, one that would draw crowds from all over the country and all over the world to witness a truly moving portion of history. However, Todd Farris, a senior majoring in sports management and a resident of the Great Commonwealth of Virginia, and I drove to my home in South East, Washington D.C. anticipating the worst. What you are about to read is not comprised of the patriotic images shown on the news. This is not a candy-coated version that only mentions Obama, his speech, and the historical significance of this day. This is the story of my experience; a Native Washingtonian who watched helplessly as my city ceased to function while being invaded by millions of tourists.
On Monday, January 12, my close friend Dara Johnson, a D.C. resident, called me crying. She said that when she walked outside, she noticed that there were no homeless people on the streets. As a side note, I will add that the streets of D.C. are, sadly, usually filled with homeless people. But of course they are on the streets, with a mayor that keeps closing down homeless shelters without the Council’s permission, where are those people supposed to go? She said she saw a jail bus with sirens on headed towards Maryland, and she thought that it may have been filled with homeless people. She said she thought it was a conspiracy by the District Government to make D.C. look good: she wouldn’t put it past our government and neither would I. She also said that the “Lowest Price” gas station, a chain found mainly in what would be considered ghettos and neighborhoods in transition, was changed into a “Washingtonian Express.” To top this all off, she said that starting on Monday, January 19, Mayor Fenty was taking away all parking in her neighborhood because of the inauguration, even for the tax paying residents (who should not be paying taxes anyway, since D.C. has no vote in Congress or the House of Representatives).
Now that you have some background on the shady preparations for the inauguration, I will tell you about the actual day. At 5:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 20, Todd, Dara, one of my other close friends, Devin Ford, and I woke up and quickly got ready. When we arrived on Capitol Hill, I noticed two things. First, I saw droves of tourists, bundled up, equipped with American flags, and Obama hats and buttons. I also saw what those who are not native to the area could not see; what Dara told me was true, the homeless people were gone. My mother dropped us off at 3rd Street and Constitution Avenue. NE, and from there we walked D Street and Indiana Avenue. NW, where a peaceful mob of about 500 people were already backed up for almost a block and a half on both sides, waiting for the security checkpoint to open. We waited for the gates to open in the cold for almost an hour and a half, packed in like cattle. The gates opened and we started to inch forward, with the only thing separating people from each other was their coats. The crowd was pushing so hard that my friends and I had to link arms so we would not get separated. When we reached the security checkpoint, we saw that it really was not secure at all. All they did was lightly pat the sides of people’s waists and made everyone unzip their coats.
We needed to go to the general admission on the National Mall, but they were not letting anyone cross Pennsylvania Avenue. When I asked one of the officers where we could cross, he told me 11th Street. I asked him why we couldn’t cross at 7th Street near the National Archives. He replied that he did not know: no one had given him any information. The badge on his uniform said “Montana State Police.” I noticed that none of the police were from the Metropolitan Area. They knew nothing about D.C.; therefore, they were just useless decoration. We had to seek out a Metropolitan policeman, who told us to rush down to 7th Street to cross. While crossing 7th Street, our group being the last allowed to cross, I heard a tourist ask, “What’s that flag? That red and white one with the stars?” To which another District resident and I replied, “The D.C. flag, that’s our flag.” To this he said, “I didn’t know D.C. was its own state,” to which we replied, “It’s not, but it should be.” You would think people would have a little knowledge about the capitol of their country before coming to visit.
We finally made it to the Mall. We found our place between 11th and 12th Street NW in front of a jumbotron screen, about 10 city blocks from the Capitol Building. The crowds stretched back all the way to the Lincoln Memorial. But after all of the struggle to get there, it was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed. There were no sad faces, no complaining, and no crying. People of all races and religions, from all over America, and some from overseas, stood together united and proud. I too, really for the first time in my life, was truly proud that my country would allow so much change.
The beauty ended when Obama’s speech ended. My friends and I, along with all of the other visitors tried to find a way out of the Mall but found that all of the exits were blocked. We all crowded across from the Monument, again, packed in like cattle. One of the soldiers told me that the only exit for all of those people was at 18th Street NW, two blocks past the White House. Behind me a lady fainted, and they could not even get an ambulance in to help her through the crowds. They finally opened the gates to 14th Street, but all of the other streets around the Mall remained closed. After the event, we walked for almost two hours. In order to get back to South East, my friends and I had to walk up 395 (a highway) and back around to a place where my mother could pick us up. The 5 million tourists were left to wander the streets, because they were not familiar with the area and had no idea where to go.
My opinion on the whole event is, as beautiful as it was, the District Government and Mayor Fenty did a horrible job of handling all of those people (while making sure they did a great job of making D.C. look uncharacteristically nice). All of those people should not have been allowed into the city in the first place. D.C. only has a nine mile radius and barely enough room for its own half-a-million residents. Yet we were supposed to get an estimated 5 million visitors. The Mayor and the rest of the Council just welcomed the tourists without thinking about the wellbeing of the D.C. residents who voted them in and whose taxes pay their salaries. We did not vote them into office so that they could cater to tourists. In my opinion, they should have just limited it to people who had reserved hotels within the Capitol Beltway (495) or people who could stay with family or friends. Tour buses and people riding up on the day of should have been banned, especially since they did not have a feasible exit plan for the people on the Mall. They also should have gotten D.C. police who were familiar with the city to help on the Mall instead of police from all over. I never want to see my city in those conditions again. No matter what the occasion, the District Government’s first priority should be safety and welfare the District residents.
29 Jan
We were told over and over what a historic event we were witnessing, and it just happened to coincide with the first significant snow in Raleigh for five years. I don’t have cable, so every channel carried the inauguration. So, of course I watched on Tuesday as President Obama was sworn into office. So, of course I watched on Tuesday as President Obama was sworn into office. (Interesting fact: Raleigh-Durham had the highest percent of people watching the inauguration in the country, with 51% of TVs tuned to it.)
Now, first off, I voted for Barack Obama. I wanted to be able to tell my grandkids that I voted for the first black president. Sarah Palin, not withstanding, was probably my main reason for voting for him.
It’s important for everyone in this country that we can finally start having black presidents. Racism is a centuries-old divide-and-conquer technique: Keep blacks suspicious of whites, whites suspicious of blacks, while we screw them all over. But, I truly believe it’s coming to its long-anticipated demise, and I believe the election was another nail in its coffin. Not for any political reasons, but because whites and blacks feel like they got together and made not only history, but a sort of peace.
The election made me wish my great-grandmother were alive. She was from a poor white immigrant family and grew up in a section of Baltimore that literally had the proverbial “tracks” separating the black side from the white side. But she was forward in her thinking for those times, and had a love for anything African. It’s probably because of her that I’m even writing this now. But anyway, I can picture her ordering me one of those hokey-looking Obama-glued-over-JFK gold coins off TV and being all in love with “that Oback Baraman.”
But that’s the thing, I’m not in love with Obama. I can’t share in the Obama-mania that a lot of my fellow-voters have. While I’m glad about what the election says about the American people, I simply don’t have faith in politicians and government. This same government, this same system, that stole two elections for George W. Bush – do you think it would let Barack Obama waltz right in if it weren’t getting something out of it?
After all, he is related to both Bush and Cheney. It’s a little distant, but apparently enough to get into office. That’s the rub. As historic as this may be, we’ve still got the same people in the White House. People cultivated from the same “elite” class. I know you and I won’t become president – we go to N.C. State. For some reason Harvard and Yale are prerequisites.
So forgive me if I’m still cynical, but I’m simply incapable of trusting politicians. They may say things that I agree with, even fire me up, but something in the back of my head always nags at me, “They’re all crooked.” I’m not asking you to become a distrustful bastard like me. Just take every politician with a few grains of salt. Who knows, a few may even pleasantly surprise me.
29 Jan
When asked about the Transition Program, many students at N.C State may respond by saying “What is that?” The Transition Program is for students who were not deemed competitive enough for their college by either not having a sufficient SAT score, and/or a low grade point average. According to Danereka Sinclair, freshmen currently in the Transition Program, “It is good for networking, developing study skills, and good work ethic.” The Transition Program is an extension of First Year College Program; however, it has special requirements. The Transition Program requires its students to attend a mandatory study hall, convocations, life coaching sessions, and an academic major’s fair. The study hall, also known as SASI (Supplemental Academic Support Initiative), requires the students to do up to eight hours per week of constructive studying. Even though that seems like a lot to do on top of classes, many students do not mind the commitment and effort that it takes to attend. According to freshman, Taylor MacBain in the program, “SASI is a great academic setting that allows you to stay focused on studying with little or no distractions.” SASI consists of a single proctor in each room that helps the environment stay suitable for studying.
The advisors of the Transition Program are Mr. George Morell and Ms. Julie Nelson (a new addition to the Transition Program). They are always there to help their advisees; if you have any problems just stop by or email them. The program director is Mrs. Frankye Artis. They all go out of their way to help their advisees to get on the right track. They even went to the extent of hiring the Transition Program a personal tutor, by the name of Mr. Paul Rencibia, who offers help in Math and Spanish. Ryan Moseley, a freshman in the Transition Program, stated, “I think that the Transition Program is a wonderful support system that encourages you to make good grades, meet new people, and develop study skills.”
I think the Transition Program should not be for a selected few, but for every First Year College student on N.C State’s campus. The strategies and requirements that are applied in the program will help them with getting ahead, and develop fundamental skills that will be beneficial in the real world. All the students that take ECD 101 and 102 during their freshman year will not only help be helped within their college life, but will also be able to find themselves. What I mean by “find themselves” is that it will help them to figure out their learning strategies, and shape their priorities. The required life coach sessions allow you to address personal problems and opinions about certain things that you feel strongly about. It is similar to a counseling session, and it will help you overcome problems or find a way to handle things in an orderly manner. It is normally a group session, but you can also request a single session if you want to be more personal. Although these services are provided all around college, the Transition Program brings it all together in one setting. That is what makes the Transition Program a big family; they do everything together and see the same people every day. This is the basis for networking and socializing with people that you can relate to.
The Transition Program admits all kinds of students but the majority of students that are admitted are African-American. According to the Transition Program 2003 Annual report, the Transition program admitted “67% minority students and 32% white students.” Every year I think that the numbers of African-American students that are being admitted in the Transition Program are going up. According to Mrs. Artis, the Project Director of the Transition Program, “in 2008 Transition Program has admitted 70% minority students.” I think this is a good thing because the Transition Program really helps you get ahead in college. “The Transition Program helps me academically and the tutoring offered is very beneficial to me” said Juana Hernandez a minority in the Transition Program.
The Transition Program and everything it stands for and requires, is very beneficial to minority groups, and it makes it easier to transition not only into college, but also the world. It is an attempt to prepare the perfect student.
29 Jan
With record numbers in the nation’s capitol, and an excited and hopeful United States looking on, President Barack Obama took the oath of office around midday, January 20, 2009. His inauguration signaled the beginning of a new presidential administration and the end of one of the longest and most hotly contested presidential races in American history.
While President Obama has signaled he shares the optimism for America’s future with many of his supporters, his recent speeches have shown his concern that some are expecting the inauguration to trigger some sort of miraculous, instant fix for all of America’s myriad of problems. Obama’s Presidential inauguration was an extremely important moment in American history, and was accompanied with the type of hype and excitement worthy of such an event. It is without a doubt one of the most important moments in the history of this country, and it is an encouraging landmark in America’s continued fight against racial oppression, and struggle to become a nation of freedom and equality for all.
However, throughout American history, major achievements do not mean the country’s work is done in any sense. In almost every instance, major events in American history have meant an opportunity for the nation to seize the moment and make positive change, not that the struggle was over or would even be over soon.
For example, an unfortunate result of the popularity of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is that too many people incorrectly think that after this speech was made, racial oppression disappeared from the American consciousness, segregation was instantly ceased, and the long struggle of African American’s was instantly over. King’s own actions after the speech, and even after his reception of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, show this appraisal of history to be incorrect.
After the speech, King still had to work, and work hard with then President, Lyndon B Johnson to push the Civil Rights Act through Congress. According to the Seattle Times’ website on King’s life, even after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, there were still marches that were violent, resulting in the brutalizing and intimidation of marchers in Selma, Alabama and Chicago, Illinois. Up until his death in 1968, King was still working tirelessly to advocate for voter registration, opposition to the Vietnam War, and anti poverty work.
Another example of a misperceived instant solution is Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. According to the National Archives and Records Administration, even after the proclamation was made, slavery was still legally persisting in the border states, and southern states under Union control. Also, Lincoln himself issued the order with the hopes that many of those freed slaves would help his struggling Union Army by enlisting and fighting their former masters in the South.
He got his wish, and many African-American served the Union during the civil war, including the 54th Massachusetts Regiment now made famous by the award winning movie Glory. About 180, 000 African-American served in the Civil War, with approximately a third of them paying the ultimate price and losing their lives during the war.
Even once the war was over, African-American still were not legally free in all states as the Proclamation did not apply to the border states. Slavery was not officially ended in the United States until the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment in December of 1965.
Last Tuesday was an amazing moment for America, and for African-Americans in particular. It signified how we have progressed as a country so far and so fast. But it does not mean that our troubles are now completely over, or that there is still not plenty of work for President Obama and the country, as a whole, to do to achieve our plethora of goals.
In every successful instance, Americans believed that major did not mean that the journey to justice was finished, but that it could be finished. Whether your concern is racial equality, economic opportunity, or foreign respect, it is not reasonable to believe that all our problems will be instantly fixed, but it is completely reasonable to believe that there is hope that one day they will be.
29 Jan
Ladies and gentlemen, she is back again. Ciara Princess Harris, or just plain Ciara, is gearing us up for her long awaited third album release entitled, “Fantasy Ride” a three disc album. She’s been called the “Princess of R & B,” amongst so many other titles, and makes you wonder what will be noted as her defining work. This album just might be it. In order to know where this album will take you, you have to know from where she has brought you.
Ciara is long, lean, and has dance moves that turn heads at a break neck speed. Looking at her from a distance, we all knew that she had the “Goodies,” but when she dropped her first album with the “Goodies” song and video, we all came to know Ciara as a talent that would stay around for quite a while. She confirmed it with the singles “1, 2 Step” and “Oh,” featuring Missy Elliot and Ludacris. Her beauty and fierceness were laid down, and she put everyone on notice to her greatness.
Her next album, “Ciara: The Evolution,” came out in 2006, just months after splitting from rapper boyfriend, Bow Wow. This album showed personal growth and much emotion and left you the impression that she had matured. Often artists will say they have grown, but few deliver that in their work but Ciara does. There was “Promise,” “Can’t Leave ‘Em Alone,” and the original “Like a Boy.” I look at this album as a turning point in the growing confidence of women overall. Ciara showed the multiple elements of a woman. The fierceness, beauty, pain, and strength all wrapped into one woman and one album.
“Fantasy Ride” is her third compilation. It was pushed back from its December release date to April of this year. Its format is similar to Beyonce, in that it is a multi disc release and like Beyonce’s alter ego, “Sasha Fierce,” Ciara will be putting “Super C” on display in her new work. It’s hard to believe that Ciara could be better than she has been but she will surely try her best. So far she has a new hit, “Go Girl,” with arguably the hottest voice around in T-Pain and “Never, Ever” on the way, featuring one of President Obama’s biggest fans, Young Jeezy. Furthermore, Ludacris and Missy Elliot both return to collaborate with her, along with The-Dream and Chris Brown. With the name of her discs being “Groove City,” “Crunktown,” and “Kingdom of Dance,” she definitely will be looking to bring some awesome dance vibes back to the forefront.
You’ll have plenty of time until its April release to get ready for “Fantasy Ride,” which is going to be Ciara’s hallmark, the best work at her peak, her “Purple Rain,” her “The Carter III,” if you will. Also, she is going to put a lot more heat on Beyonce and all other female artists to step up their game in the New Year. Ciara, welcome back to the game, you’ve been missed.
29 Jan
As America sworn in its 44th president, Barack Hussein Obama, one could not help but sit back and be fascinated by the coverage of his inauguration, especially on sports channels such as ESPN and ESPN2. So with a mind filled with child-like curiosity, I looked into what exactly the sports world did on Inauguration Day and how they felt about it.
Many pro athletes decided to stay home and watch this historic moment; one of them included Cleveland Cavaliers superstar player Lebron James. Known for his on the court moves and memorable commercials, many do not that James himself kept a close eye on this past election and actually contributed $20,000 to Obama’s campaign. Even though he could not attend the event because his team was playing on the West Coast, he did watch it from his hotel room. As he was watching the event unfold, King James himself said that this was not only bigger than himself but everyone. Boston Celtics Guard Ray Allen and the team owner Steve Pagliuca attended the inauguration before returning back to Miami to rejoin the team. Pagliuca, whose team was the first team in the NBA to draft a black player and hire a black coach, simply describe it as extraordinary, In a move that appeared that mirrored many teams in the NBA, coaches had postpone practices so that their players could watch the Inauguration on TV. A similar situation took in the NFL when Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin pushed back a news conference an hour just so it would not conflict with what was going on in Washington D.C. Tomlin, who has the chance of being the youngest and second Black coach to win a Super Bowl (Tony Dungy accomplished this feat in 2007 at Super Bowl 41), felt that what was going on at the news conference could not compare to what was going on in the nation’s capital. This same story played in the Major League Baseball, College Basketball, and many other sports; ESPN even had a segment dedicated to asking sport analysts and players alike how did they feel about the momentous event that was going on that day. One word seemed to described not only what the analysts and players had felt, but an overall feeling that had extended its might grip on the sports world: amazement.
January 20, 2009 should be remembered as a day that brought about a sense of change in this country but also a day that made the sports world stop and reflect. Perhaps the pro athletes who were watching this event could start campaigning that more minority coaches should be interviewed for coach and executive positions and hold and maintain these positions. Perhaps the NFL will use this moment to help push for progress in that more minorities can hold leadership positions in the league so that the Rooney Rule will no longer be needed. I could go on and on about how the sports world could use this day as motivation to improve their industry and the people in it, but I won’t. All I can hope for is that in the moment of reflection, the sports world started to think and believe that change is not limited to politics but to the world they live in as well. The day they realize this, ladies and gentleman that will truly be a better day for society as a whole.
29 Jan
We have all recently experienced the holiday season. Hopefully it was a time of great giving and sharing. Believe it or not, the principle of giving is actually essential to growing in the Christian life. However, it is not just about giving; it is also about how one gives. Some people give so the spotlight can be on them when they want it to be. It’s not about them; but rather, the holidays are about helping others without expecting anything in return. That means unselfishly giving time and effort to support a good cause. Personally, my main focus is on pleasing the Almighty God that I serve.
In the Book of Acts 20:35 it says, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.” However, everyone may not understand this concept. They may not understand this important principle.
“Support the weak” (Acts 20:35). This is about lending a helping hand to someone who may need some assistance in whatever they are trying to accomplish. Then, when the time comes when you need some help doing something, people will not mind helping you, because you helped them. If they are weak in some areas of their lives, give them words of encouragement to make their day a little brighter. Don’t bash them and tell them that it’s all their fault that they are weak. No, instead, inspire them through positive words that will help them see that it’s not the end of the world just because they are “weak” in some areas. Help them see that a brighter day is coming, and that they can see it if they won’t give up.
When you receive something, you may not always know what the other person had to do to give that thing to you. Therefore, the full desired amount of appreciation for the gift is not always comprehended. That is why we should be grateful and give thanks when people do things for us and be as appreciative as possible. On the flip side though, when you are the one giving and helping someone else to meet his or her needs, be careful that you do not give for the wrong reasons. Do not give just so you can say that the person owes you, but rather, give so that love and peace will spread through your good deeds.
Giving does not always have to be in the form of material possessions. It could be the form of sharing your knowledge to help people solve difficult situations, or even giving out a prayer for someone you know or don’t know. We can try to give like God gives to us, but it is never the same. The reason is that man can never equal God in giving. You can give all you have, but God will always be able to give much more. He never runs out of His blessings to give.
Selfishness is the one thing that prevents us from really being able to give the way we ought to. We have a tendency to focus only on what we want to do. Instead, have integrity and a humbleness about you that will help define how your giving should be. When you have integrity, your giving will be from the heart. You will not give just so you can satisfy your own motives. Your intentions for giving and helping others will be pure. When you are humble, you are not high-minded and think that you don’t have to do anything for anyone. Understand that someone did something for us and made some sacrifices so we could be where we are now. So we should be thankful for that and have the mind to give back.
Sometimes, just trying to gain the mindset to give to someone we do not particularly like can cause stress or other issues. However, if you look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-5, you’ll see that “charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.” You learn to love even the ones we call our “enemies.” For example, showing compassion for people whom we might not particularly care for can help you in leading them to Christ. They’ll see the compassion you have for them and will see how God is blessing you for your giving.
From the way in which we give, which I hope is the way God gives, unselfishly and with a cheerful heart, people will also learn to give the same way. Even if you give something you consider to be little, that “little” thing you give could make a big impact on someone’s life like you never imagined. God bless.
29 Jan
Chemically treated hair, which can lead to breakage and other forms of damage, is one of the reasons why women are embracing their natural textures. Some are chopping it off, while others are hesitating with the decision to go natural. With the fear of short hair, some are slowly trimming off the relaxed hair little by little. Scalp burns and balding edges are some of the other reasons why the numbers of clients who chemically relax their hair are slowly decreasing.
Natural African-American hair is inherently dry and moisture is hard to maintain, often leading to breakage and un-retained growth. Chemically relaxing hair for several people seems the best option because they feel that it requires low maintenance, although others could argue that natural hair itself requires low maintenance. Some women feel confined by the limited styles of braids, twists or free formed afros. Some are scared of heat pressing for fear it may damage their hair’s natural curl, leading to noticeable straight strands. Different natural hair textures are stigmatized as being “nappy,” hard to grow and ugly, causing many women to return to the chemical alteration of their curls.
Relaxed hair does not have to be damaging as long as one knows how to properly care for it. Breakage and split ends are signs of an unbalance between protein and moisture. Chemical relaxers break down the hair protein structure so it is very important that one must use protein at least once a month. A few highly recommended products are Aphogee two-step protein treatment or Aphogee keratin two-minute reconstructor, which will help to maintain the hair’s structure while replacing protein that is lost during the chemical process.
Moisture is a key issue. For some women, shedding or breakage signals that it is time for a touch up. It actually means that your hair is being dehydrated. Trying to preserve freshly straightened hair without frequent washing, deep conditioning, or moisturizing it (grease and oils do not moisturize) causes your hair to shed and break off. Avlon’s licensed cosmetologists from avlon.com say that breakage and shedding is the result of heat damage and chemical over processing. Stretching your new growth longer than two weeks is good for maintaining healthy thickness rather than risking thin and limp hair due to overlapping relaxers. Stretching is doable as long as one does not over manipulate one’s hair, and if protective styles such as braid outs, roller-sets, etc. are used.
Natural hair does not have to be damaged or hard to maintain. Using tiny combs lead to breakage. The jilbre shower comb or the denman brush are highly recommended for detangling, especially while in the shower with the use of conditioner helping to prevent breakage. Naturals do not require protein as relaxed do, only if one straightens her hair a lot.
Natural hair does not have to be monotonous. Wash ‘n go’s, braid-outs, roller-sets, and the use of hair accessories can accentuate any style.
Being natural is the “best of both worlds.” Straightening while natural produces locks that are bouncy, thick and healthy. There are many ways for natural hair to loosen its texture.
DiDill, editor for ehow.com presents an article on homemade hair relaxers using a can of coconut milk and lime. These ingredients will gradually produce noticeable loosing effects on the hair.
A roller-set and saran wrap technique can have the appearance of relaxed hair. If you would like to view this technique in action, visit the YouTube website and search for “gimmy0365 saran-wrap.” The woman featured in the tutorial is the author of healthytextures.com, a website promoting healthy relaxed hair.
Tex-laxing the hair, the process of leaving a relaxer on for a short amount of time can be useful for naturals who find their hair to be too thick and tightly coiled, but still wanting the appearance of natural hair.
Whether you choose to maintain your current relaxed or natural hairstyle, or cross over to the other side, know that each way can be healthy as long as you follow healthy hair practices. Remember, your hair is your crowning glory and deserves to be healthy. Here’s one last tip: If you’re tired of spending money on relaxers, natural hair may be cheaper for your pockets!
