It’s 2018, and you might think that headlines such as these would be uncommon. Florida Middle School Teacher Hosts White Nationalist Podcast Report Finds US Civil Rights Gains Stalled or Reversed Police Officer Fired for Stomping Handcuffed Man Is Reinstated Terror on Doorsteps: Blasts Unnerve Austin African-American Historic Site on Nantucket Defaced by Racist […]
Lift Every Voice (or Towards a Spirituality of Hope) Read More »
Fear moves in mystifying ways. Although we hardly ever call it by name, it is deeply insinuated in our stories of reality. One such story is captured in Mississippi Burning, a movie about the FBI investigation of the murder of civil rights activists. The scene I have in mind starts with a conversation between two
Awakening from the Trance of Fear (or Toward a Spirituality of Hope for 2018) Read More »
Part of the legacy of growing up in a scripture-rich environment is that I sometimes find myself totally captivated by a vivid image. As I was reflecting on the past year, it was this image that came to mind: “By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down, and we wept when we remembered
By the Waters of Babylon (or Toward a Spirituality of Hope) Read More »
Yes, It Does Take a Village It happens whenever small groups of justice-conscious people find themselves in casual spaces discussing serious social problems. As the conversation nears closure, someone will invariably say, “It takes a village”. We have all heard it and possibly said ourselves that it takes a village to raise a child.
Yes, It Does Takes a Village Read More »
All the ruckus about monuments this past year got me thinking. Having spent my formative years in the American South, I remembered that these massive concrete structures, icons of the Confederacy, were simply part of the landscape. No one paid too much attention to them. It was only as an adult that I decided
Speaking of Monuments . . . Read More »
Word has it that Jefferson Beauregard Sessions is mighty sensitive about his name. Because of his eponymous connection with two storied Confederate generals, he worries that people will caricature him as racist. He has a point. His name is suggestive of a certain legacy. His actions, however, say more about his character than his name
Who Can Be White in Jefferson Beauregard’s World? Read More »
There are times when I feel as if we’re lurching from one hate-spawned atrocity to another. The heart-rending violence in Charlottesville took the life of Heather Heyer, left 19 others with physical injuries, and inflicted soul wounds on countless others. We are long past the point where hand wringing and well-intentioned platitudes about loving each
Charlotesville and the Anatomy of Terror Read More »
Just a few weeks ago, we were all pulled into yet another heartbreaking headline about the senseless death of an Australian woman, killed by a person who had been sworn to serve and protect her. It has been almost 20 years since unarmed Amadou Diallo was shot 41 times by police. Since that time, but
After Justine, What’s Next? Read More »
Anyone who drives in urban traffic can probably understand why the morning commute to my Cambridge office is not my favorite way to start the day. Rituals help: I’ve found that a little retro R&B music and a quick stop in Starbucks can temper my irritation with those “other” drivers – all of whom I
The Truth About Empathy: It’s More Than A Feeling Read More »
If there is one notion that’s likely to receive nearly unanimous validation in contemporary culture, it’s that self-esteem is a good thing. While there may not be agreement on what is it or how to do it, its elevated placement in Maslow’s hierarchy has led to the notion that it is something we should all
Re-thinking Self-Esteem (Article) Read More »
