Opening Pandora’s Box: Larry Elder the Fight for Reparations

By D’Weston Haywood, Ph.D., Columnist

Larry Elder, the conservative author, radio show host, and gubernatorial candidate in California’s recent recall election, made statements recently that were certain to attract publicity to his campaign. Elder, who bills himself, the “Sage From South Central,” appeared on the right-wing Candace Owens Show, hosted by Candace Owens. The meeting marked a novel moment, perhaps, as the two represent the new cadre of modern black conservatives, who wield wide social media influence and have now emerged from or been reinvigorated by Trumpism. And it was on her show that Owens happily provided Elder the space to wax poetic, hammering a point that may have opened a proverbial Pandora’s Box.

Elder asked, “When people talk about reparations, do they really want to have that conversation?” “Like it or not,” he continued, “slavery was legal. Slave owners’ legal property was taken away from them after the Civil War, so you could make an argument that the people who are owed reparations are not only black people but also the people whose ‘property’ was taken away.” Elder was even armed with a superficial citation to justify the argument, referencing Britain’s Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 that compensated British slave owners after its abolition. Yet, in his determination to reduce the owning of people to a simple equation of property rights, the “Sage” unwittingly blundered.

For heuristic purposes, let’s entertain Elder’s proposition. The offer would necessarily demand a public accounting of who owned enslaved peoples, how many they owned when they owned them, whether they were sold off at any point, and if so, when and where they were sold. An appraisal of the sums of wealth they generated would also have to be documented, an effort that would show the immense monetary value of the enslaved, points that the slaveocracy and Confederacy often downplayed. And the descendants of slaveowners would, of course, have to come forward to prove their authenticity in order to obtain the reparations. This public admission would root out and expose so many people’s longstanding denial of any involvement in the reprehensible institution. The meticulous and voluminous record-keeping this would likely entail might not only aid black people who are working to trace their family histories, but also open up avenues for descendants of slaves to bring legal cases against the newly financially empowered descendants of slaveowners. One of the leading scholars on reparations, economist William Darity, co-author of From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the 21st Century, estimates that the cost of reparations for Black people could amass $10-$12 trillion.

Ownership and property rights are mainstays of Republican and Libertarian thought, to be sure, but touting political ideology was not this Republican candidate’s point—rejecting and ridiculing the logic of black people’s legitimate claims on the state was—a classic page from the playbook of anti-blackness. Indeed, one of the arguments commonly raised against advocates of black reparations revolves around the question of who will pay and how. But Elder has provided at least one answer. ❏ ❏ ❏

ST. JOHN AME CHURCH, OMAHA, CELEBRATES FATHER’S DAY

By Brenda “BJ” Watkins, 5th Episcopal District

Father’s Day is a holiday honoring fatherhood and paternal bonds and the influence of fathers in society. It is recognized as a public holiday in Lithuania. Arkansas-born Sonora Smart Dodd founded Father’s Day in the United States in 1909. Her father, William Jackson Smart Dodd, was a widowed American Civil War veteran. She and her father moved to Spokane, Washington, when she was 11. Dodd came up with the idea after attending a Mother’s Day Program at Central Methodist Episcopal Church. However, in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge urged the states to observe Father’s Day, and during his tenure, President Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed every 3rd Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Finally, in 1972, President Richard Nixon made it an official legal day in the United States.

Newspapers were not explicitly shy or skillfully camouflaging their desire to exploit the new holiday; they wanted to make money. One full-page told the story of a Spokane woman’s mission to give sons and daughters an opportunity to express their affections for their dads. So in big, bold typed letters, the headline read, “Give Dad a Tie.” Ms. Dodd lived to see the fruition of her works. She died on March 22, 1978, at the age of 96.

So, here we are 112 years later, still celebrating those we salute and proudly call our dad, our adopted dad or foster dad, the brother, the uncle, the cousin, the youth community leader, and yes, even the pastor who steps into the shoes of a father to fulfill an important role in a young child’s life. At the Historic St. John’s AME Church, Omaha, Nebraska, pastored by the Rev. Keith D. Cornelius, we continued this celebration and the tradition by showing love to our fathers on June 19, 2021. We honored them through song, prayer, tambourines, and high spirits. Johnny Bluette, St. John’s own YPDer, former Missionary Youth director, a teacher in the Omaha public district for over 20 years, and who recently earned his Ph.D. in Education (May 2021), started the service with a rousing tribute to the living fathers and those who earned their wings. Our special guest speaker was Emeritus Professor Dr. Carol Taylor Mitchell, the twin sister of the late 126th elected Bishop Sarah Francis Taylor Davis and the consecrated presiding prelate of the 16th Episcopal District in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Marvin Clyde Zanders II. Cld d

Dr. Mitchell has been involved in the field of education, secular and Christian, for 53 years and she has taught and spoken locally, nationally, and internationally, including Jamaican Missionaries. She served with her sister in the 16th Episcopal District by conducting science and math workshops for teachers and students in Lesotho and Swaziland. In addition, she has written over 20 books. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Dr. Mitchell hails from Port Arthur, Texas, and earned her undergraduate degree from North Texas State University, her Masters from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and her dh Doctorate from the University of Nebraska of Lincoln. She taught chemistry and other sciences in the Omaha public district for 15 years. She later taught for 22 years at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the College of Education, earning 21 awards, including The Legacy Award Empowerment Network from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

The theme for our Father’s Day celebration was “Leading by Example.” Dr. Mitchell tagged it as “Black Father’s Matter.” The scripture was Proverbs 4:11-12, and Deuteronomy 6:9-10. She definitely honored our fathers in grace and trust. ❏ ❏ ❏

THOU SHALL NOT BE A THUG, PART 2

By Rev. Joseph Parker, 8th Episcopal District

The word of God in the heart of a young person can save him or her and mold and shape his or her character. That same word of God can give that youth grace and wisdom that can bless him or her for the rest of his or her life.

Another recent tragic incident took place amongst three middle school-aged girls. The three girls left home, and while they were away from home, two of them attempted to murder the third young girl.

One has to ask, “How in the world do young girls in middle school obtain the mind and thinking to want to kill someone that they indicated was their friend?” How does this happen?

A major way this happens is that too often our society is filling the minds of our young people with toxic darkness from movies, the internet, and TV. As a result, they are literally being “discipled in darkness.”

So, the question is, “What are we planting or allowing to be planted in the minds and hearts of our youth?” Are their minds filled with darkness that flows by the gallon from the internet, so many present-day TV and movies, and other dark input, or is the powerful word of God being planted into their hearts and minds?

In the first chapter of James, we are told in verse 21: “Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls.” The word of God can save us, mold us, shape us, guide us, and do so much more. There is nothing that our youth need more in their lives than the precious and powerful word of God.

Exodus 20:2-3 says, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.” Psalm 119:105 tells us, “[God’s] word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Every child in the world is created and designed by God to work and function in life, most fruitfully, as a student of the word of God. Each child is made to live a life and lifestyle of reading, meditating on, and engaging the word of God.

Nothing will bless, guide, mold, and shape a child more productively than the word of God when it fills in the heart and mind of a child. We, the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, are called to disciple our youth and to teach and train them to read and study the blessed word of God.

The Ten Commandments Project is one way to boldly and aggressively pursue discipling our youth. As followers of Christ, we are wise to use a tool like this or others we may develop for the same purpose. Find out more about the Ten Commandments Project at http://www.afa.net/the-stand/family/2021/06/the-tencommandments-project-boldly-discipling-our-youth/.

So, when it comes to really doing the work of discipling our youth, let’s take this work very seriously. Let’s faithfully be about our Father’s business in this crucial area of the kingdom of God.

The Rev. Joseph Parker is the pastor of Bethlehem AME Church in Winona, Mississippi. MEASURE TWICE. CUT ONCE.

By Antjuan Seawright

The 24-hour news cycle can not only be exhausting, it can be used as a weapon of mass political distraction and destruction. Just look at the “HBCU Cuts” nonsense which has dominated so much of this past week’s public debate.

A few days ago, several articles were published reporting that the Biden administration had cut HBCU funding. According to Politifact, claims stemmed from an original social media post whose headline read, “Biden Breaks Promise, Cuts $30B to Black Colleges & Universities.”

Of course, that claim was absolutely and provably false. But that didn’t stop the original post from sparking copycat social media posts and eventually finding its way into some traditional media accounts.

Unfortunately, when it comes to politics, it’s much easier to be upset than informed. So, both sadly and predictably, those articles and the original claims were shared, reposted, discussed, and every single other thing you do with an article.

So we were bombarded by articles claiming that “Biden’s New Spending Plan Cuts HBCU Funding by $43 Billion” or “Funding for HBCUs Cut Significantly In Biden’s Spending Plan” or “Black Colleges Left Behind by Biden Budget Reconciliation Bill,” creating clamour across the political ecosystem.

There was just one problem. It just wasn’t true. Neither President Biden nor the Biden administration ever suggested cutting HBCU funding. No one had.

The truth is that President Biden understands that HBCUs are the fertilizer we need for our American soil. That’s why he has increased HBCU funding dramatically.

The facts are clear:

The American Rescue Plan provided over $4 billion in relief funding to HBCUs, including providing roughly $1.6 billion in debt relief to 45 HBCUs earlier this year.

The Department of Education awarded a total of $1 billion to build the capacity of institutions that serve large numbers of students of color and low-income students in FY21. $500 million of this funding went directly to HBCUs.

President Biden’s FY 22 budget requests a total of $887 million for HBCU-specific funding in Higher Education Act (HEA) Title III funds (tripling mandatory Title III funding at the Department of Education). Under the FY22 budget request and the Build Back Better plan, President Biden has proposed $60 million to support teacher preparation programs at HBCUs and minority-serving institutions (MSIs). The president’s Build Back Better plan directs $2 billion toward building a pipeline of skilled health care workers with graduate degrees from HBCUs, TCUs, and MSIs. In addition, the Build Back Better plan provides tuition subsidies to students who attend HBCUs with a family income below $125,000 and includes $5 billion in new funding for HEA Title III and Title V which can be used by HBCUs, tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), and MSIs to strengthen their academic, administrative, and fiscal capabilities. These programs alone represent more than $14.5 billion in new HBCU funding. I’ll say that again: more than $14.5 billion in new funding. So where are the cuts? Look, we know that a lie can make it halfway around the world before the truth has time to put its pants on. However, we know better because, borrowing words from my political father Whip Clyburn, “We know Joe Biden and, more importantly, he knows us.” He also knows and understands that, when it comes to his commitment to the voting blocs that propelled him to the nomination and then to the presidency, there are no illusions. Sure, we could talk about all the remarkable things this administration has done for black voters in just eight months on the job. We could pontificate on his executive orders to promote racial equity and strengthen fair housing. We could map out how raising the Child Tax Credit reduces the plague of poverty destroying black neighborhoods and cuts child poverty in half, count all the times he’s fought to expand voting rights and detail how the remarkable diversity of his administration is breathing fresh air into many of our communities. However, all of those accomplishments would take weeks to unpack. Instead, we could remember the old southern carpenter’s rule: “Measure twice. Cut once.” So, instead of rushing to share sensational headlines that promote half truths and absolute falsehoods, let’s get all the facts. Let’s take President Biden’s full measure and, after we take a good look at all the good he’s done, let’s work together to do even more. ❏ ❏ ❏

WILL CHURCH LOOK THE SAME?

By Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Ph.D., Columnist

As we prepare to re-enter our church buildings post-COVID-19, the question which continues to capture our mental space and our theological thought is how will church look? Will we have any semblance of the past experiences we had before the global pandemic? Will we recognize the former church and her emphasis on worship, witness, and ministry? Someone said, “We will not go back to church; we will re-enter the church building.” I strongly agree. Going back presents a theological concern for me. Going back to church means we do some of the same things we did that did not help our ministry or help kingdom building. Going back means we return to the same types of meetings and the same issues that keep us from growing to be the kingdom place God intends for us to be—in community.

God demonstrated this intention in Genesis 12:7 when “the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspring, I will give this land.’ So, Abram built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” God has called us to more than a building. God has called us to possess the land. God has called us to make a difference in our communities, not just in our buildings. As a pastor, I was always taught to walk the community. Everywhere I have served in our Zion, I make sure I walk the community. Why did I walk? I could have easily driven around the community, but I walked. I walked because I wanted to feel the space and pulse of the place that God had given me. I walked because I wanted the community to know that I represent God and God’s kingdom work. I walked because I also belong to this community. I am not a fly-by-night person; I am a community theologian.

First, when we re-enter, we will have to build a community again. The community we left over a year ago has changed—some persons living near Bethel AME Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have moved due to the pandemic, some have lost jobs, some have lost loved ones. The community will look different. Our ministry must re-imagine itself to build community again. We must be an example of community for the community. The love we have for each other must extend beyond ourselves. The food giveaways, health fairs, community forums must continue upon our re-entry. We must possess the land.

Second, our worship must be focused and intentional. Medical personnel believe the worship and gathering of people should be around one hour. Timing, among other aspects of pre-COVID-19 church life, will be a new paradigm for many of us. As a liturgist and pastor, I enjoy the challenges we face. This new way of doing church allows us to be creative and innovative. During this pandemic, we all have learned to adjust, and we must continue to adjust to new modes of worship and witness.

Last, this is a wonderful opportunity to get tech-savvy young people involved. I informed my students at Louisiana State University that I was born during the rotary phone era, but now I live in the cell phone era. I had to learn as I went. I have learned to operate Zoom, Google meetings, iPhone conferences, and other platforms. I have asked my younger members to assist me in this process. I am a master swimmer. In fact, I am a senior Olympian, but I am like a fish out of water regarding technology, but I continue to dive in deep water to learn.

In Jacksonville, Florida, I learned to swim at a segregated swimming pool. In order to pass the swimming requirements, I needed to jump off the diving board in deep water. As we re-enter our buildings, we all must jump into deep water. We must learn to swim in these turbulent waters of postCOVID-19. We must learn the skills I learned at the segregated pool in Jacksonville. I learned how to float and kick and survive in deep water, and later I learned how to be a competitive swimmer. We must learn how to compete for kingdom building, and we must learn how not only to swim but also to “put out into deep water, and let down the nets” (Luke 5:4) to save ourselves and our communities.

Dr. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. is the pastor of Bethel AME Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is an adjunct professor in the African and African American Studies Department in the graduate department of The College of Human Sciences and Education of Louisiana State University.

KEEP GOING

By Rev. Barry Settle, Contributing Writer

“My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). Frank Shorter is a former long-distance runner who won the gold medal for the United States in the 1972 Summer Olympics and the silver medal in the 1976 Summer Olympics in the marathon. Mr. Shorter, in an interview, said, “experience has taught me how important it is to just keep going, focusing on running, fast, and relaxed. Eventually, the pain passes, and the flow returns. It’s a part of racing.”

I am not sure if you have ever participated in long-distance running or sports that include running, but during running, there is a part of the journey when you experience pain. The type of pain that will make you want to stop running, take a break, and sometimes even quit. It is during these painful periods of running that Shorter testifies to the importance of a “keep going” mentality. During pain, Shorter expresses that his experience has taught him just to keep going and focus on the running because eventually, the pain passes, and the flow returns. It’s part of racing.

Pausing here, to bring it to us personally, are you in this space of pain? We have been in a season of painful trials. It has been challenging getting through this period of history as a church and in our personal lives. Things have been extremely exasperating for us all, and I am reminded that all that we have gone through is okay. It is a part of running this faith journey, but if we keep going and focus on running, the pain will cease, and our flow will return. We shift our focus from the pain to the journey because the pain passes. You must keep going, and whatever you do, do not stop running. God did not bring you this far, just to get you this far. What God has in store is far beyond what you can imagine, and your pain now is just developing in you and preparing for you, all that God has for you.

Today is not the end of the race, as you have at least one more day – today. So, keep going.

James writes this letter to Jewish Christians, who have been scattered by persecution, to encourage them to endure the trials ahead with fortitude and to keep going. The text highlighted teaches a few suggestions on how to be successful in this “keep going” mentality.

Embrace it. In order to keep going, we must enthusiastically accept the trial and pain at hand. James says to “consider it nothing but joy.” We are encouraged to embrace the trial not for what it is but for what God will accomplish through the pain associated with the trial. Not only should we expect that pain is associated with the faith journey, but because we expect the pain, we embrace it when it occurs. Understand what is happening. As we continue with the “keep going” mentality, we must understand what God is doing; not the details, but the overall goal. God is testing our faith. Faith means nothing unless it confronts trouble, and it is in this space that God strengthens our faith. Recognize that faith is similar to a muscle, that if we don’t use the muscle, the muscle weakens. So, God lovingly puts seasons of trials in our life in order for us to exercise our “faith muscles,” thus strengthening our faith. Understand that is what God is doing, strengthening our faith. Let it finish its work. The final suggestion for the “keep going” mentality is to keep going as God finishes God’s work. Verse 4 tells us that to let endurance have its full effect, let it finish. Experience should remind us that God finishes what God starts. “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Keep going! ❏ ❏ ❏