With new decade of 2010, move forward toward new goals and commitments
By Rev. Nick Clayton
USAfrica: The News & Opinion Leader for Africans and Americans.
Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. USAfricaonline.com, CLASSmagazine, The Black Business Journal
The Book of Joshua, Chapter 1 talks about how God spoke to Joshua after the death of Moses. It further talks about how God emphasized to Joshua that Moses was dead, the 40 years of wondering around in the wilderness was over, and that the
God was emphasizing to Joshua that this was a new beginning. Joshua was now the new leader and servant of God who would lead Israel across the Jordan into the promised land.
God gave Joshua a set of brand new marching orders. God was not trying to create a new Moses with Joshua, He had looked at Joshua and had chosen him because of Joshua’s obedience, and because Joshua was filled with faith in God. Joshua had surmounting faith in God and was willing to accept any task from God.
Do you have that kind of faith in God? Not only did God favor Joshua for his faith; God favored many throughout the bible, for their faith. A few examples would be, King Solomon, King David, The Virgin Mary, Joseph her espoused and many others. Most importantly, God wants to favor you, for your faith. Remember, three of the greatest gifts that we can give to God is to Trust him, praise Him and to give thanks to him.
As we plow into this brand new year and decade, lets remember, as God reminded Joshua, this is a brand new set of marching orders. We are not continuing 2009 into 2010. Instead, 2009 is gone and 2010 is a brand new beginning.
Like Joshua’s brand new task was to take the children of Israel, cross the Jordan then conquer the new lands which God had given to them. Our brand new task is to leap into this brand new year (decade) with gusto. Further, to place God before everything that we do. Calling on Him in prayer and then trusting Him to answer our prayers, in His time.
2010 is a brand new occasion for us to recommit our lives to God and to worship Him with humility, truth and gladness. If you are a member of a good bible-based church, get deeper involved. If you are not a member of a good Bible-based church, find one.
Remember, keep God first !! God bless you.
•Clayton, a financial services specialist, is an ordained priest. He has been vice president of USAfrica multimedia networks, since 1995. He will speak at the 2010 annual USAfrica Prayer breakfast on the last Saturday of January (30th, 2010) in southwest Houston.
———–
On Harry Reid’s Obama comment, African-Americans and Whites-Caucasians should lighten up.
By Helen L. Burleson, Doctor of Public Administration
USAfrica: The News & Opinion Leader for Africans and Americans.
Special to USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. USAfricaonline.com, CLASSmagazine, The Black Business Journal and Nigeria360@yahoogroups e-group
So Harry Reid spoke aloud what is a prevailing view and practice in America. Looking historically back to slavery, the offspring of the master were given the easier work of being the mistress’ house servant. In other words they were referred to as “house slaves” as opposed to “field slaves.” Because they worked inside the home and served the wealthy visiting guests, they learned English, though sometimes it was merely pigeon English. This ability elevated them above the field slaves, thus establishing a hierarchy.
The house slaves because of their lighter skin were often sought after by white “aristocracy” and in New Orleans there were balls given where match making was made between the “mulatoos” and the wealthy gentlemen. Paternity was not acknowledged; and despite the mistress seeing the similarity between her children and the children of the house slaves, she kept her mouth shut.
Remember women had no rights and were subject to the frailties of their husbands. Because they were well cared for and often did not have to lose their figures because the black house maid, often referred to as mammy, was also the wet nurse for the mistress’s babies. The black house maid often nursed the white baby before she nursed her own. Both women felt a certain sense of privilege, the white mistress because she had no labor to tend to and the black house maid because she was spared working in the sweltering sun. This was a cozy arrangement that “benefited” all: the white master who had his sexual fantasies and desires satisfied by his black house maid, the white mistress whose only stress was seeing that she was sharing her husband, and the black house maid who was able to eat and feed her offspring from the master’s leftovers and to learn some “affected” social graces.
As recently as the ‘50’s, the government continued to perpetrate this practice. A very fair-skinned friend of mine was hired by the government to “integrate” a government office where she was considered to be “white.” After tiring of hiring all the disparaging remarks made about black people, she revealed her ethnicity; and was immediately shunned by the same coworkers who embraced her when they thought she was white. After a “respectable” period of time, blacks were hired with a little more color in their skin. It progressed until the dark-skinned blacks were finally hired.
In Chicago, a fair-skinned black woman was hired by Spiegel Company as the human resource manager. My fair-skinned cousin and I both went to seek employment. My cousin was hired and I was not. I am very obviously brown. I was an honor student. My cousin was a marginal student who called me every night to get help with her homework. Obviously brains were not the hiring criteria, color was.
When I went to teach in Washington, D C in 1956, every teacher over 40 years old was very fair-skinned.
The Village where I live has a black mayor of mixed race who was openly embraced by the community because he looks more like them than he does like us.
This is old news for most people of African descent. Also we are aware of the fact that because of the privileges accorded fair-skinned people; they, the fair-skin people tried to keep their “blood pure” by marrying people who were also fair-skinned. This foolish practice went to the extreme in some families where at funerals and social gatherings the dark-skinned members were seated on one side of the room and the fair-skinned ones on the other side.
This is America’s shame. Not only do we have continued racism in this country, class distinction and separation; but, we also have people of African descent who feel privileged because their skin is not dark. This ignorance is what has been the bane of America for centuries. Many brilliant people who could have caused America to advance faster and further were denied the opportunity to make a contribution because of their color.
No one should be offended by Senator Harry Reid’s remarks; I am not because I know American history. Many white Americans are embarrassed because it has brought out of the closet what has historically been a prevailing practice in America ever since the Emancipation Proclamation. Despite all of the Acts enacted to assure equality, American society is still divided and unequal. Electing a Black president will not bring an end to a deep seeded, deep rooted problem in the American psyche.
What we need in America is a Secretary of Psychiatry to help us rid ourselves of old prejudices, to help us value people by their talents and abilities to advance our society and to heal and resolve the internal conflict pervasive throughout this country. America is still racist and sick. When we are healed, there is no stopping us. For now, we are in grave danger of being surpassed by China. I would include India, but India has a caste system that also needs to be eradicated.
What we all need is to be working toward a world where all the world’s people are respected and accepted and can live in peace.
