Erik Fleming's Weblog

Radical Idea #2: Simplifying Federal Income Tax Rates

2012-01-25T22:10:00.003-06:00

In light of the current debate about tax reform, I believe the first step in that reform is changing the way we assess our citizens' income taxes on their hard-earned wages. The balance is to not punish those in society who have been successful in this capitalistic system while not shifting the burden of tax payments on the working class. In other words, fairness.

Currently, there is a push to tax the wealthiest Americans, that is those who make more than $1 million a year in adjusted gross income, at a rate of 30 percent. While in this battle between the haves and the have-nots, that seems fair and appeals to our populist nature, it does give the impression that our government, who has historically benefited from the successes of the captains of industry, now want to put a damper on those financial achievements.

In Mississippi, we tax our citizens' income in this manner: The first $5000 is assessed at 3 percent, the second $5000 at 4 percent and the remainder at 5 percent. That means basically every worker in Mississippi is paying taxes in all three tax brackets. It is lower than the current Federal rate and could be replicated at the Federal level, but it would be a significant decrease in revenue to operate the national government.

Here is my radical idea, based on the 2010 national adjusted gross income for the United States, which was around $8.3 trillion: I believe that there should only be three tax brackets, and corresponding rates, for generating tax revenue. The first bracket should consist of all incomes below $50,000 and should be taxed at a rate of 7 percent; the second bracket should consist of all incomes between $50,000 and $99,999.99 and should be taxed at a rate of 12 percent; and the third bracket should consist of incomes from $100,000 and over and should be taxed at a rate of 15 percent.

Based on that $8.3 trillion gross income figure, this bracket system will generate over $1.032 trillion in income tax revenues. That would be a reduction of $131 billion in tax revenue collections compared to last year, but if my previous idea is enacted dealing with reforming Medicaid, the Medicaid savings would be greater than the loss of revenue in the new tax plan.

For those who think this would be a regressive tax on those with lower incomes, let me make this argument: the average median income in the United States is around $45,000 or $3750 a month; in the present tax structure, the monthly Federal income tax withholding on $3750 a month is around $405. If my idea is adopted, the monthly withholding would decrease to around $263, a savings of $142. I know I could use an additional $142 a month in my pocket, and so would every American taxpayer.

Ever since the 16th Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified in 1913 (Mississippi was the 5th State to ratify the amendment in March of 1910), fairness in taxation has been an issue. This is my radical idea to address that age-old concern. As always in the legislative process, there is still more work to do in dealing with restructuring the tax code to address standard deductions and so forth, but I contend that in order to have those discussions, this issue has to have consensus first.

For too long we, in America, have treated fairness like beauty, it is truly in the eyes of the beholder. To me, fairness should never be subjective, it should be a universal standard, and I think this idea leads us toward that goal.

Radical Idea #1: Changing Medicaid

2012-01-23T19:01:00.000-06:00

Having been a candidate for the United States Senate, my thought process has been focused more at a national level than a local one for quite some time. Although I totally base my national thought process on how it would improve the lives of the people in my adopted home state of Mississippi, it is a national thought process nonetheless.

Upon expressing that, I also believe that the country that I live in has gotten into a rut concerning radical political policy. We have truly become a country of political cowards, deeming every man-made policy as a sacred institution, that whenever some think about changing the way we do things, those individuals are treated as heretics or blasphemers.

Well, since I am not a candidate on any ballot in the year 2012, I have nothing to lose by expressing my thoughts about radical changes that need to be made to make my country great again. My reputation in the Mississippi Legislature was to introduce legislation to provoke thoughtful discussion and hopefully change policy for the betterment of the people I served. It is in that sense of self-made tradition that I offer this suggestion.

Medicaid was instituted in 1965 to provide medical aid to a limited number of low-income Americans receiving government financial assistance. In 2010, the cost to the Federal Government to operate this noble endeavor was $275 billion. With increasing medical costs, this program could basically take up half of the Federal budget over the next ten generations. That thought alone makes the current way we deliver Medicaid cost prohibitive in the long term.

I say let's do something radically different with the way we allocate Medicaid dollars. Instead of Medicaid being essentially a medical insurance policy for impoverished Americans, let it become a grant program for those same Americans to get quality, private health insurance. If the recent health care reform law survives the Supreme Court's constitutional review, it will be a requirement for every American to have health insurance by 2014. Why not make Medicaid the delivery system to make that happen?

For what we are paying now for some 45 million Americans to have complete annual health care access, we can pay a $183 monthly premium for every American for five months. Thus if we applied that same monthly premium payment for those same 45 million Americans for a year, it would only be $99 billion, a savings of almost $175 billion. The $183 monthly premium number is the average Americans paid for individual health insurance in 2011. The average deductible was around $2500.

Now the critics will say that insurance companies will not want to insure these individuals because of the propensity for increased payouts. My argument is that health insurance will always have a greater propensity for payouts compared to life, auto or property insurance regardless of the clientele because of the nature of the insurance. Everybody wants to be healthy, therefore they will do what is necessary to be that way, which means going to the doctor when they are not feeling well.

The way the system is setup now, people run to the emergency room when things become a crisis, there is no incentive for preventive care and the majority of Americans cannot identify a family physician when asked. Private insurers offer those wellness incentives with their policies.

The specifics for cost controls within the new Medicaid program could be legislated, but they do not have to go any further than within the current program. Currently, several states offer Medicaid/SCHIP-funded premium assistance programs already. My contention is that the premium assistance program should be the primary focus of the new Medicaid program I am suggesting.

This will help states trim down or totally eliminate their Medicaid burden, which is essentially a Federal tax assessed on the states in the form of matching funds, thus freeing up their respective budgets. And if the states have more money, then taxes do not have to be raised to cover these increasing costs and maybe they might put more money in other programs, say like education for example.

Also, with the insurance companies having more skin in the game, so to speak, then the private industry of insurance can challenge the private industry of health care to deal with controlling the cost of health care and pharmaceuticals without the immediate threat of the government clamping down on the free market system as it relates to health care.

There will be those in the social justice community that will state this places an undue burden of the poor. That argument is hallow in light of the fact that the President they supported mandated that everyone must have health insurance and it is unrealistic in these political and economic climates to expect any elected official to just raise taxes to pay for a service that rises quicker than any pay raise or tax increase, or the rate of inflation for that matter.

This radical idea stays within the Preamble of the US Constitution in regards to promoting the general welfare, but it adds that dimension of individual responsibility that is needed for a society, and the very basic unit of that society, the family, to survive.

Again, this is my radical idea. Every idea I have heard so far basically cuts out the families that are already under the system and does not create the environment for thorough discussion, let alone consensus, of controlling the cost of health care. This one, I believe, relieves the pressure of the Medicaid program on the Federal and the respective states' budgets while providing a much needed program to the citizens of this great nation.

I am sure I am not the only one who has thought about this but I am putting it out there. Maybe, as it was when I was in the Mississippi House of Representatives, this will get people talking about it and, more importantly, doing something about it. Because that is what enabling public policy is all about.

How Dr. King inspired me

2012-01-16T08:30:00.000-06:00

I remember in 3rd grade, I first heard the famous refrain from the "I Have A Dream" speech. As a child, I believed that anything was possible, including a world where the content of one's character was more important than one's appearance. I was optimistic for a better world even though I did not know how bad the world I lived in was.

I never experienced racism as a child in Chicago, although I lived in a segregated society. When it was time for me to ride the bus, I could sit wherever I wanted. When I went to a store, I did not have to enter in the rear entrance. When it was time for me to register to vote, I had no problems doing so. When I found out that the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the author of that great sermon, was one of the driving forces to make those things possible, I was inspired.

As an ardent student of Black History, it appalled me that American citizens were denied these basic rights because of the way God made them. Therefore, as I read about the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement and how Dr. King, using tactics from Gandhi and guided by his Christian theology, became the inspirational leader of that movement, I was motivated to follow the calling God placed in me.

That calling was politics. I believed that through public service, I could contribute to making "The Dream" a reality for all of America's citizens. Economic opportunity, personal advancement, peaceful co-existence, those were the goals of the movement and of Dr. King. I adopted those goals as well, and did my dead-level best to create legislation that allowed those things to come to fruition.

My inspiration was fueled by an internal passion to do well, but it was guided by a very simple principle Dr. King stated, "A man who has nothing to die for, is not fit to live." I took it as a challenge personally to do all that I could to do what needed to be done.

I am a better person because of Dr. King. Hopefully, when my life is over in this realm, I will hear the words, "Well done, my good and faithful servant." When I hear that, then I know that I lived up to the expectations Dr. King believed all of us could achieve as children of God.

I am recovering..

2011-12-26T12:07:00.001-06:00

Watching the current rhetorical dance that Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) is doing concerning a newsletter he lent his name to, I started thinking about my own experience.

Now Paul can categorically deny his racist tendencies, that is his right and his internal struggle to deal with. As for me, I came to terms with it a long time ago. When I was 12, the television show Roots came on and it was an eye-opening experience.

After watching the mini-series, my mom turned off the TV and asked me how did I feel. My response was that I hated white people. Needless to say, my parents were stunned by my frankness, especially at that age. They had never expressed any animosity towards white Americans in my presence. Yet they clearly understood how I drew that conclusion.

While growing up in Chicago, I lived in a segregated environment: school, church, social activities, etc. There was no need to interact with whites other than at the bank or shopping downtown. We even had our own cultural parade we could participate in just before school started in the fall.

I had the opportunity to attend Princeton, but I chose Jackson State, one because of economics and two, because of cultural comfort. But it was my experience at a historically Black university that actually exposed me to the relationships that shaped my more progressive views on race relations.

I was exposed to segregationist rhetoric from a Black perspective and I honestly did not feel comfortable with it, primarily because I did not pragmatically see how that mindset was beneficial.

It was my involvement with politics that created the relationships I developed which turned me from a racist to a well-balanced human being. It was my involvement with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod that opened the door to a world I had never fully immersed myself in.

That combination came into my life at the age of 18 and literally change my life for the better. I admit I am not a expert of white American culture, especially in the South, but I am sensitive to their concerns and values. I have tried to do my best to offer knowledge to my white friends and colleagues about African-American experiences in return.

As I further gained spiritual awareness and a better relationship with God, my tolerance and understanding of other cultures greatly improved. I learned how to disapprove or disagree without being discriminatory.

But the key to this evolution was to acknowledge that I am a recovering racist. You cannot solve a problem until you accept that you have a problem. I think that is what Rep. Paul's dilemma is.

Maybe it is more political expediency that explains his deniability rather than a character flaw, but it is not to say that it is acceptable. It is definitely not presidential. It is my hope that Mr. Paul comes to grips with his issue. I am grateful that I dealt with mine.

A Lesson in Accountability

2011-11-13T08:58:00.001-06:00

Joe Paterno was an American icon. He was in line to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is the winningest coach in FBS College Football. He stayed at one institution, Pennsylvania State University, one of our nation's first land grant colleges, for over 60 years, 46 as head coach. It is a level of consistency that will be hard to duplicate in our lifetime.

So how is it that a man, who grew up in the same generation as my parents, with that kind of dedication and sense of value, let a person like Jerry Sandusky get away with such a heinous act of human behavior. Maybe he believed that telling Sandusky that he would never become the next head coach at Penn State and Sandusky's subsequent resignation would have squashed it. Maybe he felt he had done enough. If that was the case, he was wrong.

It is one thing to be second-guessed after a football game, and another after the revelation of criminal activity. Joe Pa should have done more than just giving Sandusky a reason to leave Penn State. He should have made sure that the Attorney General of Pennsylvania knew that there was a potential pedophile on his staff and let the authorities take the responsibility of prosecuting him or not. He should not have kept that in the closet, thus promoting the discussion that college football is a closed society, exempt from the rules of the society-at-large.

To his credit, Coach Paterno tendered his resignation for the end of the season. He realized he had made a grave mistake and was willing to pay the price for it. But he should have resigned effective immediately and issued a stronger statement about intolerance for child abuse, sexual or otherwise. Paterno has molded the lives of hundreds of young men in a positive manner. Unfortunately, for those young men who were victims of Mr. Sandusky's actions, Paterno, due to his previous inaction, has adversely affected their lives as well.

Evil is evil and we as human beings have a commitment to stop it. Whether you believe in a God or not, you should know enough to see wrong-doing and act to change or stop it. We are all short of perfection, but that does not mean we allow predators of human beings to roam free. Joe Pa should have turned in Sandusky, plain and simple.

Now an incredible legacy is stained as the Roman Catholic Church was stained. The lesson to be learned is that once you accept accountability you can then move forward. The church has moved forward and is regaining the trust of its parishioners. Now it is Penn State's, and Paterno's, turn.

My thoughts on Mississippi's Nov. Initiatives

2011-10-30T09:14:00.003-05:00

As usual, while most Mississippi voters are focused on individuals seeking the various statewide, legislative and county offices, many may not be aware that there are three initiatives on the ballot as well that will impact their lives greatly. Below is my take on those initiatives and where I stand on them.

I will start with Initiative #31:

Should government be prohibited from taking private property by eminent domain and then transferring it to other persons?

Initiative #31 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to prohibit state and local government from taking private property by eminent domain and then conveying it to other persons or private businesses for a period of 10 years after acquisition. Exceptions from the prohibition include drainage and levee facilities, roads, bridges, ports, airports, common carriers, and utilities. The prohibition would not apply in certain situations, including public nuisance, structures unfit for human habitation, or abandoned property.

During my time in the Mississippi House of Representatives, this issue showed its importance as we were trying to figure out how to get Nissan to locate their new plant in Canton. We committed millions of dollars in infrastructure development which included the use of eminent domain to make that happen. Eminent domain, which is the attainment of private property for public use, in that regard was a positive because it was used for public projects but it was clear it was beneficial for a private economic development interest.

This initiative will clarify in the Mississippi Constitution that eminent domain is only supposed to be used for public projects. It will prohibit eminent domain to be used, for example, to acquire land for the building of a strip mall, factory or an office building. The Farm Bureau has taken the lead in pushing this initiative because any expansion of eminent domain for private economic development would immediately threaten the largest group of landowners in the state, our farmers.

I will vote YES on this initiative.

Initiative #27:

Should the Mississippi Constitution be amended to require a person to submit government issued photo identification in order to vote?

Initiative #27 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to require voters to submit a government issued photo identification before being allowed to vote; provides that any voter lacking government issued photo identification may obtain photo identification without charge from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety; and exempts certain residents of state-licensed care facilities and religious objectors from being required to show photo identification in order to vote.

One of the most emotional days during my tenure in the Legislature was when we had to take a vote on making Voter ID mandatory, so much so that I wrote a column about it in the Jackson Free Press. Every member spoke on the floor and expressed their feelings, either in support or opposition, and afterwards many of us became closer, despite competing political philosophies.

Needless to say this is an emotional issue to members of the African-American community that remember poll taxes and questions like how many bubbles are there in a bar of soap. Voter ID seems like a practical, innocuous argument to preserve the integrity of the voting process. However, it has been used to suppress voter turnout for certain groups in other states. In Tennessee, a 96-year-old Black woman was denied the right to vote recently because she did not have a driver's license. In Florida, college students cannot use their college IDs, even if they attend state universities.

The author of the initiative, Sen. Joey Fillingane (R-Lamar County), organized the initiative drive after killing the Voter ID bill passed by the House in the Senate. His argument was that there needed to be a "clean" Voter ID bill, without provisions that would have allowed early voting, same-day registration and restoring the suffrage of first-time felons once they have served out their sentence. It is questionable whether the US Department of Justice will approve a Constitutional Amendment that requires Voter ID for all voters, but it is very possible.

It is the only initiative that has a cost attached to it. It is estimated that the initiative, if passed, could cost as much as $1.5 million from the Department of Public Safety budget. Obviously the proponents of the measure do not feel strongly enough to convince the state's 82 Circuit Clerks to provide photos on the voter registration cards they provide in their respective counties.

I will vote NO on this initiative.

Initiative #26:

Should the term “person” be defined to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the equivalent thereof?

Initiative #26 would amend the Mississippi Constitution to define the word “person” or “persons”, as those terms are used in Article III of the state constitution, to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning, or the functional equivalent thereof.

I am considered a pro-life politician. I was endorsed by Pro-Life Mississippi when I served in the House. I am opposed to abortion, an emergency medical procedure, being used as a form of birth/population control. I am a strong proponent of adoption and a former abstinence-only counselor. I voted for the House Bill that banned abortions in this state, but I was also the author of the amendment in that same bill that allowed exceptions for rape, incest and the health of the mother.

As a Christian, I believe life begins at conception and that God has predestined our lives before our existence on this earth begins. However, I have also made the argument that the US Constitution and the Mississippi Constitution are not the 67th and 68th books of the Holy Bible.

To redefine "person/persons" in Article III of the Mississippi Constitution would effectively ban abortions in this state, but how broad of a swath will this provision cut? Medical professionals are divided on whether the initiative would prevent in vitro fertilization and outlaw forms of conventional birth control. Would family planning activities be possibly outlawed? Would the exceptions of rape, incest and the health of the mother be considered?

Here is another scenario that has not be broached: Say an immigrant couple from El Salvador comes to Mississippi without proper documentation. The wife becomes pregnant in Mississippi and then they are caught. At that point, the deportation process begins. If the personhood initiative is passed, does that fetus, which would be considered a person in the Mississippi Constitution have the right to stay, thus preventing the mother from being deported? If the Federal Government is successful in deporting the mother, can the child come back and petition for US Citizenship based on the notion it was conceived in Mississippi and was considered a person by that state's Constitution?

This initiative has failed twice in Colorado, but will be introduced in four other states. The Mississippi initiative supporters' strategy is for this initiative to be challenged and struck down in the Federal Courts, moved up in the Federal docket to the Supreme Court of the United States, thus forcing them to re-visit the Roe v. Wade decision. I consider this an extreme action based on a constitutionally extreme political philosophy.

I will vote NO on this initiative.

Those are my positions. Research these initiatives for yourself and then cast your vote on November 8th.

Raise the roof

2011-07-28T07:11:00.002-05:00

On August 2, 2011, the full faith and credit of the United States of America will be damaged. On this date, the USA will more than likely be downgraded in their credit rating by Moody's and Standards & Poor's and this will have a direct impact on us. The most immediate will be that interest rates on loans and mortgages will go up. For example, a home appraised at $200,000 will see the mortgage payment increase by $400 per month on a 30-year fixed rate mortgage.

We learned on July 25th that the wealth disparity in America has widened between white Americans and minorities in America. The ratio is 20:1 between whites and Blacks and 18:1 between whites and Hispanics. During the Clinton administration, the ratio was 7:1 with both groups. This is significant because the wealth gap will increase if the National Debt Ceiling is not raised by August 2nd. White families will see their wealth decrease, but minorities will suffer more from the higher interest rates.

There are two options that can happen. One, the US Congress can totally eliminate the debt ceiling altogether, thus allowing Congress to borrow money when needed without worrying about reaching any self-imposed limit. The negative side of that option would be the historical lack of self-discipline Congress has shown in spending the taxpayers' money.

The other option would be the one that has been exercised 20 times over the last seven years: Set a new debt ceiling rate to continue to allow the US Government to borrow the money needed to fund obligations and maintain the operation of government. Simple right? It would have been if partisan ideology had not interfered with the process.

The Tea Party Caucus put their foot down and said they would not support raising the debt ceiling without cuts in federal spending. The President acquiesced, but with a caveat that revenues needed to be increased by eliminating tax cuts and loopholes. That is when the political game of chicken began and now has put the financial stability of the United States in unnecessary peril.

I agree on these points: Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, as we know it, needs to be reformed to stabilize costs and viability; overall government spending needs to be reduced; Tax cuts and loopholes need to be removed and the whole Federal Tax Code needs to be revised; the debt ceiling needs to be raised for two years. The only one that can be accomplished in the next five days is raising the debt ceiling.

A fractured Congress cannot pull off the miracle of miracles and address all of these issues in the time allotted. Quickly drafted legislation offered by both sides have proven that they do not have the time to get all of the numbers right in a massive budget package.

It is time to prioritize. The main priority right now is to raise the debt ceiling. The US Congress has to do it, based on their constitutional obligation. The 14th Amendment does not give the President the authority to by-pass them and raise the debt ceiling by Executive Order. The Speaker of the House and The Majority Leader of the Senate must act now to avoid putting the nation they claim to love, and pledge their allegiance to, in further financial distress.

It has been a spirited debate and a great exercise in partisan muscle flexing. Now it is time to do the patriotic thing and raise the roof, so that the full faith and credit of the United States of America will still stand as the strongest line of credit the world has ever seen. There is no other option.

Labels are for grocery items

2011-07-13T11:23:00.004-05:00

I was tweeting with my friend Nic, who labels himself as a conservative Republican in Mississippi, when he asked the question, "Do you think I'm stupid?" My tongue-in-cheek response was: "You are a conservative in the poorest state in the nation...next question..."

By definition a conservative is someone tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions. I personally myself will never want to be tagged with a label that infers that I am predisposed to the notion of maintaining Mississippi as a poor state, because that is the condition we are in.

That is why I am against this labeling system we have adopted in the political process. Human beings that fully use their power of reason, especially in the realm of public policy, are too complex to be neatly placed into that kind of a box. People that tend to think in the big picture range from maintaining the status quo to challenging traditional forms (liberal). I know I have during my time in public office, but outsiders want to try to put me in a box as well.

In Mississippi, the opposition wants to quickly say that I am a liberal because I am a member of The Democratic Party. When I took the position to limit abortion or protect the right to bear arms, fellow Democrats accused me of being a conservative in Democratic clothing. The truth of the matter is that I was born Erik Robert Fleming, the name that my parents agreed upon after much negotiation. I am a child/creation of God and I am an American citizen because I was born in this country. I am identified as a person of African heritage, but there are Sioux, Cherokee and Caucasian bloodlines in my DNA as well. I am a Christian because I profess that He is the Savior of the World. I affiliate politically with the Democrats because I personally believe in government of the people, by the people and for the people.

That is enough labeling for me. I do not like to be boxed into a corner because of who I align with or what I look like. I want to be respected for being me and I would want my ideas to be heard regardless of the audience. Unfortunately, that is not the political system we live in and that is why we are in gridlock while our financial house slowly crumbles away. We are too busy trying to appease a group we want to be labeled with instead of pursuing solutions to move our state and country forward.

Staying locked into a labeling system is a conservative idea. Standing out and making a difference is a liberal idea. What would Jesus, my spiritual inspiration, do? According to the Bible, Jesus' disciples were gathering wheat on the Sabbath day. Some Pharisees, the conservatives of their day, questioned Him. He stated that men had to eat on the Sabbath as well. That is the pragmatic, yet liberal, concept humans should embrace: doing what is right when it is right.

I never want to be stuck in anything I do. If there is a better way to move forward, then I am all for it. The only conservative position any human should be boxed into is when we are in the grave. Until then we should be free to hold on to values we embrace, yet shake things up when needed. We idolize coaches that use that philosophy, but we condemn politicians. That is strange to me when the end game in both arenas in winning.

I am not a tomato can to be placed on a shelf in the canned food section of the super market for convenience. I am a human being, born free and refusing to be bound by the chains of society. I am a free thinker. To label me is de-humanizing and that is not what God intended for me.

Mississippi and America deserves men and women in public service who adhere to the philosophy of thinking about the next generation, not the next election. You can't have that when you marginalize them into labels. I am not convenient, I am complicated. Accept me for who I am.

If we all respected each other like that, then we would truly have a better government that represented us and our best interests, in my humble opinion.

The Big Question

2011-05-30T10:38:00.003-05:00

David Gregory, the moderator for NBC's Meet the Press, asked the question leading up to a break in the round table discussion is the Federal Government capable enough to solve the problems of the day as it is constituted. My answer to that question is, emphatically, no.

Now listen to the conversation, if you have not already, between former President Clinton and House Budget Committee Chair Rep. Paul Ryan, R-WI, in the video above. That is a real discussion between people who understand the process. Those are the kind of discussions I use to have with my colleagues in the Mississippi Legislature, thus allowing me to earn the trust of Democrats and Republicans alike. These are the discussions that are sorely lacking in our process now.

The title of the video is misguided because Ryan admits all he was trying to do was start the discussion on Medicare Reform. He knew that his proposal was a radical idea, but the discussion has to start somewhere, so why not throw something out there and see if it sticks. The problem is that in this era of partisan spin and cheer leading, the GOP equated Ryan's icebreaker as the gospel to fix Medicare and the Democrats campaigned against it, successfully I might add in a special election in the most conservative Congressional District in New York State.

Ideas in politics are just that: ideas. They are not subject to pious adherence, they are starting points to invoke intelligent discussion and hopefully a workable solution to a public policy issue. Whether it is the deficit or crime in the streets, ideas in the legislative process are introduced as legislation to be debated, dissected and eventually fine-tuned to comport to the balance of providing for the general welfare while maintaining individual liberty. That is the foundation by which all legislation should be framed.

Fox News and MSNBC are not the policy makers for this nation, therefore our political direction should not be guided them. The men and women that sit in the United States Congress have that responsibility and they should start acting like they understand that. When the country is in a crisis, ideology should be thrown out the window and the preservation of the nation should be the main priority. Instead of developing talking points, both parties should be engaged in meshing ideas to move the nation forward.

Campaigning has its season. Governing is the main job. It is harder to govern that it is to campaign. In order to move this country forward, at some point in time, our elected leaders must be able to discern the difference. If they cannot, then they should be removed during the electoral process, it is that simple. However, the reality is everybody that says throw the bums out wants to keep their bum, and this cycle of leadership without vision or courage continues.

Leaders lead, followers follow. Right now we have a Congress comprised of expert followers, not leaders. They can give great speeches and most of their media sound bytes are on point, but that does not equate to leadership. The wood stain does not help the patio deck support the weight of those who stand on it, it is the strength of the wood used to construct the deck. We know how to make politics sound appealing to our bases, but we have forgotten how to govern the masses. In other words, we know how to make the deck look good for our benefit, but we have forgotten how to build the deck altogether.

In this time in our history, that has to change. This is the time for big ideas, not small-mindedness. As someone who has had the privilege of serving the public, I know how hard this is. I know how unappreciated one must feel when they have the passion to govern while others are more concerned with staying elected. But we need those people with a passion to govern to step into the forefront, even if it means breaking the party line. If those people are not in Congress yet, then they must run for Congress and we must support them, for the future of our nation is at stake.

Our economy is in a mess because we are too scared to do the things, or even have the discussions, necessary to make the fundamental changes needed to improve it. The political parties either want to vilify or sanctify the business community that drives our economic engine. They should be leading them. That is what they truly want and that is what the American people truly want. It is time to stop disappointing them and start doing what they want.

The Ryan-Clinton exchange was as pragmatic as one can, and should, expect from their political leaders. It is long overdue for those discussions to be the norm in Washington once again. It is time for the leaders to lead, and not in name or deference only.

Hallelujah!

2011-05-23T11:22:00.001-05:00

That was the response my estranged wife posted on Twitter when I said goodbye officially to our tumultuous marriage this morning.

It is obvious that clinging on to a false hope of reconciliation was futile and unhealthy for me. That should be a lesson for all of us. When a relationship is going to end, let it end, despite how strong your feelings are.

No matter how much you love someone, you should never let that love overpower the love you have for yourself. No matter how painful your loss may be, you will survive, as I will. Time will heal all wounds because God is the master of time and healing.

I am so open about my life because I am living it and I feel I have the right to tell my story more than anyone else. I have nothing to hide because I have done nothing wrong but be human and only God can condemn or forgive me for that.

I wish that the outcome could have been different but a relationship takes two people to make it work. It has become painfully obvious that my estranged wife was not committed to do her part. To her credit, she went through a lot while I was in the grip of depression. To be honest, she went through hell. Therefore, I cannot blame her for rejoicing that I will no longer be a part of her life. Hopefully over time she will find someone that will make her rejoice in a more positive way.

She will be mad when she hears about this, but she will get over it like she will get over our marriage. There is no going back anyway, once a spouse says they want a divorce, it is best to let it happen and move on.

There is no pain that God cannot help you overcome, even heartbreak. So for those reading this, take it not as an announcement of a failure, but as a lesson in love and relationships.

If you truly love someone, sometimes it is best to let them go...Hallelujah!

The Pride is Back on Madison Avenue

2011-05-22T17:38:00.002-05:00

I remember this time of year during the Michael Jordan era in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls would be working their way through a series of Eastern Conference contenders to defend their NBA title. As a fan, I would be so excited to watch MJ, Pippen and an assortment of incredible role players slashing, dunking and shutting down their opponents.

Well, it has been a long time since 1998. No additional banners have been erected. No ticker tape parades. Not for the Bulls anyway, as the White Sox and the Blackhawks have won their respective championships since then. But things are starting to return to normal on Madison Avenue in Chicago, because the pride of a champion is coming back.

Led by the league's MVP, Derrick Rose, the Bulls are back among the NBA's elite again. Along with Dang (the old man on this young team), Noah, Gibson and the new guy Boozer, they have generated the old memories again. With tough defense and an attacking half-court offense, the Bulls have its fans excited again about May and June basketball.

Everything is right in the world now. The Bulls are back!!!

Hustle hard

2011-05-19T17:25:00.002-05:00

With all apologies to rapper Ace Hood, I want to take this time to talk about the concept of hustle hard, better known as success in the grind of life. It is the mantra of the new economy the President aptly described we are in.

Everybody will have to work a little harder and step down from their personal pedestals to make it in this economy. If you have just a high school diploma or you have a felony conviction, it will be like climbing a societal Mt. Everest to make it, but since people have conquered the real mountain, advancement to the summit of the proverbial mountain can happen as well.

Just having an associates or bachelor's degree will not make the load that much lighter, but what you actually learn can never be taken away and that knowledge can be used as an important tool for survival. However, it does not really matter what tools and weapons you have at your disposal, if you do not have the drive and the fortitude to push through the tough times ahead, you will not be successful.

The hope is that as you are still breathing, your chances for success still exist. You have to possess the ability to hustle hard when the odds are stacked against you, meaning that when chaos is all around, your mind has to be clear, creative and decisive. Materialism is a distraction, comfort and security are the ultimate goals. In other words why flex a BMW when a Chrysler 300 will do fine? Why go to the Rocawear boutique when they sell it at Burlington Coat Factory?

Hustling hard is not about being blinged out, it is about working non-stop to achieve your goals, meet your needs and then fulfill your desires. Many young people, and to be honest, quite a few my age, don't really understand that. Somehow, someway, they think they have earned a sense of entitlement. This current economy has served as a great reality check for many persons that fall into that category.

Bottom line, in order to hustle hard successfully, one must be willing to make sacrifices, be willing to keep the faith when it seems hope is gone, and safely navigate through the pitfalls of life's journey to get to your ultimate goal. If you are not hustling hard, then you are only hustling yourself.

Inspiration/Revelation

2011-05-17T09:07:00.001-05:00

Last night, I watched the PBS documentary Freedom Riders and was reinvigorated. Lately, as I have been chronicling my personal struggles, it has taken a lot of energy to keep my spirits up and to move on into my glorious future. That has taken away energies toward the cause and that is understandable because you have to help yourself before you can help others.

That is why it was important for me to watch the story of the young men and women who braved the best shot the Jim Crow South threw at them and made a difference, as well as history. It was also important to be reminded how Jackson, Mississippi became the last defiant stand for the riders.

Young people from all over the country, by the hundreds, descended on Jackson, ready to go to Mississippi State Prison at Parchmen, to bring the rule of law to the defiant Dixieland. It reminded me of when I made the decision to come to Jackson because I am sure they were asked the same question I was: why Jackson?

They knew the answer before I did. I had to stay in Mississippi for four years to see what they saw. Fifty years ago, they saw Jackson as the crossroads from the past to the future. Now it is my responsibility to keep that pathway open.

People have constantly asked me will I ever run for political office again. I have been hesitant to answer because of my current struggles. Last night reminded me that my internal demons are nothing compared to the principalities and powers that terrorized those young freedom fighters. They perservered and so will I. More importantly than running for office, I am engaged again and I will be active in the pursuit of justice, opportunity and respect for all Mississippians.

Thank you Freedom Riders for breaking down barriers for me and continuing to inspire me to do God's work, especially in Jackson, Mississippi.

Taking a deep breath...

2011-05-15T12:50:00.002-05:00

...The hits just keep on coming, but it was not like it was unexpected. I will now have to abandon my undisclosed location and be back out wandering in the world. Since no new flow of income has emerged and there is no hope of reconciliation in my personal life, the nomadic journey begins again.

But I have to take a deep breath and count it all joy. I may be struggling but I am still here. People are planning to manipulate me again politically, but they will not succeed. People are tarnishing my good name and trying to make me look bad with my family and friends, but they will not succeed. People are trying to play games with my emotions so that I will relapse and lose control of my life, but they will not succeed. People are painting me as an unstable person, but the truth is the accusers and framers are the unstable ones themselves.

People are rejoicing that my struggles continue, but their joy will soon come to an end. I have seen the light at the end of the tunnel and I am pressing forward. The devil will employ all of his resources to keep me down but I will not succumb to him or those who, willingly or unwillingly, do his dirty work. When I get to the other side, those who were with me during this struggle will be greatly rewarded. Those who have abandoned me, kicked me or pushed me into this abyss will get their just rewards in due time from a source more powerful than anything in this universe...

...whew! Taking another deep breath...

This struggle is tiring to the soul, but I cannot stop and surrender to the weariness. I wish those who don't love me would leave me alone and those who do love me stay strong in their prayers and support. Of course, if it was that easy then it would not be a struggle.

This is where the testimony of faith applies: I don't believe He brought me this far to leave me...

...Deep breath...

May have quit tobacco too soon...

2011-05-14T20:52:00.002-05:00

...It has been nearly a week since I dipped my last chew of tobacco between my cheek and gum. It has been rough. I can feel my weight climbing back after I lost over 30 lbs. The cravings have gotten stronger, and the stress is starting to mount.

I did not get the news I wanted concerning a job that I was offered, nor concerning pending financial matters. I am being inundated with opinions from family and friends about my personal life and whether I am going to have a political future in this state.

Right about now, I would be pulling a good pinch of Grizzly Mint from the tobacco tin, sticking it in my mouth and letting the soothing tobacco do its work. However, I know that the few minutes of peace and tranquility I may garner from that pinch will eventually lead to years of discomfort and maybe even sudden death. That is why I quit.

When I said I wanted to enjoy the next 46 years of my life, I meant it. I want to be cancer-free as long as I can be, therefore I want to live as long as I can. I want to have moments with my son as he gets older. I want to see the men that are currently in my custody living productive lives outside of incarceration. I want to see the next generation of leaders emerge and take Mississippi/America to new heights. I may even want to fall in love again.

I cannot do that if I die from mouth cancer or lung cancer or any other type of cancer. It is going to be a struggle, but it is one I have to prevail because the alternative is definitely not a viable option.

On that note, it has been brought to my attention that maybe I should not be so personal with my blog entries. Some have said that it may jeopardize a job opportunity or make some folks feel uncomfortable. Feeling uncomfortable is living in your car because you cannot afford a place to live. Feeling uncomfortable is going a whole year without gainful employment, begging and borrowing and scraping up whatever you can to survive. Feeling uncomfortable is watching your child in intensive care and being powerless to do anything to help accelerate the healing.

Feeling uncomfortable after reading some one's personal diary: not so much. As for the job, there is a popular saying amongst the social networking set that goes: be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind. It is what it is. This blog is my blog to be as transparent as I want without crossing the dreaded TMI line.

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, maybe I don't need to succumb to the craving after all. All I need to do is express myself and not stress myself. In short, blogging good; chewing tobacco bad.

Confession of a celebrator

2011-05-09T10:39:00.003-05:00

Hello.

My name is Erik, and I celebrated the death of Osama bin Laden...

I introduce myself that way because Americans seemed to be uneasy with people who celebrated the death of our tyrant for the last decade, much like they are around addicts, no matter which stage of the recovery they are in.

I had no problem with it. Unfortunately, I was in my undisclosed location getting ready for some early shuteye when I heard the news, not from CNN mind you, but my first ex-wife. CNN was confirmation, then MSNBC for pragmatic coverage of what was happening.

There were no flash celebrations in my neighborhood, but I enjoyed and reveled with the folks on TV. I was glad that bin Laden died on the same exact day as Hitler and I am assured that they are rotting in the same, well-deserved place.

Victory, by the way, is never morbid. A crazy man decided to use an act of terror to get attention and start a holy war. He succeeded, he got the attention he wanted, and now he is dead! Yippee!

If that is considered insensitive, so be it. I think it is insensitive to fly planes into buildings, killing innocent people. I think it is insensitive to blow up government buildings because you disagree with its presence in your region of the world. I think it is insensitive to convince young men to sacrifice their lives as suicide bombers based on ideological rhetoric.

So I was glad to see my fellow citizens celebrating an end to tyranny in their generation. The images will live in my memories forever. The Greatest American Generation had their victory celebration. The Founding Fathers had theirs. Now we have had our turn.

The end...

2011-05-03T12:07:00.001-05:00

The end. Those two little words have so much meaning. Basically it means the conclusion of a story that has been told and often times leaves the reader wanting more or completely satisfied.

The end to me means the conclusion of the first 46 years of my life. It has been eventful. Two failed marriages, a domestic abuse charge, financial struggles, numerous jobs, a fairly successful political career, college (nuff said), fatherhood, romantic relationships (and some not so romantic), parties, my ongoing spiritual journey and a serious battle with depression.

It's the battle with depression that has transformed my life. Once I was diagnosed and treated, my life has started to transform. It all started on the day of my last blog. That following Monday, I started counseling and medication. I have never felt better.

My outlook on life has become normal again. I am enjoying the little things and no longer sweatting the small stuff. My mind is sharper and I am more engaged in politics than ever, even without holding a politcal office.

Unfortunately my change has come too late to undo a lot a damage that was done during my darkest moments, but that is to be understood. Now, it is time to take this new self on a new adventure. The past is the past. Lessons have been learned. It is time to move on.

So this is the end of the first 46-year chapter of my life. I look forward to the journey for the next 46 years with great anticipation. I will never let sorrow and despair control my life again. As I travel through life's valleys, I will gather strength through my faith and press on to the mountain top. I am more alive now than I have ever been and I am going to live like I am truly alive.

Goodbye depression! Goodbye loneliness! Goodbye gloom and doom! Hello world, my name is Erik Fleming!

THE END

January 29, 2011

2011-01-29T22:29:00.002-06:00

Today is the worst day of my life. I have never felt this way before, with everything caving in. However, it is from this point forward that I will move forward. I will not be defeated, I will not surrender to the principalities and powers of darkness.

Therefore, as I begin this epic battle, I will go dark and be off of the grid for a while, for however long it takes. I will be in this battle alone, for it is alone that I will find the strength to overcome.

Your prayers are welcome and your understanding and patience are needed as I sojourn on.

Take care to all who I have befriended on the previous journey. I look forward to seeing you on the other side of the mountain.

"Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me." - Micah 7:8 KJV

Innovation: A Quick Note

2011-01-26T18:08:00.002-06:00

When President Obama spoke last night at the State of the Union, he stressed that America needs to be innovative again. Many people clearly interpreted that he was strictly referring to the science and the business community.

But there has to be innovation in one other major institution: government. In order for America to truly move forward and get out of crisis mode, politics as usual cannot continue. Those individuals that have been elected to public office, especially at the Federal level, have to be creative and innovative in addressing the concerns of the American people.

Nothing can be sacred. We must look at wasteful spending in all aspects of government. We must get more return for our entitlement investments in order for them to become self-sufficient. We must honestly look at revamping our current revenue system, that means taxes. We cannot protect earmarks that steer funds away from fulfilling general budgetary purposes. We cannot continue to point fingers at others and wait for the other side to blink.

This is the time for true, innovative leaders to emerge. This is the time for statesmen to rise above the noise and influence the masses to support creative ideas and concepts, regardless of which party they come from. This is our time to do great things. The only way that can happen is when politicians are more prone to open their minds rather than their mouths.

Innovation is not limited to industry. Government must practice it as well.

Rahm's real fight

2011-01-25T17:38:00.002-06:00

As I write this, the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that they will hear the case that will determine if Rahm Emanuel, the former Illinois Congressman and White House Chief of Staff, can run for Mayor of Chicago. The ruling also has halted all ballots being printed until they make a final determination.

The issue is whether Emanuel has truly established residency to run for the office. There is a law that says a person running for mayor in an Illinois municipality must be resident of that municipality for one year before the election. There is also another law that says a person voting in any Illinois election must establish residency for one year prior to the election, unless said person is called into service for the United States of America.

Emanuel has a home in Chicago, for he was the Congressman for Illinois' 5th District from 2003 to 2009. Ironically, he replaced Rod Blagojevich in Congress. In January of 2009, he became the Chief of Staff for President Obama. He resigned in October of 2010 to run for mayor of his hometown.

Emanuel contends that he meets the residency requirement to be a voter in the upcoming election, thus making him a qualified elector, and therefore a qualified candidate for mayor. He claims that his service as Chief of Staff qualifies for the service to the United States exemption. The Chicago Board of Elections agreed with that premise and qualified him as a candidate.

However, that ruling was challenged to the Illinois Appellate Court and that court overturned their ruling. Unfortunately, I agree with the Appellate Court and I believe the Illinois Supreme Court will also. The problem for Emanuel is that while he may qualify as a voter for the election, the law concerning the qualifications as a candidate are clear and distinct. The fact that he has not been a resident of the state for one year prior to the election, and that absence is documented, Rahm Emanuel is not qualified to run for Mayor of Chicago.

It is a shame because he was the leading candidate going into the February 22nd primary. He campaigned on a positive vision for the city and was not only well-funded, but well-organized also. The main beneficiary of Emanuel leaving the race will more likely be former U.S. Senator Carol Moseley Braun, who has also campaigned as a healer, not a divider.

If the Illinois Supreme Court rules otherwise it will be a surprise, but it is a tough fight that Emanuel has to engage in and in the long run, it will bring some clarity to Chicago politics, which would be a rare, but welcome, moment indeed.

Dealing with the Pain

2011-01-24T18:02:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I was enjoying the game between the Bears and the Packers for the NFC Championship with friends. The Bears were losing but it looked like the defense had stopped the Packers' offense cold. All that was left was to see Jay Cutler, the Bears' quarterback, get his bearing and mount the comeback for the ages. That never happened.

Cutler apparently was injured just before halftime. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, today's MRI on Cutler's knee showed a Grade 2 MCL sprain. According to our eyes yesterday, it looked like something completely different. When the Chicago fans in the room saw Todd Collins come in the game and saw Cutler just standing around looking like he had given up, we lost it.

To be a fan of the 2010-11 Bears is to become an expert in body language. When Cutler is on, he looks like Gary Cooper in High Noon or Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry, the confident gunslinger who can look at opposing defenses and ask if they feel lucky today. When Cutler is off, he looks like Sleprock or Glum, head down, shoulders slumped and the frustrating look of disengagement on his face. It was the off Cutler we fans saw during the championship, on and off the field.

After he missed a wide open Devin Hester in the first quarter for a possible tying touchdown, Cutler's negative body language became very noticeable. Then he was gone. On the bench. In the biggest game of his life. I honestly thought, without knowledge of the severity of the injury, he had quit on his team. It certainly looked that way when third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie was quickly scouring over the pictures of the Green Bay defense, without any assistance from Cutler.

Bears fans were not the only ones who thought he had quit. Other NFL players on Twitter felt that way as well, watching the same thing we were watching. But according to his teammates, we were wrong. Brian Urlacher, the Bears' defensive captain, said those players were jealous and that the fans were stupid. Glad you are sticking up for your teammate, Brian, but over 60,000 "stupid"fans braved bitterly cold temperatures to watch you all disappoint them yet again, not to mention the thousands upon thousands of fans across the nation. Maybe the stupidity is being loyal to a team that has only won one championship in 48 years, but that is why we are called fans which is a shorter version of fanatics. We will deal with the pain of another heartbreaking season and we will hope that next year, if the NFL has a season, will be a championship year. Stupid is as stupid does.

Meanwhile, it was the testimony of Hanie that convinced me that maybe Cutler did not quit on his team. Hanie said that Cutler came to him after the Bears cut the lead in half in the 4th Quarter, congratulated him and then told him to calm down, re-focus and take the team down the field again. That is the leadership old school players like Derrick Brooks and Mike Ditka expect from a team captain, but it is just not as fiery as they would have done it. Nevertheless, if Hanie's account is accurate, then that is all Cutler could do in that situation and I commend him for that.

So Jay, I apologize for my frustration. I am a fan. I want you and all the other Bears to do well and play with all your heart. I want you to rehab hard and take advantage of the time to listen Mike Martz and re-train your footwork. I want you to endure the pain in your knee to get better and I want you to endure the pain of this unfair criticism to make you a better player, a better leader and a better man. This may seem to be a low-point, although your cool demeanor would never reveal it, but it can be the fuel to re-ignite a new passion.

Drew Brees was told by 31 NFL teams that his reconstructed throwing shoulder was too much of a risk. New Orleans, with a new coach, decided to take a chance. Brees transformed that rejection in four years to become the most productive quarterback during that span and to become a champion. Maybe January 23, 2011 will be the moment that Jay Cutler dealt with the pain and laid the foundation for a champion to emerge.

Early 2011 Random Thoughts

2011-01-23T07:45:00.002-06:00

Again, it is almost the end of January 2011 and I have let a lot of things go by because I have not had time to sit down and write down my thoughts. I don't even have time to jot them down then transpose it, but on this football championship Sunday, things have quieted down enough to put some things down that have been on my mind.

First, Haiti has disappointed me in a big way. Amidst recovering from its worst disaster ever, a cholera outbreak manifests because $10 billion in aid has been ineffective in improving the lives of the victims there. Whether it has not been spent or mismanaged, bottom line, our donations have gone for naught. Top it off with another controversial presidential election and the return of Papa Doc, and you have the best real-life soap opera in the modern ages. It is time for total UN intervention, as well as the OAS. This situation is why these organizations were founded and it is long overdue to get to work.

As for Africa, the audacity of the illegitimate president of the Ivory Coast is epic. Dude, you lost the election that you have put off for nearly a decade. The people do not want you. Put the guns down, get a plane ticket and get to steppin'. Any coalition government that is created because of your incredible sense of self will not work unless you no longer within the borders of that nation-state. That fact that you inaugurated yourself after the majority of the voters rejected you proves that you are not worthy of playing a role in that nation's future, period. God will keep account of the bloodshed your selfish act has caused. Meanwhile, there is hope in Tunisia and the Sudan. The Southern Sudanese people have desperately sought independence and judging from the initial sentiments prior to the official vote, it looks like that will become a reality. I hope and pray that this act of democracy will bring about a long overdue peace. To the north, the citizens of Tunisia have ousted another wanna-be dictator from the continent. Good for them and the beauty of it was, nobody really saw this coming.

Next, I want to touch on the Ted Williams story. The fact that a homeless alcoholic radio announcer has been given a second chance is what America is all about. But it was never going to be a bed of roses as some people tried to make it. A man with that God-given talent to be out of the normal loop of success and society as a whole meant that he had a lot of demons to exorcise. His reconnection with his family, no matter how caustic, was the first step. Meeting with Dr. Phil, or any psychologist for that matter, was a major step, because he has to be in the right mind frame to enjoy and blossom in this second opportunity. Now he is in rehab. To Mr. Williams: Get everything right with you and within you first. Then, and only then, will you live the life God wants you to have. Good luck to you, sir. I will be rooting for you.

In the no surprise category, the Scott Sisters are free, the Republicans in the US House repealed Health Care Reform and Sarah Palin says she will not shut up. All of those items have one connection: The 2012 challenge to President Barack Obama. MS Gov. Haley Barbour is seriously considering running for POTUS and freeing the Scott Sisters will be a feather in that cap. I am glad to see that the power of the Internet was used to make this a political decision and force justice to be enacted, but understand if Barbour had not made the calculation, then the fight would still be going on.

The Health Care Repeal vote this past week was another chapter in political theater in a time when the civil discourse was suppose improve in light of the Tucson tragedy. Knowing the legislative process, I know that changes to the Health Care Reform legislation could have been done without repealing the bill. Instead, the House Reupblicans chose an action that was just like Yul Brenner's Pharaoh expelling Charleston Hester's Moses, erasing the prophet's name from the Egyptian record and uttering the famous edict: "So it is written, so it shall be done!" Well, we know how effective that strategy was and the GOP repeal vote will be equally as effective and may have a backlash impact in the 2012 elections.

Palin's defiant stand on Fox News definitely is not a surprise, as a matter of fact it was anticipated as she is in a constant battle with irrelevance. Palin will run for POTUS in 2012. Get use to seeing her on every news channel until November 2012.

I know, I know, that was a lot, but I feel so much better. I am honored that y'all read it and I will continue to try to do better to be more timely with my thoughts.

The Lost Art of Slow Dancing

2011-01-20T19:17:00.003-06:00

I know this is telling my age and starts my descent into old fogeyism, but I just have to ask this...what has happened to slow dancing? Recently, I was given a security detail for a high school party. At the party, the deejay was bumping the latest hits and party favorites and the young people were dancing. Sounds normal, right? It was anything but.

First, while dancing to the jams, I noticed that the boys were dancing in the middle of the dance floor, imitating fraternity stepping and several other popular gyrations. Meanwhile, the girls were circling around them, either on the dance floor or the wall, just watching. I thought I was watching a National Geographic special on an African tribe's traditional warrior dance, with the females watching, trying to pick out a suitable mate.

Then, as has been normal throughout the history of partying, the deejay started playing some slow jams, to give the revelers some rest, and allow the opposite sexes to interact. There was some interaction, but no dancing. Instead, I heard one of the young men say, "This is not a happy hour club!", obviously implying that only slow records should be played at establishments that serve alcohol.

When I was that age, I couldn't wait for a slow jam to come on, especially if I had a young lady that I was interested in at the party in my sights. It was a chance to interact, use my smoothest rap, which wasn't very smooth at all, and get close to a female with little noise as possible, just letting the groove move us. If there was no connection, no problem, but if there was, what a great start!

It seems like now, the young men use the Little Webby approach ("Girl give me that!") instead of the suave, polite approach. Call me old school, but a woman, regardless of age, should be approached in the least harshest fashion possible. However, that does not seem to be the time we live in.

R&B seems to stand for Raunchy&Bold if you listen to the lyrics of the latest songs. All of the illusion of intimacy is gone, it is just raw. Therefore, I guess that love songs and slow dancing don't jive in this day and time. I have to adjust, but it does not stop me from longing for a more simpler, interactive time.

SIGH!!!

An Open Letter to The Honorable Tim Scott

2011-01-11T18:23:00.003-06:00

Reps. Allen West (R-FL) and Tim Scott (R-SC)

To: The Honorable Tim Scott
Member
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC

Dear Rep. Scott:

This correspondence is in regards to your new tenure in the United States Congress. First, and foremost, congratulations on being elected. Your election in South Carolina, as well as the election of The Honorable Allen West in Florida, has written a new chapter in American politics. Being the first African-American Republicans elected in the Deep South since Reconstruction speaks volumes as to how far we all have come as a nation. Your election is as important to the African-American political diaspora as the election of President Barack Obama, because it shows that the Black electorate is not a monolithic one.

That last thought leads me to the second point of this correspondence. Recently you said this to Politico about joining the Congressional Black Caucus:

"I haven't really decided. I'm probably leaning against it at this point...My experience has been the whole notion of one nation - so I really shy away from things that create some kind of boundaries...It highlights the divisions I've been pushing forward to erase."

I understand why you feel that way. I acknowledge that you were a member of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus but you left because of the diverging viewpoints. I speak to you as someone who twice resigned from the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus because I felt that selfish gains were being rewarded and the uplifting of the 1.3 million African-American citizens of Mississippi were being ignored.

The lesson I learned that drew me back to the caucus was this: Change can more easily be gained inside the room rather than outside the door. As a Black man who is a Republican, you can bring a perspective that has not been heard in the CBC since 1996. Rep. West has made the decision to join the CBC. He should not be the lone voice of conservatism in the room.

Many of us who follow politics realize that there were many African-American voices in the Tea Party movement. You and Rep. West now have a chance to express their concerns, not just in the halls of Congress, but in one of the most respected organizations in American politics. To exclude yourself from that organization plays into the divisiveness that you seek to avoid.

Now grant it, I am a Democrat and I have a belief that American government should be a progressive government. However, I have never been adverse to a great idea, regardless of what party or individual comes up with it. The CBC does not need to be monolithic, it needs to be innovative. If any organization has one viewpoint expressed, it will become stagnant and irrelevant. The CBC is too valuable to become that way.

Therefore, I humbly ask you to reconsider your decision, or at least lean toward joining at some time during your tenure. Your voice will be welcomed and your principles will be upheld, because the last time I checked, the CBC seeks the goal of one nation, prosperous and secure, as well.

May God continue to bless you, be with you and keep you in His favor always...and again, congratulations being given the opportunity to serve our great nation.

The Perils of Public Service

2011-01-10T05:40:00.002-06:00

"An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve." - U.S. House Speaker John Boehner

On the morning of January 8, 2011, an enthusiastic Gabrielle Giffords sent a tweet, inviting constituents to attend her Congress on Your Corner event at a mall in Tucson, AZ. Six hours later, she was just leaving surgery, fighting for her life after a lone gunman shot her in the head at point-blank range.

In Mississippi, if you assault an elected official, while they are performing their official duties, you will receive an automatic sentence of three years in jail. That law was passed for a reason. Public servants in the political arena are some of the most vulnerable people for attacks. Why? Because people, even in an apathetic, cynical culture, are passionate about their politics. For totally unstable people, political philosophy, or their concept of one, tips them over the edge.

Knowing this, elected officials go out in the public anyway, listening to the concerns and complaints of the citizens, most of the time without any type of security. I used to get stopped at grocery stores, gas stations, sporting events or even strolling through the park. People call your house with threats. People mail nasty letters. Now, in this day and age, salacious e-mails and blog postings have become the weapons of choice.

All I had to protect me was the hedge of protection God placed around me. No Secret Service, State Troopers, local police or security guards. But here I am, and I would not change a thing. Why? Because that was the peril of one of the greatest jobs in a democratic republic, political public service.

A true public servant will never be afraid to talk to the people that they represent. You must go out and communicate with the people who have given you their trust to handle the people's business. That is the spirit and heart of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Ever since 2007, she has had these type of events, informally talking with voters, explaining to the best of her ability what was going on Washington, DC. Now she is in critical condition in an Intensive Care Unit.

If she could though, I can guarantee she would have no regrets, only remorse for the six people that lost their lives in this bizarre and violent attack. As soon as she can, she will be reaching out to those families, offering condolences, even while she will be recovering from injuries. While fighting through the pain of rehabilitation, she will do her best to let the people of her district know that she is still on the case and that she appreciates all of the prayers and well-wishes.

Eventually, she will get back to work, addressing the concerns of her constituents, giving speeches, taking phone calls, reading e-mails, getting stopped at grocery stores...and well, you get the point.

I was never afraid to go where I needed to go, speak where I needed to speak, read what I needed to read. To me, talking with people was the greatest joy of being in public office, and when you are doing something you enjoy, the last thing to consider is the danger of what you are doing. You don't get paralyzed with fear when you are helping someone address a problem or answering a question that has puzzled them. You just do your job.

That is the mindset of a Gabby Giffords. That is why she will survive. That is why America will never fail. As long as public servants look the peril in the eye and stare it down, democracy will never yield to terror in any form and public service will still be the noblest endeavor of a free society.

My Predictions for 2011

2011-01-03T06:31:00.002-06:00

I am not Nostradamus, but this should be interesting if they come true...

Tiger Woods will win a golf tournament
A Boston sports team will win a championship
Lindsay Lohan will have a breakout year
Jeff Bridges will win another Oscar
Brett Favre will stay retired
Congress will not cut entitlements and will not change Health Care Reform
The MS House of Representatives will become majority GOP
Haley Barbour will announce he is not running for President
Pakistan will declare war on the Taliban and Al-Quieda
Civil war will re-emerge in the Ivory Coast
North Korea will seek a peaceful solution with all Asian nations
Unemployment will drop below eight percent
Gasoline will go over $3.50
A HBCU basketball team will advance to the Sweet Sixteen
None of the major sports will be cancelled due to labor issues
The top movie of the year will be a romantic comedy
Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj will make an album together and dominate the pop charts
A National Merit Scholar will win a beauty pageant
Kim Khardasian will make over $6 million again
The OWN channel will be a success
Violent crimes will continue to decrease
No athlete will be accused of sexting
The top selling gospel album will out perform the top selling rap album
The EVO will surpass the iPhone
Twitter will be officially declared a news agency

OK, I did mine...have fun with yours and most importantly, have the best 2011 you can control!

Happy New Year for 2011

2010-12-31T06:44:00.002-06:00

To all my family and friends, as well as my social network coalition:

I pray that your 2011 will be a prosperous one and a productive one. I wish you all good health and inner peace. May all your dreams come to fruition and the foundation for future success for years to come be laid.

Most importantly, may God continue to bless you, be with you and keep you in His favor always, Amen.

Party hard and be careful! Much love for me to all of you! Take care!

Christmas 2010

2010-12-24T10:30:00.002-06:00

I have only one wish for this Christmas: Peace. These last two years have been hell in the American political system. Too much rhetoric, too much venom. The reward for the most progressive Congress in 40 years?...One-third of them were sent home. That was the by-product of anger and fear, not peace.

When we are peaceful, when we are civil, we are productive. It is time for American politics, and in turn American government, to be productive again, on a consistent basis. I have a feeling that my wish will not come true because too many in the process benefit from the rancor that has plagued Washington, DC for too long.

That is a shame because America cannot be all it can be when it is at war with itself...Merry Christmas everyone! May all your wishes come true...

My take on the November 2010 elections

2010-11-07T12:40:00.002-06:00

It has been almost two weeks now and I have watched and listened and read what the pundits have had to say about this year's elections. Here is my two cents.

We are a divided hostile nation still fighting the wars of the 1970s in the 21st Century. Our political parties are defining themselves based on social agendas rather than pragmatic government. It is time that this strategy has to stop.

We have 15 million people unemployed in this country. That is the equivalent of the populations of New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles combined. This election was a call to arms for jobs, jobs, and did I mention, jobs!

We have to create an environment for new jobs to be created in the private sector. If that means tax cuts for everyone, so be it. If that means trimming the Federal deficit, so be it. If that means a new type of stimulus package that can pay for itself, so be it. Bottom line, we have to come up with a solution to this creeping economy before the angst becomes more unruly than what is evident now.

If the Republicans take this as a mandate for anything else, then they will lose power as historically as they obtained it on November 2, 2010. The problem with my Democratic friends in the US House was their gun-ho, yet schizophrenic nature. They wanted to push an agenda they had been sitting on since 1994 and, by God, they got it done from January 2009 to November 2010. Fair pay for women, Increasing the minimum wage, Health Care Reform, TARP, The Economic Stimulus Package, etc...

Speaker Pelosi was one of the most active House leaders in the history of the country, despite dealing with Blue Dogs like Travis Childers and Gene Taylor, who ended up like most things that stand in the middle of the road, they got run over. Her progressive vision blinded her from our nation's most pressing need: personal economic security for our citizens.

And when the American people's needs are ignored, they take it out in the voting booth or they stay at home. Both dynamics happened in the last election. Core Democrats in the South felt they had no one to vote for and angry Independents overwhelmed progressives in the Midwest at the polls.

The President failed to feel the pain of the electorate and he suffered his worst defeat since he ran against Rep. Bobby Rush in the 90s. The magic he had in 2008 had lost its effectiveness in an atmosphere of fear and misplaced anger. The President admits he made a mistake. The question becomes will he learn from it.

Will he be defiant like Jimmy Carter or pragmatic like Bill Clinton? Only time will tell. In the meantime, it is my hope that those individuals who will show up in the Beltway for the first time bring more than anger to Congress. It is time for the innovation that has made America the greatest country in the world.

Let's do away with the tax on overtime pay, create funds for abandoned buildings to be purchased and renovated for small business expansion, revised the 2001 tax cut package to reflect our current economic situation, grant incentives to banks for more commercial lending rather than mortgages, promote entrepreneurship/financial literacy in our educational system, make pragmatic cuts to our government bureaucracy...

Whoa! I'm getting excited. Hopefully, our new Congress and our President will be this excited and creative when they convene soon. Gridlock is not an option, unless they want the American people to really get angry and show out in November 2012.

School is not for everyone

2010-10-19T04:19:00.002-05:00

A young person I know very well told another adult the other day that not everyone is made for school. The young man was trying to explain why he doesn’t want to be confined to the rigors of schooling when his goal in life is to be an artist. He has a valid argument but not for the reasons he believes.

The American Public School System, which at one time was hailed as the greatest achievement in the industrialized world, is a farce. It has been devalued and regimented to the point of uselessness in this modern technological era we live in. Teachers are forced to be more concerned about job security, thus restricting from them the freedom to truly educate the youth that comes into their classrooms. Administrators, politicians and other bureaucrats are more concerned about test scores rather than the quality of the education the children receive.

Some people do well on standardized tests, others don’t. However, that does not mean that the good test-takers are any more knowledgeable about the subject matter than those who don’t perform well. Some children are not given all the tools to succeed, we know this all too well, but the pressure that is put on some of them to perform at an early age based on a test-taking strategy is ludicrous and counter-productive to establishing a free society.

Whatever happened to the concept of enlightenment? That is what education is supposed to be about. You, as a human being, are suppose to be taught things, not to pass a test, but for your self-edification. Your exposure to the arts, introduction of new languages and cultures, the application of mathematics and sciences are meant to be stimulating, not a chore to master. The joy of communicating effectively, meaning fluency in reading, writing and speaking your native language, is lost in the statistical urgency of diminishing prison beds and poverty rolls.

It is time to go back to basics. It is time teach once again, not to satisfy a global industrial complex, but to make sure the wonders of the universe and civilization are challenging yet exciting again. How is it that we live in the greatest country in the world and the majority of our children cannot identify it on a map of the world? Because we have lost sight of our mission in life: to achieve enlightenment.

Back in colonial days, blacksmiths had a diploma, so that means that enlightenment did not take you away from manual labor jobs. It does mean however that you are a more complete being, in other words, more representative of what God created. That is what we have to go back to.
Some of our greatest intellectuals came from one room schoolhouses, so infrastructure improvement is not the panacea, nor is barrels full of public dollars. It is about a true commitment to excellent enlightenment for our country and our world.

Thomas Jefferson believed that by the time a child was ten years old, he or she should be able to master reading, writing, public speaking, all forms of mathematics and science, a foreign language and have an educated appreciation for the arts. With the tools we have now at our disposal, it should be easier to achieve than say in the 19th Century when Jefferson expressed these thoughts. Instead of following the example of prodigies like Jefferson, we have modeled our education system to appease the industrialists like George Pullman, who believed the public schools in America should be designed to train future workers, not visionaries.

I have always made the argument in my public speeches about education that our system now trains children to follow the blocks instead of questioning should they be better arranged. A horse may need blinders to go forward, but humans need to maximize their peripheral vision. An education system grounded on the premise of human enlightenment is the key.

So no, school the way it is set up is not for everyone. It crushes free will and diminishes individual worth. A school that values human enlightenment is a school that is made for everybody.

Barbour is right...

2010-10-05T17:32:00.002-05:00

MS Gov. Haley Barbour recently stated that at least 80 percent of the BP oil spill penalties, soon to be imposed by the Federal Government, should go to the states affected. I wholeheartedly agree.

What use will the Feds have to keep any of the penalties, let alone more than 20 percent? The manpower used does not come close to any equity of the potential long-term devastation to the ecology of the Gulf Coast.

The people of Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have had to deal with a lot over the last five years. The last thing they need to deal with is a Federal Government short-changing them.

I am back!

2010-10-01T19:55:00.002-05:00

After a long hiatus due to a political campaign I was working on, I'm back!!! I will get on with the process of again writing what is on my mind, especially since a ton of stuff has happened since I last wrote.

Stay tuned...

Really Dr. Mason?

2010-03-09T06:50:00.002-06:00

The headline article in the March 8th edition of the Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, MS) startled me yesterday as I was visiting some of my former colleagues in the State Capitol. Dr. Ronald Mason, the president of Jackson State University, basically asserted in an e-mail to one of his faculty members that the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus could not be trusted and that the caucus was out to get him.

As a personal note to Dr. Mason, I just want to say thanks, sarcastically. Since I served in the Mississippi Legislature during that time, I just want to thank him for painting us all in such a broad brush. I personally don't know what I did to earn his distrust, considering I was one of his biggest supporters to be hired, and virtually shut down the House of Representatives to make sure JSU received their fair share of funding prior to Billy McCoy being the Speaker of the House.

True, there are some members of the MSLBC that would like to see Dr. Mason leave, but not all of the members, past or current. It was an unfair assessment of those public servants who have done everything they could to represent the best interests of Mississippi Public Historically Black Colleges and some kind of gesture should be made to make amends to those of us who respected his presidency, especially those of us who are alumni of that fine institution.

However, I don't think the damage he has done since talks of mergers of the HBCU's can really be repaired, primarily after his electronic critique has been published statewide. I just hope someday he will eventually understand that the majority of Mississippi's African-American legislators are the best allies he has in this state, no matter how many pats on the back he gets from others.

Really, Dr. Mason, I assumed you were better than that. I guess it is my disappointment.

Appreciation

2010-02-28T08:49:00.004-06:00

Things are always changing in my world so much that I don't have time to comment on them all, especially when they happen. In addition, even though this is a blog about my life experiences and opinions, I have to consider some of the ramifications of sharing everything with the world. On that note, I wish to publicly apologize to my love for the last posting which seemed to affect her more than I realized. The forecast has changed from gloomy to partly sunny with bright horizons predicted for the future. If you read the last posting you know what I am saying without saying it.

Moving on, I am pleased about a couple of things that happened this past week. One, as the Winter Olympics culminate today with an epic battle in men's hockey, I am pleased that the projected American stars for these Games delivered. No, they did not dominate their events, or sport even, like Michael Phelps did, but they either won and/or medaled and they gave it their all. We won in events we hadn't in generations and rose above the "Blades of Glory" trash talking during the figure skating events. It was compelling television for the sports junkie coming down from his/her Super Bowl high and I pray that executives like Gary Betteman don't blow it for the 2014 Games in Russia. Commissioner, you know what I'm talking about.

The other event that pleased me was the summit on health care reform, hosted by the President at the Blair House in Washington, DC. I am glad that the President called it, and in turn, called the bluff of the F-O-X-N-E-W-S crowd. I am glad the Republican leadership showed up, especially the members who departed from the rhetoric and threw out specific ideas to make the legislation better.

Having sat in major policy hearings, conference committees and town hall meetings, I really appreciated the opportunity for many Americans to watch their government really work. Sure it may look like grandstanding, but I believe in the end we are going to see a major health care reform bill passed in this administration. There were many in the room who want to see the President fail in his attempt only for short-term political gain, but surely they know that the summit event itself did more to stop that goal from becoming a reality. No US President in my lifetime attempted to bring the conference committee experience into our living rooms before. I hope the American people appreciated the experience as much as I did, because it was for their long-term benefit.

Let me end this post on this note. When you have a chance to experience something great, take advantage of the opportunity. Don't let others dissuade you from doing what your gut tells you. Don't let fear of the unknown, or a lack of specific knowledge stop you from participating in greatness. Go forth and enjoy the moment because that is what life is all about.

Until next time, take care and be blessed!

Second Time Not The Charm

2010-02-07T07:55:00.002-06:00

Today, as I write this, two teams are preparing to battle for the NFL Championship, knowing at the end of the day one of them will come up short of attaining their goal. At this moment, I am already in the loser's locker room.

Last night, my wife made it official what I saw coming for weeks: she formally asked me for a divorce. We were married for little more than a year and two months. Despite the whirlwind romance we had and the excitement we brought to this marriage, in the end it was erased by harsh words and fate.

My soon-to-be second ex-wife is really a nice person. She has the most beautiful smile and is one of the most creative people I have ever met. However last night, I did not see that smile, there was nothing creative or poetic in how she broke the news. The spark in her eyes is gone. The smile has been replaced with a look of exasperation. The rainbow that she thought she had finally attained had slipped away and her disappointment was visibly apparent.

I admit I am not a rainbow chaser, so I cannot comprehend the depth of anger, frustration and despair she is feeling, but I am seeing the results. As soon as I finish this entry, I will be moving my things into storage for the remainder of the day and trying to find a place to stay during this time.

My struggle is that I have given up everything that I had built up after my first divorce to make this marriage happen. The problem is that my pride overshadowed my heart. When I wrote my last entry about my wife on our anniversary, the emotions and love was real. To a degree, it still is, however, it was my pride and anger and frustration that drove an immovable wedge between us and her son. Now financially, I am in a quandary of how I am going to make it for the next several months. I am fortunate God gave me an opportunity to earn some extra income, but it is political, so it will not last long, nor will it be dependable.

My quality time with my son will be altered because of my instabilities. I will continue to surmount debt as I will incur new expenses on an extremely tight budget. I will also see who my true friends are in this time of crisis.

God reminds us that He breaks us down to build us back up. He must have great things in store for me and my new ex-wife because we are both very broken. I have apologized to her already for my role in the destruction of this happy home. Though we may never reconcile as a couple, I pray that she can recover and forgive me as a human being. All my anger towards her has dissipated and I am now ready to move on, not knowing how the rest of the story is going to play out.

To know my new ex-wife is to know someone who people in the arts world would call a muse. A muse is someone who can evoke powerful creativity and beauty. To see this muse lose some of her luster, to see her agonize in pain, physically, spiritually and emotionally, and to know that you are the catalyst for this muse's despondence, it is the worst punishment a human being with any sense of compassion could be subjected to. Looking back on my actions in this marriage, it is a punishment well deserved.

I hate that the timing of my emotional downturn coincided with her happiest moment. While my emotions ran like a super roller coaster, hers was on a steady decline. My erratic behavior during this time of emotional transition for me was too much for her spirit too bear. It will be my biggest regret of my life.

My ex-wife does have a name. It is Regina Louise Turner. Her friends call her Gina. She often refers to herself as Lady G. She is sexy, friendly and has a beautiful spirit. She is strong, opinionated and intelligent. She will make a great wife for the right-minded man. She is my loss.

Now technically we are still married, but it is strictly on paper. The love that brought us together is gone. The love that is needed to keep us together will not be allowed to manifest. We are both tired and desire peace from each other and within each other. As reluctant as it is for me to say it, it is time for me to go and let her get on with the rest of her life. I just hope that I have not closed out her heart to the point that she will not find that happy marriage she seeks.

God, Gina has asked for strength, continue to increase it. She has asked for courage, continue to increase it. She has asked for wisdom, continue to increase it. Bless her, heal her heart, make her whole again. It will be the world's loss if she does not heal.

As for me, God, continue to temper my spirit, remind me that You are in control, and keep me focused on what is important in life: love and peace. Relationships may end with others but I never want to lose my relationship with You. Guide me on this new journey and give me the discernment to find true love, true peace and true success. Protect me from my enemies and remove my reproach. Forgive me for my transgressions and prepare a place for all that have been in my life in Your Heavenly home.

Finally, for those of you who will be disappointed by this news, don't despair long. Just pray for us. There are no villains in this story, just tragic figures. We are not dead, just moving on for the better. We both don't know what the long-term future holds, but in the immediate moment, this is the best resolution. For the record, I do not want to give up on the marriage, but it takes two. Neither one of us can do it alone, she is tired of carrying her end and I have to respect that.

So this may be the last time you will hear from me for a while until I get re-settled. When I do come back, it will the beginning of the new start I proclaimed for 2010. The old saying goes what does not kill you will make you stronger. When I return, I will be a much stronger Erik Robert Fleming. May God continue to bless you, be with you and keep you in His favor always.

Take care.

Saints and Ain'ts

2010-01-28T16:53:00.002-06:00

I wanted to write on these items separately as the thoughts first came to my head, but things in my life, which are still unfolding, dictated otherwise. More on that later. For now I want to comment on a couple of things.

First, I am so happy that the New Orleans Saints are going to their first Super Bowl. The Saints have basically been a symbol of professional athletic futility since 1967. They ruined great college players like Archie Manning and were the last stop for aging pros. Charleston Heston even played an aging Saints quarterback in a movie in which he died on the field. Fans used to wear bags on their heads when they came to Saints games.

Not anymore. Since 2006, the Saints have been one of the premier franchises in the league. Their glorious return to the Superdome, a stadium that was ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, symbolized a dawning of a new era in Saints and NFL history. I remember watching that first home game in the renovated Superdome against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. I believe I was the only non die-hard Saints fan that believed they were going to beat the Falcons, led at that time by Michael Vick. After forcing the Falcons to punt on their first possession, the Saints blocked the punt for a touchdown and the Dome was rocking. It has not stopped rocking since.

Drew Brees and Sean Payton have not only personally recovered from the hurricane's devastation, but they have helped an entire city revitalized itself. I do not believe that there is a NFL city that has more of a personal connection to their home team than New Orleans. Not even Green Bay, where the citizens own the team.

The Saints rising to the occasion to, in essence, beat a hometown hero to get to the Super Bowl is already the greatest story in sports this year. Now they have to beat another hometown legend to win it all. I know that no team is just happy to get to the championship, but win or lose, the Saints have given the people of New Orleans something to cheer about and look forward to, even as reminders of Katrina's destructive effect still remain, especially in the city's Ninth Ward.

Now to the Ain'ts. Dr. Ronald Mason made a crucial mistake this past week. Dr. Mason is the president of Jackson State University, my alma mater. Mason, who I voted for to get the position, has let me down by his lack of political acumen. Seems as though he drew up a plan to show how a merger of Mississippi's Historically Black Universities could work, even renaming the combined school Jacobs State University.

In his defense, Mason said the idea was just something he was playing with and it was not meant for public consumption. He later reiterated his earlier statement that he was not in favor of merging the HBCUs. However, now it is a perception problem.

Gov. Haley Barbour had earlier indicated that he wanted to merge the schools in order to shore up the state budget. Gov. Barbour served on the JSU Development Foundation Board during Mason's tenure. Therefore the perception is that Mason showed Barbour a model of how this could work and Barbour ran with it.

Now knowing both men I am assuming that it did not go down like that, but timing and perception is everything in politics. Initially, when Barbour made that recommendation, the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus, as a whole, said nothing, though it was known that they were against it. Yet when Dr. Mason, who is African-American, was implicated in devising a plan to make the merger work, it did not take them anytime to stand before the press and decry a university president they have never fully embraced.

Having said that, Dr. Mason has brought this fury on himself. In this day and age, when you put something on a computer and say e-mail it to some friends or colleagues, it is no telling where it might show up. Now if the Mississippi Legislature did the impossible and approved this merger, then it would have been prudent for Mason to put his thoughts out there in an electronic format to stay ahead of the move. By jumping the gun though, he added fuel to the fire and made a non-issue viable again. It will be interesting to see if he weathers this storm like others in the past. I personally believe the damage is beyond repair and that hindsight is now telling him he should have joined his law school roommate, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, in the Department of Justice.

Another ain't is the national Democratic Party. When the President of the United States, the one you successfully elected to the office, has to implore you not to "run to the hills" in a State of the Union Address, things are not looking good for you. We have long lived up to the Will Rogers standard of not being an organized party, but that has to change before the November elections. The election in Massachusetts should be considered a wake-up call, not a surrendering point.
Watching the Governor of Virginia flaunt it in your face last night should be a call-to-arms, not a sign to retreat.

Health care reform must be passed. Jobs must be created. The deficit must be reduced. These are the issues the party can take the lead on before they watch their majority melt down on November 2nd. It is time for leadership in Washington, specifically the halls of Congress, and it is time for the DNC to support their local state chapters to mount a successful battle against the GOP in their respective Congressional elections, even in Mississippi.

It is time for the Democrats to adopt the John Paul Jones mantra, "I have not yet begun to fight!"

That is all for now.

Go Reid! Go!

2010-01-11T07:41:00.003-06:00

"He had no alternative. Senator Lott dug himself a hole and he didn't dig it all in one setting. He dug it over the years. And he couldn't figure out a way to get out of it...You play how you practice. If you tell ethnic jokes in the backroom, it's that much easier to say ethnic things publicly. I've always practiced how I play." -Sen. Harry Reid, December 20, 2000, on Lott's resignation from the post of Senate Majority Leader

On page 37 of the upcoming book, "Game Change," it states that "(Senator Reid's) encouragement of Obama was unequivocal. He was wowed by Obama's oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama -- a 'light-skinned' African American 'with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,' as he said privately. Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama's race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination."

That revelation has created a firestorm which the senator jumped in front of, owned up to, and personally apologized to the President about. The timing is precarious because of the current fight to push through health care reform legislation and the President believes Reid's leadership is important in this process, thus the quick acceptance of the apology.

I don't know if I am that forgiving. I had the privilege of running against Sen. Lott and people that supported me never forgot what Lott said to humor a 100-year-old Senator on his birthday. For those of us in Mississippi, it was not a surprise that Lott would do that, but it was a surprise that it made national news and led to his resignation before a new president took office.

On the flip side of that though, I was told as a candidate to remove my facial hair and modify my glasses to come across as less threatening to a certain section of voters. In 2006 and 2008, I was even called the "Obama of the South" by some supporters because of the similar clean-cut image and oratorical style. It was not uncommon to hear people say that myself and Obama were well-spoken African-Americans that were electable.

So I don't really know if my anger is toward Reid for saying the remarks or re-visiting living through that assessment. However, I do believe it is a double-standard to support Reid for saying something as calculating, regardless of the goodwill intended, and condemn Lott. Both remarks were wrong and poorly phrased.

To break it down, based on Reid's remarks, Harold Ford is more electable than Martin Luther King, Jr. That is not a real assessment. Electability is based on financial support, stances on issues, trust and the political temperature of the voters. Image plays a part only when those aforementioned factors are a virtual dead heat, i.e. John F. Kennedy vs. Richard M. Nixon. You have to look the part, but looks with no substance equal political disaster and crushed egos.

I guess if I was a white person I would be more offended by Reid's remarks because it implies that Obama was acceptable but a darker-skinned African-American that slipped in some Ebonics in his/her oratory with his same background would not be in my eyes. It also feeds the negative vibe some Blacks were expressing about Obama when he first decided to run for the Presidency, that he was not "Black enough."

The key was that President Obama was the better candidate. The narrow-minded folks aside, Obama swayed the American public with his knowledge of the issues and the message of change. He is a great speaker and he presented a presidential image, regardless of the level of melanin in his skin. Reid's remarks belittle that notion.

Maybe I am still altruistic, but I believe if Obama ran a campaign similar to Sen. Dodd or even Sen. Biden, then he would not have come close to winning the primary, let alone the General Election. Obama's election reassured my faith in the American electorate and helped me realize what I would need to work on to pursue a higher office again.

I have to admit that race does still play a factor in elections, but I know from experience that being Black does not guarantee the Black vote and does not automatically discount the white vote. You have to work hard for every vote, and even though I lost my election, I know that my vote total was not just based on ethnic solidarity. Reid's remarks diminishes that belief.

I understand the importance of Reid's role in the current health care reform debate. I understand and appreciate the Democrats circling the wagons for him, unlike what the GOP did to Lott , forcing him out of their leadership circle for six years. I don't agree with the dismissal of his remarks as an apples and oranges comparison with Lott. Offensive and demeaning is offensive and demeaning, regardless if our friends say it or our enemies.

I am glad the President has forgiven Reid. Now he needs to ask Reid to seriously consider stepping down or, at the very least, not run for re-election this cycle. Reid basically said in the earlier posted quote what is said in the backroom will be eventually said in public. Reid's lack of faith in the American people should be enough grounds for a public servant to step aside and allow a chance for a servant with that faith to step in his place.

A New Start

2010-01-03T07:24:00.002-06:00

Isaiah 60:1-6, Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2:1-12

Happy New Year, my friends. It is the first year of the second decade of the 21st Century. It is time for a new start!

If you have been neglecting your relationship with the God who gave us this new opportunity, today is the day to get reacquainted. If you have not tapped into that spiritual power that resides within you, today is the day that you should dip into that vast reservoir.

You are what God created you to be: wonderful and glorious! Walk in that and claim your rightful inheritance. You will overcome all adversity. You triumph over all enemies. You will be the shining example that others will follow. It is your destiny and your birthright.

In 2010, be bold, be courageous, be the best you can be! The spirit that dwells within you is not a spirit of fear or timidity, therefore don't act outside of your nature. You are a child of God! Live like it!

This year, make a difference in the world you live in, no matter how small the contribution. Stand on the promises of God and go forth with His favor to do great things in 2010. Remember the greatest commandment is love and the greatest commission is to spread the Word! Do your part to love and enlighten this year, in as many places as you can.

Finally, be a prayer warrior this year. The world is reeling with strife, probably including the home you live in. Commune with God regularly and let Him guide you through these tough times. Through prayer, you re-energize your faith. As stated before, your faith is your strength, so flex those faithful muscles in 2010.

This is a new start! Praise God for yet another second chance! Amen! Amen! Amen!

Thinking the right way

2009-12-13T07:15:00.003-06:00

Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18

If we are to be at peace with God, we have to think about the goodness of God. We can get bogged down in our mistakes, caught up in our misfortunes and paralyzed by our fears. It is a natural occurrence, therefore we have to think supernaturally.

We have to remember after all those tough times, how God delivered us through them. We have to remember in our good times, how God lined everything up so that we could be prepared to receive those blessings. The best guide of how to think is found in Philippians 4:4-7.

When we think positively, positive results will happen. When we think about God's goodness, we are thinking positively. Therefore, when we think about the goodness of God, positive results will happen.

Be positive. Be faithful. Think God.

There is a difference

2009-12-06T07:09:00.003-06:00

Baruch 5:1-9, Malachi 3:1-4, Luke 1:68-79, Psalm 126, Philippians 1:3-11, Luke 3:1-6

As we have entered the Advent season, preparing for the celebration of the birth of our Savior, we are overwhelmed with the secular aspect of Christmas: spending money. We look at the affluent in our society and watch their indulgences with fascination.

We also tend to look at those who have attained their wealth it seems at the expense of others, with no outward repercussions, as untouchable or unstoppable. We, in a sense, envy them. However, I am here to remind you all that there is a difference between us and them.

Those of them that value money more than anything else suffer more than we realize. Their lives are basically in a bubble and their decadence usually comes to light in an unflattering way. They single-handily have created an industry of gossipers and voyeurs documenting their every move.

Those of us who value our relationship with God don't have to worry about those things. We commit sin, but we repent, and we stay in prayer for forgiveness and favor. We understand that the only judgement we have to worry about is the final one. No publicist can spin our way out of that one. No lawyer on earth can successfully defend our case in the end. We must stand accountable for our actions and we are gravely aware of that.

The grass may be greener on the other side, but we don't need all the fertilizer either. Life is tough enough as it is, knowing that carnal and supernatural forces are constantly testing us, we don't need to abandon our relationship with God for the sake of wealth as well.

Not all of God's people need to have millions of dollars to be considered wealthy. Their faith is the true measurement of their wealth, for nothing is more glorious than the guarantee of eternal life and favor with God.

Nothing is wrong with being wealthy. It is only wrong if you are wealthy only in a worldly view. Treasure your relationship with God and live in the security of peace and happiness. That, to coin a phrase, is really priceless.

Let God lead you to the Truth

2009-11-29T07:10:00.003-06:00

Jeremiah 33:14-16, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13, Luke 21:25-36

Too often we rely on our earthly instincts to make decisions. We trust people too much. We assume things will follow a set pattern. We believe in things and people that are not dependable or are temporal.

Instead, we should follow the One who is eternal, the One who is omniscient, the One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the One true living God. It is God who sets all things in motion, whether it is the rotation of the planets in our solar system or something personal, like providing you with the protection against all enemies and afflictions.

He delivers, not on your time, but on His time. He is faithful, always there for us when we need Him. He is steadfast, immovable. All those qualities we look for in our elected leaders, our ministers, our business executives, in other words, we look for godly qualities in those who are not God.

If we truly seek out the truth, then we must follow the one who is the Truth, the Way and the Light. We must follow God by studying His word, praying to Him, and living a life based on faith, not fear. Men terrorize, God comforts. Men intimidate, God radiates. In mankind, we find despair; in God we find hope.

Let us recommit ourselves to real leadership. Let us follow God, so that we may one day attain the real truth, for all eternity.

To My Wife

2009-11-25T08:09:00.002-06:00

It has been said that if a man finds a wife, it is a good thing. 364 days after you took the vow to be my wife, I would say that is an accurate statement. As you went off to work this morning, leaving with me with that soft kiss of yours, I just had to think about what a year it has been.

Before I go on, this has not been an easy journey. We have had our share of ups and downs in getting adjusted to each other, but if I had to give an overall assessment, I am honored to be your husband. Yes, you are quirky, but you are also a muse, one who inspires creativity and exudes beauty. One who makes people smile and the world a better place by your presence.

For everything I have done to upset you, I am sorry. For everything that I have done to make you smile, I am grateful for the opportunity. Many couples in this day and time never overcome their first year shock. Over half of all married couples in America end their relationship. I want to beat those odds.

I want to see marriage this time around as a never-ending journey. I want to uphold the vow of " 'til death us part". When I die, I want it to be said that you are the last woman I ever loved.

Never mind the fights or the hurt feelings. Never mind the shortcomings and disappointments. We are one and like fine wine, we, as a couple, will get better with time. After all, practice makes perfect.

Bottom line, I love you with all my heart. You are my joy and have been that way since the moment we met last June, that has not, nor will it ever change. Some compare the first year of marriage as surviving the whirlwind. Well consider us survivors. Congratulations.

On tomorrow, as everyone else will be giving thanks for what happened for them this year, I will have an additional reason to be thankful, and that is you.

Happy Anniversary, Gina!

May God continue to bless us, be with us and keep us together in His favor always.

Be Thankful

2009-11-22T08:55:00.002-06:00

Joel 2:21-27, Deuteronomy 8:7-18, 1 Kings 8:55-61, Psalm 126, Psalm 113:1-8, Psalm 138:1-5
, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Colossians 3:12-17, 1 Timothy 6:6-11, 17-19, Matthew 6:25-33

This week is the time when we get ready for good food, family gatherings and football games all day long. But we also know that it is the week that we annually remember what and who we are thankful for.

My main suggestion is that we don't forget God in our thanksgiving. It is God who has made everything possible in your life. It is God who has carried you through to the hard times. It is God who gave up His son so that we may have the guarantee of eternal life.

Thanks be to God for all He has done and all that He is going to do. Amen.

Never Gonna Happen

2009-11-17T15:02:00.004-06:00

Haley Barbour cannot surprise me anymore. Been there done that. So when he unveiled his long-term consolidation plan for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (MS IHL), better known as our eight state-run universities, it was a very familiar tune.

When I attended Jackson State University, Mississippi's largest Historically Black College/University, it was during the mid-1980s. The Ayers lawsuit, which was brought on behalf of the students attending MS HBCUs, was only a decade long and there was talk about consolidation. Jackson State was suppose to become the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in Jackson, Mississippi Valley State was suppose to merge with Delta State and Alcorn State was suppose to merge with Mississippi State and the Mississippi University for Women.

We had witnessed Utica Junior College, a two-year HBCU, merged with Hinds Community College, and being involved with student government at the time, we would be damned if our alma mater was going to suffer the same fate. Led by our student body president, Thomas Fox, we marched on the College Board and crashed their meeting. We marched on the State Capitol and chased legislators up and down stairs.

In other words, we made our defiant voices heard. Fortunately for us, MUW did not want to be consolidated either, and since a number of the alumnae were spouses of the key players on this issue, consolidation died a timely death. Now, our governor wants to resurrect this idiotic discussion.

Idiotic may be a strong word, but completely appropriate. First, how are you going to justify saving money by maintaining eight physical plants, regardless of what they are named? Second, what federal exemption does our governor think he is going to get by dissolving a historically black land grant school. For those not familiar, during Reconstruction, the federal government donated land to create colleges. In those states that believed that Blacks and whites should not attend school together, land grants were given to open a Black college and a white college. Alcorn State and Mississippi State are our state's land grant institutions.

Third, it is a bad business model. Ole Miss, for example, only receives 30 percent of its budget from the state. The rest is covered by endowments to the school. JSU is just the opposite, receiving 70 percent of it's budget from the state. Why would Ole Miss take that kind of disparity on, putting a strain on its coffers?

Fourth, the Ayers case has been settled. The purpose of the lawsuit was to show that MS HBCUs were capable of being elite public institutions and that they should be given the resources to maintain that standard of excellence. Consolidation would nullify the settlement and probably generate another 27-year legal fight in the Federal Courts.

That is why I say IHL consolidation will never happen. The Legislature does not have the political will to push for it. The alumni of JSU, Alcorn, MVSU and MUW will fight this plan to the very end. And I believe that they will be victorious.

Gov. Barbour got what he wanted, a vigorous discussion about the issue, and coverage on most news, especially the Clarion-Ledger. Surely, I don't think he is stupid enough to believe that consolidation will happen during his last year in office. However, it is now our turn, we must be loud and strongly voice our response to this mess. We must do it for JSU, Alcorn, MVSU and MUW.

Barbour thinks he can erase 100s of years of history at these schools in the name of fiscal management. As Mr. Gump would say, "stupid is as stupid does."

The Fullness of Joy

2009-11-15T07:35:00.003-06:00

1 Samuel 1:4-20, Daniel 12:1-3, 1 Samuel 2:1-10, Psalm 16, Hebrews 10:11-14 (15-18), 19-25, Mark 13:1-8

When you read about Hannah and her faithful, fervent prayer to God, one should be encouraged. She approached God with a peace in knowing that her prayer would be answered. Hannah did not shout it out, but she communicated with God directly. The priest Eli did not understand it at first, but her words and her joy made him understand and lift her prayer up toward God as well.

Hannah got it. She experienced firsthand that being in God's presence is the fullness of joy. Face it, when you are in a joyful state, there is no remorse, no pity, no insecurity. That is what it is like to be in the presence of God. Since Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us, our pathway to His presence is uninhibited by any force, natural or supernatural.

If you have not taken advantage of this opportunity in your life, make today the day that you set out to enjoy the fullness of joy. Today enjoy the honor and the privilege bestowed upon you to be in the presence of the Lord.

Politics is Boring

2009-11-14T09:13:00.004-06:00

If you have been following my blog lately, you may have noticed that I have been talking more about spiritual matters rather than political, although every now and then the two coincide. That has been deliberate. It is because I look at the current political situation as uninteresting.

It has become so predictable in a moment when we thought radical things were going to happen. The advent of the Obama presidency was suppose to bring about this new change, add a fresh breath to the stale Beltway air. Turns out that the Beltway is stronger than hope itself. The mass appeal is fading, the luster is dulling, and the same ol' gridlock and malaise is starting to settle in.

This is not Obama's fault. He is pressing on, tackling the big issues of our time with the force of a blitzing linebacker. His supporters, the real ones, not the ones moved by a false sense of inspiration, are fiercely out there, doing what they did to get him elected. Unfortunately, Obama has run into the same problem most of us run into when challenging an institution in politics, it is easier to win the election than to govern.

The Republicans have made up their collective minds that they must win in 2010, a repeat of the 1994 Revolution. It worked before when the country elected a president on hope so if it is not broke, then don't fix or modify it. The only difference is that the GOP is feuding within, a phenomenon only practiced by Democrats. We were more united on September 12, 2001 than we are now and there is no reconciliation forthcoming. Bipartisanship is officially dead.

The aforementioned Democrats are doing what they always do, tripping over themselves, turning layups into low-percentage shots. The politicians in Washington, as a whole, have no sense of nobility in tackling the toughest issues this generation faces: Health Care, Foreign Policy, Environment and Fiscal Responsibility. They are taking safe votes instead of the right votes. They are still pushing pork instead of public policy that leads to self-sufficiency. They are using wedge issues and fear to get elected.

In other words, the same ol' stuff, and it is rather boring. To boldly go where no man has gone before is just a tag line for a great sci-fi show, not the philosophy of our political leaders. They like being the naked emperors walking the streets, because they know they have the resources to stay where they are. They like the fact that Americans are struggling so that that they can capitalize on our insecurities, rather than enlightening us with a new vision, a whole new class of poverty pimps if you will.

And the alternatives are not any better. Our choices now are to stay with the elected officials we have or the resume-padders, you know, the ones that want to die with the title, "The Honorable Rev. Dr. So-and-So, Esquire". Visionaries and statesmen need not apply. That to me is a mundane world. I think Abraham Lincoln and Robert F. Kennedy would have a tough time serving in this Congress. They would be better served forming multi-million dollar foundations, addressing the real needs of the masses instead of staying in the political process. That is a sad observation to make.

I was once taught that public service was the highest aim of mankind. I will be glad when a generation of politicians thought that way again. It sure would be a lot more interesting than it is now.

Remember our soldiers

2009-11-08T10:16:00.003-06:00

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Psalm 127, Psalm 146, Hebrews 9:24-28, Mark 12:38-44

Joshua and David. Two of the most famous soldiers in the Bible. Their common denominator: an unwavering faith in God. As we celebrate Veteran's Day this week, remember that our young men and women are fighting for freedom but they need our prayers.

Weapons can only carry the victory to those who have faith. Pray for our soldiers to be victorious, pray for their safe return home, and pray for peace in this unstable world.

Tomorrow in Mississippi

2009-11-06T10:56:00.002-06:00

Tomorrow would be a typical Saturday in Mississippi: mild weather, lots of college football and then some partying afterwards. However, November 7, 2009 will be atypical in a couple of ways.
First at a football game, more attention will be paid to the pre-game ceremony than the actual game itself. In Oxford, Ole Miss, known outside of the state as The University of Mississippi, will be hosting some directional school at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium Saturday afternoon.

There will be all sorts of national attention on this game based on a chant the student body says prior to the game. As the Ole Miss band finishes its rendition of "My Ol' Dixie Home", the fans yell "The South Will Rise Again!" The chancellor, Dr. Dan Jones, football coach Houston Nutt and several distinguished alumni have asked for the practice stop. Jones even went so far as to say that if the chant is uttered this Saturday, then the band will not be allowed to perform the song that prompts the chant ever again.

The chant is only as old as the era of segregation and civil rights. A then-defiant student body, protesting federal intervention in desegregating institutions of higher learning, started saying the chant as a battle cry during football games to send a clear and chilling message to all who would hear it.

Over the years, it has become as harmless as the Sooner Schooner or the Seminole Chief spearing the field. It is just a much a traditional cheer as the Hoddy Toddy song, which supposedly is also banned, but is said with much gusto to this day. It has become an issue now because recruits for athletics have said they will not play for a team that have fans making that kind of reference, innocently or not. Bad athletics mean less money for the school, and now you get the picture.

The issue is not political sensitivity, it is economic viability. Me, personally, I get both sides of the argument, but I honestly could care less. If folks that attend Ole Miss want to believe in the quasi-romantic notion that The South will rise again, so be it. However, if they want to compete in the SEC for generations to come, then maybe the chant should fade away like the old soldiers of the Confederacy.

Speaking about fading away, one place that will not is the infamous nightclub the Upper Level. Located in my old legislative district, the Upper Level has been a blight in the City of Jackson for years, so much so, that the Jackson Police Department relocated to a vacant office a block away to set up a precinct headquarters. Yet, despite the extreme efforts of the previous mayor, the late Frank Melton, who successfully did shut down the club as a public nuisance, the club will open its doors again on November 7, 2009.

Bottom line, if you want drugs, go to the Upper Level, If you want prostitutes, go to the Upper Level. If want the thrill of being shot at, go to the Upper Level. If you want to have a good time with friends on a Saturday evening, go somewhere else.

However, the Upper Level has friends in high places. I would dare to say the club was a catalyst for the previous hotly contested mayoral race this past spring. Melton's actions to close the club, legal and legally questionable, became a focal point of his administration and the election. The ACLU held voter registration drives there. Politicians had receptions there. Prominent attorneys have represented the ownership in court. As a matter of fact, if you really make an effort to connect the dots, you will know for sure that the young lady that has been identified as the "owner" of the Upper Level is really a front woman for the real owner, who I can modestly say is one of the most influential persons in Mississippi history.

Many people were saying on the street that once Melton was out of office, the Upper Level would be back in business. Seems like that was an accurate assessment. I look forward to seeing many of its patrons visiting my new place of employment on a regular basis.

It is amazing to me that these issues are even before us. Both seem to be decisions that should be made practically. But if this were a practical world, the world would be much better off. I do expect the students at Ole Miss to do what they think is right. As for the Upper Level, all I can do pray no one gets hurt or worse this time around.

One year ago...

2009-11-04T14:17:00.002-06:00

...I was getting ready for history to be made. I had made the decision to participate with the Mississippi Democratic Party at their watch party at the Mississippi Telecom Center. I was bringing stuff to the center and making sure that the logistics were set. I wish I could say I was optimistic about my chances of winning, but that would have been a lie. I had to be a true competitor and appear confident, but the handwriting was on the wall in Mississippi.

Obama was behind in the polls here, which meant there would be no chance for me to win. The jury was still out on the Musgrove-Wicker race, so any push for me and Obama would help Musgrove. That was the only drama for the evening. Musgrove was setting up at the Cabot Lodge and most of the national media was situated there. The local media was setting up at the center because of the national implication of Obama's chances to win the overall election.

It is tough to admit, even after a year, that losing my state was inevitable, but it is what it is. There are just some places where progressive or moderate people cannot win elections. I guess when your biggest debate in your state is whether you should say "The South will rise again!" before a football game, you can only expect so much.

Nevertheless, the mere fact that, in my lifetime, an African-American was on the cusp of becoming President of the United States took away any personal pain and angst I may have been feeling about my own race. After 7pm, it was all over but the crying and celebrating. It was time to watch the numbers. When the first numbers started coming in nationally, you knew history was going to be made, but the shock came when CNN made the initial announcement that the Cochran-Fleming race was too close to call.

My phone nearly exploded. I even got an e-mail from NPR to be on All Things Considered the next morning. Could I have been wrong? Could a miracle happen? The possibility lasted until the numbers from the Gulf Coast started coming in. That was about 8:30 pm. The Coast voters were so lopsided on the GOP side that it took all of the wind out of any Mississippi miracle for myself and Musgrove. They called Cochran first, right after I had a preacher friend of mine offer a prayer to my supporters and family members in a room separate from the big party. Then came McCain and then Wicker. A clean sweep in the big three.

I was at peace with it and it was time for me to finally make my speech. I had put it off from the beginning of the program because if I was not going to win, I did not want to be on television. One last pep talk and then it was time to look at the big screen. As the camera focused on the huge crowd gathering at Grant Park in Chicago, I caught my father in the local crowd, hugging folks I have known for years and strangers alike. Obama was projected to be the winner of the election.

A year later, the euphoria and heartbreak have subsided. I got married and Obama got sworn in and received the Nobel Peace Prize. We are still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are still in a recession. We still are debating health care reform. Mississippi is still the poorest state in the nation. The reality has set in that these next three years are going to be toughest our country has gone through in generations.

A year ago, hope and change was the mantra of the day. A year later, in Mississippi, neither one exists. We'll see what 2010 brings.

All Saints' Day

2009-11-01T05:48:00.003-06:00

Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9, Isaiah 25:6-9, Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14, Psalm 24, Revelation 21:1-6a, 1 John 3:1-3, John 11:32-44

Today is November 1st, which in many Christian denominations is All Saint's Day. This is the day that we collectively remember all of those who have departed this life for their eternal reward. To study the history of this commemoration, start with this Wikipedia nugget and then go from there: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints.

I encourage you to continue that tradition today, as well as thanking God for allowing you another day on this journey. You should pray every day, but today send up a special one and rejoice in the blessing of life that the Lord has given you, and of those who have touched your heart along the way.

Didn't make the cut

2009-10-31T09:34:00.002-05:00

The below entry is the one I submitted to The Washington Post for it's Next Great Pundit contest. There were over 5,000 entries and only ten could make the next round. Needless to say, I didn't make the cut. It was limited to 400 words and maybe, with the way I normally express myself, the content was lacking. Nevertheless, I am use to taking constructive criticism, so I present to you my entry for the contest:

As I woke up October 9, 2009, the big story was going to be a rocket crashing into the surface of the moon, hoping to find some signs of water for future space explorations. While that event did happen, not living up to the hype I might add, a reality crashed on all of us, especially the President of the United States. That fact is that the trusted international mantle of leadership was handed back to us.

President Obama was surprisingly awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace that same morning, and with it an awesome responsibility to walk the walk, after two years of talking the talk. Forty-one years ago, demonstrators at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago shouted, “the whole world is watching!” The five members of the Nobel Prize for Peace Committee quickly reminded the President, and the United States as a nation, that the whole world is still watching, and waiting with hope.

The committee said they chose the President because of his diplomatic strategy of engagement rather than the unilateral approach the previous administration practiced for eight years. The question becomes now: Can that approach work in the current world we live in?

President Obama embodied a symbol of change for Americans, invoking an image of hope and energy. The fact that the majority of American voters elected him to be President sent a message to the world that the America their ancestors talked about and sought, to either visit or live in, had returned, that ever-shining beacon of hope in the world.

After World War II, the world entrusted America to be the economic and military superpower, but lately it seemed as though the luster in America’s star had dimmed severely as our stewardship of that trust was questioned. Now, after nine months in office, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize sends a message that the luster could return and that the President is on the right path to make that happen.

As a citizen of the world, I hope that the President is successful in his strategy of engagement. As an American, while I am glad that he has secured such a distinguished honor, I just hope that he can take that mantle of international leadership and deliver on the promise it symbolizes, while at the same time making our nation better place for us to live.

Just starting to fight

2009-10-25T06:56:00.002-05:00

Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 46, Romans 3:19-28, John 8:31-36

This was inspired by a disturbing note I saw one of my friends post online. She said that she had given up on everything and everyone. My response: This is not the time to give up, this is the time to start!

God empowered us to fight off despair and gloomy outlooks. People will come and go, especially false friends. Financial troubles will subside. Sickness can be healed. Those are all temporary conditions and experiences. God, however, is constant and eternal.

As the old hymn says, He is willing to aid you and He will carry you through anything you ask Him too. I have seen Him heal the sick. I have seen Him financially bless people that needed it. He is a Friend when all others abandon you. This is not just hearsay, these are personal testimonies.

Our God is a glorious God and He made us wonderfully. There is nothing we can't overcome if we put our trust in Him and thoroughly exercise our faith. Thus when it seems as though you have reached the end of your rope, remember that God is our heavenly lifeline. He will never fail us, all we have to do is not get weary in our struggle.

Today is not the day to surrender to the principalities and powers that want to see us suffer. This is the time to fight. Press on toward the higher mark and claim your victory today! Amen!

Turning our own way

2009-10-18T06:47:00.003-05:00

Job 38:1-7, (34-41), Isaiah 53:4-12, Psalm 104:1-9, 24, 35c, Psalm 91:9-16, Hebrews 5:1-10, Mark 10:35-45

Many times we develop a compass for our lives that is, at best, faulty. We tend to set off in a direction that takes us away from God and we encounter a very adventurous, and sometimes perilous, journey.

We trust our own understanding and we end up getting lost in despair. It does not have to be that way though. If we trust in God and follow Him, He will direct our path, with the ultimate goal of eternal salvation.

Our lives are not guaranteed to be easier because we choose God to be our pilot for our lives, but it will make the rough spots in our journey bearable and easier to overcome. Remembering our strength comes from our faith, it is better to keep our hearts open to God than turning our own way.

Stay strong in the faith, trust in God and keep on the path He sets before us.

Not a genie in a bottle

2009-10-11T06:53:00.003-05:00

Job 23:1-9, 16-17, Amos 5:6-7, 10-15, Psalm 22:1-15, Psalm 90:12-17, Hebrews 4:12-16, Mark 10:17-31

We live in an instant world. Things are disposable, especially when it is new and improved. We receive information 24/7 as the news is breaking. While living in this world, we have to remind ourselves that we are not of this world. We make adjustments for gadgets and info, but we cannot apply this to our relationship with God.

God works on His own time. He that created the universe cannot be restricted to a timetable. Therefore, we have to be patient and endure until the end. If you have asked God for a blessing through a tough period, then you have to be prepared to receive it. That takes time and a test.

God is not a genie in a bottle, granting our every wish as soon as it is uttered. He is our Father and He will only grant us the blessing when we are ready for it. How many talents and blessings have you wasted already in your life? That is why God is temperate with us. However, our assurance is that God does answer our prayers and the blessings will come down.

I remember playing on a team that lost every game. The next year we were the champions. The championship was much sweeter because of the struggles we endured. We were tested by fire and were ready to be champions when the opportunity presented itself. That is what God wants us to do when we request a blessing from Him, be ready.

A famous gospel song has a chorus that says, "He may not come when you want Him/But He'll be there right on time/He's an on-time God/Yes He is." Remember that when you are having hard times and you seek God's help. He will answer your prayer, just hold on!

A Quick Piece of Advice

2009-10-04T08:02:00.002-05:00

Job 1:1; 2:1-10, Genesis 2:18-24, Psalm 26. Psalm 8, Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:5-12, Mark 10:2-16

A quick piece advice for my friends this morning: Praise Him in advance! Don't wait until your back is against the wall, your health is failing and your bills are overdue. Praise God now, right this very minute even, for all He has done for you.

The fact that you are able to read this is a blessing. The fact that you can communicate with the world via the Internet is a blessing. The fact that you are alive this morning is a blessing. Embrace the God that seeks to embrace you everyday. However you praise Him, as one shoe company would say, just do it!

Tapping into your power, the Holy Spirit, becomes even more powerful if you also directly tap into the source. Ask God through fervent prayer to guide you through His word, so that you can understand His promise to you. Praise God for He is worthy to be praised, in good times and in hard times. May God continue to bless you, be with you and keep you in His favor always

The Olympics in my hometown

2009-10-01T07:57:00.003-05:00

I remember as a young man, growing up in Chicago, wondering how cool it would be for the Summer Olympics to be hosted in my hometown. I had envisioned the opening ceremony in Soldier Field, before the spaceship known as the Bears home stadium landed there, the Olympic Theme blaring from the Colonnades.

I just thought how electric the atmosphere. People from all over the world coming to my hometown, not that they don't already, but this time the whole world will be watching. ( I know, in 1968, the marchers said "the whole world is watching", but I mean in a positive sense. ) Somebody could actually say I won "x" number of gold medals or set a new world record at the Chicago Olympiad. That would be awesome.

Well, as I write this the President of the United States and the First Lady, former Chicago residents, are in Copenhagen, Denmark trying to make that dream a reality. Mayor Richard M. Daley could pull off something his father, "Da Boss", could not do, all it takes is a majority vote from the International Olympic Committee on October 3rd.

Now Chicago's main competitor is Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. I can only imagine what the opening ceremony would be like if the Games end up there. If you think Carnival is a site to behold, just let the folks in Rio host the Olympics in 2016! So just that thought shows the competition is stiff. But the fact that Chicago has made it this far is incredible.

Now there are naysayers out there that are bitchin' about traffic tie ups and higher taxes. They just don't get it. The world will have its focus on Chicago for two weeks. The city will become truly a world class destination from that moment forward. If you don't believe me, look at how the 1996 Olympics transformed Atlanta into a mecca city. International flights leave from Hartsfield-Jackson Airport now. Centennial Park is the hub of downtown. Population has tremendously increased and so has economic development. I mean Salt Lake City, Utah hosted a Winter Olympiad people and they have benefited tremendously as well.

Chicago has had a history of hosting the world before with the Columbian Exposition and the World's Fair, but that was before jet planes, 24-hour cable and the Internet. Now the city I call home could be properly put in its rightful place as one of the greatest cities in the world. For the record, Chicago has hosted an international sporting event before, where the US Women's Soccer team proved they were the best on the planet during the Women's World Cup, but this is the sporting event of all sporting events.

Just imagine the Cubs playing the White Sox in the World Series, the Blackhawks playing for the Stanley Cup, the Bears playing for the Super Bowl and the Bulls playing in the NBA Championship during the same two week period and multiplying that 3 times over. That is how big this is.

If you want to gripe about the inconvenience, then plan a vacation for that time. Just don't watch the television for two weeks as your city will dominate the news and somehow, some way, you will really wish you had stayed. As for me, I will try to find a way to be there, even if I can't afford the tickets to the actual events. ( I hear that golf will be played at that Olympiad, so count me in the gallery at Olympia Fields Golf Course, wink, wink. ) Just being in that atmosphere and I am only a $99 ticket away on Southwest from going? At worse, a one day train ride or a 10-hour drive on the Interstate? Sure beats trying to get to Rio, I would have to start saving for that trip tomorrow. Who am I kidding, if its in Rio, I will be watching the NBC family of networks like I have lately.

It would be great for America to host a Summer Olympiad again, if nothing else to give our young men and women competing a home field advantage once again. China fed off its home crowd in Beijing last year. It would also be fifteen years after 9/11, thus showing the world how resilient and proud we are as a nation.

Now there are two things that concern me. First, Nostradamus said the world will end in 2012. Boy I sure hope he got that one wrong. Second, since Kanye West is a Chi-town native, there is the possibility he may interrupt the opening ceremony and say that Barcelona was the best ceremony ever. Barring that, I think Chicago will be a great city to showcase a world-wide event and I can think of no better city to do it than my hometown.

Good luck in Copenhagen!

May your words and meditation be acceptable

2009-09-27T06:31:00.003-05:00

Esther 7:1-6, 9-10, 9:20-22, Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29, Psalm 124, Psalm 19:7-14, James 5:13-20, Mark 9:38-50

I'll start with a statement I have tried to drive home in recent lessons: We are powerful. Because of our status as the heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven, we can make things happen on earth and touch God's heart.

God have given us gifts and talents to do wondrous things for each other, becoming a living testimony for God. Esther used her beauty to gain favor with the king and free her people from bondage. Moses used his special relationship with God to provide for his people, even though God had already given them freedom and sustenance.

Jesus even intervened when his disciples wanted to stop others performing miracles, because they believed and were blessed because of it. As God's children, we can do anything in His name. We can heal the sick, aid the poor and change the world we live in. As long as we speak in a way that is acceptable to God and have a clear mind and heart, nothing is beyond our reach.

Elijah prayed for relief from rain and it was granted. Elijah then prayed for rain and it was granted. What have you sought in your life that has not been granted from God? Have you truly asked Him for it? James reminds us that we have not because we ask not.

Continue to walk in your faith and unleash your power. If your words and meditation are acceptable to God, sit back, watch God work, and be thankful for the power you have been given by our Holy Father.

Committing to the Cause

2009-09-20T07:05:00.003-05:00

Proverbs 31:10-31, Wisdom of Solomon 1:16 - 2:1, 12-22, Jeremiah 11:18-20, Psalm 1, Psalm 54, James 3:13 - 4:3, 7-8a, Mark 9:30-37

Just a brief word this Sunday morning. The title of this entry is a theme all of us should have every day in our earthly journey as an emerging Christian. The enemy is going to hit us hard from many different angles and the severity will be in many degrees. It will be easy to get distracted, then dismayed.

Nevertheless, if we keep our eyes on the prize of eternal salvation, if we stay committed to the cause of righteousness, if we give our all in all to the One who gave His all for us, then we will overcome our enemies and God's hand will be in the mix.

We will not want. We will not faint. We will not fail. Our God is a mighty God and He made us in His image, therefore, despite our faults, we are mighty as well. When we stray away from our beliefs, we stray away from our precious relationship with our Father, from where our strength comes from. In short, to keep the enemy at bay, from God we must not stray.

Stay positive. Stay faithful. Stay committed to the cause and be blessed.

Apologies

2009-09-16T06:43:00.002-05:00

I have had to give public apologies in my life before. It is not an easy thing to do, not because of lack of contrition, but because of personal embarrassment for the mistake and the public scrutiny that follows. People, in this cynical age, try to analyze your sincerity from afar and, thanks to the Internet, offer instant commentary about your overall character. We are a society that is quick to harshly judge someone.

Public apologies have also become a PR event as well, with people specializing in how to make them even. Lawyers, public relations consultants, family members are all involved in a process that is really suppose to come from the heart. That gives the appearance of being a contrived statement and may take away from the impact the apologizer intends to really show, in that they are sorry for what was said or done.

However, unfortunately, it is needed in this instant information age. Case in point, the poor quarterback from Ohio State who had to offer an apology to those he may have offended by wearing the name "Vick" on his eye black tape. Terrelle Pryor stumbled through that moment as awkwardly as anyone could. Pryor was being sincere as he could be, but he was not prepared for the controversy and with his answers created more of a stir.

With the recent flurry of apologetic statements released these last couple of weeks by public figures, it would seem that the general public is becoming numb to boorish behavior and the public show that follows. However, I believe, as a Christian, that an apology should be taken at its face value, and that true contrition will be shown as time goes on. If the person who apologizes for example continues to do things that offend, on a consistent basis, then maybe their sincerity should be questioned.

Yet, the flip side of this is that there are people who do things deliberately to offend and show no signs of contrition. They lie about a person's character and show no remorse. They misrepresent facts and ignore requests to recant their statements. Some of them even get compensated handsomely for these actions. This rewarding of bad behavior, especially in the name of free speech, also diminishes the value of apologies. If people are defiant in all their egregious actions, then those who do try to be accountable are as deemed as being vulnerable and weak, fearing something to lose rather than just being good citizens in this world who admit that they made a mistake.

As human beings, we are not perfect. We will make mistakes. To paraphrase the Rev. Jesse Jackson, we are not perfect servants, we are public servants. It is our duty to apologize when we have offended or hurt someone. It is also our divine obligation to forgive, for we all serve a God that gives us second chances. Let us accept apologies from those that have offended or hurt us and then leave the judgement to a higher power than ourselves.

The Complacency of Fools

2009-09-13T07:22:00.005-05:00

Proverbs 1:20-33, Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 19, Wisdom of Solomon 7:26-8:1, Psalm 116:1-9, James 3:1-12, Mark 8:27-38

We, of the Christian faith, who take their blessings for granted, who fail to pray, who let their spirits diminish in trouble, are guilty of being complacent fools. If we embrace our faith as a vocation of custom instead of a joyous exercise, we are missing out on the beauty of our new life in Christ.

It is time for us to stop being passive in our faith. Members of other religions take time out of their daily lives to make sure that they pay reverence to God, but we say we are too busy. They are passionate about their faith publicly, but we sometimes feel ashamed.

Those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ should never be timid about who we are and what we believe. You don't have to be a blow hard, but you do have to be proud of who you are and to whom you belong to.

At my former church, New Horizon Church International, we used to recite a creed, written by the Bishop Ronnie C. Crudup, during the service to reaffirm our pride in who we were as Christians:

Having received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of my life and having been filled by the power and the presence of the Holy Ghost, I believe the following to be true about myself, other members of this church, and those in the body of Christ.

1. I am the beloved of the Lord and highly favored!

2. I am saved for all eternity, covered by the Blood, and clean before the Father!

3. I am a citizen of heaven and an heir to the promises of God!

4. I am God’s superman/superwoman: a strong man/woman over my family and home and in all the areas God has allowed me to tread upon!

5. I am a sin-buster, an enemy of the devil and demons, a living weapon, divinely powerful – destroying the works and strongholds of the enemy!

6. I am a saint of God, a faithful brother/sister, a proclaimer of God’s Word and a model of holy living!

7. I am more than a conqueror, a member of the royal family and royal priesthood!

8. I am the redeemed of the Lord, a new creation, a minister of reconciliation, and an ambassador of the kingdom!

9. I am somebody in the Lord! I am special, talented, brilliant, beautiful, courageous, competent – I am strong!

10. I am God’s man/woman!

Even though I am not a member of that church family any more, this creed still reminds me that I cannot be a complacent fool with the power of God that dwells in me, the relationship I have with the Father and with the gift of salvation His son, Jesus Christ, so freely gave to me.

It is my hope that you make a personal affirmation to not be foolish in your complacency as well. May God continue to bless you, be with you and keep you in His favor always.

Changed my mind

2009-09-08T12:48:00.003-05:00

I had said that I was not going to write a blog about my anger over the small-minded mentality of some Americans who did not want their children to hear the President's message today. I changed my mind.

Here is the transcript of the speech:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/MediaResources/PreparedSchoolRemarks/

I don't think a President asking young people to listen to their teachers and encouraging them not to drop out of school is a socialist agenda. I don't think promoting math and science to young children so that they may be the ones who discover the cure for cancer is a socialist agenda.

What I am most concerned about is an anarchist agenda. In Mississippi history, people named Lamar, Davis, Hinds and Clinton are immortalized as they challenged "The War of Northern Aggression" and the Reconstruction period, when African-Americans had political power in this state. When Obama won the election, children were told that they could not talk about the results of the election in Mississippi classrooms and now this. If I had to respect the 43 previous Presidents of the United States, then I would expect people to do the same with this one.

Now I know that narrow-minded behavior is not confined to Mississippi, but we, collectively, sure don't do anything to contradict it. After what happened to Van Jones over the weekend though, it is dangerous for me even to complain about it and express my frustration over it, but you know what, so be it.

If Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Mike Savage don't have to apologize, then I won't. If Fox News is allowed to have a broadcasting license, then I have the same right to call them cry babies or whatever else I want to. However, I will try my best to rise above the fray and this controversy will move off the radar screen within days now that the speech has been given.

I am just sad that the feelings expressed by my father a couple of weekends ago seem to be justified and the bitter pills I have endured all my life are continued to be forced down my throat.

Christians are taught that oppression comes in many earthly forms but it all comes from one source. Therefore, I cannot go wholeheartedly after people who choose to be vessels of discord, I have to renounce the one who is to blame. Nevertheless, when Jesus dealt with Peter before the crucifixion, He did tell him, "Get thee behind me, Satan!"

I'll end this rant with this: This is the United States of America. Barack Obama is our President. Get over it. Respect the position and the man given the opportunity to serve. Or else those that can't can take the advice that they so readily give to others that oppose their viewpoints: Leave!

Happy Labor Day everyone!

2009-09-06T12:40:00.002-05:00

Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23, Isaiah 35:4-7, Psalm 125, Psalm 146, James 2:1-10, (11-13), 14-17, Mark 7:24-37

No message this week. Just take the time to read the Scriptures and be careful on this Labor Day weekend. Enjoy yourself and your loved ones and I will get at you next week with a God-inspired message.

Take care and love you all!

Four years ago, this morning, I woke up...

2009-08-30T05:21:00.003-05:00

Song of Solomon 2:8-13, Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-9, Psalm 45:1-2, 6-9, Psalm 15, James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27, Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23

...to see something that would change my life forever. It was something I had been concerned about since I was member of the Mississippi Legislature and the reality of the situation was there before my eyes.

The night before I did not get much sleep. The winds were howling so, banging on my door like a group of invaders trying to break in my apartment. Thunder roared, lightning flashed, rain poured down. All I could do was pray myself to sleep and hope the roof would not cave in or the door and windows would shatter under this brutal attack.

By the grace of God, I did sleep and then awoke. I turned on the television and there it was in my face: total devastation. Hotels where I had once stayed in where gone. Casinos where I had dined in where gone. Homes of friends (and enemies) were gone or severely damaged. My worst fear had come true and all I could think about was getting on my computer and start tracking down friends, not fully understanding that many of them would not respond until days later.

I was living in Clinton, some 200 plus miles from where Hurricane Katrina made a direct hit on Mississippi the morning of August 29, 2005. My car was in the shop being repaired, so I had no transportation to leave, but I did not worry because I figured the storm would weaken as it came north. It did, but not enough. When I stepped out on the balcony of my apartment four years ago, I saw trees down, I saw smoke billowing from afar, I heard sirens constantly. Fortunately my cellphone was charged and I could tell my parents I was alright. I could check on my son and ex-wife to see if they were alright. At least there was peace in that.

Then I went back to the TV and became instantly angry. For years I had been warning my legislative colleagues about this day. I had been pushing for legislation to put more money into our Mississippi Emergency Management Fund for I knew a day like this would eventually come. I expressed great concern when I would visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast and see these tremendous skyscrapers being built near the beach, wondering what the impact would be to those structures and the people that lived in them. Now I was watching my worst fears come true and hearing the past voices of my colleagues saying, "Fleming you worry too much."

In the days that followed I got my land line phone up and made even more contact with folks I had concerns about, I walked to the police station and loaded trailers and I went to the church that had been designated a Red Cross shelter and spoke with the people who had made it north out of the brunt of the storm in time. I located family members for them, got some employment and housing here for them and just listened when they laughed or cried.

Then as friends were checking in on the Internet, they would ask how bad is it. I told them what they were seeing on television was real, it was that bad. It took me a month before I could go down to the coast myself and it was a surreal experience. I told one of the volunteers it was if the "War of the Worlds" had actually happened. An area that was once a city park was now looking like a field military compound, tents everywhere. I nearly threw out my back moving water-logged furniture out of houses. I had already been frustrated that we went into Special Session and all we could accomplish was allowing the casinos to move 800 feet inland. Now as I saw neighborhoods destroyed, I could only get more infuriated with the process.

It was an epiphany, a wake-up call for me. I have never been comfortable with the status quo since. I don't settle for "that is the way we always do it" anymore. People matter to me more. Doing the best you can is the only option. Living without some things doesn't phase me. God is truly the center of my life and pleasing Him is way more important than pleasing mankind.

My life journey has been a roller coaster since that morning four years ago, but I am thankful every day that I am still riding that roller coaster of life. I know from that experience that no matter how far you fall, how much devastation occurs in your life, God can help you pick up the pieces and He can fortify and renew your soul. I have nothing to fear for He is on my side.

I am fully awoke.

Courage by Internet

2009-08-29T06:20:00.002-05:00

All my life I have heard and used the phrase "courage juice" to describe alcohol. It seems that when people drink it, a little too much I might add, they seem emboldened to say what is really on their minds. A loss of inhibition, if you will. Well, I can truly say that the Internet is the "courage source" for a lot of people as well.

Being in the public eye means you receive a lot of scrutiny and criticism, especially from people that are your constituents. Most of the time they wait until a town hall meeting or they form their opinions based on news stories, then hem you up in the grocery store or even call you at home around dinner time. However, in those settings, you see them eye-to-eye (or at least hear their voice), listen to their viewpoint and then correct them if the facts are skewed or acknowledge them positively when they are right.

However, on the Internet, people are embolden to make opinions about you, attack your character, misrepresent the facts and they are miles away from you, hiding behind the comfort of a keyboard and a computer screen. Case in point, another blogger picked up my blog about my desire to be Governor of Mississippi and posted it on his site. One of his regulars, I think his user name was "Crusader", made an incorrect reference to my legislative record. He stated I was not qualified to run for governor because I had not gotten anything passed in the Mississippi Legislature. He was using a blatant lie to attack my credibility as a public servant. If you go to www.erikfleming.org and click on "Legislative Highlights", one can see the bills I had become law during my nine years in the House of Representatives.

Now I could have done like in years past and challenged him directly on that site, but I found out that it is a tedious exercise to do that on every blog that has something posted on me. Google Erik Fleming and see what you find. Some of my Facebook friends have even contributed to this misinformation about my character and are unapologetic about it because they have the "courage source" to rely on. Any mistakes I have made I have always lived up to them. But you will find it hard to counter lie after lie after lie.

But the Internet gives a lot of people cover. They don't have to physically confront you, they never have to be held accountable for what they say, they can even alter your Wikipedia file with inaccuracies, or highlight a negative viewpoint without your permission or knowledge. To me that is a false sense of courage. I have been known to confront my enemies head-on and deal with the toughest issues of the day candidly. However, one opponent labeled that style as a "maverick" approach.

In this day and age of technology, maybe that is a true assessment. Maybe it is more acceptable to lob grenades instead of engaging in hand-to-hand combat. But just call me old school, I'm from the "say it to my face" generation. If you would not say it to me in a grocery store or a town hall, then why say it in a forum where I may not ever read it, therefore can't defend it.

I like my Facebook forum better because at least the people responding to it are people that one, have signed up as friends and two, I can see faces and study profiles to understand their viewpoints. We may not agree on everything and most of the time I don't even enter into the debate, but at least there is some of that old school, in your face debating that I think is essential to public discourse.

As some people can attest, I can dish it as well as I can take it, so this is not a bitching session. I just don't like the current rules of engagement in the majority of the Internet weblog forums. Maybe someday we can go back to the days when people can say the courage of their convictions out in the open again, but for now it is what it is. All I ask, if it is not too much, is get your facts straight before steppin' to me.

I wish I could be Governor of Mississippi

2009-08-25T18:06:00.003-05:00

I remember when I first started in Mississippi politics, I was out there campaigning for a seat on the Jackson City Council, and when I met with people to solicit contributions, they would say to me as they wrote out their checks, "You would make a great state legislator someday." I guess people of faith spoke that into existence.

Later, as I started making a name for myself at the State Capitol, people then started introducing me as "the first Black Governor of the State of Mississippi." I thought that was flattering. However, after running two statewide campaigns and fast approaching my 45 year on this earth, 26 of them in the Magnolia State, I believe all that will be is a compliment.

I would love to have the opportunity to run and serve as governor of this state. There are so many things that need to be done. Our education system needs to be thoroughly addressed, infrastructure improvements need to be spear-headed and our overall quality of life must be upgraded from a mode of survival to a mindset of thriving.

Having done the best I could through the legislative process, I saw that there were certain limitations that could be overcome if I had a bully pulpit like the office of the Governor to push an agenda of progress from.

Alas, I have come to the realistic conclusion that I may not have that opportunity, especially in 2011. I guess that is why this is on my mind since the election is only a couple of years away and the candidates are already positioning themselves. Bill Luckett, a Clarksdale attorney and co-owner with Morgan Freeman of the Ground Zero Blues Club, is seriously exploring a run along with Attorney General Jim Hood on the Democratic side. The media has pretty much anointed Lt. Governor Phil Bryant as the Republican nominee and the next governor, but there are rumblings about a GOP primary with Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and /or State Treasurer Tate Reeves in the mix.

Needless to say that I am not overly enthused about the choices out there, but it is what it is. Forces beyond my control have shaped this race and decreased my options. I know that it is impossible for me to pursue something that I would love to do. Well, let me rephrase that: I know that it is impossible to win a position I would love to hold. I could run, and then be labeled "the Black Shawn O'Hara" and as some already said nastily before , "a perennial candidate". I would hate to tarnish my reputation in that way.

Some would argue because of my human frailties, my reputation is tarnished already, but those folks would not support me if there was scientific evidence that I was the "Second Coming." Dismissing those negative energies, I have to objectively assess that my chances of winning such an important office, and thus creating a historical moment of major proportions, are basically non-existent.

It was frustrating to see the end result of two campaigns in which I fought so hard to win, while at the same time during a three-year period, losing the position which I poured my heart and soul into. I am honored that nearly 450,000 Mississippians thought that I should have been their United States Senator. The votes I received made my campaign the most successful waged by an African-American from this state for a statewide position. However, in the final analysis, it was another defeat.

In watching the way the votes came in, it will be hard to see a scenario in which I could pull such a goal off. I believe there will be an African-American governor in Mississippi someday and I will be so proud when that moment comes. But that is in the future, as a new generation of Mississippians reach adulthood.

I have ruled myself out of politics at the moment because of what I have endured in the last three years. I learned the hard way about the backstabbing in the Black community that would destroy any chance for me to achieve anything else in Mississippi politics. I could then just re-write that same sentence and insert "Democratic party" where "Black community" is. This is not reflective of those entire demographics as a whole, but really on the current "leaders, movers and shakers" of those entities.

Again, it is what it is. But it is not just the lack of a strong support system in the political process that has deterred me from pursuing anything in the future. Personal finances are a hindrance, as I am not a wealthy man. I work a real job which is satisfying, but has low compensation. When you make it from pay check to pay check, running for public office is a luxury. I have done that dance too many times to subject myself and the ones I love through that again.

But yet there is something else that concerns me. It is a mindset that has to be overcome.

My father and I talked at our recent family reunion and he asked me what was I going do next politically. I told him I am trying to suppress those thoughts. He laughed and said that if I wanted to be a legislator again, I could probably win, but he could not see me winning a statewide race. That would be a natural observation of a Black man from out of state that left Mississippi when he was young and vowed never to live there again. But considering what I have observed during my time in Mississippi, I understand where he is coming from. For example, I recently heard a statement from a prominent actor who said, "Nobody helped me when I was on food stamps and Medicaid." The troubling thing is that there are too many people in this state that would say "Damn right!" instead of "WTF?", at least enough to sway an election.

People voted for folks that threw them a crumb at them financially instead of improving their lives legislatively. It was devastating to hear people say that they were entitled to a handout more than the tools to pull themselves out. While we have to have compassion to help those in need, that does not mean that we cripple them with charity or pimp them in their times of desperation. It does not matter if you are a TANF recipient, the mayor of a city or a CEO of a corporation, it is not cool to be pimped out by a politician.

The political process is suppose to be about service. Render help to those who need it, protect society from all enemies, including itself, support an economic system that provides opportunities for wealth attainment and establish order so we all can co-exist peacefully. It would be good to see that philosophy for public service emerge again and when it does, maybe then my wish will come true and I could be Governor of the State of Mississippi. But for now it is just a wish, not a quixotic quest to journey on this time.

The Spirit Gives Life

2009-08-23T07:05:00.003-05:00

1 Kings 8:(1, 6, 10-11), 22-30, 41-43, Joshua 24:1-2a, 14-18, Psalm 84, Psalm 34:15-22, Ephesians 6:10-20, John 6:56-69

For those of us who have struggled with our daily burdens on our own, it is time to stop. We cannot disconnect our problems from the help of God any longer. We were given an incredible gift from God that is equal the love and favor of God, that propels us toward eternal life. That gift is the Holy Spirit.

We marvel at the beauty of the flesh or the greatness of one's intellect. What we should be focusing on is the glorious wonder within us. It is the Holy Spirit that gives us a life that is great and powerful, that provides us hope and fortifies our faith. In essence, the Holy Spirit is the ultimate supplement for us, for it gives us the vitality to endure any hardship the enemy puts before us.

We have to remember that our real enemy is not any one human being or even a certain group of people. Our enemy is supernatural and attacks us by exploiting our carnal weaknesses and turning us away from God. However, the Holy Spirit is the energizer that can renew us and helps us fight against an enemy that seeks to make us faint and separate us from God and His favor.

Therefore, we need to tap into the power divinely given to us. The power that propelled the Pentecost. The power that revealed itself to John the Baptist. The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Yes, that same power dwells within each and every one of us and it is not a spirit of fear, but of great power to overcome anything.

Think about how powerful you are and step out into the life you have inherited from the Father, generated by the Holy Spirit.

Proving Ground

2009-08-17T10:11:00.003-05:00

Sports has always been a proving ground. A moment in time when, in the heat of battle, a champion rises above the competition, an underdog defies the odds, an all-star becomes a juggernaut, warriors fight to the death, or tarnished, tormented souls gain redemption.

We saw all of that this weekend in the world of sports. First the champion. Jamaican Usain Bolt entered the World Track and Field Championships as the "fastest man in the world". The only obstacle, besides topping his Olympic gold-winning performance in the 100 meter finals, was his arch rival, American Tyson Gay. Gay, the previous record holder, did not compete in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, so this was the showdown the world was anticipating for over a year.

Gay, injury-free, ran his personal best, an impressive 9.71 seconds. The problem was Bolt is now at the top of his game. The Jamaican speedster set a new world-record Sunday, crossing the tape in a blistering 9.58 seconds. The time gap is a little more than a tenth of a second difference, but in the world of track and field, for those who watched it, it was a dominating performance by Bolt. With his powerful, fearless, upright running style, Bolt lived up to his name and has earned the respect he so rightly deserves as the most dominating sprinter in a generation.

To the underdog. Tiger Woods has approached the first tee of the final round of a major golf championship with the lead 14 times in his career prior to this weekend. He won all 14 of those majors. Sunday was his fifteenth attempt to do it again. He is now 14 of 15, thanks to the inspired play of a young South Korean golfer named Y. E. Yang. Yang erased a two-shot deficit going into the final round and won the PGA Championship at Hazeltine Country Club by three strokes.

Woods shot a mortal 3-over-par round, struggling mightily as his putter, so true in the first two rounds of the tournament and in the previous two weeks of PGA Tour competition, let him down. It was Woods that seemed like the player seeking his first major and Yang looking like the steely veteran. Woods had his moment at the 17th hole to tie the match but suffered one of his many putting yips and when Yang sank the birdie putt on the final hole, it punctuated one of the greatest upsets in the history of professional golf. You see, Yang started playing golf later in life, had won only one PGA event, and wasn't even ranked in the top 100 of the world's golfers as of last Thursday. That has quickly changed and I believe that Yang will have the opportunity to stare down the Tiger again on many Sundays to come.

Ian Kinsler's performance this weekend against the Boston Red Sox defines the transformation of an all-star into a juggernaut. The Texas Rangers' second baseman, playing in his first series since severely injuring his hamstring, has proven he is one of the best in the game. Saturday and Sunday at the Ballpark in Arlington, Texas, he transformed into a force that propelled his team squarely in Major League Baseball's 2009 playoff race. Due to his efforts, Kinsler has the Rangers in the driver's seat for the fourth playoff slot in the American League.

It all started like this: Kinsler, in his first at-bat since coming off the disabled list, on the first pitch, crushed a shot into the left-center field stands to tie the game in the first inning. Then, the Red Sox decided to play hard ball. They pitched him inside the next at-bat to send a message. Later, pitching hard inside again, Kinsler was hit by a pitch in the head. Kinsler, clearly angry for the tactics, got up and got even. The next game, Kinsler blasted a home run in his first at-bat and drove in another run later to help Texas vault past the BoSox to the top of the Wild Card standings. Kinsler's line in two games: .666 batting average, two runs scored, four hits, two home runs, three runs batted in and a stolen base. This is how legends are born, and MVPs chosen. If Kinsler can carry this talented team on his shoulders for the remainder of the season, the transformation will be complete.

Our warriors this weekend were Christane "Cyborg" Santos and Gina Carano. Carano entered the Mixed Martial Arts 145-pound title fight as the defending champion. She has been the face of female MMA fighting and been a tremendous ambassador for the sport. The only woman many felt could give Carano a run for her money stepped into the cage Saturday evening. Santos, known as "The "Cyborg" because of her relentless punching power, was the brute strength challenger that would push Carano's near-perfect technique to the test.

After four minutes and 39 seconds of great fighting action, better in my opinion than a lot of the male title fights that have recently taken place, Carano clearly ran out of gas and was dazed by Santos' powerful Jujitsu punches. As seconds ticked down toward the end of the first round, Santos pounded a nearly-defenseless Carano until the referee stopped the fight as the bell was sounding. Fight fans felt the ref should have let the round end and determined whether the fight should continue in between rounds. But from what I saw, the ref was clearly starting to call the fight with seven seconds left and waved it off just before the end of the round. If the ref had practiced that, I don't think he could have nailed it that precise. Carano was definitely in severe trouble and remember, it only takes one punch to do major permanent damage. The referee was right to stop the fight and I cannot wait for the rematch.

Finally, the tormented soul better known as Michael Vick is seeking his redemption. The Philadelphia Eagles this weekend shocked the sports world by signing Vick, the former Pro Bowl Atlanta Falcons quarterback who served two years in federal prison stemming from his illegal dogfighting activities, to a deal that can pay him up to $1.6 million a season. Unfortunately, this story is still being written. Vick will be a backup for Donovan McNabb. Protesters are picketing everything that the Eagles do. Sports talk show phone lines have been lit up all weekend long, either trashing or praising the boldness of the move.

It will be interesting to see how Vick handles this chapter of his life. If he has truly learned his lesson, he can tune out his critics and let God deal with the reproach. With the support system the Eagles' organization has, an empathetic head coach, a true mentor in McNabb, and an added bonus of Tony Dungy as his personal advisor, the tools are there for him to succeed. God help the NFC East if he can stay grounded and can still be electrifying on the football field, even in a limited role.

This is why I love sports. The stories, the games, the passion-this is what defines true athletic competition. Long live sports, long live the proving ground.

I wonder what will happen next weekend? I can't wait.

Dare to learn

2009-08-16T06:31:00.003-05:00

1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14, Proverbs 9:1-6, Psalm 111, Psalm 34:9-14, Ephesians 5:15-20,
John 6:51-58

As another school year starts, millions of children across the country begin an adventure that will be marked by social advancement and intellectual challenges. The ones that are successful at both will be remembered for years after they end their matriculation by their peers. Personally they should achieve a level of enlightenment that will help them continue to succeed in their adult lives.

Many of us have long passed those years but we still have a lifetime of learning to do. This is our spiritual growth, which adds exponentially to our wisdom. Solomon, when he ascended to his father's throne, understood this. He did not want exorbitant riches or long life, he sought wisdom to rule his people in the way God wanted him to. By pleasing God with this prayer, God gave him wisdom never seen before or since, as well as riches and long life.

We should seek to please God is this way. God has given us the ability to reason and think. It is what clearly distinguishes us from His other creations. However, we should hone our wisdom like a barber sharpens his razor knife. We should be humble and fear (respect) God, place our trust in Him, and focus our sights on He who provides our help.

We need to study the Word of God on a daily basis, strengthening ourselves in the knowledge of the truth. By building a strong foundation in our spiritual growth, we can grow and we can dare to dream. If we dream our wildest dreams, with God on our side, we can truly achieve them. Wisdom and discernment will guide you to your goals, and if you look at things with your spiritual eyes, you can sidestep those hurdles that the enemy will thrust upon you. In other words, it does not matter how big the struggle, the victory will be even greater.

To gain wisdom, you must dare to learn. In daring to learn, you must seek, find and respect God. Instead a being a daredevil, just avoiding perils and pitfalls, be a "dare-angel", rising above the fray, seeking the favor of God. The latter is much more rewarding for all eternity.

Imitate God the best you can

2009-08-09T08:40:00.003-05:00

2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33 , 1 Kings 19:4-8, Psalm 130, Psalm 34:1-8, Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2, John 6:35, 41-51

God loves all of us. He daily forgives us for our sins. He provides for our needs. He walks with us and helps us through our struggles. He puts a hedge of protection around us.

The question becomes do we offer the same comfort to our fellow man? Can someone say that you love everyone? Can someone say that you are forgiving? Can someone depend on you as a provider? Can people say you are helpful during times of despair? Can someone acknowledge that you are a protector?

On this day, let us evaluate ourselves to see where we are in our roles as children of God. It is proven that children imitate their parents, no matter how hard they rebel against that fact. We look like our parents and we adopt many of their mannerisms because they have the most influence in our lives.

This leads to another set of questions: Why do we not adopt the ways of our heavenly Father? Why do we rebel against God's influence on our lives so easily? Could it be because we do not see God with our physical eyes?

It is hard to love everyone in a world that suggests it is healthy to be cynical and distrusting. It is hard to protect those who have done harm to others. It is hard to provide for folks when your personal resources are limited, thus it is also hard to help others when you are struggling. It is hard for us to forgive those who have transgressed against us without any remorse.

However, if we are to be true servants of God, we have to be true imitators of God. We have to adopt the ways of our Father, not just to be nicer to others, but to gain the favor we are on earth to attain, and that is the favor of God.

God is love. We are His children. We need to be about love as well. It is the greatest commandment for us to adhere to. If we set it in our minds to imitate God, our spiritual strength will help us achieve this lofty goal. Have faith, and watch God work within us to make us more like Him.

Always a First Impression

2009-08-02T09:40:00.004-05:00

2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a, Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15, Psalm 51:1-12, Psalm 78:23-29, Ephesians 4:1-16, John 6:24-35

There are nearly 7 billion people in the world. That gives us a lot of opportunities to make a first impression. The old saying goes that you only get one chance to make that first impression, so you are constantly encouraged to make that impression a positive one.

As human beings, that is hard to do, because we are not always on our "A" game. Sometimes we get caught at a low moment, even if we make every effort to be careful with our outward persona. Therefore, even if you never encounter a certain person again, that impression of you will last with them forever.

Fortunately for us, our eternal goal is not making 7 billion first impressions, but to make a good first impression with God every day. Our Father, by giving us another day on earth, cleans our slate with forgiveness, and we have another chance to show God how faithful we are through our love for Him.

When we repent for our sins, we are creating another opportunity to please God. We are then given favor to do what He intended for us to do with our lives. So while we have mortal pressure to make good first impressions with everyone we meet, we should take comfort that we should not have that same pressure in our relationship with God.

God loves us for who we are because He created us. He knows our faults and our needs. All He desires from us is total devotion to Him. Keep that in mind when you are worrying about your outward appearance to the rest of the world, for that fleeting opportunity for a first impression is as temporal as our existence on earth. The eternal love and favor of God is the real impression that counts, and it is renewable on a daily basis.

The Ghosts of Mississippi strike again

2009-08-01T06:55:00.002-05:00

The movie "The Ghosts of Mississippi" documented the conviction of Byron de la Beckwith, the man who murdered civil rights leader Medgar Wiley Evers. The hero, played by Alec Baldwin, was an assistant District Attorney named Bobby DeLaughter, who seemed destined by fate to bring Beckwith to justice.

DeLaughter became a national hero for his efforts and he gave Mississippi a positive headline concerning one of the darkest eras in American history. Besides the movie, DeLaughter parlayed his fame into a book about the case and became a Circuit Court Judge. His legacy looked to be cemented as a great American story.

However, it is now obvious that the story will not have a happy ending. DeLaughter, on July 30, 2009, pled guilty to obstructing a federal investigation into the actions of Attorney Dickie Scruggs, who was another Mississippi success story gone bad.

This is a sad moment for all of us because it shows how quickly our "fifteen minutes of fame" can go south quick. It is sad because it shows how important it is for those of us who choose public service as our vocation to stay above temptation and how hard it is to do so.

It is true that when you become a public servant, changes come in your life. Your schedule becomes more demanding and it will put a strain on your financial and personal life. That is what makes keeping the public trust so hard for some, because character flaws will be revealed and weaknesses exploited. DeLaughter's flaw was trusting his friends with securing his ambitious desires. DeLaughter badly wanted to be a federal judge and with his pedigree, he seemed destined to achieve that goal.

However, he did not understand how he got to be in the position he was in. DeLaughter suffered personal setbacks in pursuing justice in the Evers case, yet it all worked out in the end. Had he learned that lesson, he would not have put himself in the position to jeopardize all that he had worked for on a promise that sounded too easy.

A champion for justice should never turn his back on justice for personal gain. He could have turned his back on justice for the Evers family but he did not and many of us are grateful for that. I personally wish he could have finished that journey on a positive note. I knew Judge DeLaughter and worked with him on many occasions. I helped him celebrate in his moment of triumph, both in the courtroom and on the silver screen. Now, I am powerless in his moment of adversity.

Unfortunately, DeLaughter will not be the last Mississippian to achieve a national stature and then fall from grace. Every time that happens though, it just brings those dreaded "ghosts" that continue to haunt us in the forefront again.

Provision

2009-07-26T06:53:00.004-05:00

2 Samuel 11:1-15, 2 Kings 4:42-44, Psalm 14, Psalm 145:10-18 , Ephesians 3:14-21, Ephesians 4:1-6, John 6:1-21

A brief note this morning about provision. In this time in our culture, we generally are covetous and easily depressed over tough economic situations. Our covetous nature makes this economy consumer-driven. When we can't pay our bills, we feel inadequate.

However, there is good news, God is the ultimate provider. He can make a way out of no way. Jesus taught that lesson with the five loaves of bread and two fish. Paul teaches us that not only does God see us through in tough times, He gives us gifts to survive and thrive.

Our God is a giving God. He provides for our needs on a daily basis, and as the ultimate gift, He gave us His only begotten son for our salvation. We want for nothing. When a minister of the Gospel reminds you that you are wealthy because you have the inheritance of God, take that to heart.

You may not can keep up with "the Jones" on earth, but what you have no one can take it away, and there is so much of it, everyone on earth can have it. Use your faith as a weapon against poverty and depression. Temper your desires, financially and otherwise, and let God work His blessing upon you.

You have the ability to see your way through any adverse condition and you have a God that will walk with you every step of the way. The prophet Isaiah reminds us that even if you get weary, don't faint. That extra effort will lead you to your moment of provision and yet another blessed day in the Lord.

Be strong, brothers and sisters in Christ, help is always on the way.

The Gates Incident: When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong

2009-07-24T17:11:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite skits on The Dave Chappelle Show was "When Keepin' It Real Goes Wrong." It was a hilarious take on when it wasn't the right time for Black folks to keep it real, thereby jeopardizing everything they have. The arrest of Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. at his Cambridge, MA home qualifies for that skit on so many levels.

First, I think I have a distinctive perspective on this issue. One, in case you have not noticed, I am an African-American male. Two, I am also a Deputy Sheriff. Three, I am a former legislator who annually introduced anti-racial profiling bills. Therefore, I would like to offer my two cents, as it seems like everybody, including the President of the United States, has.

As everyone knows by now, Dr. Gates, a Black male who is a tenured professor at Harvard University, was returning from a week-long trip and along with a friend, another Black male, tried to enter his home. Gates apparently had trouble opening the front door to his house, thus prompting a conscientious neighbor to call the police, since Gates' home has previously been broken into earlier this year.

Cambridge Police responded to the scene, with the mindset that there was a burglary in progress. The officer that encountered Gates was Sgt. James Crowley. The stories diverge from here, but my assessment is that Crowley asked for identification from Gates, Gates provided it while, in a slightly agitated state, made some off-color comments and accusations.

At some point, Gates made a comment that crossed the line for Crowley, and with other officers present, proceeded to inform Gates that he was under arrest for disorderly conduct. Within 24 hours, Gates was released and the charges were dropped, with the MA Governor Duval Patrick, an African-American and former U.S. District Attorney, issuing a public apology. The issue appeared to be dying off until that evening when at a nationally televised press conference on health care legislation, President Obama made the comment that the Cambridge Police "acted stupidly" in their handling of the Gates incident.

In my opinion, Gates, Crowley and Obama all kept it real at the wrong time. For Gates and Obama, one has to remember that these Black men are almost identical in their class structure. Most people forget that the President is just six years removed from being a professor at a prestigious university, therefore I am sure he had a flash of how he would have felt if the Chicago Police tried to arrest him for burglary at his Hyde Park home.

During my tenure as a State Representative, I was stopped many times by police officers, whether I was in the wrong or not. Once I identified myself to the officer, I was let go and one time even escorted me to my home. I did not criticized the officer or pull the "Black Card." I stayed calm and the officer did not feel threatened, therefore I always had a peaceful resolution.

Not every Black man gets that kind of treatment, hence the term "DWB" aka "Driving While Black". I worked hard to even the playing field in that regard through legislative action. But I believe Dr. Gates should have kept his cool, not be accusatory, and I am sure that the police would have left without incident. That being said, regardless of what Gates said to him, Sgt. Crowley should have deflected any outrage Gates hurled at him.

Law enforcement officers are trained to deescalate a situation, not add fire to the flame. An instructor once told me that it is better to talk your way out of a volatile situation rather than having to use force. Once Crowley had assessed that Gates was the rightful occupant of the home and that there were no unidentified suspects trying to rob the home, Crowley, and the other officers, should have made their way out of the situation and let Gates get some rest at his own home instead of a holding cell. It was really contingent on Sgt. Crowley to back away, since he was obviously the ranking officer at the scene. If your leader does not back away from a situation, then you, as a rank-and-file officer, have to stay and support your leader. Crowley put himself and his fellow officers in an unnecessary crisis.

As for the President, for the first time he let his emotions get the best of him. I understand his initial outrage for his friend, but he is the President of the United States. If he had said "unnecessary" instead of "stupidly", we would not be talking about the incident in such a grand context. The Cambridge Police had conceded their point when they dismissed the charges. However, when the President interjected his personal feelings, he offended a lot of men and women who put on the shield, star and badge. The reaction time of the Cambridge Police to stop a burglary in a Black man's home should have been a signal that racism was not a factor in their actions. The President should have commended them for being responsive, while admonishing them for making a bigger deal of the situation than was warranted. Also, as a point of reference, it is probably not good politically for a Harvard-educated man to reference the actions of a working class man in that same city "stupid." I guess this proves that Obama is human after all.

What I hope happens because of this high-profile case is that all parties apologize for their actions and that a renewed dialogue about relationships between the police and the African-American community comes forth. It is imperative in a society based on law and order that all communities feel that the police is committed to serve and protect all citizens. We should be sensitive that racial profiling does exist and at the same time remember that Black men and women also serve in this noble profession.

Sir Robert Peel, considered the father of law enforcement, said, "The ability of the police to perform their duties is dependent upon the public approval of police actions." When any segment of our population feels negatively about those committed to prevent crime and disorder, it weakens the thin blue line that protects us.

In summation, as aforementioned, Gates, Crowley and Obama all kept it real at the wrong time. Now it is time for cooler heads to prevail, intelligent discourse to begin and for of all of us to get a better understanding. That would be keeping it real, the right way.

He will make your name good

2009-07-19T05:37:00.003-05:00

2 Samuel 7:1-14a, Jeremiah 23:1-6, Psalm 89:20-37, Psalm 23, Ephesians 2:11-22, Mark 6:30-34, 53-56

One of the parallels about the recent deaths of famous people is their fame, and infamy, amongst the masses. Most of us know their names and their achievements and hold them in high regard. Thousands have attended their memorials and have written letters of sympathy and sorrow.

However, there are many who have not expressed that same compassion for the dead. They have trashed their memories and their name. They have condemned them for their shortcomings. If you depend on mankind to hold you in total reverence when you die, you will also suffer the same fate.

Therefore, it is important for us to fear and serve God. God, the Creator of the Universe from which the Son and the Holy Spirit emanate, made a promise that He would never leave you nor forsake you. He made a promise that you would triumph over all your enemies so much so that you will be able to set a table in front of them and not be afraid. He made a promise that He will carry you through all your adversities and be with you in even the darkest of places.

All He has asked you to do is to obey His commandments, especially loving one another, seek forgiveness for your transgressions, show mercy, treat others justly, walk humbly before Him and spread the good news about eternal salvation. Then you will receive His favor and will be blessed. For those who adhere to this, He will also bless those that come after you.

Thus, God, and only God, can give you a good name. The shepherd that safely guides his flock shall be rewarded forever with the eternal praise of God. You do not have to be a pastor to be a shepherd of men. Your leadership is shown through your actions. In other words, you can lead others to a path of righteousness through your example, your lifestyle.

If you settle for the idyllic praise of your fellow man, you will become a victim of mankind's fickleness. But God's favor never waivers. Remember the old axiom, "To err is human, to forgive is divine." Don't ever settle for earthly platitudes, for they are as finite as mankind itself. It is alright to get a pat on the back, just remember that most of us won't receive our flowers until we are gone.

In summation, it is more important for us, in our remaining days, to get a blessing from God. As His name will endure forever, you name will as well, if you put your trust totally in Him, for He is our ultimate judge. What man can't forgive, God will; what man cannot see, there stands God.

"And that's the way it is..."

2009-07-18T09:07:00.002-05:00

With those words, another CBS nightly news broadcast ended, and so another lesson on what was really happening in the world. That is the way I viewed Walter Cronkite, who died yesterday at the age of 92. Cronkite was the definition of the "anchorman" as he served in that role from 1962 to 1981.

Cronkite however to me was my first professor. He taught me the essence of the world I was growing up in. As a young child, it was his coverage of the Apollo 11 moon landing about 40 years ago that made me desire to be an astronaut. His pain-staking details in reporting the events leading up to the launch and his joy when Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the lunar surface could be felt and appreciated through that black-and white television screen at my Aunt Margie's house.

It was on Cronkite's watch that the assassinations of both Kennedys, Malcolm X and Dr. King took place. He covered U.S. Presidents from Truman to Reagan and is credited for turning the national mood on the Vietnam War after the bloody Tet Offensive. Watergate, the subsequent Nixon resignation and the Iran hostage crisis were all under his insightful tenure.

It is safe to say that the formative years of my life, the years I made up my mind that I wanted to be in public service, were shaped by Cronkite. Americans polled in 1972 said that Cronkite was "the most trusted man in America." I definitely would say "Amen" to that. I trusted him wholeheartedly, but it was easy for me because I was still an altruistic child. For adults, who naturally become more jaded with wisdom, to feel the same way speaks volumes about how sincere Cronkite came across.

His rivals in the business loved him. He was a devoted husband and a fun-loving man. He was an avid sailor and a pioneer in his profession. His life story is what America is all about and he had the privilege to tell the other stories about America every night for nineteen years.

I have missed him since 1981 and no one, except maybe Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw, has even come close to his stature. He was the voice the nation needed to hear to make sense of the time that reshaped our nation after World War II. That alone makes him an icon in my book.

Of all of the notable people who have died over the last month, Cronkite was the one individual who shaped my life the most. I am glad to have grown up in a generation where "Uncle Walter" told us the way it was.

Palin did the right thing

2009-07-16T17:57:00.002-05:00

Now coming from me this might be a surprise, God knows I do not agree with The Honorable Sarah Palin on many things. However, I agree with her decision to step down as the Governor of our 49th State, Alaska.

After listening to all the critics trashing her for a month, especially about the way she handled the announcement of her resignation, I am here to offer why I think she was right in doing what she did. And it basically comes down to two words, Money and Exposure.

Palin has become one the few who was thrust into the national spotlight during a presidential election. Was she prepared for it? Probably not, but such things are not necessarily planned for. I don't think her political ambition, realistically, had gone beyond what she had attained.

Now that she has had a taste of the national limelight, why should she let that opportunity be a flash in the pan? First of all, you have to admit she is an attractive woman. In a culture where we idolize, and capitalize, on beauty, a former beauty contestant in the political arena is pure gold.

She is definitely not an Ivy League intellectual, but she is a former point guard, and what she does not have in intellect, she more than makes up for in competitive instincts. Her performance in the Vice-Presidential Debate proved that she can be ready for prime time, if properly prepared.

That preparation has to come from outside of Alaska. Now I have been to Alaska, and I think it is a beautiful place. However, it is a long way from the epicenter of American politics. To prove my point, outside of Alaskans, how many of you can name any previous Alaskan governors?

For that matter, how many of you reading this can name previous governors outside of your own home state? If one has to broaden their horizons, they have to go beyond local politics. Palin has decided to make that move. She realized, the hard way, that the way you run a campaign in Alaska is different from the way you run a national campaign. To build her chops in the national arena, she could not be bound to an office that would distract her from that.

And speaking about distractions, her national glow was affecting the way she governed Alaska. The constant pressure from activists in her own party to travel across the country and the equally pressurized criticism/scrutiny on her family took a toll on her level of effectiveness. I believe the people of Alaska, for the most part, were supportive of her efforts since she got off of the national campaign trail, but just getting by was not satisfactory for her, and I definitely agree with that philosophy.

So now with the window of opportunity open, a book deal on the works, a lucrative career on the lecture circuit available, it would be crazy not to seize the moment. Besides, did anybody see her television audition when she hosted Saturday Night Live? She is a natural for television. It was my assessment during the campaign that she would be hosting a talk show real soon and she has made it possible by removing herself from her second biggest obligation, public service.

A talk show deal would not only be financially beneficial, but it will give her the exposure she needs. When I talk about exposure, I am talking about being exposed to things and issues outside of Alaska. Her name identification is good enough now to run for President of the United States. But having a show, like The Honorable Mike Huckabee has, would give her the opportunity to travel the country, and talk with experts on any subject she wants to delve into.

People will be able to see her in her best light every show and she will also have a feel about the pulse of the nation on particular issues. That can only be beneficial for someone who now wants to have a voice on the national stage. My ideal scenario would be that Palin gets a show on MSNBC.

Hear me out. It would be easy for her to get a show on FOX News, but she would be dismissed as just another conservative on a conservative network, which Huckabee already has a show on by the way. However, if she landed a show on MSNBC, here would be the ideal prime time lineup: 7pm EST-Hardball with Chris Matthews, 8pm-Palin's show, 9pm-Countdown with Keith Olbermann, 10pm-The Rachel Maddow Show. It would be the most watched prime time news show lineup in the market, especially for the first month, preferably in a sweeps month like February.

A conservative having a talk show on MSNBC? Genius! If you want to play the conspiracy theory game, I believe it is already in the works. Which network usually gets the exclusive interviews with Palin? FOX News and NBC. What network is SNL on? NBC. See where I am going with this?

I think, personally, it would be a slam-dunk for MSNBC to have "The Sarah Palin Show", but that is enough fantasizing for one day. I just really wanted to go on the record to say that Palin did the right thing in resigning early to get a chance to do something that all Americans desire: getting paid for what you do well. She has been in the national spotlight long enough with just a modest income.

President Obama increased his income by becoming an author. Why can't Palin do the same thing? I say, Governor Palin, go for it.

Seek revival

2009-07-12T07:02:00.004-05:00

2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19, Amos 7:7-15, Psalm 24, Psalm 85:8-13, Ephesians 1:3-14, Mark 6:14-29

Just a short thought for this Sunday.

It is tough going sometimes in life. We face challenges on a daily basis during our journey on earth. There are times where we feel tired and overwhelmed. In previous entries, I have reminded the readers that our faith is the strength that lies within us to get us through those moments.

However, just like many other power sources, we need to be re-charged and revived periodically. We need to be reminded about our faith, which is our strength. We need to rejuvenate our spiritual selves.

Therefore, I recommend that we read all the words in the Holy Bible, starting with the Scriptures annotated above. They remind us of how God rewards the faithful and admonishes the weak. The Bible reminds us that Jesus' love does conquer all, including the wrath of His father. The Bible is also a guide to bring us back when we inadvertently stray away.

We must utilize all the tools that God has placed before us to stay strong in our faith. The enemy, on a constant seek-and-destroy mission, finds ways to consistently to keep us from the Truth and the Light of wisdom. However, as we refer back to our teachings and our weapons of spiritual warfare, we will overcome anything that the enemy throws at us.

Then you can dance for God like King David, and steer clear of adversity like Amos. Learn to love God, even in the darkest moments, and you will be surely revived.

Some things you just don't say out loud

2009-07-09T15:59:00.003-05:00

I was angry about the statement Rep. Peter King, R-NY, said before the Memorial Service of Michael Jackson, in essence asking why are we celebrating the life and mourning the death of "a pervert." I have stated publicly that King has a right to his opinion and I have a right to mine. It is the timing and the way he went about it that is crass, and at the same time, unfortunate.

There is an old saying that goes: "If you can't say anything nice about somebody, don't say anything at all." Another saying goes: "Don't speak ill of the dead." King violated both of those axioms on purpose. I can understand that you were answering a question about the most significant event going on at the moment, but to just come out and say that, without hesitation or thought, is unprofessional and insensitive.

Not that I would expect King to win any sensitivity points or have his life story on Lifetime, but he is an elected official. There are people in his Congressional district that were fans of Michael Jackson. They probably watched the Memorial Service on television or online. I am sure that they were not pleased about his comments or the timing of them. If I am incorrect, then why run to "The O'Reilly Factor" and defend the statement?

The best thing to do was just let the news cycle run its course and it would have been dismissed. But to publicly defend that statement after the service had ended only brings more heat on King. I am sure there are a lot of people in his district that agrees with his assessment, but I bet they did not run up to one of their close friends who was a fan of MJ's and express that in this time of sorrow. It is called respect.

When I was watching the journalists discuss Jackson's past, they were thorough but respectful in the time of death. They also reminded folks that Jackson was acquitted of all charges, something that I guess the Congressman was not aware of. I also assume that the Congressman has not seen what has happened to other members of his party who were quick to judge someone else's moral character. Bob Livingston and Mark Sanford wanted to impeach the President of the United States for lying under oath about an extramarital affair. Both have since ruined their political careers for engaging in their own adulterous behavior.

So now Rep. King, you have put the world on notice about you. If you do anything that will question your character in the future, your political days will be numbered as well. As the old saying goes: "A double-edged sword cuts both ways." In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He admonished us to not to judge one another, for you will be judged as well. Rep. King, for making that kind of pronouncement about another human being, you are now on the clock, sir.

I sincerely hope, Rep. King, that you have swept around your own front door and have removed all the rocks near your glass house. It will be unbearable to think about the scrutiny and harsh comments you will face if you are caught doing anything that looks improper or immoral. I pray that no uses the bull's eye you just drew on your own back.

I have attended funerals of political enemies and I have witnessed firsthand how a Congressman who hated another politician did not make a statement of any kind publicly when that politician died, so I know that it can be done. For your sake, Rep. King, and the sake of the people who elected you to serve, I wish that you had shown similar restraint and respect.

"Air" McNair

2009-07-05T07:05:00.002-05:00

Deuteronomy 10:17-21, Hebrews 11:8-16, Psalm 145, Matthew 5:43-48

As an alumnus of Jackson State University, it is not common for one of us to have fond football memories of someone who did not don the "Blue and White" uniform, especially one of the dreaded Purple and Gold members of the Alcorn State University Braves. Steve "Air" McNair was the exception.

From 1992 to 1994, McNair was the most feared quarterback in college football, leading Alcorn to three SWAC Championships and to this day is the all-time leader in passing yards and total offensive yardage in Division 1-AA Football. He finished third in the 1994 Heisman Trophy voting and won the Walter Payton Award as the best player in Division 1-AA NCAA Football, now known as the FCS Division. He had a stellar 13-year career in the NFL, primarily with the Tennessee Titans, leading them to their only Super Bowl appearance, was a Co-MVP of the league in 2003 and a 3-time Pro Bowler.

He was a winner on and off the field, and that is why his tragic death comes as a shock to all of us who had the chance to watch him play and know him as a fellow Mississippian. My memories of Steve comes from talking with him whenever Jackson State played Alcorn, from him helping my candidate Ronnie Musgrove work the press box at Jack Spinks Stadium, and from his efforts, along with Brett Favre, to lead the NFL's aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina, including their own families.

However, I have to admit that my greatest memories of him come from the playing field. One game that received national attention was when he took on the Jim Tressel-led Youngstown State University Penguins on their march to the Division 1-AA Championship that year. McNair played valiantly in a game where Alcorn was clearly outmatched. Tressel feared McNair so much, that he only rushed three down linemen on every play, dropping eight men down field to keep McNair from hurting him with his deadly accurate passing.

But the game I cherish the most, and I felt truly defined Steve's championship demeanor, was the last game Alcorn played Jackson State in Spinks Stadium. This team, led by James "Big Country" Johnson, was JSU's best chance in the three years McNair guided Alcorn to win the annual "Soul Bowl", now known as the Capital City Classic. JSU had the ball first, with Alcorn's defense stopping Big Country five yards behind the line of scrimmage on the first play. The very next play, Johnson ripped off a 20 yard run that ignited JSU's first scoring drive.

McNair then had his turn to have the ball and he led a drive that answered JSU. This was an early indication that whoever had the ball last on offense was going to win that epic game. Guess who had the ball last? If you said Alcorn you were correct. McNair willed Alcorn to win that game 42-35. It was one of the greatest college football games I had ever witnessed in person and it gave me such an appreciation of talent of one Steve"Air" McNair.

After the 2007 NFL season, battered and bruised, McNair decided to end his football career. He had moved on from football to fully engage himself in a business venture that started earlier this year in Nashville. Unfortunately, he did not get to see the fruition of this new chapter in his life, but that reminds me of the last verses of one of the aforementioned scriptures:

"If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them."

That verse is from the eleventh chapter of Hebrews which defines how strong faith may not lead to earthly gains but it will lead to the ultimate reward of eternal life with God. If Steve wanted to go back to the NFL, he could have. But he stepped out on faith to life after football, to watch his oldest son play football, to grow his new business venture. It is my hope that his faith in God and his service to his fellow man outside of football has allowed him to receive that ultimate reward, despite not seeing the things that he had placed a new focus on here on this earth.

I will miss Steve "Air" McNair, the player whose number 9 jersey was the first my son ever wore, and the man who pleased his God so much that He could not bear to be without him anymore. May God continue to bless, be with and keep the McNair family in His favor.

To grunt or not to grunt

2009-07-01T08:29:00.002-05:00

In light of my recent entries, I decided to write about something on a more lighter note.

Today's topic: grunting in women's tennis. Prior to the Wimbledon tournament, The All-England Tennis Club had thought about imposing a rule addressing the grunting that has become so prevalent in women's tennis. According to English sensibilities, it is unsportsmanlike and probably not feminine in appearance.

However, it all started with Monica Seles, whose shrills were a constant whenever you watched one of her matches. It became her trademark and it obviously helped her win major tournaments. Now everybody is doing it, including the dynamic Williams sisters. As fans of the sport in this generation, it has become routine, but now that there is discussion about it, people are actually admitting that the grunts and the shrieks really annoy them.

To me it is not as annoying as the "Wave" at football games or the constant horn blowing at the recent FIFA Confederation Cup in South Africa that made the broadcasts sound like covering an international hornets convention. It is gamesmanship, plain and simple. It is a distraction to the opponent, sometimes masking the sound of the ball on the racket, making it hard to return volley. (Note: according to the rules of tennis, you are not suppose to intentionally distract your opponent, but I have never heard an umpire take away a point at a major because of grunting.)

The question becomes do we want to take that aspect of gamesmanship away from the sport. I say no. Every sport has to have a gimmick, and I am glad there is a quirk that is marketable for a female sport that is not based on their looks. The WNBA and the LPGA are trying to make their athletes more feminine looking to better market the sport unashamedly. Tennis had that problem until the advent of Anna Kournikova, and even though she did not win a Grand Slam event, she transformed the sport image-wise.

So while the majority of the champions in the sport are easier on the eyes, it should be their talent and mastery of the sport that draws the attention of the casual fan. Thus I believe we should let the grunting stay in place. It is unique to tennis and if nothing else, it will keep you focused on those long matches, with every rally, every volley being punctuated.

It also gives the appearance that the athletes are focused for the entire match. Those of us who have followed football, baseball and basketball have always heard stories about athletes tuning out or losing focus in key moments of competition. It is nice to watch a sport where the participants are not sitting out a play, that their focus is razor-sharp, and it is strictly about execution.

As a true sports fan, that is what I want to see, maximum effort from the folks who are the best in the world. So ladies, as far as I am concerned, grunt away, and may the best woman win.

Death on my mind

2009-06-30T10:48:00.002-05:00

It all started with the death of Frank Melton. As stunning as that was to me, it could not prepare me for what has happened in the following weeks. As a child growing up, "Kung Fu" was one of my favorites TV shows, so I was saddened by the death of David Carradine. It was always my ambition to be old enough to stay up late to watch "The Tonight Show, so to hear about the passing of Ed McMahon was sad as well.

Then came June 25, 2009. Waking up that morning the news was telling the world that Farrah Fawcett had died. Courageous in her later life as she was beautiful, Fawcett's death was clearly a milestone moment for I remember as a budding teenager how captivating was her beauty. It didn't matter that she was white and I was Black, she was fine, and it seemed the whole world was in agreement. It is hard to believe she was only on "Charlie's Angels" for a season, because of the lasting impression she made on every young male mind.

Then, that afternoon, as I was Tweeting, I came across breaking news that Michael Jackson had been rushed to the hospital, collapsing from an apparent heart attack. Heart Attack? MJ? Now I could deal with McMahon at 86, Carradine at 72, and at least we were prepared for Fawcett, 62, since she made it known she was dying of cancer. But Michael Jackson was 50, just six years my senior. It did not take long for my fear to be realized as very shortly Jackson was pronounced dead. Then Billy Mays, 49, the most watched man on television, suddenly died.

All of this dying just compounded the fact that I had buried my fraternity brother, Demetrius "Skip" Mason, 46, the week before. Next, the mother of a good friend, Carolyn Parker, finally lost her battle with cancer. Then yesterday, I found out that my high school principal, Dr. Patrick Ahern died. It is just overwhelming.

We all know that death is a part of life. It can be in your face, like the violent death of Neda Agha Soltan, who has become another martyr of oppression, or subtle as the death of a loved one in their sleep. For those of us in the Christian faith, we believe it is the last chapter of mortality and the first part of immortality. However, it is a painful marker in this journey called life. Jesus even wept when he had heard of Lazarus' passing.

When I use to send out official bereavement letters to constituents, I would always remind them of what the Psalmist said, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." It is a passage often referred to in times of grief to remind us that we still have life and that we should be glad, for we truly do not know when our time is coming.

Nevertheless, it still can be overwhelming when you are constantly being reminded of how old you are and how fragile life is. It motivates you to get in shape, until that first holiday binge, and then you are back to your old habits. It causes you to reflect on precious childhood memories and makes you realize how long that has really been. It gives a moment to reflect on how good you have it, until someone makes you angry or disrespects you.

Basically, it is a brief check-up from the neck up. It is placed on your mind so that you will never forget that your turn is coming. The question then becomes what will you do to prepare for it. Living life to the fullest and making funeral arrangements are not what I am talking about though. I am talking about what are you doing today to hear the phrase, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

What crosses are you willing to bear in this life? What sacrifices are you willing to make in this life? How many lives are you, personally, willing to positively impact, in this life? That is how you prepare for death. Making a decision to change the world as we know it, one person at a time.

There is a stanza in a Michael Jackson song that states, "I'm looking at the man in the mirror/I'm asking him to change his ways." If you have been selfish in your ambition, it is time to change your ways. If you have not done anything to reach out and help your fellow man, it is time to change your ways. If you have not made the effort reconcile your spiritual life, it is time to change your ways.

When I die, thousands of people will not leave flowers on my doorstep or attend the funeral. It probably will not be mentioned on the national news or featured on any magazines covers. But that is alright with me. As long as I hear those fateful words from God, "Well done, my good and faithful servant, well done," I would have accomplished what I wanted to do on my short trip in this world.

Death is on my mind, but it is not a burden. It is a goal, a deadline, to do what I need to do. I hope others can overcome their fear of death and look at it in the same way.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not take this time to say thank you to the aforementioned names. Thank you for the good that you did, for me personally and beyond, and thanks for the reminder for me to keep my house in order until it is my time to join you "in the sweet by and by."

More powerful than death or greed

2009-06-28T06:56:00.003-05:00

2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27, Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15; 2:23-24, Psalm 130 , Psalm 30, Lamentations 3:23-33, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, Mark 5:21-43

As the previous week is being absorbed by those of us who are mere spectators in the lives of the rich and famous, we tend to seek answers based on our limited knowledge and power of observation. We, who were fans, have been moved by the deaths of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and David Carradine. Those of us who have to try to live our lives to the best of our ability, we are appalled by the acts of greed by Bernie Madoff and Mark Sanford.

However, the answer lies not in forensic tests or political subpoenas. It lies in our faith. The instruction guide for our lives is the Holy Bible. The scriptures annotated deal with these subjects in many different ways based on different occurrences. The common thread though is that our faith should be our guide to seek the ultimate prize: the favor of God.

No matter how many millions of dollars you can attain, honestly or dishonestly, no matter what access you have to the most decadent of earthly pleasures, nothing is more precious, more rewarding or more valuable than attaining the favor of the Creator of the Universe. It is the favor of God that provides us comfort in times of grief. It is the favor of God that gives us the sustenance to fight off illness and overcome setbacks. It is the favor of God that gives us peace.

The favor of God is more powerful than death or greed because it is divinely ordained. You cannot buy it. You cannot charm your way into it. You cannot manipulate others for it. It must be freely given by God and it must be freely received by His creation. It transcends death to give us eternal life with Him who brought us into this world.

Politicians, socialites and celebrities base their careers seeking the favor and approval of other humans and define their success by their level of approval. But just like everything else in this world, that is temporal and can come crashing down in an instant. It is the equivalent to building a house on a weak foundation.

Those of us who seek the favor of God will have a stronger foundation to live in this world and will attain the ultimate reward: eternal life with the Father. Our future depends on God's favor, therefore we should never settle for anything less. A pat on the back will make you feel good for a moment. The favor of God will endure forever.

Choose wisely.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T08:02:00.002-05:00

1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 , I Samuel 17:57 - 18:5, 10-16, Job 38:1-11, Psalm 9:9-20, Psalm 133, Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32, 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, Mark 4:35-41

Last night, I expressed some thoughts about being a father, especially about the responsibility. This morning, I want to talk about the pride. After playing some baseball with my son, I attended a birthday/going away party for one of my stepsons. James is going into the Air Force on Tuesday, so he will be in boot camp on his birthday in July.

As I sat back and observed the proceedings, I watched his father pull him to the side and talk to him, take pictures with him and enjoy the festivities. I was glad to see that, because we had our clashes as to how much of a role he should play in his life. James, who is named after his dad, never held any animosity toward his dad, no matter how many promises he broke. That is partially because I would not let him.

I constantly reminded him that he was blessed to have two fathers, two men who truly loved and cared for him. Judging from the responses last night, he got that. I took pride in watching a young man come into his own, hanging out with his girlfriend, socializing with the other adults attending, enjoying the moment while mentally preparing for the decision he made. I am so proud of him. He was a challenge to raise, but not in a totally negative way. I mean, he was a boy after all.

Now he is a man, and the next time I will see him, he will have evolved greatly in his manhood. I cannot hold his hand anymore. I cannot protect him anymore. He will be truly on his own. However, I am confident he is equipped for that and I am honored that I had a role in making that happen.

Now I have one more stepson to raise and that will be a challenge in a totally different way, as I have entered his life in a very late stage. I think it will work out, but it will not be as smooth as it was with my older stepsons. However, I know, from those earlier experiences, it will have a positive outcome, for he has never had a real father in his life.

My biological son loves me. I love him. I will continue to do all I can to show that to him, and with all the experience I have accumulated over these years being a co-father to other young men, I am confident that my son will make me just as proud as I am of his older stepbrothers. That is what Father's Day is all about to me: Pride, Responsibility and Love.

Christ said the most important thing we can do as human beings is love one another. It is imperative that a father loves his children.

Some more random thoughts

2009-06-20T18:55:00.003-05:00

I thought once the campaign season was over I would have more time to write my thoughts. That has not been the case. Therefore, I have to compartmentalize my thoughts and hope I can remember them when I have the time.

There is one thing that is on my mind to start off. The saga of Sammy Sosa. Sosa was one of my favorite Chicago athletes when he played for the Cubs and the White Sox. He was a speed guy with the Pale Hose with some power, but when he came across town to the Cubs, he became an icon of power. His ability to blast baseballs onto Waveland Avenue was a sight to behold and it was almost predictable. When Sosa hit the ball good, he would take this giant hop out of the batter's box, and we fans started tracking the flight of the ball to see how far it went.

In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGuire's chase of Roger Maris' single season record for home runs sparked an interest in baseball that was desperately needed after the strike of 1994. Fans and the national spotlight returned to the game, and Sosa and McGuire were hailed as heroes. Now ten years later, they are look upon as cheaters. This past week, Sosa's name came up as one of the 104 MLB players who tested positive for steroids in 2003, the same list that Alex Rodriguez showed up on.

What a disappointment. Although there was suspicion about Sosa before the news this past week, I hoped against hope that he did not cheat. Now for the record, taking steroids cannot improve hand-eye coordination, so he did have to exhibit above-ability ability. But arming that extraordinary ability with steroids made him more lethal when he made contact with the ball. The ball went a lot further because more power was in that swing.

In other words, a genuine moment of joy in a sport that I love has been tainted forever. I can't say that I am mad at Sosa, especially in the climate he played in, but I am very disappointed. Nevertheless, I will remember the moments of joy, like when a friend or a loved one dies, you remember the joy they brought to life instead of the death.

Meanwhile the world is moving on, with threats from North Korea, discussions about Israel-Palestinian relations, debates about health care reform and questionable elections in Iran. I had a fraternity brother die at the age of 46, one of my stepsons is going into the Air Force, and I am working at a job that pays little, but provides the benefits my son needs to have quality health insurance.

Although I have achieved much in my life, my son's recent birthday and the upcoming Father's Day celebration remind me of my greatest achievement and my greatest responsibility. Sometimes it seems daunting, trying to balance the demands of my work and passion with the duties of fatherhood. It is even harder since I do not live with him everyday. I am doing the best that I can and I hope that in the end, when he has made it to adulthood, that he will appreciate what I tried to do for him, even if that meant I could not hang out with him all the time.

My lack of finances compromises me in many things, but I know it does not compromise my love for him. I just hope he will figure it out someday. I guess I am writing my Father's Day piece a day early, but in truth all I have to say is that I pray that God gives me the strength and the resources to be the father I need to be. Now if you excuse me, my son has requested my presence in a game of baseball.

We grow because of Him

2009-06-14T06:59:00.004-05:00

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13, Ezekiel 17:22-24, Psalm 20, Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17, Mark 4:26-34

Our lives have been touched by God in many ways. When we face adversity, we manage to overcome. When we get sick, we are healed.When we struggle financially, we are given the resources to survive. Our faith is the commodity that is the common thread in times of crisis and challenge.

Therefore, since our faith is directed toward God, God helps us through our struggles. Our triumph over struggles helps us grow into better Christians and thus better children of Our Creator. Our growth is part of our anointing. When God chooses us to carry forth His mission, He understands that our journey will be a rough one. But the strength we draw from, our faith, allows to re-focus our efforts and help us to carry out the purpose God has set forth for us.

Samuel was instructed to find from the sons of Jesse a king for the people of Israel. Despite all of the other brothers' looks or skill set , it was the Sheppard boy, David, whom God anointed for the crown. In other words, it does not matter what people say you should be doing, or what they believe you have the skill set for, God has given you a higher calling.

It is doing His will. It is to be done of our own free will, not based on other people's judgment or public opinion. When we live as though we understand what we are here for on earth, and not surrendering to earthly pressures, we will be able to do what God intended. We will grow because of Him.

Seven Years Ago

2009-06-10T13:20:00.003-05:00

It was a calm, yet balmy morning. The sun had not risen yet as it was around 4 a.m. My wife and I got dressed and headed to Baptist Hospital for our appointment. Both of us were full of anticipation and hope. After we arrived at Baptist, we were escorted to our room and preparations were made for the upcoming event. At 6:30 a.m. my wife was wheeled into the operating room and I followed. Then the next twenty minutes changed my life.

It was at that moment that my son was born. Funny thing was he did not want to cooperate, as he squirmed away from the doctor momentarily to crawl back in the safe womb he was being extracted from. That was my first sign my son was smart. Nevertheless, he cooperated and let out his first scream without being prompted to do so.

The nurse let me hold him for a brief moment and then it was off to the tanning room where he was hand and foot printed and placed under his lamp. It was a far cry from when I came into this world, basically being stuck in a window sill so I could get my tan.

My son seemed content with the whole procedure while I was in a constant state of amazement and solemn respect all at the same time. He had a smile that was almost like a smirk, exuding a sense of confidence that everything was going to be alright. Looking at that bundle of joy, I had to agree.

Now, as I fast forward to the present, I am watching him take swimming lessons, playing video games and listening to him tell me about his "good" friend at school over lunch. It is hard to believe that seven years have gone by so fast.

My parents told me to cherish the moments that I have with him because they will be gone in an instant. They were so right. Eleven years from now, I will be writing about how his high school graduation was and how proud I am of him for what he has achieved. But, that is in the future, hopefully. Right now, I just have to marvel at the young man he is becoming, his steady striving for independence while maintaining his desire to be around his parents.

Pretty soon, we will be doing the Little League circuit, going on more road trips, talking about girls that are more than just "good" friends and all the other things fathers and sons do together. I look forward to those moments with the same anticipation I had seven years ago.

Happy Birthday, Son.

NHL vs. NBA

2009-06-09T16:14:00.004-05:00

The National Hockey League obviously are students of Lamar Hunt, the founder of the American Football League. Hunt felt that if he put the best athletes on the field, thus putting the best show in front of a sports-hungry American public, that he could compete with the big boy, the National Football League. The AFL did well for awhile, with the Jets and the Chiefs beating the NFL's best head-to-head, but financially they were no match, and eventually had to merge. Same with the American Basketball Association and the Women's Professional Basketball League.

However, never before have we had a sport deliberately making a move to challenge another sport altogether. The NHL moved their Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals to compete head-to-head with Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Good luck with that.

So why would the NHL make a move to challenge the NBA? To show that they are still the fourth major professional sport in America, especially to get TV time and the big advertisers. They have the stars, especially the young phenom Sidney Crosby, that are marketable. Let's face it, if Roger Federer is marketable, Alex Ovechkin is marketable.

But they have to have the numbers. Strong TV numbers against the NBA would send a message that professional hockey is here to stay and that advertisers should take notice. The Versus Network has made a major coup in securing the contract to broadcast NHL games, especially when ESPN let hockey go. Now to parlay that into a financial success, they have to get the major advertisements and their players have to get the endorsements like Wayne Gretzky use to get.

That is why the numbers are important. The only point I would make is that playoff hockey is much better than regular season hockey and the NHL All-Star Game sucks. I don't know what it would take to improve the All-Star Game other than to keep it simple, but that is a shortcoming they must address.

Look, there are hockey fans, there are basketball fans. The casual fan will be able to name the NBA players better than the NHL players. Nevertheless, hockey is one of the world's greatest, exciting and most athletic sports. For its sake, I hope this gambit pays off tonight, because hockey needs to be back in the limelight again.

BTW, the game starts at 8 pm EDT on NBC.

Send me to uplift

2009-06-07T06:20:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 6:1-8, Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40, Psalm 29, Romans 8:12-17, John 3:1-17

How many of us volunteer for a cause that we believe in or a charity we support? We will do anything to support something we are moved by, either financially or physically. Well, it is the same with our faith. We must be willing to volunteer ourselves to the cause of uplifting our fellow man and exposing them to the truth about our faith.

Many of us know the Scripture from John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." What we do not remember is that this is a part of a conversation Jesus Christ had with a wealthy man named Nicodemus, who was seeking enlightenment and favor from God.

Jesus was basically recruiting Nicodemus to serve in order to inherit the reward of eternal life with the Father. It is our service to God that truly expresses our faith and invokes the Spirit within us. And we know from our teachings that the Spirit that dwells within us is not a spirit of fear or servitude, but a Spirit of confidence and leadership.

In order to fully enjoy the power that we inherited when we claimed our rightful salvation that Jesus was sent on Earth to secure, we must be willing to share the good news with others and perform service for the Lord, in various capacities. Our lives should always be a living testimony to the glory of God.

So go out and serve the Lord. Since our strength comes from Him, He will provide all the resources we will need to succeed. Again, it is all about exercising our faith so that we may inherit our rightful place in the Kingdom and be receptive to the truth. It is time for us to say to God, "Lord, send me".

Personal Pride

2009-06-03T18:42:00.002-05:00

I take this moment to quickly express my personal pride in the election of several of my friends yesterday to public office. Paul Winfield was elected as the second African-American mayor of Vicksburg. Parker Wiseman was formally elected as the Mayor of Starkville. Carolyn Washington was elected to the city council of Rolling Fork and Tony Yarber was elected to the city council of Jackson. Winfield and Wiseman defeated incumbent mayors and Washington and Yarber won open seats.

All of them are under the age of 50 and won in their first ever political campaign. However, none of them were novices in the political process. Winfield had been the board attorney for Warren County and is currently the Treasurer of the Mississippi Democratic Party. Wiseman, whose father is the director of The John Stennis Institute of Government and Public Policy, has been president of the Young Democrats of Mississippi. Washington has been a field director for many local and congressional campaigns and Yarber is currently a elementary school principal.

These newly elected officials are the reason why I stay encouraged about politics in Mississippi and that is a subject that I will delve into in a future blog. Right now, I just want to go on the record to congratulate them on a hard fought victory and I look forward to watch them develop into the positive leaders I know they will become.

A Tolerant Rant

2009-06-01T09:34:00.003-05:00

On my Facebook page this morning I asked this question: As our young men and women fight radical Islamic fundamentalists in Iraq and Afghanistan, who is fighting the radical Christian fundamentalists here? Killing people in a church, is that a pro-life position?

Now to be fair, I will not hold all Christian fundamentalists accountable for the heinous act of violence that took the life of Dr. George Tiller in Wichita, Kansas yesterday. However, there are Christian fundamentalists out there that are as dangerous as the terrorist that took Dr. Tiller's life. As we wage a war on terror overseas, we must be as willing and ready to wage a war on terrorists here in the United States.

The same intelligence that is being used on those who seek to harm our country from afar needs to be used right here on this soil. We have constitutional rights in this country, but the one provision that waives that right is treason. When any group of Americans seek to impose their will on a nation by force, it is treason towards this government, and should be dealt with as such.

That may sound harsh, that may make civil libertarians cringe, but it is what it is. Nat Turner and John Brown were treated that way, why not these militias that are springing up all over this country? No one should be shot at a church, regardless of their occupation, political opinion, race, gender, creed, or sexual orientation. It is my hope that every effort is made to make 100 percent sure that the gunman was a soloist. If he is connected with something bigger, every effort should be made to destroy that terrorist cell.

Jesus Christ taught me to be tolerant, and I do my dead-level best to be that way. But to see a person murdered in a church strikes a nerve, like a child being murdered in the streets of Chicago, or a person in the wealthiest nation in the world going to bed homeless and hungry. My tolerance is tested on a consistent basis.

Tolerance can also open the door for further abuses and anarchy if not mixed with vigilance. Case in point, Liberty University has decided not to sanction the College Democrats chapter there because of the Democratic Party's pro-choice position. The leadership of the university said that if the local chapter did not affiliate with the party or not campaign for pro-choice candidates, then they can be allowed to participate in campus activities.

Can you imagine the headlines on FoxNews and the National Review if Tougaloo College decided to disband the College Republicans chapter there based on the GOP's position on affirmative action and that the only way that they could be reinstated is that they distance their chapter from the national party and not endorse anti-affirmative action candidates? In other words, when you use a double-edged sword, remember it cuts both ways.

Those of us that are suppose to believe in the teachings of Christ have to be tolerant of other views of the world. We also know that we do not have to conform to the world we live in. Therefore, my political and personal belief is that even if I disagree with you, I will not try to kill you, nor will I try to muzzle you. On the other hand, I will not sit idly by when you seek to harm my fellow citizens, silence them or seek to commit acts of treason towards my country.

The beauty of the concept of free speech is that it tests our level of tolerance. When we start shutting down organizations at colleges or murdering people in churches, we are seriously flunking the test.

God, continue to give me the strength to pass the test.

I've Got Spirit, How 'Bout You

2009-05-31T06:30:00.003-05:00

Acts 2:1-21, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 104:1-34, Romans 8:22-27, 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13 , John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

At football games all over the country this fall, cheerleaders will roam the sidelines and shout out this question: "We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit, how 'bout you?" That is a question that many of us should be asking on this the Day of Pentecost.

Many of us go through our daily existence, dealing with all of the peaks and valleys of life, acting as though we do not carry the greatest gift God can give us other than life itself, the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that gives us strength in tough times, discernment to make the right decisions and the peace we need in chaotic moments.

The Spirit that dwells within is the most powerful force in the universe, yet we barely tap into it when we need it the most, making our journey on Earth harder than what it should be. The Holy Spirit does not prevent tragedy, but it gets us through. It does not prevent struggles, but it provides the inspiration to overcome.

Think about this as you go forth with your day, if the Holy Spirit can give life to the dry bones of Israel and raise Jesus Christ from the dead, what is it that you cannot accomplish? What hurdles in life can you not rise above? What challenges can you not face down? Remember that you've got the Spirit and you can answer all those questions in the affirmative.

The GOP's Latino disconnect

2009-05-29T09:39:00.003-05:00

In 1972, President Richard Nixon received 60 percent of the Latino vote in his successful bid for re-election. In 2008, President Barack Obama received 67 percent of the Latino vote in his successful campaign. A complete swing in a 36 year span.

If I were a Republican, I would be very concerned about such a turn, especially when you look at the generation that voted 60 percent for Nixon. That generation alone voted 63 percent for Obama. Obama won the Latino vote in Florida and Texas, traditionally GOP strongholds.

That is why you are seeing some Republican U.S. Senators cringing at the comments of Wendy Long, Laura Ingraham and Rush Limbaugh concerning the nomination of U.S. Appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court of the United States. They understand that six of them voted for Sotomayor to be confirmed in the current position she holds and that any inflammatory comments will further alienate Latino voters from the GOP.

When he was the RNC Chair, Ken Mehlman did his dead-level best to reach out to the Latino community. However, it did not seem as though he laid a solid foundation for continued outreach as evidenced by the 2008 Presidential vote. It is now going to be Chairman Michael Steele's task to re-invigorate that effort.

However, it might be tough. Here is an excerpt of the RNC Party Platform, approved the 2008 RNC Convention:

Embracing Immigrant Communities

Today's immigrants are walking in the steps of most other Americans' ancestors, seeking the American dream and contributing culturally and economically to our nation. We celebrate the industry and love of liberty of these fellow Americans. Both government and the private sector must do more to foster legally present immigrants' integration into American life to advance respect for the rule of law and a common American identity. It is a national disgrace that the first experience most new Americans have is with a dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy defined by delay and confusion; we will no longer tolerate those failures.
In our multi ethnic nation, everyone – immigrants and native-born alike – must embrace our core values of liberty, equality, meritocracy, and respect for human dignity and the rights of women.

One sign of our unity is our English language. For newcomers, it has always been the fastest route to prosperity in America. English empowers. We support English as the official language in our nation, while welcoming the ethnic diversity in the United States and the territories, including language. Immigrants should be encouraged to learn English. English is the accepted language of business, commerce, and legal proceedings, and it is essential as a unifying cultural force. It is also important, as part of cultural integration, that our schools provide better education in U.S. history and civics for all children, thereby fostering a commitment to our national motto, E Pluribus Unum.

We are grateful to the thousands of new immigrants, many of them not yet citizens, who are serving in the Armed Forces. Their patriotism is inspiring; it should remind the institutions of civil society of the need to embrace newcomers, assist their journey to full citizenship, and help their communities avoid patterns of isolation.

So embracing the culture means mandating English-only laws? That is going to be tough sell in a group that comprises 14 percent of the national population. However, the RNC web site, www.gop.com, has a Spanish language link, unlike the web site for the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, www.rnha.org, which does not have such a link.

It is the little things that make a difference to a significant population group that you want to sway to your political camp. Another interesting thing about both web sites, they do not address concerns that specifically impact the Latino community. Both sites are all about supporters conforming to the core values of Republicanism, not how Latinos can uniquely empower themselves as Republicans to solve their problems.

Maybe that is a bit much to ask a political party to do, but I am not the one seeking to reverse a 36 year skid.

Now a Latina is on the verge of becoming a member of the Supreme Court and the conservative talking heads are on the attack. The GOP leadership may want to heed the warning of the early colonists to the British monarchy when dealing with this issue and continued outreach to the Latino community, "Don't Tread On Me!"

My first year on Facebook

2009-05-28T09:21:00.002-05:00

One year ago, I was in the middle of my second U.S. Senate campaign. I had successfully won the primary a couple of months earlier and was in the process of getting ready for the summer swing through the state. Then I received an interesting e-mail from a lady in South Carolina.

Her name was Nancy Lockhart. She was a die-hard Obama supporter and had come across my campaign web site while surfing the Internet. She e-mailed me with an interesting proposition: join Facebook. Now I had heard of Facebook, but I was under the impression it was only for college students. I had created a MySpace page in the 2006 campaign and it did not take off like I had wanted to, so I was not immediately sold on putting a profile on another social networking site, especially to a limited audience.

Nancy persisted and on May 28, 2008, I was a member of the Facebook community. It was one of the best things that has ever happened to me politically and personally. I was able to use the network to reach out to people throughout the state to tout my candidacy, which was my primary purpose, but I ended up doing so much more.

I connected with old high school classmates, old college classmates, ex-girlfriends, relatives and a few celebrities here and there. More importantly, I met the love of my life on Facebook. Who would have known that an innocent compliment on the Honesty Box application would have led to me finding true love again. I had been active on the online dating sites since my divorce in 2003 and met many great women, but it was the poetry of Lady G that won my heart.

Meanwhile as that romance blossomed, my Facebook network grew rapidly. So much so that now I have two profile pages as that the limit for friends on Facebook is 5,000 and I now have over 6,000 friends. Which reminds me, my journey has not been totally smooth. My initial profile page was deleted, based on too much networking, especially since I was fast approaching my friend limit, which I documented in an earlier blog. Fortunately, it was re-instated and I was able to maintain my original network and then expand on it.

I have had fun trying to spark debate on Facebook with my questions to my friends concerning the issues of the day and just sharing my thoughts with the world. I may have fallen into the trap of joining too many groups and signing up for too many applications, but in the end it helped me reach out to folks I never would have had the chance to meet otherwise.

It was always interesting when people would stop me and say "don't I know you? I think I saw you on TV." Now people stop me and say, "I'm your friend on Facebook." That is so cool. Yes, I said cool, because I think it is cool to be connected.

The poet John Dunne once wrote that "no man is an island", and Facebook makes that a true statement. Where else could I be friends with Ms. Olympias and U. S. Congressmen? Where else could I have intellectual discussions with Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and others of all political stripes?

I have enjoyed my time on Facebook and I hope that this next year will be as fascinating and entertaining as this one. I guess nothing can top finding your true love, but I am sure that the continued journey on Facebook will be exciting nonetheless.

Thanks to all of my friends on Facebook, you have made this experience so great. I look forward to my second anniversary with you all.

A Challenge to Long's Assertion

2009-05-27T09:28:00.005-05:00

In following the news coverage concerning the nomination of U.S. Appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to replace Justice David Souter on the United States Supreme Court, I came across the comments of an individual I had never heard of in previous judicial nomination fights. Her name is Wendy Long. I was trying to find the quote she made on NBC News which I found rather disturbing, something to the effect that if a white man said that being a white allows them to make better judicial decisions, that people would be rightly outraged.

That was in response to a speech Judge Sotomayor gave in 2001 in which she made this comment: "I would hope a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."

I did not find Ms. Long's direct quote on NBC, but I did find the one she made on National Review, which CNN's Anderson Cooper picked up on:

"Judge Sotomayor is a liberal judicial activist of the first order
who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law
as written. She thinks that judges should dictate policy, and that one's
sex, race, and ethnicity ought to affect the decisions one renders from the
bench. She reads racial preferences and quotas into the Constitution, even
to the point of dishonoring those who preserve our public safety. On
September 11, America saw firsthand the vital role of America's firefighters
in protecting our citizens. They put their lives on the line for her and the
other citizens of New York and the nation. But Judge Sotomayor would
sacrifice their claims to fair treatment in employment promotions to racial
preferences and quotas. The Supreme Court is now reviewing that decision.
She has an extremely high rate of her decisions being reversed, indicating
that she is far more of a liberal activist than even the current liberal
activist Supreme Court."

Naturally, I wanted to figure out who this Wendy Long was, and who
she is affiliated with, especially since she ridiculously thinks that Judge
Sotomayor is unsympathetic toward America's first responders. Turns out she
is the legal counsel for a group called The Judicial Confirmation
Network. According to their web site, this is their purpose:

The Judicial Confirmation Network is an organization of citizens joined
together to support the confirmation of highly qualified individuals to the Supreme Court of the United States. In addition, JCN works to ensure that the
confirmation process for all judicial nominees is fair and that every nominee
sent to the full Senate receives an up or down vote.

We believe that the qualifications desirable in a nominee
include:

Integrity
Common sense
Education and experience in the law; and
Devotion to the Constitution

We believe that the proper role of a judge or justice is to
interpret the law and the Constitution – not make up the law and deprive the people of the right to govern ourselves.

We believe that a judge or a justice should not use the power of the court to impose his or her personal or political agenda on the people.

Ms. Long herself is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Law, a member of The Order of the Coif, who clerked under Justice Clarence Thomas and served as a press secretary for two Republican U.S. Senators, so you can kind of see where this is going.

Based on what I have been able to read on Judge Sotomayor, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonia_Sotomayor, I am trying to figure out which one of the four criteria that she does not measure up to.

Her two previous confirmations should address any issues about integrity. She is definitely qualified through her education and experience. Based on this quote: "I don't believe we should bend the Constitution under any circumstance. It says what it says. We should do honor to it.", I believe Judge Sotomayor is devoted to the Constitution.

As for common sense, it depends on who is judging common sense. If Ms. Long thinks that this current Supreme Court is a liberal, activist court, then maybe she should not be the definer of common sense. Sotomayor's career has been defined by being a practical applier of the law in her decisions. Nothing radical, but as it is with most judicial decisions, thoughtful and debatable. In my opinion, she applies common sense to her decisions, whether you would agree with them or not.

Bottom line, Ms. Long is the new attack dog for this fight. She will be the face of the GOP during this nomination process, providing the cover necessary for those Republican senators to vote against Sotomayor's appointment without totally alienating the Latino vote in 2010 and 2012. Her role will be to define the fight, citing judicial activism, so that the GOP will not be labeled as anti-Latino.

Unfortunately, that may not work since they cannot muzzle Rush Limbaugh who has already labeled Judge Sotomayor a racist. Imagine that, Limbaugh calling somebody a racist. I guess he would know, but I digress.

I would expect to see a lot of Ms. Long this summer making the case against Judge Sotomayor. I look forward to continuing to challenge her assertions.

Memorial Day thought

2009-05-25T13:06:00.003-05:00

On the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, known to most of us as "The Wall", his name appears on Panel 45E, Line 47. He was a native of Marks, Mississippi and was a married man. Born in August of 1946, he grew up in the Baptist church and was drafted into service in 1966.

He started his tour of duty in Vietnam on Valentine's Day in 1968 and he was a Sergeant, E-5, in the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army. One month and one day after he started his tour of duty in Vietnam, he was gunned down in a firefight, a week after the My Lai massacre.

His name was Charles Edward Mc Gee. He was my great uncle.

Charles Edward Mc Gee was one of the 38,505 casualties that was killed by hostile fire in the Vietnam War. He is part of an elite group of individuals who date back from the Revolutionary War who have fought for the freedom of this nation and have paid the ultimate price in doing so.

Today is the day we thank Charles Edward Mc Gee and the others who made that sacrifice so that we may enjoy the freedom we too often take for granted. If you have not done so already, take time from friends, family and barbecue to give the proper thanks. It can be a small prayer or a collective moment of silence, but please take the time to do so.

Thank you, Uncle Charles.

There are young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan right now who we may end up honoring a year from now in the very same way. My prayer is that will not be the case, but it is an unrealistic expectation when we are at war. All we can do is respect their commitment and honor them for their service, as well as pray for their safe return.

Meanwhile, enjoy your Memorial Day and remember those who made it possible for us to enjoy it.

Joy Away From the World

2009-05-24T07:15:00.003-05:00

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Psalm 1, 1 John 5:9-13, John 17:6-19

The world we live in is a very interesting place. Its tempting decadence pulls us in from time to time and make our lives interesting. But those of us who are followers of Christ have to realize that we are no longer a part of the world. We are basically visitors in this world, working toward our goal of becoming a true Christian and enjoying eternal life.

The Apostle Paul reminded us that when we are children, we act and think like children, but when we become adults, we have to put away those childish things. Delving into the decadence the world has to offer is childish. When we caved into peer pressure as a teen, we did it to fit in. When you commit your life to follow Christ, you no longer fit in that world.

As hard as it may seem, you must control your temptation. If you do not, you will lose your way and jeopardize your inheritance of eternal life. Since you know the truth, your faith should give you the strength to resist. It is not easy, and you will struggle to maintain. However, when you remember what you are working toward, that temptation is not so tempting after all.

In short, stay strong in the faith and find your joy away from the world we are temporary occupants in.

The Struggle Continues

2009-05-22T17:49:00.003-05:00

Well another political season is winding down in Mississippi, but history was made in the process. Nearly 45 years ago, Philadelphia, Mississippi was a city on the national map, unfortunately though, it was a tragic symbol of how America, specifically the South, was getting it wrong.

Three young men, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner, disappeared on the night of June 21, 1964. The three men were part of a group that were registering Blacks to vote in Neshoba County in an effort called "Freedom Summer." The White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, the bloodiest regiment of America's original terrorist group, had hatched a plan to violently subvert the actions of these individuals. With cooperation from local authorities, aided by an atmosphere of staunch segregation, the White Knights carried out their plan. 44 days later, the bodies of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner were found buried in an earthen dam.

Now fast forward to May 19, 2009. James Young, a former county supervisor, who is now a minister and paramedic, became the first African-American to be elected mayor of Philadelphia, Mississippi. By a slim 1021-975 margin, Young broke through a barrier many outside of Philadelphia did not think was possible.

Young cited his work in the health care field as being the factor that earned him the trust that lead to him defeat a three-term incumbent mayor. Young also campaigned on changing city government, which is a winning strategy it seems in the 21st Century.

But the credit has to go back to the sacrifice of those young men who gave their lives on a dark road in Neshoba County for the possibility of this occasion. There is a saying that is bandied about that states freedom is not free. Well neither is empowerment.

Because of the work of those young people who came from all over the nation to build a coalition with native Black Mississippians to fight one of the greatest injustices in our history, May 19, 2009 would not have been possible. It was their courage and their commitment to a just cause, as well as the tragic loss of life of their comrades, that led to the events that culminated on last Tuesday.

When I see joyous occasions such as the election of James Young, it makes me appreciate history even more. If you know where you came from, you will know where you are going, and you will cherish the journey even more when you reach your destination. This day has been a long time coming, but as the old folks would say, the sun will come up tomorrow, signaling a new day and more work that needs to be done.

Our next battle will be the election of an African-American to a statewide position. The next year that can happen will be in 2011, nearly fifty years after the deaths of Medgar Evers, Vernon Dahmer, Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner. Wouldn't it be something if that day will come on a cold November Tuesday two years from now?

Until then, the struggle continues.

The Coalition

2009-05-20T15:23:00.003-05:00

Last night in Jackson, Mississippi, the results of an election were made known to the public. For most casual observers, it appeared to be a municipal party run-off primary between a former mayor and a current city councilman for the party's nomination. For those of us who see the bigger picture, this was a rebirth of a coalition.

Twenty years ago, many of us were a part of a coalition that wanted to advance Jackson, especially in the area of human rights. Incidents of police brutality were high, as well as the city's murder rate. People of color felt disenfranchised although they had gained a major victory four years earlier by electing the first African-Americans to municipal government since 1912.

As those new council members were basically the ones chosen to test out this new council-mayor form of government, they were not in a position of strength to make wholesale changes. Thus the idea of a coalition of many organizations and progressive-minded individuals started taking shape. The result was the formation of the Jackson Human Rights Coalition.

This loose coalition was effective in bringing many issues to the forefront during its four year tenure. However, it faded away in 1992, after the nucleus of the coalition convened a citywide grassroots convention to choose an African-American to run for mayor of Jackson. Many in the coalition left during the planning sessions of the convention as control of the convention became a major issue. Nevertheless the convention was convened, a candidate was chosen, and then that candidate was soundly defeated in the 1993 Democratic Primary.

The friction that divided the coalition was too strong to overcome and everyone went their separate ways. During this time after the disbanding of the coalition, an African-American mayor was elected and five of the seven city council seats had Black members. The issues of crime and economic opportunities never went away though and the feeling of disenfranchisement turned into apathetic acceptance. Apathetic acceptance is basically the realization that the more things change, the more they stayed the same.

As many looked at our city government in frustration and believed it had become chaotic, sixty people decided to run for municipal office, 55 of them African-American. Despite whom you chose as your particular candidate for a particular race, one had to admire the way the campaigns were run. Each candidate worked hard to sell themselves as individuals who were qualified and committed to serve, and Black people should be proud of how those candidates conducted themselves.

Yet, there was a movement afoot that eventually brought the coalition back together. It seems as though the influential whites in the Jackson diaspora thought this was their time to recapture what had been lost to them by demographics, the court system and eventually the ballot box: the seat of power at City Hall. They made a concerted effort to line up behind a Black candidate that they felt would help their ascent back into power.

They invested money and manpower into this candidate, and when the smoke had cleared on May 5, 2009, their candidate had made the run-off. Their blatant acts of support for this particular candidate sounded an alarm within the Black community, even as we were mourning the sudden death of the current mayor.

Within days, the old coalition started reforming. Folks, who some fifteen years earlier had parted ways to fight their own battles, were answering the call to galvanize again. Once the coalition was put back together, they went to work and the culmination took place on May 19, 2009 with a resounding victory over the white power structure's anointed candidate.

Now the hard part begins anew. First is the business of finishing the deal on June 2, 2009 with another resounding victory and then it will be time to govern. There is some unfinished business that the coalition initially started addressing some twenty years ago that needs to be resolved.

One is to finish healing the divides that disbanded the coalition in the first place. Now that all of us are some twenty years wiser, that should not be hard to do. Then we must assist the new Jackson municipal government by holding them accountable to deal with the economic disparities and the issue of safety in our communities. In turn, we must continue to be supportive of each other's efforts to reach out to our youth and improve our quality of life, especially with housing, health care and education.

Those seem like daunting challenges, but as long as the coalition remains intact and strong, those challenges are no more insurmountable than any other campaign. We have proven we can come together for a short-term crisis, now our test is fighting the good fight for the long haul. My faith in God tells me it can be done because as His people do His work, their steps are ordered and they can achieve all things.

As long as the coalition holds, we can fulfill the desire of the prophet Isaiah and be the repairers of the breach in our communities. As long as the coalition holds, no weapons formed against us shall prosper. As long as the coalition holds, we shall see a new day in Jackson, Mississippi.

As long as the coalition holds.

It is bigger than you because you were chosen

2009-05-17T05:46:00.003-05:00

Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, John 15:9-17

Have you ever noticed when certain events happen in your life, how they just fall into place? It just seems like as you start worrying about stuff, things tend to work out, with or without your input? That is a clear sign that this life on earth is bigger than you. It is bigger than you because you were chosen to have favor with God.

When you are chosen, and you stop resisting your enlistment, you develop a certain insight, a distinct discernment if you will. You can see the pieces of life's puzzle come together, all you have to do is trust in God and stand out of the way.

You can visualize things in your sleep because your steps are ordered. Despite your worrying and panic, things work out for the best. When you acknowledge this, then you have peace within yourself and your faith is strengthened.

As long as we love one another, we can see the Spirit that dwells within others. When we discern that Spirit in others, we can trust them to do the right thing, for they are also driven by their love and their faith. Guidance is expected, but a heavy hand is not needed. A hand more powerful than yours has already been applied.

Remember when Jesus Christ died on the cross, it was a fulfillment of a promise made out of love. The people closest to Him were distraught until they were reminded of that promise. In the end, it all worked out and their faith was strengthened, thus preparing them to receive the Holy Spirit. Once they received the anointing, they were able to carry out the mission they were chosen to do.

In essence, if you look at things and tasks with your own mortal eyes, you will think that things will not work out and you become afraid of failure. Once you realize it is bigger than you, and you apply your faith, a failure in your mind becomes a huge victory in reality.

Since we are chosen, it is not about you. Accept it and watch God work it out.

The Honorable Frank E. Melton, 1949-2009

2009-05-11T23:20:00.003-05:00

It has taken me awhile to get my thoughts together since that fateful Tuesday evening when I learned that my candidate, the Honorable Frank E. Melton, Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, became gravely ill. That was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.

Around 7 p.m., on May 5th, I was getting calls on my cellphone from campaign workers reporting the vote tallies from the various precincts throughout the city. Then I received a call from a reporter stating that she heard on the police scanner that an ambulance was called to the house where Frank lived. She asked did I have a comment. I told her, "No."

Truth was I was too stunned to make a comment if I had wanted to. Meanwhile, I was still getting tallies and it became apparent early that we were not going to make it to the runoff. Now not only was I dealing with the health of my candidate, I had to come to the realization that we had lost this hard-fought election.

Shock. Disappointment. Concern. Exhaustion. I was feeling all of those emotions simultaneously. By 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, I was still feeling all those emotions, but I was coming to terms with the eventual reality, Frank was not coming back. He was on his way to his well-deserved rest.

Frank Melton from the moment he set foot in Jackson was a man on a mission and on the move. Brought in to save the only Black-owned television station in Mississippi, WLBT, Frank made major personnel changes and started a turnaround that laid the foundation for this station to become the most dominant in the Jackson market.

Frank used his wealth to help children attend college and take in children from troubled communities. He made the Farish Street YMCA his second home in Jackson, teaching hundreds of children how to swim. One of the most moving stories I learned about was how Frank paid for a single mother's son to have a lung transplant. That young man worked as a phone banker in this past campaign.

Frank also had disappointments and controversy. Despite taking numerous young men under his wing, several strayed back into the way of life that eventually got them killed. Frank paid for the funerals. It also raised his level of passion to use his position as a television general manager to publicly call out drug dealers and ineffective politicians. Frank even bought billboards that plastered the faces of drug dealers throughout the inner city in order to shed the light on a problem that frustrated him until the day he died.

His passion for a safer Jackson and a better life for inner city youth led him to run for Mayor of Jackson in 2005. He beat the incumbent mayor with 65 percent of the vote and overnight became the number one target of the political godfathers in Jackson. When he went out one ill-fated night and put a sledgehammer to an active crack house in a residential community, Frank opened the door for his enemies to come at him.

With politicians getting political mileage for challenging his agenda and people suing him or trying to convict him in court, it eventually started taking a toll on his health. The stress exacerbated his genetic heart condition and eventually led to his death at 12:10 a.m. on May 7, 2009, less than 48 hours from the time I got that call from that reporter.

Frank was depicted as a complex, egotistical man. He was not. Frank had pride in his accomplishments and he was passionate about what he believed in. He always kept his eye on the future and tried to embrace every young person that crossed his path so that they would get the same opportunities he had. Frank was task-oriented but nothing occupied his attention long. In other words, he was a "doer", not a procrastinator.

That characteristic may not have been ideal for public service, but Frank Melton will go down as one of the greatest mayors this city has ever had. He was a man of the people and he was transparent. As he used to say all the time, "it is what it is," and he was what he was.

I admire men who are free. Men who speak their mind and act decisively. Men who act as if their steps are ordered by God. Those men are not cowards, nor are they timid in the face of adversity. The power of their personality sways the masses and calls attention to what is needed. These men stand out as giants in an age of heroes and a constant in an environment of chaos.

Frank E. Melton was one of those men. It was my honor and privilege to fight for him as he fought for all of us. Like many others he encountered during his lifetime, he left a lasting impression on me. I will miss him dearly.

However, as a man of faith, I know that he is in a better place now. A place where Pop Staples would say, "Ain't nobody crying, ain't nobody worried." He is with his faithful companion, Abbey, and dwells in the right hand of the Father. He leaves behind physically a wife and two children, but he also leaves behind his spirit to be among us, our memories with him that we will cherish, and his legacy that we must protect.

Frank E. Melton sacrificed much to give to many. Now he has earned his rest and has received his reward.