The political blues
God and Ted gonna save me
From myself
Gonna make them terrorist
See their bad aint’t my bad
New talks bout Syria
Donald gonna shut up
Those angry mouths
Hilary didn’t know but
She got the word
Bernie will save us
Oh my! Got the blues
Got those political blues
Blues in the morning
Blues all night
The CNN news blues
I turn to Fox
It ain’t no muse?
Ain’t knowing what I can do
Bout those political blues
Mikey done gave up the race
Martin don’t got no place
Ain’t no match for the Bern
Who will give socialism a turn
Hil sure that she got the moves
No matter who disapproves
Got those political blues
Blues in the morning
Blues all night
The CNN news blues
I turn to Fox
It ain’t no muse
Ain’t knowin what I can do
Bout those political blues
I am writing on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, the morning following the Iowa caucus which is the first of the primary elections in the United States. This presidential race continues to be an interesting, even though to some a frightening, race to take over that impossible job of President of the United States.
Once I finished on the treadmill I am finished with my daily dose of television and I turn to Ted. Ted talks that is. This morning I begin with a talk by The Reverend Jeffrey Brown entitled “how we cut youth violence in Boston by 79 percent.” The Reverend Jeffrey Brown along with some others in the church decided to do something radical. The set out to get to know those on the streets. He says:
“And as we were talking with them, a number of myths were dispelled about them with us. And one of the biggest myths was that these kids were cold and heartless and uncharacteristically bold in their violence. What we found out was the exact opposite. Most of the young people who were out there on the streets are just trying to make it on the streets. And we also found out that some of the most intelligent and creative and magnificent and wise people that we've ever met were on the street, engaged in a struggle. And I know some of them call it survival, but I call them overcomers, because when you're in the conditions that they're in, to be able to live every day is an accomplishment of overcoming. And as a result of that, we said to them, "How do you see this church, how do you see this institution helping this situation?" And we developed a plan in conversation with these youths. We stopped looking at them as the problem to be solved, and we started looking at them as partners, as assets, as co-laborers in the struggle to reduce violence in the community. Imagine developing a plan, you have one minister at one table and a heroin dealer at the other table, coming up with a way in which the church can help the entire community.”
Although it may have been his faith which challenged him to do what Jesus and the Buddha and other spiritual leaders have suggested we humans do, it was not because he was a minister that he and others walking and listening with him, began to open doors. No, it was because they were willing to see the gifts, the talent, the courage and, yes, the love which the folks who had been labeled as no good, the bad people and the criminals possessed. Once again, they learned what we humans seem to have to keep relearning. We are much more than the worst of our deeds or than any of the labels which have been applied to us. The Reverend Brown ends his Ted Talk talk with reminding us of an adage which has been attributed to various places in Africa including Burundi:
“Because the old adage that comes from Burundi is right: that you do for me, without me, you do to me.”
This sage advice reminded me of some advice which is attributed to Nelson Mandela, “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.”
In these blogs I have introduced the reader to other community leaders who have discovered or rediscovered the same truths which the Reverend Jeffrey Brown and church and street partners are leaning from/with each other. These include Father Gregory Brown who works for/with Los Angeles Gang members, Melvin Russell the innovated police officer in Baltimore, Dr. Gary Slutkin who approaches violence the same as he does a medical epidemic, and folks such as Pope Francis or Dr. Zoi Livaditou, the Lesbos physician who ministers with her medical talents and energy to refugees.
All of them set up to work with and for - to form a partnership with people who others may see as a problem, criminals, or otherwise undesirable.
I wonder what would happen to our political blues if some of us invited the candidates to be our partners in exploring ways to partner with those we now consider the enemy whether it is the enemy who thinks differently from others in the United States or those labeled as terrorists, Taliban, or other labels?
I suppose that would mean that I have to see the political candidates as more than the labels either I have assigned to them or they have assigned to themselves. Perhaps, just perhaps, I need to set the example and invite dialogues between equals.
Written February 2, 2016
God and Ted gonna save me
From myself
Gonna make them terrorist
See their bad aint’t my bad
New talks bout Syria
Donald gonna shut up
Those angry mouths
Hilary didn’t know but
She got the word
Bernie will save us
Oh my! Got the blues
Got those political blues
Blues in the morning
Blues all night
The CNN news blues
I turn to Fox
It ain’t no muse?
Ain’t knowing what I can do
Bout those political blues
Mikey done gave up the race
Martin don’t got no place
Ain’t no match for the Bern
Who will give socialism a turn
Hil sure that she got the moves
No matter who disapproves
Got those political blues
Blues in the morning
Blues all night
The CNN news blues
I turn to Fox
It ain’t no muse
Ain’t knowin what I can do
Bout those political blues
I am writing on Tuesday, February 2, 2016, the morning following the Iowa caucus which is the first of the primary elections in the United States. This presidential race continues to be an interesting, even though to some a frightening, race to take over that impossible job of President of the United States.
Once I finished on the treadmill I am finished with my daily dose of television and I turn to Ted. Ted talks that is. This morning I begin with a talk by The Reverend Jeffrey Brown entitled “how we cut youth violence in Boston by 79 percent.” The Reverend Jeffrey Brown along with some others in the church decided to do something radical. The set out to get to know those on the streets. He says:
“And as we were talking with them, a number of myths were dispelled about them with us. And one of the biggest myths was that these kids were cold and heartless and uncharacteristically bold in their violence. What we found out was the exact opposite. Most of the young people who were out there on the streets are just trying to make it on the streets. And we also found out that some of the most intelligent and creative and magnificent and wise people that we've ever met were on the street, engaged in a struggle. And I know some of them call it survival, but I call them overcomers, because when you're in the conditions that they're in, to be able to live every day is an accomplishment of overcoming. And as a result of that, we said to them, "How do you see this church, how do you see this institution helping this situation?" And we developed a plan in conversation with these youths. We stopped looking at them as the problem to be solved, and we started looking at them as partners, as assets, as co-laborers in the struggle to reduce violence in the community. Imagine developing a plan, you have one minister at one table and a heroin dealer at the other table, coming up with a way in which the church can help the entire community.”
Although it may have been his faith which challenged him to do what Jesus and the Buddha and other spiritual leaders have suggested we humans do, it was not because he was a minister that he and others walking and listening with him, began to open doors. No, it was because they were willing to see the gifts, the talent, the courage and, yes, the love which the folks who had been labeled as no good, the bad people and the criminals possessed. Once again, they learned what we humans seem to have to keep relearning. We are much more than the worst of our deeds or than any of the labels which have been applied to us. The Reverend Brown ends his Ted Talk talk with reminding us of an adage which has been attributed to various places in Africa including Burundi:
“Because the old adage that comes from Burundi is right: that you do for me, without me, you do to me.”
This sage advice reminded me of some advice which is attributed to Nelson Mandela, “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don't have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.”
In these blogs I have introduced the reader to other community leaders who have discovered or rediscovered the same truths which the Reverend Jeffrey Brown and church and street partners are leaning from/with each other. These include Father Gregory Brown who works for/with Los Angeles Gang members, Melvin Russell the innovated police officer in Baltimore, Dr. Gary Slutkin who approaches violence the same as he does a medical epidemic, and folks such as Pope Francis or Dr. Zoi Livaditou, the Lesbos physician who ministers with her medical talents and energy to refugees.
All of them set up to work with and for - to form a partnership with people who others may see as a problem, criminals, or otherwise undesirable.
I wonder what would happen to our political blues if some of us invited the candidates to be our partners in exploring ways to partner with those we now consider the enemy whether it is the enemy who thinks differently from others in the United States or those labeled as terrorists, Taliban, or other labels?
I suppose that would mean that I have to see the political candidates as more than the labels either I have assigned to them or they have assigned to themselves. Perhaps, just perhaps, I need to set the example and invite dialogues between equals.
Written February 2, 2016
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