Book Review: Driving While Black

During the days of the horse and buggy the ability to travel was limited for everyone simply because it took too much time to go any great distance. The train helped, giving those who could afford to do so the ability to travel beyond their own surroundings. However, for African-Americans neither option afforded much of an opportunity for travel. Horse and buggy left African-Americans exposed to all sorts of dangers, especially in the south. Riding a train left African-Americans exposed to a number of Jim Crow Laws and various attitudes which could make travel down right unpleasant. This would all change when the car became something that the average person could afford. Car ownership opened the door to travel for many blacks and in Driving While Black Gretchen Sorin tells us the story of how being able to take road trips changed African-American culture while helping drive the civil rights movement forward.

I have mixed feelings about Driving While Black. The information, a mix of historical record and anecdotal evidence, is very interesting, revealing a part of our history which for the most part remains buried. Even with my family background, and with knowing some of what my past relatives faced, there is a lot that I learned from reading this book. However, there is something about the writing that caused me to struggle when it came to focusing on what I was reading. It doesn’t quite read like a textbook but there was just something that I can’t pinpoint that didn’t allow me to read for longer than a few minutes at a time. As a result I cannot give a full endorsement of this book.

If you enjoy history, this book is one you should consider reading. If you want a perspective that the majority of history books are unable to give, this is definitely a book you should read. If you read only for entertainment this might not be the right choice. I can only give one thumb up for this book, recommending it for those who truly enjoy history and for those who are open to walking (or riding) in another person’s shoes.

Driving While Black by Gretchen Soring, Published by Liveright Publishing Corporation

A Band Director, A Taser and A Lot of Difficult Questions

It has become all too easy to list the multiple situations where interactions between the police and black citizens have gone wrong, and usually it’s easy to blame the police. But there are also many situations where placing blame is not easy: cases that are not so…black and white. What I see on the body cam video released by the Birmingham Police Depart after an incident that happened at a high school football game on September 14th falls in that category where it’s difficult to know who to blame

According to the body cam video, the game between Jackson-Olin High School and Minor High School had ended 18-20 minutes before the incident involving the band director from Minor occurred. Johnny Mims, and the band director from the other high school both agreed that the bands would continue playing music for a few minutes after the game ended. However, for reasons that are still not clear, the police began clearing the stadium. The Jackson-Olin band (the home team band) stopped playing. The band form Minor continued to play (sort of a new twist on the line from the song American Pie).

This is when things got ugly. A police officer confronted Mims, who told the officer several times to get out of his face. Someone turned out the lights. Police attempted to arrest Mims. There was a scuffle of some sort and an officer tased Mims several times while people nearby (likely members of the band) screamed. Once again we have a situation involving a black man that never should have gone in this direction but…I struggle with this one and I have questions for both sides, but I honestly lay blame first at the feet of the band director.

Did police overreact? Would they have treated Mims the same way if he was white? (Something Mim’s  attorney asked during a press conference.) Who turned off the lights and why were police in such a hurry to clear the stadium? These are all important questions but I think another question outweighs them all. Shouldn’t an educator set an example of respect for authority as well as respect for another person?

My expectation of a band director is to set an example for the members of the band and for all of the students in the school. Telling a police officer (or any other adult) to get out of his face is not setting a good example. What would he have done if one of his students told him to get out of their face for one reason or another? Yet, he just taught them all that this is okay. To expect police to simply ignore this level of disrespect is to ask for his students to treat him in the same way. This is not what we want and is not the lesson that an educator should teach.

For more on this story see coverage on CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2023/09/20/us/alabama-band-director-tased-speaks-out/index.html

For the police body cam video go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nvbnvjutGA

Random Thoughts for September 15, 2023

A Smart Toilet and Westworld The other day I saw an ad for a smart toilet, and while it’s not the first time I have seen an ad for one of these advanced and expensive commodes, it is the first time that I tried to figure out what they do. I also found myself thinking about the old 1973 movie, “Westworld,” starring the late Yule Brynner. Westworld takes place at a futuristic resort where robots serve guests, doing whatever is needed to help them…relax. As the robots become more aware, they decide to turn on the guests and on those who run the place. Brynner plays a particularly scary cowboy robot who becomes determined to kill one of the guests named Peter Martin (played by Richard Benjamin), chasing him through the entire resort. So, what would happen if smart toilets become self aware and decide to pull off a Westworld type rebellion? The Elimination Race of NASCAR’s Round of Sixteen Tomorrow night I hope to watch this week’s NASCAR race which will determine the twelve drivers who will move into the second round of the playoffs. One driver that I hope does well is Bubba Wallace. (Yes, admit it. I’m rooting according to skin color in this one.) With Wallace being the only black driver racing in NASCAR, I hope he earns his way into the next round. Before the last race of the regular season, Wallace refused to do any interviews as he was stressed at facing his final opportunities to qualify for the playoffs. For this he was called out by at least one of the race commentators from NBC. In fact I think I understand the pressure Wallace was under. Being the only black in the room brings a sort of pressure that is hard to explain. This, on top of the pressure of being a part of a team that is co-owned by Michael Jordan (who is used to winning) and Denny Hamlin (winner of 50 Cup races) which I suspect brings a certain level of expectation. Above all I suspect that Wallace really wanted to make the playoffs, likely for a number of reasons. This isn’t to make excuses for Wallace not doing interviews. I just want to say that I have a very small understanding of the pressure that comes with representing. Only in Philly Live in the Philadelphia area and follow the teams long enough and you realize that there are a number of things that seem like they could only happen in Philly. Only in Philly, at the end of a two week long manhunt, would the escapee be found representing one of the local teams. In this case, the escaped convict was found wearing an Eagles sweatshirt. Oh well, at least he didn’t try to sing the fight song.

Joe Gilliam: The First Black Starting QB in the NFL

They made history. Jalen Hurts of the Eagles and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs were the two starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl LVII making it the first time that both starting QBs were black. This was something I heard quite a few times leading up to the game and every time I heard an analyst mention that fact I thought of one name: Joe Gilliam.

In 1972 the Pittsburgh Steelers used the 273rd pick to draft Joe Gilliam who, during his college career at Tennessee State, passed for 5,213 yards and 50 touchdowns. While under center he helped his team win two Black College National Championships and his performances earned him induction into the Black College Football Hall of Fame. His on the field play and off the field popularity would earn him the nickname “Jefferson Street Joe,” given to him by one of the school’s coaches (in reference to one of the roads near campus, according to ESPN.com).

Even with his success in college the odds were against Gilliam playing quarterback in the NFL. Back then black college quarterbacks were generally converted to wide receiver however the Steelers, and head coach Chuck Knoll, decided to keep Gilliam at the quarterback position where he served as backup to Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw.

When the players went on strike in July of 1974 Bradshaw walked the picket line while Gilliam, and many other players around the league, chose to report for preseason training camp. Bradshaw’s absence opened the door for Coach Knoll to start Gilliam and Jefferson Street Joe took full advantage as the Steelers finished the preseason as the only unbeaten team with six wins. His success earned Gilliam the right to start on opening day against the Baltimore Colts. While I’m sure this was controversial, it does not seem as if it was done as a political statement. According to several sources, (including an article on CBSSports.com), Chuck Knoll believed that Gilliam was the best choice and he was not the only one who believed this (more on that later).

There had been other black quarterbacks who started professional football games like Marlin Briscoe who started for the Denver Broncos in 1968 but that was in the AFL before the merger which wasn’t official until 1970. Joe Gilliam was the first black to start at quarterback in the NFL but being first brought with it a certain amount of backlash. Based on the hate mail Gilliam received, it seems NFL fans were not ready to see a black man under center. Still, he would lead the team to a 4-1-1 record before being replaced by Bradshaw who would finish the season by leading the team to a win in Super Bowl IX. Unfortunately, after being benched Gilliam’s life took a turn for the worse, marked by substance abuse and homelessness (according to ESPN.com). He would eventually have to pawn his two Super Bowl rings (both from his time with the Steelers) in order to make ends meet (according to ESPN.com).

I first heard of Joe Gilliam from my uncle who played quarterback for a semi-pro team in Gary Indiana. He spoke of how Joe Gilliam was a better quarterback than Terry Bradshaw, something Bradshaw himself has publicly stated (as reported by CBSSports.com). This led to my first understanding of how blacks were seen in football and in sports: athletic but not smart enough. Knowing this I celebrated when Doug Williams led the Redskins to victory in Super Bowl XXII. I was also proud to see Hurts and Mahomes in this year’s Super Bowl, although I wish the score had gone the other way.

It seems weird to say that in my lifetime the idea of a black quarterback was in general something that was rejected by the league and by fans. I’m glad to see this kind of thinking go out the window as we debate whether or not a black quarterback might one day be crowned the GOAT.

For more on Joe Gilliam see his listing on the Black College Hall of Fame website: https://www.blackcollegefootballhof.org/inductees/joe-gilliam

For the ESPN.com cited in this post:Gilliam had 'given his life to God'  https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/2000/1229/982102.html

For the CBSSports.com article cited in this post: Remember When: Joe Gilliam takes Terry Bradshaw's starting QB job https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/remember-when-joe-gilliam-takes-terry-bradshaws-starting-qb-job/

Is God’s Heart Hurting?

Two mass shooting events in one weekend, one in Buffalo, New York the other in Laguna Woods, California. Each appears to have been motivated by hatred and each was likely premeditated. Now both incidents join a growing list of violent attacks, spaced out enough that they are not yet routine but close enough in time that it could be considered a recurring nightmare. What must this look like from God’s point of view? We know that He is capable of grieving and even weeping over sad and painful situations. Could it be that incidents like the ones this past weekend hurt the heart of God?

I think this is a question that God’s church needs to ask because the answer should dictate how we respond. We teach that the church is Jesus’ hands and feet here on earth. We speak of being God’s ambassadors, here to preach His Gospel and to speak on His behalf. That means that if He has an opinion on mass shootings and on the hate associated with them, we need to know that opinion and speak loudly to let the world know. If God’s heart is hurting due to hate motivated violence, His ambassadors should let the world know exactly where He stands. And if God stands against theories which lead people to travel for miles to shoot other people in a grocery store or in a church, God's church needs to stand with Him speaking out against those theories.

Yes, I know that there are some churches which do speak out when these things happen. There are churches which try to help in these communities and I commend them for their efforts. It just seems to me that the outcry from God’s church should be deafening, letting the world know where our creator stands. I believe that God’s heart is hurting because He is against murder and against hate. I believe Jesus would speak out against racism and against lies and other ideas that foment hate. I believe God has a strong opinion about what happened. His church should find and share His opinion without fear and without getting caught up in politics.

I believe that God’s heart is hurting and it’s time for His church to let the world know.

Honor MLK By Voting

MLK Day! I remember the battle leading up to 1983 when Congress passed the legislation that made the third Monday of January a federal holiday recognizing the life and contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. You may be surprised to find out that back then I was not 100% on board with the move to make this a holiday. I was young and impressionable, buying into something someone said about Dr. King not wanting a holiday because it would mean a day when young children of color were missing out on their education. I’ve changed my mind since then, recognizing that it’s not about if he would want a holiday. It’s about him deserving a holiday and deserving the recognition and honor he earned as one of the leaders of the civil rights movement.

Since January 20, 1986, the very first MLK national holiday, the third Monday in January has become known in many parts of the country as a day of service. It is a day when communities can come together and when the individual can serve his/her neighbor: a day when we hopefully make our towns a little bit better. I think this is something that would make Dr. King smile. However, after the day of service I believe there is something else each of us needs to do: become an informed voter and then cast your ballot.

When watching the news I keep hearing about laws that have passed and attempts to pass other laws which in one way shape or form are designed to control how we each cast our ballots in future elections. I’m not here to take sides or to judge these various laws. I am here to say get out and vote no matter what. Make up your mind right now that no restriction will keep you from voting. No matter your race or your political leanings, become informed about the candidates and the issues. Then, go out and exercise your Constitutional right. When you do so you will help make this a better nation and you will honor MLK by making sure that his work, when it comes to the right to vote, was not done in vain.

What Do You See?

I would love to have a heart to heart talk with former police officer Derek Chauvin. I want to look Mr. Chauvin in the eye and ask him one question. If given a chance I would ask him what he saw under his knee. What did he think about the person he knelt on for over eight minutes? Did he even see a person?

I would also love to have a heart to heart with Amy Cooper. I have three questions for Ms. Cooper. First, I would like to know if she knew and understood the leash law that applied to the area of Central Park where she was walking her dog. I checked woofadvisor.com which lists The Ramble, where the incident took place, as one of the "Areas of Central Park where dogs must be on leash at all times..." The site also shows a map of areas in the park that are dog friendly. Did Ms. Cooper know ahead of time that she should have had her dog on a leash? That leads to my second question: Will she pay the fine (if any) for not having her dog on a leash?

My third question for Ms. Cooper is similar to the question I want to ask Mr. Chauvin. What did she see? Did she see a human being simply trying to enjoy a day of bird watching? Did she see a person who only asked that she obey the rules as I suspect he would have had he had a dog with him? Did she see a fellow citizen of Earth? Was she practicing some strange form of social distancing?

I likely will never have that heart to heart with officer Chauvin nor is it likely I'll have one with Ms. Cooper. I can have a heart to heart with you, the reader. May I ask, what did you see? I ask this especially to my brothers and sisters in Christ. What did you see? Did you only see rioters and looters? Those who did these things were WRONG. Did you see the people? Did you see the hearts crying out? Did you see people created in God's image? Yes some of them did wrong. Such is the nature of man which the Bible calls fallen. The Bible also calls you to reach out in God's love. I suppose what you see lets you off the hook? Not if you see what God sees.

By the way here is a website listing all of Central Park’s dog laws along with a PDF of The Dog Owner Guide to Central Park

Why is the Message Often Lost?

It really stung! Someone I truly love and admire said it. "All lives matter," he said with a shrug as he turned away. He caught me off guard and I honestly don't remember how we even found ourselves talking about it. Taken aback by his comment I couldn't even pull my thoughts together and fear that my response...my reaction was not very coherent. Whatever my message was, I let it get lost because I couldn't keep my normally even keel. And as I watch today’s riots happening in many of our cities, I wonder if the message will once again get lost as it did that evening in my friend's living room and as it did back in 2017 when the NFL gave in to pressure, cracking down on players who chose to take a knee to protest police brutality.

Now those who wish not to face the truth can choose to focus on something else. They can (rightfully) complain about the destruction, about the thefts and about the violence aimed at our cities' police officers. (To those who seek confrontation remember when thrown, a bottle can't tell the difference between a good cop and a bad one.) A riot changes the focus as we (rightfully) become concerned about the innocent business owners (some of whom are black) whose dreams have gone up in smoke. The story now is about violence, as those who do not want to admit the bigger problem find it easier to complain about "these people," allowing their anger over one wrong to keep them from dealing with the other wrong.

Here's where the focus should remain. An officer of the law put his knee on the neck of a human being. A man begged for his life for six minutes as another man knelt on him. (Odd how taking a knee has moved from a controversial statement of dissatisfaction to a controversial way to rob a man of his life.) For two or three minutes after George Floyd stopped talking, that knee remained on his neck. After eight and a half minutes of someone kneeling on him, a person, a citizen of the United States, an American was DEAD. And we now have two different autopsies, one saying that George Floyd died of asphyxiation the other that pressure on his neck contributed to his death. In other words, he died because he couldn’t breath!

Before we deal with race, there is a question we must ask and we can’t let what is happening during these protests distract us. Ask yourself: Do you want a country where a man (with or without a badge) thinks it’s okay to kneel on another (handcuffed) man? If you think this is wrong, don't let the real message get lost.

See also:

Medical examiner and family-commissioned autopsy agree: George Floyd's death was a homicide

Do You Stand With or Against Kaepernick?

Taking A Knee, Losing The Message: Why the NFL Should Stop Kneeling