I woke up this morning with that hollow, sinking feeling that overwhelms you when you have someone has broken up with you and you realize that you have to go through the routines of a regular day although your heart has been punctured…I was stupefied and saddened by the news late last night that George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering Trayvon Benjamin Martin on Feb. 26, 2012.

It seems that most of my attorney friends on FB expected this travesty to happen based on the progression of the court case. I, on the other hand, hoped that despite how the defense seemed to wield a stronger case, justice would prevail because at the end of all of the legal gymnastics these two facts were all that mattered: George Zimmerman pulled the trigger and he pursued an unarmed teenager…But I guess my naivete has forever been shattered…It doesn’t matter what happened…It only matters what you can prove…at least in court…

I’m a die-hard history buff…I love analyzing how events that transpired years and years ago shape current events…Although I am glad God chose my life to be a part of this time in human history, I must admit that to some degree I have been jealous of those that came of age in the ’60s…They were able to craft and execute the masterful civil disobedience that makes it possible for me to enjoy the many freedoms that I and other black people enjoy today in this country…I would guess that in spite of how life threatening their actions were, they were enthralled and emboldened knowing that they were doing God’s work and that in having something to die for, they had found a reason to live as had been said before one way or another…Why do mention history this morning? I will forever be changed by the election of President Barack Obama twice!!! Finally, I have been a witness to a miracle that I know will forever affect the history of this country…And in a mysterious way, I feel like that has happened again…I firmly believe this case will be written about years from now as it is the case that demonstrates for all the world to see that somehow black life – particularly the life of black boys – doesn’t matter as much as the lives of others…It’s ugly…but it’s the truth…

I’m not saying that everyone is racist, and black people don’t have positions of wealth and power as never before in the history of this country…But what I am saying that in the totem pole of justice, black people, black boys and men, in particular are on the lower end…no matter what happened…Here are some facts that I pulled from the Center for American Progress website…

1. While people of color make up about 30 percent of the United States’ population, they account for 60 percent of those imprisoned. The prison population grew by 700 percent from 1970 to 2005, a rate that is outpacing crime and population rates. The incarceration rates disproportionately impact men of color: 1 in every 15 African American men and 1 in every 36 Hispanic men are incarcerated in comparison to 1 in every 106 white men.

2. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one in three black men can expect to go to prison in their lifetime. Individuals of color have a disproportionate number of encounters with law enforcement, indicating that racial profiling continues to be a problem. A report by the Department of Justice found that blacks and Hispanics were approximately three times more likely to be searched during a traffic stop than white motorists. African Americans were twice as likely to be arrested and almost four times as likely to experience the use of force during encounters with the police.

3. Students of color face harsher punishments in school than their white peers, leading to a higher number of youth of color incarcerated. Black and Hispanic students represent more than 70 percent of those involved in school-related arrests or referrals to law enforcement. Currently, African Americans make up two-fifths and Hispanics one-fifth of confined youth today.

4. According to recent data by the Department of Education, African American students are arrested far more often than their white classmates. The data showed that 96,000 students were arrested and 242,000 referred to law enforcement by schools during the 2009-10 school year. Of those students, black and Hispanic students made up more than 70 percent of arrested or referred students. Harsh school punishments, from suspensions to arrests, have led to high numbers of youth of color coming into contact with the juvenile-justice system and at an earlier age.

5. African American youth have higher rates of juvenile incarceration and are more likely to be sentenced to adult prison. According to the Sentencing Project, even though African American juvenile youth are about 16 percent of the youth population, 37 percent of their cases are moved to criminal court and 58 percent of African American youth are sent to adult prisons.

6. As the number of women incarcerated has increased by 800 percent over the last three decades, women of color have been disproportionately represented. While the number of women incarcerated is relatively low, the racial and ethnic disparities are startling. African American women are three times more likely than white women to be incarcerated, while Hispanic women are 69 percent more likely than white women to be incarcerated.

7. The war on drugs has been waged primarily in communities of color where people of color are more likely to receive higher offenses. According to the Human Rights Watch, people of color are no more likely to use or sell illegal drugs than whites, but they have higher rate of arrests. African Americans comprise 14 percent of regular drug users but are 37 percent of those arrested for drug offenses. From 1980 to 2007 about one in three of the 25.4 million adults arrested for drugs was African American.

8. Once convicted, black offenders receive longer sentences compared to white offenders. The U.S. Sentencing Commission stated that in the federal system black offenders receive sentences that are 10 percent longer than white offenders for the same crimes. The Sentencing Project reports that African Americans are 21 percent more likely to receive mandatory-minimum sentences than white defendants and are 20 percent more like to be sentenced to prison.

9. Voter laws that prohibit people with felony convictions to vote disproportionately impact men of color. An estimated 5.3 million Americans are denied the right to vote based on a past felony conviction. Felony disenfranchisement is exaggerated by racial disparities in the criminal-justice system, ultimately denying 13 percent of African American men the right to vote. Felony-disenfranchisement policies have led to 11 states denying the right to vote to more than 10 percent of their African American population.

10. Studies have shown that people of color face disparities in wage trajectory following release from prison. Evidence shows that spending time in prison affects wage trajectories with a disproportionate impact on black men and women. The results show no evidence of racial divergence in wages prior to incarceration; however, following release from prison, wages grow at a 21 percent slower rate for black former inmates compared to white ex-convicts. A number of states have bans on people with certain convictions working in domestic health-service industries such as nursing, child care, and home health care—areas in which many poor women and women of color are disproportionately concentrated.

I don’t have the energy or desire to rehash the the particulars of this case…And frankly, unless you have chosen to not stay abreast of the news, you know what went down…A dark night. A unarmed black teenager in a hoodie. Skittles and ice tea. A neighborhood watchman armed with a gun. Fill in the blanks…

I’ve been praying for God’s will to happen as far as the result of this case, and I trust God’s will has been done…And this morning and in the days to come, I hope no one sees fit to riot…In fact, this morning, in spite of my sadness, I feel peace (easy for me to say I know as I’m not a part of the Trayvon Martin family). It is the type of resolved peace that comes when you know that you can no longer ignore truth and you must take deliberate action…what that action is this morning, I don’t know…But God allowed this verdict to happen and God will show us the way to go from here…

Why the Trayvon Martin murder case matters is because the collective veil has been lifted as someone said on FB last night…And now we must be armed with peace not a piece…

Peace Be Still…This song is on my heart this morning…Let’s lift up the Trayvon Martin family in prayer…

Any thoughts?

The post Why the Trayvon Martin Murder Case Matters…Peace Be Still… appeared first on After the Altar Call.

My niece and her friend at church…May God keep them safe as they grow up…

Hello World,

With Christmas less than a week away and the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut fresh in my heart, mind and soul, I awoke this morning with this song playing in my head…

As the nation and the powers-that-be commence to have this long overdue discussion on gun control, I must invoke the words of 1 Corinthians 13 also known as the love chapter…I hope love for humanity and humans guides this conversation…Although this chapter is a bit long, I hope you take a minute or so to read the words and let their meaning awaken you to what really is important whether it’s Christmas or any day of the year…love is the answer…

Amen, amen and amen…

Any thoughts?

The post Let There Be Peace on Earth…(with condolences to the people of Newtown…) appeared first on After the Altar Call.

Since President Obama speech’s in Cairo, Egypt last week, I have been thinking about how Christians view and treat people who choose a different faith. President Obama spoke about preparing a path for peace between this country and the Islamic world – a sizeable feat since 9/11, Muslims have become on par with satanists it seems in this country…I think being a member of a minority group makes you sensitive to lumping people in one category, but I must confess that I, too, have found myself wondering what really goes on mosques…

However, I do know that Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker and as followers, we have the responsiblity to attempt to live peaceably with our neighbors even if we don’t always agree with their choices – religious or otherwise…One of the ways that I live at peace with people is to learn more about them…Last year, I attended a book signing for Muslim author, Melody Moezzi. She, too, felt that Muslims were demonized post 9/11 and decided to write book to demystify Islam and the people that are a part of that faith. Her book, “War on Error: Real Stories of American Muslims,” includes profiles of 12 American Muslims from various walks of life. Below is how the book is described on her Web site:

War on Error brings together the stories of twelve young people, all vastly different but all American, and all Muslim. Their approaches to religion couldn’t be more diverse: from a rapper of Korean and Egyptian descent to a bisexual Sudanese American to a converted white woman from Colorado living in Cairo and wearing the hijab. These individuals, whether they were born to the religion or came to it on their own, have made their own decisions about how observant they’ll be, whether or not to fast, how often to pray, and what to wear.

Though each story is unique, each is also seen through the searching eyes of Melody Moezzi, herself an American Muslim of Iranian descent. She finds that the people she interviews are horrified that, in a post-9/11 world, they have seen their religion come to be represented, in the minds of many Americans, by terrorism. These thoughtful and articulate individuals represent the truth about the faith and its adherents who are drawn to the logic, compassion, and tolerance they find in Muslim teachings.

Moezzi, ever comfortable with contradiction and nuance, is a likable narrator whose underlying assumption that “faith is greater than dogma” is strengthened as she learns more about her religion and faces her own biases and blind spots. This fresh new voice, combined with the perceptions and experiences of her fellow American Muslims, make for a read that is both illuminating and enjoyable.

As we all know, this country was founded on religious freedom and God, Himself, gives us the choice to choose to serve Him…I find it so hypocritical when people force their views on others, knowing that our Lord doesn’t force Himself on us…Now, don’t get me wrong…I know that God wants us to tell others about our faith…how else can the gospel reach the world…but we cannot force others to believe how we believe…and when force turns to violence…is God really behind that…

I’m thinking of the murder of the doctor who performed abortions. He was shot and killed last Sunday in front of his church…We all know that many, very vocal Christians do not support abortion but is that a justification to murder those who perform or support abortions…Of course not…but as President Obama said (I’m paraphrashing obviously)  in his speech, extremism must be confronted and not supported…

Here is what he did say:

In Ankara, I made clear that America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam. We will, however, relentlessly confront violent extremists who pose a grave threat to our security. Because we reject the same thing that people of all faiths reject: the killing of innocent men, women, and children. And it is my first duty as President to protect the American people.

So here are my questions for you:  1. Are you friends with someone of another faith? 2. Are you friends with someone who has no faith? 3. Are you friends with someone who is agnostic?  Do you and that friend discuss your different faiths or lack of faith? How have those discussions impacted your relationship?

I have been friends with someone of the Bahai Faith. We discussed our faiths but we never tried to convince each other to leave our respective faiths, and I was comfortable with that as our faiths was not the primary reason for our friendship. I also have friends who are agnostic as well…Now, I would be lying if I said sometimes I think to myself if only this person knew the Lord…but I’m not the Judge…

Any thoughts?

NEWSFLASH:

In an effort to diversify this blog, I have decided to cover certain categories on a periodic basis…

Shout Out To… -This category will feature different churches that have remarkable ministries in church or outside of the church…Check out my blog on Wednesday for my first official “Shout Out” in this series…

Book Notes – This category will include book reviews of Christian books for the most part…However, since I am a bibliophile, I will also review interesting books from a varietyof genres.

Blog Envy – As I stated in a previous post, I have a tendency to be a hater…but in an effort to evolve and become ever more spiritual, I will feature remarkable blogs in this category….Of course, I will be secretly hoping that my blog becomes more popular than the blogs I feature, but the Lord is still working on me…

Living Single – In this category, I hope to feature people who are single but are living victoriously – in spite of the pressure in this world to be coupled up…(it even goes back to the days of Noah.)

Soulmates – I want to feature Christian couples who have been married for 10 years or more and share the secrets of their success…

Your Turn – As self-centered as I can be, I, of course, realize that I am not the only one who has something to say…I will ask people who have interesting views and or experiences to share them here…

If you have suggestions for any of these categories, please e-mail me at jholness7@hotmail.com

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