WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
April 15th 2007
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Isaiah 11:1-9 Ephesians 2:11-22
“It’s Not Just about Don Imus”
My original plan for today was to begin a six week series on the book of Revelation called “It’s Not about Getting Left Behind.” However, because of some national events of the last couple of weeks I decided to postpone that series for one week and deal with Don Imus. In case you haven’t heard, a few weeks ago, radio personality Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, as a bunch of “nappy-headed ho’s.” When I first heard about the comment, I simply dismissed it as the ranting of one more racist talk show host. I did not want to give him that much attention from this pulpit. However, when I listened to the press conference given by the coach and players of the Rutgers women’s basketball team, I decided to shelve the sermon on Revelation, at least for a week.
During the growing outrage, and finally the firing, of Don Imus, I have had and overheard many conversations about the incident. The one I remember most vividly occurred during my morning workout. I occurred between two people; a man and woman both in about their fifties and both African-American. The two of them debated with one another over whether or not the remarks of Don Imus were racist. The woman believed that his comments were not racist and that everyone was just making a big deal out of nothing. However, when the man, attempting to make his point, called her a “nappy-headed ho,” she admitted that he just might have a point. This was however, after she threatened to “smack him upside his head.” As I listened to their conversation it became clear to me that the whole incident is really much bigger than Don Imus. He is simply one part of a much larger story.
Do not hear me wrong, I do not say this to excuse the actions of Don Imus. After all, he has built quite a reputation and a career making many of these “so called jokes.” However, he is only a small part of the racist fabric of our culture which gives financial support to so many others who do the exact same thing or worse. If people did not want to hear it, no one would listen.
Over the last few years there have been an increased number of public incidents like the one with Don Imus. In fact, I have begun to see a pattern. It goes something like this: It begins with a statement or comment which is usually followed by a period of outrage often leading to the loss of a job. During the height of the outrage there is some conversation about the larger realities regarding racism in our culture. Yet, once the issue leaves the front page of the paper and web news services, no lasting change seems to be accomplished. While firing sends the message that you better not say these things, it does nothing to challenge the underlying beliefs.
The firing of Imus can become a convenient scapegoat mechanism for those of us who are white. What I mean by this is that we will join in the outrage and act as if Imus is nothing like us. He represents ‘bad’ white people. In his firing we can hide in our feelings of self-righteousness as we compare ourselves with the likes of Imus. However, I have had a number of conversations recently- in private – with other liberal and progressive white people. What I have heard, and what I know to be true is that we find ourselves surprised by those thoughts which arise inside of us that make us kin to Don Imus. Yet, instead of dealing with the root cause of these unwanted thoughts or beliefs, it is far easier to attack an easy target.
I tell this next story to illustrate my point. There is a minister in our denomination that is known for his work for justice and equality. Throughout his career he has risked his own privilege to open doors for others. On day when this former Seminary president was walking along the campus he came across a student. When the President greeted this student, an African-American male, he complimented him on the way he kept the seminary lawn. This icon of progressive causes assumed that this black man was a groundskeeper. The first few time I heard the story my inclination was to imagine how awful he was instead of recognizing the pervasive nature of racism in our country and in each person of privilege.
As I have looked at this particular insult raised from Don Imus I am left wondering why “nappy head” is still seen as an insult? I realize there is much I do not understand by virtue of my age and race. But do believe that at the heart of this insult is the simple reality that our culture continues to devalue black physical features. How often does the dominant cultural use subtlety to create division and dare I say teach self-hatred? “If you’re light you’re alright, if you’re brown stick around, and if you’re black get back.” We must open our eyes, our hearts and our minds if we want to be part of challenging and dismantling racism in our time.
While people may debate the whether Imus’ comments were racist, they were undeniably an insult toward all women. It is simply never acceptable to refer to any woman as a “ho.” As I paused this week to think about the damaging effects of all of this on our youth I began to take and inventory of the most insulting words in our culture. If I were to list the ones I came up with, and I will not, you would hear that most of them have to do with women, and non-white people. In doing this simple exercise, I realized that the words we use to belittle or humiliate people tell us a lot about our values. Language matters.
While much of the blame for all of this has been given to popular rap-stars I believe it is unfounded. After all to blame rap music for the actions and beliefs of Don Imus is a logical fallacy. How many people really think that Don Imus listens to 50-Cent in the privacy of his home or car? Instead, what is really going on is a rather clever move which conveniently takes the spotlight of racism. Do not get me wrong, I do not condone the woman hating, homophobic, glorification of violence that has become the mainstay of rap. However, one must remember that the major record labels that now refuse to promote and support the many positive messages found in the hip-hop culture, from KRS and others, bare at least the same if not more of the responsibility.
My intention today was not to claim that I have the last word on any of this. I believe that we are dealing with things that are so much bigger than Don Imus and I am worried that once he is gone we will go back to business as usual. As followers of Jesus Christ, the one who breaks down the dividing walls of hostility, we cannot allow that to happen, at least not in our community of faith, and other places in which we have influence. I wish that I could stand here and present a plan which would make everything alright. But we all know that any attempt to fix or move beyond this without getting at the root of the problem will fail. Instead, I believe that the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us point the way.
When Paul wrote about the dividing walls of hostility to the church at Ephesus, he was talking about the divisions between Jews and Greeks. However, I believe that if he was writing to the church in North America, he would be writing about the dividing walls of hostility forged in racism and privilege. As such, our calling, in this place is about being a community of faith where the full humanity of each child of God is openly affirmed. We must teach our children that that are valued and loved for who God has created them to be. In the images we provide, the songs we sing, and the traditions we value, all must reflect the diversity of our congregation. Since we live in a society rather practiced in the art of teaching self-hatred and secondary status for many of God’s children we must be proactive. For the sake of our children and ourselves, we must make this the highest of priorities.
One thing I am sure of this week is that there is need for healing. There is need for the healing from the demons of racism and privilege that show up in the most unexpected ways. There is need for healing for the many places of pain and anger. So today, we are going to do a symbolic action which I hope can be a sign of the healing and reconciliation possible in Jesus Christ. Inside your bulletins you will find a blank sheet of paper and pens at the end of the pews. On the piece of paper you are invited to write down where the places of pain and/or the demons of racism in our culture affect you. No one will see what you write. When you are done, you are invited to roll the paper into a circle and bring it forward to place it in the wire around the cross. It is a small action meant to symbolize our need for the reconciliation and healing found in Jesus Christ. No one is compelled to do this but simply invited to participate as you are moved to do so. It is my deepest hope that this action can be an act of healing and a witness to the truth that; Jesus Christ is breaking down the diving walls of hostility, even today. Amen.
April 15th 2007
Rev. Mark R. Bradshaw-Miller
Isaiah 11:1-9 Ephesians 2:11-22
“It’s Not Just about Don Imus”
My original plan for today was to begin a six week series on the book of Revelation called “It’s Not about Getting Left Behind.” However, because of some national events of the last couple of weeks I decided to postpone that series for one week and deal with Don Imus. In case you haven’t heard, a few weeks ago, radio personality Don Imus referred to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, as a bunch of “nappy-headed ho’s.” When I first heard about the comment, I simply dismissed it as the ranting of one more racist talk show host. I did not want to give him that much attention from this pulpit. However, when I listened to the press conference given by the coach and players of the Rutgers women’s basketball team, I decided to shelve the sermon on Revelation, at least for a week.
During the growing outrage, and finally the firing, of Don Imus, I have had and overheard many conversations about the incident. The one I remember most vividly occurred during my morning workout. I occurred between two people; a man and woman both in about their fifties and both African-American. The two of them debated with one another over whether or not the remarks of Don Imus were racist. The woman believed that his comments were not racist and that everyone was just making a big deal out of nothing. However, when the man, attempting to make his point, called her a “nappy-headed ho,” she admitted that he just might have a point. This was however, after she threatened to “smack him upside his head.” As I listened to their conversation it became clear to me that the whole incident is really much bigger than Don Imus. He is simply one part of a much larger story.
Do not hear me wrong, I do not say this to excuse the actions of Don Imus. After all, he has built quite a reputation and a career making many of these “so called jokes.” However, he is only a small part of the racist fabric of our culture which gives financial support to so many others who do the exact same thing or worse. If people did not want to hear it, no one would listen.
Over the last few years there have been an increased number of public incidents like the one with Don Imus. In fact, I have begun to see a pattern. It goes something like this: It begins with a statement or comment which is usually followed by a period of outrage often leading to the loss of a job. During the height of the outrage there is some conversation about the larger realities regarding racism in our culture. Yet, once the issue leaves the front page of the paper and web news services, no lasting change seems to be accomplished. While firing sends the message that you better not say these things, it does nothing to challenge the underlying beliefs.
The firing of Imus can become a convenient scapegoat mechanism for those of us who are white. What I mean by this is that we will join in the outrage and act as if Imus is nothing like us. He represents ‘bad’ white people. In his firing we can hide in our feelings of self-righteousness as we compare ourselves with the likes of Imus. However, I have had a number of conversations recently- in private – with other liberal and progressive white people. What I have heard, and what I know to be true is that we find ourselves surprised by those thoughts which arise inside of us that make us kin to Don Imus. Yet, instead of dealing with the root cause of these unwanted thoughts or beliefs, it is far easier to attack an easy target.
I tell this next story to illustrate my point. There is a minister in our denomination that is known for his work for justice and equality. Throughout his career he has risked his own privilege to open doors for others. On day when this former Seminary president was walking along the campus he came across a student. When the President greeted this student, an African-American male, he complimented him on the way he kept the seminary lawn. This icon of progressive causes assumed that this black man was a groundskeeper. The first few time I heard the story my inclination was to imagine how awful he was instead of recognizing the pervasive nature of racism in our country and in each person of privilege.
As I have looked at this particular insult raised from Don Imus I am left wondering why “nappy head” is still seen as an insult? I realize there is much I do not understand by virtue of my age and race. But do believe that at the heart of this insult is the simple reality that our culture continues to devalue black physical features. How often does the dominant cultural use subtlety to create division and dare I say teach self-hatred? “If you’re light you’re alright, if you’re brown stick around, and if you’re black get back.” We must open our eyes, our hearts and our minds if we want to be part of challenging and dismantling racism in our time.
While people may debate the whether Imus’ comments were racist, they were undeniably an insult toward all women. It is simply never acceptable to refer to any woman as a “ho.” As I paused this week to think about the damaging effects of all of this on our youth I began to take and inventory of the most insulting words in our culture. If I were to list the ones I came up with, and I will not, you would hear that most of them have to do with women, and non-white people. In doing this simple exercise, I realized that the words we use to belittle or humiliate people tell us a lot about our values. Language matters.
While much of the blame for all of this has been given to popular rap-stars I believe it is unfounded. After all to blame rap music for the actions and beliefs of Don Imus is a logical fallacy. How many people really think that Don Imus listens to 50-Cent in the privacy of his home or car? Instead, what is really going on is a rather clever move which conveniently takes the spotlight of racism. Do not get me wrong, I do not condone the woman hating, homophobic, glorification of violence that has become the mainstay of rap. However, one must remember that the major record labels that now refuse to promote and support the many positive messages found in the hip-hop culture, from KRS and others, bare at least the same if not more of the responsibility.
My intention today was not to claim that I have the last word on any of this. I believe that we are dealing with things that are so much bigger than Don Imus and I am worried that once he is gone we will go back to business as usual. As followers of Jesus Christ, the one who breaks down the dividing walls of hostility, we cannot allow that to happen, at least not in our community of faith, and other places in which we have influence. I wish that I could stand here and present a plan which would make everything alright. But we all know that any attempt to fix or move beyond this without getting at the root of the problem will fail. Instead, I believe that the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before us point the way.
When Paul wrote about the dividing walls of hostility to the church at Ephesus, he was talking about the divisions between Jews and Greeks. However, I believe that if he was writing to the church in North America, he would be writing about the dividing walls of hostility forged in racism and privilege. As such, our calling, in this place is about being a community of faith where the full humanity of each child of God is openly affirmed. We must teach our children that that are valued and loved for who God has created them to be. In the images we provide, the songs we sing, and the traditions we value, all must reflect the diversity of our congregation. Since we live in a society rather practiced in the art of teaching self-hatred and secondary status for many of God’s children we must be proactive. For the sake of our children and ourselves, we must make this the highest of priorities.
One thing I am sure of this week is that there is need for healing. There is need for the healing from the demons of racism and privilege that show up in the most unexpected ways. There is need for healing for the many places of pain and anger. So today, we are going to do a symbolic action which I hope can be a sign of the healing and reconciliation possible in Jesus Christ. Inside your bulletins you will find a blank sheet of paper and pens at the end of the pews. On the piece of paper you are invited to write down where the places of pain and/or the demons of racism in our culture affect you. No one will see what you write. When you are done, you are invited to roll the paper into a circle and bring it forward to place it in the wire around the cross. It is a small action meant to symbolize our need for the reconciliation and healing found in Jesus Christ. No one is compelled to do this but simply invited to participate as you are moved to do so. It is my deepest hope that this action can be an act of healing and a witness to the truth that; Jesus Christ is breaking down the diving walls of hostility, even today. Amen.
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