Participants: Pr. John Coaxum (Host), Mike Polite, Dr. Duane Mangum, Kory Douglas, Geston Pierre
Series Code: CUL
Program Code: CUL000006A
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00:01 Hi, my name is John Coaxum,
00:02 and welcome to my barbershop "Cuttin' Loose." 00:05 You know, the barbershop is one of the last places 00:07 where a guy can come, keep it real, 00:09 and talk about his issues freely. 00:11 Today, our topic is an important 00:13 but a sensitive one as well, Black Lives Matter. 00:16 Stay tuned. 00:43 Keeping it thick these days, aren't you, man? 00:44 Yes, sir. The solid way, brother. 00:46 How does that look, man? How does that look? 00:49 Oh, that's good, man. That's good, yeah. 00:52 Oh, Jeston, nice shirt, man. Thanks, man. 00:55 I figured I'd represent for the diaspora. 00:58 The diaspora? Yeah, brother. 00:59 Coming to America. Is that right? 01:04 Nice shirt, man, nice shirt. Thanks, man. 01:06 So you represent for black lives matter, man, 01:08 or is that it? 01:09 Yeah, man. Definitely. Yeah? 01:10 That's interesting, man 01:12 'cause I've seen a lot of it in social media, guys, 01:13 I don't know if you've seen it, 01:14 but people there, you know, this thing 01:16 is like exploding everywhere, 01:17 #BlackLivesMatter, 01:19 and I've always kind of wondered exactly 01:20 where they're going with it, 01:22 what is it about, anybody got a feel on it? 01:23 It's kind of weird to me to tell you the truth, man, 01:25 because some things I read on really good, like, man, 01:27 let's get together, raise consciousness, 01:29 but another things I read on are really bad, 01:31 you know, that sounds like maybe a little too pro black, 01:33 you know, almost cultish that we ought to just raise up 01:36 and take over America kind of things. 01:37 So honestly, I can't even really tell you 01:39 what it's about, man. 01:40 Y'all gonna have to help me out. 01:42 Wow, does anybody have social media like that 01:43 what is black lives matter about? 01:44 Just want to know you on that. 01:46 Well, it's not to say the other lives don't matter, 01:48 but to highlight the fact that certain lives 01:50 are being attacked, under-valued, 01:53 so it's raising awareness of the fact 01:54 that black lives are being targeted. 01:56 And so we matter, our lives matter. 02:00 What is the value of a black life? 02:01 Right. Good question. 02:03 And as this book is out, 02:04 it just came out not too long ago. 02:07 It's called Between the World and Me, 02:10 and it's by Ta-Nehisi Coates. 02:12 And, man, let me tell you, 02:14 this man is making an argument that the true struggle 02:17 for black people in America 02:18 is the protection of their own bodies. 02:21 That's what he's talking about 02:23 unlike few ethnic groups in our nation's history, 02:27 it has been a plight and a challenge for blacks 02:30 to protect their own bodies. 02:32 But I mean, I hear what you are saying, man. 02:33 But how can that be? 02:35 We see so many people on TV, man, in the media, 02:37 who are saying that we live in a post racial society. 02:40 We are over that, we're beyond it. 02:42 I mean, what's the case? I disagree. I disagree. 02:45 I mean, maybe you can make rules and regulations 02:48 of passing laws that make it, 02:50 you know, bad for people to practice openly racism, 02:53 but a law doesn't change the way people feel, man. 02:55 If somebody who hates you, 02:56 they're gonna hate you regardless. 02:58 And maybe the unfortunate thing 02:59 is that most hate that we are experiencing in this country, 03:02 even in this world, is usually founded on things that, 03:04 you know, have not been experienced 03:06 or bad experiences. 03:07 This happened to more than one person 03:09 that usually turn into stereotypes, 03:10 you know, that kind of fuel their racism. 03:12 But racism, man, is definitely alive and well. 03:14 Well, let's stay there for a minute, man. 03:16 What is racism? 03:18 I'm hearing so many different definitions about it. 03:20 What is it? 03:22 I think, in my opinion, 03:23 racism something like not only they don't like you, 03:25 they don't know you. 03:27 So they draw a conclusion about you, 03:28 maybe because how you look, you know. 03:30 In prejudice. Exactly. 03:32 And so they perpetuate this 03:33 by constantly telling on your face that, 03:35 you know, you really don't matter. 03:37 You know, I was here before you, 03:39 which is a lie and so they tell you this. 03:41 But I think also in my advocacy of against this racism is this. 03:47 People don't just do this because they just did it today. 03:52 It is deep down in the roots 03:53 of their hearts and their minds, 03:55 and they cover it up, but it's been perpetuated 03:57 'cause we see what's going on in reality, 04:00 especially someone of my age, 04:01 they grew up with real strong... 04:03 And they put it in your face, 04:04 now they putting it behind closed doors to mask it. 04:07 But the reality is they're not masking it now. 04:09 Wow. 04:10 Okay, well, let me throw this out there to you, guys. 04:12 Please be honest with me, be transparent, 04:14 let me know how you feel. 04:15 When we see so many people who say that, 04:17 you know, "The black society 04:19 should get over the issues of slavery, 04:21 you know, they should just move on." 04:22 They keep talking about it so on and so forth. 04:25 I mean, is that really the case 04:26 or does it still have effects on our society, 04:28 in our communities today that maybe prompt racism? 04:31 Listen, history is history, man. 04:33 And I'm not I'm not a huge pro black person, 04:36 but I am fan of the truth. 04:38 You know, if you write a history book, 04:40 just write what happened. 04:41 If you want me to get rid of black history, 04:43 you got to get rid of everybody's history. 04:45 And even with that, you know, even the black history that, 04:47 you know, we're left to present to ourselves, 04:49 it's sometimes incomplete. 04:51 My thing is just tell the whole story, 04:52 and then allow for people to draw their conclusion, 04:55 but you can't say you got to get over it. 04:57 You know, how are you gonna know where you're going 04:58 if you don't know where you're coming from? 05:00 Wow, that's just great, man. 05:01 You know, I was watching the news the other day, 05:04 and there was this woman on there, who was, 05:05 you know, just upset 05:06 because her son brought home a history book 05:08 which said that black people 05:10 came over to America as immigrants, 05:13 you know, it didn't mention the name slaves. 05:15 It didn't tell the truth as you were talking about. 05:17 It will definitely impact the Ellis Island. 05:19 And it just made it, you know, 05:20 Cindy, she was very upset, 05:22 and she linked it 05:23 to the Black Lives Matter movement. 05:25 How do you feel about that? 05:26 I think that the dehumanization of blacks 05:30 here on this continent, 05:33 that is an inheritance of this nation. 05:36 It has been passed down not only amongst blacks 05:39 but also amongst other ethnic groups. 05:42 Even when... 05:43 My wife is of Panamanian descent, 05:46 born and raised in Panama, 05:47 and her family is very clear 05:49 that when they came to this country, 05:51 they had two choices whether to side with the majority 05:56 or whether to champion the minority 05:58 that they most looked like. 06:00 What did they choose? 06:01 To side with the majority. Why? 06:02 Because they saw how the minority 06:04 that looks like them is treated here in this country. 06:07 And so for immigrants to be able to come to this country 06:10 and see the disparity, 06:12 but then people within this country say get over it 06:14 'cause things have changed. 06:15 I'm saying, no, things have not changed. 06:17 But what has happened is you've been so conditioned 06:20 by this post racial rhetoric that you've bought it, 06:23 you know, hook, line, and sinker, 06:26 and now what they're doing is glossing over the atrocities 06:29 still being committed against the black community. 06:31 Wow. 06:33 And I don't understand it, you know, for the life of me. 06:35 The Holocaust happened, you know, what I'm saying? 06:38 We built museums to it, we talk about it, 06:40 they don't let you forget it. 06:42 And there's not one person of that kind of descent 06:44 that's going to let you forget 06:45 that they went through that during that time. 06:47 And if it's important for them to think, 06:49 and their thinking is if we talk about it, 06:51 it will not happen to us again. 06:52 You know, I look at my community 06:54 and the fact that families are still broken, 06:55 homes are broken, 06:57 young men aren't going out too much, 06:58 and you know, if you really want to be real, 07:00 people are still going through slavery, 07:02 you know, maybe we ought to teach them, 07:04 and you got to talk about exactly what's happening. 07:06 Just tell the truth, you know. 07:07 Maybe the problem is we're not having as many conversations, 07:10 the real conversations about these issues 07:13 as we should be, right? 07:14 With that, man, I'm gonna pose this question to you. 07:17 I mean, you're a counselor, 07:18 I know, you're probably more in tune 07:19 with your inner feelings than anybody else. 07:21 Man, how do you feel knowing 07:23 that we do not live in a post racial society, 07:26 as a black man, how do you feel? 07:29 Well, I feel very sad because the things 07:32 that I thought were right are getting better, 07:35 hasn't gotten better. 07:36 You know, I've served 25 years in the military, 07:38 and I can tell you that it didn't get better there. 07:41 I'm serving beside these people 07:43 and understanding that we're together. 07:45 But in reality, when we get out, 07:47 the bedrooms are the ones that are treated less. 07:51 And so we deal with that 07:52 and say, you know, I'm very sad. 07:54 Not only sad but I want to say that I'm angry, 07:56 not against anyone, but against the system. 07:59 It's a systematic brainwashing, 08:01 and that's what they want to do. 08:03 They want to brainwash us, 08:04 and they won't tell us it is not happening under this post 08:06 so they can condition us mentally 08:09 to put us back in slavery. 08:10 Well, what do you guys say to the people who say, 08:12 "You know what, we have black men and women 08:15 who are moving up in society, 08:16 they're going into Congress, and to Senate, 08:18 the Presidency, all these different positions. 08:20 Doesn't that mean that racism is over?" 08:23 What do you guys say to that? 08:25 I think they pick and choose. 08:26 Yeah? I think it's a scale. 08:29 You know, they say they want to get the bright and the best. 08:32 But they're not... 08:33 Think about the ones that made me not have that, 08:34 all that education that should be in 08:36 because they have a stronger advocacy. 08:38 Whenever you have a voice, 08:40 that's when the threat comes to this post-racism, 08:44 and so when you have that voice and you want to speak out, 08:46 you want to get blackballed. 08:48 You are gonna get labeled some kind of way. 08:50 We don't want that person in a high place in Congress 08:54 or higher place in some other place 08:55 because they know that their voice... 08:57 Don't shut your voice, 08:59 you know, so that's what I think about it. 09:00 We have to talk more about it with a sense of passion, 09:03 not aggressive negative, 09:05 but let you know I'm going to talk about this thing. 09:08 You're not going to shut my mouth 09:09 because this is what you want me to do, be quiet. 09:11 And I will say... 09:13 To kind of jump on top of Doc Magnum's commentary. 09:18 I think that blacks who have been allowed 09:21 into these higher echelons 09:23 or status have always had to go 09:26 through this initiation of selling out 09:29 and forgetting their brother who has not made it. 09:32 It's all through history, 09:33 we can go right back to the plantation that for you 09:36 to become this house negro figure, 09:38 it is an individual who the master says, 09:41 "I will give you more privileges 09:44 as long as you serve me, 09:47 giving me total and complete loyalty." 09:50 And so these individuals in the big house, 09:53 as it is called, now they become the ones 09:56 who tell the master when there is a plan for escaping. 10:00 Now they become the ones 10:01 who even oppress their own brothers and sisters, 10:05 and I think that's what you see still in today's society 10:07 that individuals are getting these promotions 10:10 and instead of being liberators, 10:12 they become the slave masters. 10:14 They become the overseers 10:16 of those who didn't get that same opportunity. 10:19 I almost feel like that's why the conversation 10:21 has to be bigger than Black Lives Matter. 10:23 I think it has to be all lives matter, man. 10:25 I think that when once you... 10:27 somebody said this a while ago, at the end of the day, 10:29 when people unite, there's no stopping them. 10:31 You know, and I believe 10:32 that even some of the words going on around today 10:34 are things that have been made up to keep people divided. 10:37 Like what? 10:38 You know, I mean, even the concept of black and white, 10:40 you know, and I've shared this before. 10:43 We just have a little girl 10:44 and I'm in the hospital filling out the form, 10:47 you know, her birth certificate stuff, 10:48 and it tells me to select her race, all right? 10:51 And then it says black, 10:53 you know, it says white first, it says black. 10:55 Then after that it says, Filipino, Guam, 10:57 Native American, Indian, you know, Hawaiian, 11:01 and I'm thinking to myself, how come I get... 11:02 I have to choose between you know black and white 11:05 or we have to choose between these two, 11:07 and everybody else is choosing a location 11:09 or choosing an ethnicity, 11:11 you know, why don't we all have ethnicities. 11:13 And I believe that at the end of the day, there is 11:16 and, you know, I don't know how it's gonna sound, 11:17 but I believe that if you can just keep people divided, 11:20 you know that nobody will be able to advance. 11:23 So even if we can keep the conversation 11:25 only about blacks, 11:27 we will never stand of our Latino brothers, 11:29 who are also being put down, 11:30 we will never stand up for people 11:32 who are being trafficked, you know, and sex trafficking 11:34 because we're so focused on our own little niche, 11:37 our own little... 11:39 I guess color, whatever it is. 11:40 But I think, man, that if we can just get together, 11:43 you know, and I think 11:44 that's what it's about Black Lives Matter. 11:45 It's about building solidarity, right? 11:47 Well, here's a thing, 11:49 and I hear what you're saying, very profound, 11:50 and I understand that all lives matter 11:53 and I agree with you as well, 11:54 but I kind of want to get back to 11:55 what Black Lives Matter is all about. 11:57 Can somebody share with me, 11:59 how did it start where did it come from 12:01 and really what is the purpose 12:03 because there's so many people in society 12:05 who have no idea what it's about 12:06 or they're thinking the exact the exact opposite 12:09 of what Black Lives Matter is supposed to be. 12:11 How did it start? 12:12 I think I'm not sure 12:14 if it's exactly the date that it started, 12:15 but one thing I drew from it was that it was about 12:18 the advocacy of unifying and making a conscious decision 12:23 to focus on a strategy, to do something about 12:25 what's going on, 12:26 instead of staying inside your classrooms 12:28 or staying inside your homes 12:30 and looking at the television or being on social media 12:32 and really not really saying anything 12:34 because the real voice comes when we strategize and say, 12:38 "You know what, this is divide and conquer. 12:40 This is destroying and dehumanizing someone 12:43 or group of people that really don't need 12:46 to have this continue to happen." 12:47 So that's what my opinion 12:49 is because when I look at this thing, man, 12:51 it's a strategy, it's systematic. 12:53 And so we have to be a strong advocate, 12:55 not just a few of us in the barbershop 12:58 but we have to allow this thing that go from cover to cover, 13:02 from coast to coast, from religious organization 13:05 to educational organization so that we become alive. 13:08 The thing that I'm so passionate about 13:10 is we're not alive, we aren't one little spark 13:13 and then it dies down. 13:14 That's what I'm concerned about. 13:16 Don't let it die down because we all do matter, 13:19 especially as black lives. 13:20 It's an SOS Signal. 13:22 It's a distress call from urban black communities, 13:25 it's really coming out of the wake 13:27 of the Ferguson aftermath, 13:30 and then it gains more steam 13:32 when it comes to Eric Garner and Tamir Rice. 13:36 To black lives being killed, black people being killed, 13:39 black men, really. 13:40 Yes, it's really black people are not getting 13:43 the same opportunity to give or to defend themselves. 13:49 They are not being given the benefit of the doubt 13:52 in these situations, that a matter of fact, 13:54 they're so devalued that individuals 13:57 feel very liberated to take their life 14:00 without probable cause. 14:01 Right. 14:03 And this is why I'm feeling where Corey's coming from 14:05 with his desires to see everyone kind of come together 14:08 in a more holistic fashion, 14:10 but I don't think the time for that is now. 14:12 Black Lives Matter, needs to be stated. 14:15 It needs to be championed. 14:17 It is a concession that there are certain individuals 14:20 in our society that are targeted 14:23 at a level that other individuals 14:25 are never targeted. 14:26 I agree. 14:27 So you don't think Black Lives Matter is a hate group? 14:29 Nobody thinks that at all? No. 14:32 Even what I was saying about equality and getting together, 14:35 I have to admit the struggle is real, man. 14:36 You know, I'm not, you know, dude from around the way, 14:39 I'm not dressing like, you know, 14:41 a gangster, nothing like that. 14:42 My hat is backwards, but, you know, 14:44 I'm a preacher, man, you know. 14:46 And even with that, 14:47 when I see a cop car on the side of the road, 14:49 man, everything changes for me, 14:51 I'm telling you right now, afraid for my life. 14:54 That's just the way it is, that's the truth. 14:56 I'm afraid to pass a cop car, 14:58 you know, I'm going 10 miles under the speed limit, 15:00 not even trying to make eye contact 15:02 or looking in his direction 15:03 because I don't know what will happen, 15:04 you know, should I offend this person, you know. 15:07 This is real, you know, I got pulled over 15:09 just the other day, and a police officer 15:11 came to the window 15:12 and was telling me all the stuff, 15:13 asking me for my license and registration, 15:15 and when he went back to the car, 15:16 you know, to fill something out, 15:18 and when right before he came back, 15:19 I put on my phone and I began to record, 15:22 you know, I've never done that before. 15:25 But in light of so many situations 15:26 that are going on in our society right now, 15:28 with young black unarmed teens, 15:31 being killed and shot unfairly by police officers, 15:36 I have to be honest, even as a grown man, 15:37 I'm afraid for my life. 15:38 Anybody feel me on that? 15:40 I really feel you. 15:41 I have two sons, my wife and I have two sons, 15:43 young adults. 15:45 And every time I read a news clip 15:48 or get something on my phone 15:49 that a young African-American male has been killed, 15:53 my heart skips a beat because our sons are out there, 15:57 you know, and so it's the fear factor though. 16:00 I think when we make a voice, 16:04 we make the other groups of mindsets afraid, 16:08 and that's why I'm passionate about it. 16:09 We ought to make a voice, 16:10 and say we are no longer going to be caught up in this fear. 16:14 When you're afraid, you change how you operate, 16:18 how you think when you get pulled over. 16:21 It's not anything else but fear, 16:24 and fear causes you to react sometimes not healthily, 16:28 sometimes it can get you killed or get you shot. 16:31 And so we got to look at this thing 16:33 from a real vanish point 16:34 that we no longer are going to be afraid, 16:36 we're going to advocate that Black Lives Matter. 16:41 Dr. Mangum, man, that was a powerful perspective 16:43 that you just brought. 16:44 Man, I want to pose something to you, man. 16:47 One thing that people say 16:48 in response to the Black Lives Matter movement 16:50 is that really what we probably should be focusing on more 16:53 is black on black crime. 16:55 Do we have issues within our own society 16:57 that maybe we should be focusing on more? 17:00 Yeah, I think that's a great question. 17:01 And I will respond with the focus 17:06 on internal issues is important. 17:08 Sure. 17:09 This should not be a distraction 17:10 on the external pressure that creates 17:12 these phenomena within our community. 17:15 The black community now is a pressure cooker 17:18 and because there is so much build up within these ghettos, 17:24 within these projects, within the systematic process 17:28 that has herded all of us to a corner 17:31 and then told us to fight over the meager breadcrumbs 17:34 that are thrown into that corner. 17:36 I mean, that's why you get the violence 17:39 and the black on black crime. 17:41 So I think sometimes the focus on black on black 17:45 violence is a distraction from the systematic external, 17:50 I'll call it, properties that lead to our infighting. 17:54 Chap, that's your opinion, 17:56 and a lot of people would disagree with you. 17:57 What do you guys feel about what he just said? 18:01 Man, you know, I'm gonna be real. 18:03 I used to be the kind of person that would say, man, 18:05 you know, just pull your pants up, 18:07 you know, groom yourself, get an education, 18:10 do what you got to do, 18:11 and things will be better, you know. 18:13 But the truth is, man, we are all the targets, man. 18:15 That's just the truth. 18:17 You know, we can we can talk about 18:18 what's going on our own community, 18:19 you know, we can pass out food, 18:21 we can make sure everybody is fed, 18:22 we can make sure, we take the guns out 18:24 the black community, 18:25 that's not going to stop you from outside 18:26 from targeting us as individuals. 18:28 That's just not gonna happen. 18:29 I hear you, man. I hear you. 18:31 Let me ask you guys this, man. 18:32 This is for real, like I'm in the barbershop, 18:34 I'm on my phone, and, you know, 18:35 I tweet or I post something with hashtag Black Lives Matter 18:40 is that enough or is it okay for me to, 18:43 you know, go outside the shop every once in a while, 18:45 support some of the rallies that are going on in protests. 18:48 Are they incendiary, 18:49 am I moving in the right direction? 18:51 Yeah, I think you're moving in the right direction. 18:53 I think that, again, people are afraid 18:56 because when we galvanize the communities 18:59 with a strategy and a purpose, 19:02 and so when you think about that, 19:04 the people that are systematically 19:06 putting us in the dehumanizing situation, 19:09 they become afraid, and they want to reduce it. 19:12 And so I get excited when you trying to reduce 19:13 where I'm trying to go, 19:15 to make something happen that's positive 19:17 and allow people to join in till we can be constructive 19:20 so we can put that stuff 19:21 to quiet that stuff down rather. 19:23 Now for the most part, all of you guys 19:25 pretty much agree that the Black Lives Matter movement 19:27 is a good movement, correct? 19:29 Yes. Yeah. 19:30 But of course, with any movement it has offshoots, 19:31 you know, people that will be radical, 19:33 people that will do crazy things. 19:35 And for the most part, we can agree that 19:36 it's a good movement that we should support? 19:39 I would definitely say, 19:40 especially with the supporting rallies 19:42 and, you know, just getting gatherings, 19:44 I would say to be careful, man, because in any conflict, 19:47 on either side of any conflict, 19:49 there's always going to be crazies. 19:50 There's always going to be people 19:51 who have bad intentions on either side. 19:53 Even on the... 19:55 I guess the good side and we saw that 19:56 in recent time with, 19:59 you know, looting and vandalism, 20:02 while other people are trying to stand up 20:03 for something that matters. 20:05 So I would say if you're going to go out, be careful. 20:07 Or, you know, don't just attach yourself to the other events, 20:10 you know, get some of your own people, 20:12 you know, do your own stuff, or plan your own functions, 20:14 and you know, lead out you know, 20:16 and take initiative in that way. 20:17 And I want to offer this analogy, 20:19 when it comes to why people need to get involved 20:21 with the Black Lives Matter movement. 20:24 We talk about harmony, and many people 20:26 who are against the Black Lives Matter movement, 20:29 feel as if it's doing more to fracture our society 20:32 than create harmony. 20:34 Well, even the concept of harmony, 20:36 you need different voices, 20:39 sounding in a different way for there to be harmony. 20:43 Harmony is not doing away with differences, 20:48 that's what you call melody, 20:50 harmony is when you allow different aspects 20:53 to give their own unique sound at the same time. 20:56 Wow. 20:57 And I think what Black Lives Matter 20:58 is saying is we need to play our note. 21:01 When it comes to the music 21:02 of the United States of America, 21:04 the song that is being played and the propaganda 21:08 that's being shared to the world, 21:10 it's our time to have our note, sound. 21:12 That was almost too deep for me 21:14 to even dwell on, man, to be honest. 21:16 Man, you know, we're all Christians here, 21:18 you know, we are unashamed. 21:19 This is a Christian barbershop, a Christian environment. 21:24 Where does God, where does He come in 21:26 in the Black Lives Matter movement? 21:29 I mean, this is a weird question, 21:31 but would God support such a movement like this? 21:35 I think... 21:36 Go, you go ahead. 21:37 Jesus cares for the marginalized. 21:39 He cares for those who are oppressed 21:40 and for those who are targeted. 21:42 I think Jesus Himself was targeted. 21:43 Wow. 21:45 So I mean, I think he understands 21:46 the struggle himself. 21:47 And when he was on this earth, he championed that cause. 21:50 Wow. Okay, I liked it. 21:52 Oh, you got it, man. 21:53 I just like to add to him because one scripture says that 21:56 when Jesus was called publicly, he was sent to the poor, 22:00 he was sent to the oppressed. 22:02 He was anointed to go and deal with the ones 22:04 that nobody else will deal with because they didn't measure up. 22:07 And so yes, God is concerned about the ones that 22:10 what society or anybody may think don't measure up 22:12 or don't have self-worth based on their ideologies. 22:15 So Jesus loved the ones that were left out or ostracized. 22:20 So I believe Black Lives Matters 22:23 are going to God. 22:24 And innocent blood has a voice. 22:26 We see it in the first book of the Bible and the last book. 22:29 The first book, the ground cries out 22:31 on behalf of Abel's spilled blood. 22:33 The last book of Revelation, 22:35 it says that the blood of the saints in the Altar 22:38 cry out to God, "Where is Your justice?" 22:40 Wow. 22:41 God must respond 22:43 to the brutalizing of the innocent, 22:45 for Him to be just, 22:47 for Him to be this universal ruler 22:50 that believes in this decency and in order, 22:53 concept of holiness, peacefulness, etcetera. 22:56 I mean, the Fruits of the Spirit speak to it. 22:59 God must respond to the voice of the marginalized 23:03 and innocent bloodshed. 23:04 Universal rule, I loved that, man. 23:06 In my experience though, for some reason 23:08 because what you guys say is powerful, 23:09 but for some reason, man, the church seems to be 23:12 the one group that is not as passionate 23:15 about joining the fight, man. 23:17 And for me, Black Lives Matter or even the things 23:22 that are going on our society are the perfect ground, 23:25 perfect, I mean, place for the church 23:28 to do their work. 23:29 You know, the Bible doesn't just tell us Jesus loved 23:31 and just say Jesus go to the marginalized, 23:33 but what it does say is that eventually 23:34 a rock hits the statue and destroys all the systems, 23:37 all the governments of men, 23:39 the ones that continue to fail us, 23:41 the ones that say they'll protect and serve, 23:42 but kill. 23:44 The Bible says that eventually, man, Jesus puts an end to that. 23:47 This is the time where we ought to let people know 23:50 fight for lives here on earth, fight for your well-being, 23:53 but know that there's a better Kingdom 23:55 that's eventually going to come 23:56 in which every single life matters 23:59 and will matter for all of eternity. 24:00 May be is it fair to say, you know, I support the church, 24:02 I love the church, is it fair to say, man, 24:05 that the church should be the one 24:08 to champion this movement and not individual people? 24:10 In other words, why is this, so to speak, 24:14 a secular movement that started outside of the church, 24:16 why did not start within the church? 24:18 Why didn't a Christian start this movement? 24:20 I do want to say that, I think, within the black community, 24:24 the church did start it. 24:25 Okay. 24:26 I think the church was the central core 24:29 of the Civil Rights Movement, not speaking just of the 60s, 24:33 but even tracking back into the 20s and the 30s, 24:36 even tracking back to Reconstruction, 24:38 even tracking back to slavery itself, 24:40 before the abolition of slavery, 24:43 the church was that core that was pushing for the people. 24:47 What I believe is happening 24:49 is that privilege is compromising us. 24:52 Because we now have access to bathrooms, water fountains, 24:57 the front seat on the bus because we now can feast 25:01 upon the extravagant things at the table of the master, 25:06 now we're not so concerned about those that can't. 25:09 It's really about the middle class. 25:12 It's really about those that have received some benefit. 25:16 They need to go back and give to their community. 25:19 Wow, this is dropping some wisdom right here, man. 25:20 I agree. 25:21 Some wisdom, I appreciate what you're saying, man. 25:23 Anybody have anything else to add, 25:24 I'm just trying to soak up as much as I can. 25:26 I just want to say this, 25:27 this is so right to piggyback on Mike, 25:29 one of the things that I realized is that 25:31 the church sometime is afraid. 25:32 Yeah. 25:34 And we won't take a voice 25:35 because we really don't want to get involved. 25:37 We enjoy our services, our worship hour, 25:40 but we haven't got outside 25:41 to really be a part of a real ministry. 25:43 No action. No action. 25:45 You know, we can comment 25:46 and make opinions doing our times down, 25:48 but we don't really go out. 25:50 And we have the power, 25:51 that's what I'm concerned about, 25:53 the church has the power of Jesus Christ 25:55 to really make a difference in every community, 25:57 in every situation if we step up. 25:59 Wow. 26:01 And recognize that we're the 21st century church. 26:03 Jesus is gonna come back, 26:04 but we have to step up and step out 26:07 and be that voice for Jesus. 26:08 Man, to summarize everything that we've talked about, man, 26:11 Black Lives Matter is a good movement 26:13 or the very least it has good intentions, 26:15 and it's basically focusing on what Jesus focused on, 26:18 the left out, the least and the marginalized, 26:20 am I right about that? 26:21 Listen, brothers, I got to close the shop, 26:23 but I can't leave today. 26:24 This is such a sensitive topic. 26:26 I just think it's important that 26:27 we all have a word of prayer as black men, can we do that? 26:29 Yeah. Absolutely, man. 26:31 Father in heaven today, Lord, I just thank You so much, 26:34 for Your grace, Your mercy, and Your love. 26:36 I pray right now, oh, God, not necessarily 26:38 for the Black Lives Matter movement, O God, 26:41 but for the society of people that are marginalized, 26:44 that are disenfranchised, 26:45 I pray, O God, that you would teach us, 26:47 as Christians, to love one another, 26:49 each and every one of us. 26:51 And, Father, we know today, at least from your perspective, 26:53 God, all lives matter. 26:57 And so we just ask you, O God, 26:58 to help us to have compassion on others, 27:00 to support the agenda of making this world 27:03 a better place until we can see You again. 27:05 Forgive us of our sins and our shortcomings, 27:07 and save us when You come. 27:09 In Jesus' name, we do pray, amen. 27:10 Amen. God bless you, guys. 27:12 Amen. 27:14 The truth is all lives matter, 27:16 and God is concerned about all lives, 27:18 no matter the color, the creed, or nationality. 27:20 At the same time, if a particular subset of lives 27:23 are being subjugated to unfair and systematic prejudice, 27:26 it is the obligation of all higher thinking individuals 27:30 to make it known and endeavor to fix it, 27:32 especially Christians, 27:33 who should be concerned about all of God's people. 27:36 The slogan hashtag Black Lives Matter, 27:38 is not meant to be incendiary 27:40 but to simply bring awareness to an unchecked issue. 27:44 Jesus Himself was primarily focused on the least, the last, 27:48 and the left out in His ministry. 27:49 Maybe just maybe 27:51 Christians should be focused on that as well. 27:53 We're always having great discussions here 27:55 inside the barbershop. 27:56 Come and join us sometime soon. Thanks. |
Revised 2018-07-06