Response From My Friend

After writing yesterdays post, I was hoping one of my friends would respond to my note (I had a feeling it would be Hope Hall, Columbia S.C., almost 40 years old).

As I've read various posts and comments on the Internet I sense there are a lot of people who don't understand what's going on with the african-american community. Even though I believe I understand the excitement to some extent, it is impossible for me to explain; because quite frankly I don't understand the complete extent of it. How could I, unless I've lived the struggle?

I remember when I moved from the metro New York area to South Carolina. One of the first cultural understandings I had was that race was still very much an issue. Whether it was isolation, my good up-bringing or plain old ignorance; I didn't understand why racism still had the platform that it did. The first job I took in Columbia was with a construction company. One day I rode around with the boss and was shocked as I listened to his hate being expressed in a nonchalant conversational tone. This is not to say that the south does not have wonderful folks who are opposed to racism; in Columbia I experienced a wonderful reflection of what brotherly love is at Columbia Christian Fellowship. However, one thing I've learned is that my african-american brothers and sisters have every right to celebrate the present due to "overcoming" the past.

I believe my friend Hope has communicated in her response what many african-americans are rightfully sensing today.

Thanks J for rejoicing with those of us who are ecstatic about Barack's Presidency. I NEVER, EVER thought that I would see this in my lifetime. Me! And I'm not yet 40 feeling this way (Hopes sarcastic jab at me for being 41).

Every time I see news clips of those who experienced segregation and Jim Crow cry over Barack's presidency, it makes me very emotional. To tell you the truth, I can only IMAGINE what they went through because I came after all of that. My mom experienced it, having to shop at different stores, going to the back door of a restaurant because you were not allowed to go through the front door, having to get off the sidewalk if a white person is walking on it, not being able to look white people in the eyes so you look at the ground, going to a Colored water fountain that was lukewarm while the Whites Only water fountain was cool, sitting at the back of the bus...

But the understanding of how blacks have been treated in this country is VERY REAL to me. We've been treated as chattel; called 3/5 of a man; not allowed to own property; not allowed to hold prominent positions in business AND government; not allowed to vote (up until about 30 or 40 years ago); not able to buy a home in certain neighborhoods; lynched or killed for the slightest thing. Understanding these things is very real for me.

Just seeing the full culmination is very much overwhelming for black people. It was not all that long ago. So if you see the high-fives and the dancing and the thankfulness of our ancestors, it's because we feel it for them. All that they endured, we feel it because it was not all that long ago. And I don't think black people ever believed that it would happen. We wished it. We wanted it. But I don't think we truly believed that it would happen.

I was actually holding my breath until he took the oath because I had a fear in the back of my mind that someone would try to assassinate him before he ever took office. I wasn't believing it until I saw it with my own eyes. And then it happened. (I'm getting very emotional now as I write this.)

I don't know if Barack will be a good president but what he is doing for the black community is invaluable. He has modeled that you should not let your race hold you down. He has forcefully spoken to black men to take care of their families. He is pushing responsibility and doing for yourselves instead waiting on the government or others to do it for you. He is modeling how to be a great father and husband. He is modeling that education and hard work are important. He is telling the black community that it's not just about you but everybody. And a lot of these things we needed to hear and see. I just hope and pray that it penetrates all the lies the black community has believed about itself and even perpetuated about itself.

As you can see, there are many layers to the rejoicing. :) And I'll stop here...

Thanks!

I am so happy for my friend and my friends. I can't express how honored I am to know you, to learn from you and to walk alongside of you.

Thank you for your support. We are TEAM.

Obama in the house!

I have many black friends who are expressing an awareness of the accomplishment that has taken place with the inauguration of Barack Obama. On facebook many are thanking their ancestors and “high-fiving” their contemporaries. I'm truly happy for my friends and I have a sense of pride for the United States for the obvious reason of the unity within diversity we are experiencing.

However, truth be known, to some degree I feel as though I'm a friend of a friend that has been invited to a party. That is to say I think it is impossible for me to understand or relate to the fullness of this culmination because I lack the shared experiences that my african-american friends have. And that is O.K. because I should not have to feel comfortable all the time.

As a white man I have not experienced the back of the bus, nor has any of my ancestors. I don't know what it means to be ignored because of my race, and because of that I don't always recognize the privileges I experience. Being married to a black woman I've been given a glimpse of a prejudice world. However, my wife is from the Caribbean, she is not african-american and does not have the same historical formation. With regard to race issues we've experienced more than some, but do not claim to understand the fullness of pain that has been experienced by the african-american.

Scripture tells us to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn" Romans 12:15. I am glad today is a day of rejoicing rather than mourning. I celebrate with my brothers in the present, I mourn the past and I am grateful for the progress that our nation has made and will continue to make. The future is full of hope and I look prayerfully forward to what will be accomplished.

Thank you for your support. We are TEAM!

Jasmine Judy Spurling's 2nd Birthday

January 16th, 2009

For more photos you can click on the link. LINK