May 05, 2008
What's Wrong With Memphis?
What's wrong with Memphis? Why is it in the shape it's in? How did it get this way? I'm glad you asked. If you didn't ask I'll tell you anyway. Let me give a few observations I have had through my own experiences growing up there.
1. RACISM:
Memphis is still a very racially divided place. It's very petty racism too. The main thing that people in Memphis and a lot of other cities down south can't seem to get past is that there are OTHER races besides Black and White. They think that's all there is. I have had unique experiences growing up in Memphis because I hung out with a lot of black folks who would talk bad about whites around me comfortably cause I was down, but I could also go around the white folks who saw me as white and would talk bad about the black folks in front of me. As a result I got to hear how they both really thought about each other behind closed doors when they weren't around each other putting on their fake smiles. Racism is still very much alive in Memphis, and affecting the way people make decisions and who they vote for etc. Black folks have been voting in Mayor Herenton for the past several long terms just because he's black. They don't care if the man is a suck Mayor or not, as long as he is black. A few years back Jerry "the king" Lawler ran for mayor of Memphis. Many white people voted for him simply because he was white probably, and because he was not Herenton. The man is a pro wrestler for crying out loud. What does he know about being mayor? The black folks keep voting for Herenton because they would rather have him in office than some "racist redneck", and I understand that, I used to think the same way. By saying that though you who think that way are being racist yourselves. Herenton also tries to appeal to the younger cats by acting like a thug or something. He is a 70 year old man using phrases like "shake them haters off" and stuff. Come on man. Memphis has to get past racism. It's poisonous. There are WAY bigger fish to fry. Many many more serious issues at hand. Racism is stupid, childish, and petty. It is also cowardly, since almost ALL of it I witnessed was done and said behind the people's back that were being spoken bad about.
2. PEOPLE DON'T CARE:
People just don't care anymore. They have become desensitized. All the crime and hatred is so rampant that people are used to it and actually try to ignore it. A lot of it has to do with the mood and attitude of the younger cats now. And that is shaped by the music. The unmercifully negative and demeaning regurgitated sinful garbage that everybody and their mothers brother is listening to. This ain't your typical gangsta rap ladies and gentleman, it's a whole new level of chanting, violence glorifying, drug use glorifying, pimp and woman abuse promoting hateful murderous poison. Lets get right down to the originators. The ones who have inspired a whole city of copycats doing the same style of wack, unoriginal, negativity. I'm talking about 3-6 Mafia.
Which brings us to
3. THE "MUSIC":
I was going to post a sample of their "lyrics" but I would have to have spent an hour editing all the cursing out of it. They basically encourage the listeners to: not care, get high, pimp women, rob, kill, steal, sell dope, etc. And all the while making it sound like the way to be. As a result of listening to their mind numbing chants and repetitive commands (their label is "hypnotize minds") the people of Memphis, who love their music for some reason, walk around not caring and trying to live the life spoken about on the songs. They said back in the day in an interview that they chose their name to seem intimidating and scary to people and that they were not really evil worshippers, but I don't believe that. Look up some of their songs and read for your self. Especially their older stuff. Memphis has to stop listening to and supporting this so called "music". This garbage ain't Hip Hop. The people's views and ideas need to change. They need to change what they put into their ears and minds and change their attitudes.
HOW DO WE FIX MEMPHIS?:
The simple answer is REPENTANCE AND HUMILITY.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
The people of Memphis have to repent and be saved and live their lives the way God wants them to. When they do that they will want different things and think differently and therefore things will change because the people will want change. It's that simple. Here's the Way:
How to be SAVED ------------------------------------------------ The ROMANS ROAD....is a pathway you can walk. It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control. - Admit that you are a sinner. Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..." Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain. - Understand that you deserve death for your sin. Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it. - Ask God to forgive you and save you. Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!" When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us! - Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you! Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!" - Call out to God in the name of Jesus! Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." - If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart. Jesus said, Revelation 3:20a "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him..." - Is Jesus knocking on your heart's door? Believe in Him. Ask Him to come in to your heart by faith, and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Open the Bible to the Gospel of John and read what God says about Jesus, about you, and about being born again. God will help you. He loves you. You need to look for a local church where God's word is preached. The Bible says that we are to desire God's word like a newborn baby desires mother's milk. Aren't you hungry to know the truth? Water baptism is one of the ways you first show that you have been joined to Jesus. This is an action, and actions will not save you. However, it is an act of obedience and a symbol of commitment. The symbolism is this: When you go down in the water you show that You have been crucified and buried with Him, And when you come up out of the water you show that you have been raised to walk with Him in newness of life. (See Romans chapter 6) You have been born again. (See John chapter 3) Your body has become God's temple. Your heart is where He lives. Forgiveness is yours in Jesus. And you belong to Him. You were sin's slave. But now... You are a child of GOD! John 1:12 "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name!"
| By Pensmoke | 06:47 PM | Comments (0)
The Reputation of Tennessee Indians
The reputation of American Indian people in TN depends on the individual you ask. And lets face it ladies and gentlemen, it's not exactly flawless.
If you ask many of the non-Indian residents of the state of TN they may tell you that "There are no Indians in TN because old Andy Jackson drove them all out a long time ago," a statement that is not only false but both ignorant and arrogant. The fact is there were people who ducked off and snuck away during the Trail and it wasn't just concentrated to one area in North Carolina.
Yes, I am aware that every "Indian" group claiming Cherokee ancestry in TN uses the same story to explain how their group supposedly came to be in the area they live in. That doesn't mean that everyone who says that is a liar though. There are so many claiming this as "their own story" that people are beginning to take it as seriously as the "Cherokee princess" story. It's a shame that this is happening because, while the princess story is flat-out false, the other statement is not.
On a popular messageboard, Indianz.com, if you tell people you are Cherokee and from TN they will basically dismiss you as an "overnight Indian" or more likely "wannabe" without a second thought. Why is this? In my opinion there are many in TN who could be considered "wannabes" but also many who are genuine.
Too many people "discover" their Native heritage (or alleged Native heritage) as adults after living as white/black/other during the early years of their lives. They learn of the heritage (genuine or not) and decide they want to identify with it. Here is where they mess up.
If you want to honestly honor your heritage you need to learn about it and take the time to learn from people who truly know it. Do NOT just make things up as you go along. Do Not "wing it" so to speak. When you name yourself "Chief Sitting Grey Rain Bear" or "Princess Pretty Blue Dancing Flower" and try to form your own "tribe" seeking recognition after knowing about your alleged Cherokee ancestry for 2 weeks, you do yourself and all TN Indians a great disservice.
Many of these people don't know enough about their heritage to do these things and don't make any attempt to truly learn. They give themselves "Indian names" (not a Cherokee tradition by the way, names were given, not picked out on your own) and wear ridiculous "regalia" without knowing enough to do so.
These are just a few reasons why Indian people in TN are looked at as some sort of bad joke and not taken seriously. We have enough to deal with from non-Indians due to lack of accurate information about Indians via the media and schools, and from federally recognized tribes who look upon disenfranchised, unenrolled Indians as a threat for various reasons or consider them to be "just interested in tribal benefits".
My opinion is this: We have enough to overcome already without making things worse for ourselves from the inside. There are too many outside factors to deal with. Lets not let the whole world see our ignorance. If you truly care about your/our heritage, then please learn the traditions and history and ways thoroughly before you thrust yourself into the spotlight claiming to be a spokesperson.
| By Pensmoke | 06:47 PM | Comments (0)
Are you a reeeeeeal "part" Indian?
Cherokee.
What do you think of when you hear the word? If you are a member of any other tribal nation you may laugh upon hearing the word. It may make you think of blonde-haired, blue-eyed wannabe Indians wearing turkey feathers at powwows. It may make you think of people asking you "Are you Indian?" and when you answer yes they reply that their great-great-great-grandma was a real "Cherokee princess."
I myself don't think I have ever met someone who was black, white, or other, that didn't claim to have some distant Cherokee ancestor. Growing up in the South, I would hear from the black folks the "I'm part Indian, that's why I got 'good hair'" legend. And of course the white people would boast about having high cheek bones and being tall due to their "Cherokee princess" ancestor.
It's a trip to me that the Cherokee people can be so "loved" and claimed and yet so hated at the same time by other Indians. We are hated on frequently. Many of the tribes out west say that the Cherokees are "fake Indians" or "paper Indians" because they have been mixing with the whites since the 1500s and have so many mixed-bloods in the tribe. Of course on the other side of things you have the non-Indians who regard the Cherokees as "magical" or "spiritual" and wise like a freakin' leprechaun or something.
Here is where I stand on the subject basically: If you are going to claim Cherokee ancestry at least try to learn the cultural heritage of the people. Don't go out and buy a dreamcatcher and a turkey feather warbonnet and go on websites and message boards saying "Mitakuye Oyasin" to everybody (which is Lakota, not Cherokee) and acting like some wise "medicine man" or how you think a "real Injun" would act. You look foolish.
Don't put on some Boy Scout-made "regalia" and go to a powwow making up your own "dance style" and looking like an idiot. If you want to learn, then learn things the right way. If I had a dime for every time someone told me they were "part" Indian I would be living in a mansion right now.
Like I said before, and many people have preached this until they are blue in the face too, Indians don't come in "parts." You are either an Indian or you are not. If you tell me you are "part" Indian I want to know some things. Are you enrolled with the tribe? (It don't matter to me because I am not either.) Where are your Indian ancestors from? What is your blood quantum? You know the language? The history and culture? The stories? If not, then we really don't have much to talk about on the subject of "Indianness," do we?
| By Pensmoke | 06:45 PM | Comments (0)