Try That In A Black Town!

An Editorial by Melvin Twigg Mason

A few months ago, I became aware of Jason Aldean’s video, “Try That In A Small Town,” only after going down the video rabbit hole of the latest in conservative thought found on YouTube. The fans of this musical contribution mentioned that there has been some insinuations of racism found throughout the video by those of the “woke” mentality. Well, I must admit I loved the rockin’ music of this country song, but as I listened to the lyrics AND watched the scenes in the official music video, I quickly began to see why there was/is such a controversy.

In the video, which at the time of this writing had received 36 million views since its July 14^th release this year, Aldean speaks about the increasing acts of violence and crime being perpetrated in urban society and splashed across the national news over the last 3-4 years, such as carjackings, disrespecting law officers, and even unpatriotic acts against the American flag. He couples those words with visuals of protests gone violent, closed-circuit footage of store robberies in progress, and big city streets on fire.

He then brings home the foundational message:

“Well that _S@!+_ might fly in the city (good luck)
But try that in a small town!
See how far you make it down the road.
‘Round here, we take care of our own.
You cross that line, it won’t take long…
Full of good old boys, raised up right.
If you’re lookin’ for a fight
try that in a small town!”

Any American who’s lived any amount of time knows who the phrase “good ol’ boys” refers to. And the song lyrics tell that these boys have easy access to “the gun that my granddad gave me,” while the video shows bonfire silhouettes of beards and baseball caps firing rifles into the night, with the American flag billowing as a backdrop. In the contemporary words of these staunch citizens the message is clear, “Not in My Backyard” (a.k.a., NIMBY), or in other words, don’t try that stuff in a small town.

Photo credit: Kelly (Pexels)

But as I watched this declaration of cultural solidarity, I began to think, “What if the shoe was on the other foot?” What would it look like to try that in reverse! What IF “the brothas” were delivering this same message to the so-called patriots of America?? The music would be the same, and the lyrics remain the same (for the most part); but replace the current good old boys video footage with newsreel scenes from actual events of the 1960s.

Police wrestle MLK Jr to ground in 1960s. (Photo: Revolutionary United Front)

Instead of the George Floyd protests of the 2020s, I began to imagine the civil rights riots of the 60s. Instead of seniors being “sucker-punched on the sidewalk,” we see civil rights workers being wrestled to the ground with all the accompanying brutality of certain police departments of that era. Instead of good old boys watching out for their town, we show the armed brothers of the Black Panther Party “taking care of their own.” The collective message then becomes, “Don’t try that in a Black town.”

Not since the 60s have Blacks and other people-of-color (POC) felt such a strong need to arm themselves for protection like we feel in today’s America. In a nation that’s becoming increasingly more divided (in more ways than one), it’s a sad state of affairs when we can no longer safely knock on someone’s door to ask for directions, use a driveway to turn our car around, nor jog down a street in our own neighborhood in the light of day, without getting shot or shot at.

Though the increasing violence may be happening in our urbanized districts, not all of the violators are from the inner cities of America, nor are they always the POCs who live there, as evidenced by the brawl instigated in Montgomery, Alabama (a “chocolate city”) on 8/5/2023. The day seems fast-approaching when most Americans, not just those good old boys in a small town, will also pride themselves on fighting to take care of there own — “by any means necessary,” to coin another familiar phrase. Perhaps if the fans of this song could, like me, imagine it in reverse, they might see that the problem of unnecessary violence is not just a big city issue, nor a POC issue, it’s everyone’s issue, as evidenced already in the small towns of Henryetta, Oklahoma, Tate County, Mississippi, and Uvalde, Texas.

Two-Four-Six-Eight! Who Do We Appreciate?

An Editorial by Pastor Larry Frazier

We observe holidays in our country for numerous reasons: to remember significant historical events, to annually observe days of reverence, to recognize loved ones in our lives, to have some days just for fun, and to honor people and their service. Pastor’s Appreciation Month (October) falls in that last category.

I suspect that Pastor’s Appreciation Month may be grouped, by some, with other celebrations such as Grandparents Day, Sweetest Day, and Administrative Professionals’ Day as having questionable origin. In a derogatory way, some holidays have been called “Hallmark holidays,” being popularized for the sake of profit. On October 11, 2007, Hallmark, the greeting card company, posted the following statement: “While we’re honored that people so closely link the Hallmark name with celebrations and special occasions, we can’t take credit for creating holidays.”

Christianity.com states the following: “In 1994, the American Christian organization Focus on the Family began promoting Clergy Appreciation Month as a national month of observance. In highlighting Clergy Appreciation Month, Focus on the Family sought to encourage the faithful to outwardly show their appreciation for religious leaders on a national level.” October was thus set aside as Pastor’s Appreciation Month.

Photo credit: Tara Winstead (Pexels)

Ultimately, calling on us to show appreciation to pastors comes from God. Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you.” 1 Timothy 5:17 says, “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.”

Even though God has established and directed the pastoral office, there is a misunderstanding concerning the ministry. Some say that pastors only work on Sundays and they question what pastors do during the week. Speaking from experience, I’m sure for many pastors our weeks are filled with various activities. We visit hospitals and nursing homes, take Communion to shut-ins, conduct funerals and chapel services, have study time and sermon preparation as well as maintain a family life at home. Some pastors additionally have to balance these activities with a full-time job.

Pastors have to be prepared to visit and comfort members before and after surgery. It is not uncommon for pastors to receive phone calls at all hours of the day and night and sometimes make an unscheduled home visit. Neighborhood and civic activities often call for pastoral participation. Pastors have to operate in the present time with guidance from an eternal God that is from all time. Because the word of God was established in ancient times, some have accused pastors of being out of touch with modern life. In the seventeenth chapter of John’s Gospel, Jesus Christ prayed for himself and for believers of all times. Jesus’ Church is to be a praying, believing, forgiving, and loving Church. Jesus is the Great High Priest and He has promised to be with us always.

Pastor’s Appreciation Month is about thanking your pastor for being true to the word of God and preaching, teaching, and serving rightly, despite directions from the unbelieving world. Let us continue to pray and give thanks for our pastors.

The Sound of Blackness

An Editorial by Melvin Twigg Mason

What is it about jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd’s “Cristo Redentor” that so captivates me?

The iconic 1970 tune, written by Duke Pearson (“Chili Peppers,” “Jeannine“), seems to capture the soul of how it feels to be Black in America. Though Pearson attributed this work to his being impressed by the Brazilian statue of the same name, what his friend Byrd ultimately renders is a heart-wrenching, soul-stirring instrumental declaration of angst and longing. I reason this to be true because of the ways the song has largely been used. It is the music bed for such things as civil rights documentaries, season 1 of Luke Cage (Marvel’s Black antihero), and even Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” movie. It is the backdrop, the soundtrack, to this country’s racial divide.

When I hear the opening hum of the singers, I see in my mind’s eye the back-breaking work of the Negro cotton-pickers and people-of-color (POC) builders of America. As I listen to the plinking of the piano, I hear the clink-clank of their hammers and pick axes, and the cutting sweeps of their harvesting sickles. The wails of the female vocalists remind me of the moans of a people desperate to be free.

The song goes on, and Byrd’s trumpet begins to tell the story of our struggle to be fairly-treated, while my mind envisions scenes of dogs biting and hoses spraying, of dark backs with torn shirts and tight pants racing through thick, muddy bogs in the dead of night, praying not to be seen or heard.

Then the brief refrain of hope is finally heard, and I think of the comfort of Mama’s cooking, or her tucking me safely into my bed at night, which provides a short respite from the ongoing struggle, until the next day’s wickedness quickly dawns.

The killing of George Floyd ignited protests around the world. Photo credit: Life Matters

But the whole song, though sad and unrelenting, arguably serves to galvanize a beleaguered people. All POCs feel the same struggle, though perhaps experienced in slightly different ways. To me, this is our song of truth-telling, of demon-facing. And much like the killing of George Floyd bonded people all over the world, every time I hear Cristo Redentor, I feel bonded to my Black brothers and sisters in a call-to-action. What action I don’t exactly know, but every time I hear it I feel like I need to DO something. But like the song when it ebbs, I too recede into the chains of living with racism, and await the next sound of hope.

I’ve noticed that the song has no abrupt ending, it just fades off into the audible distance, retracing its themes of pain and struggle and brief reprieve. I pray that Duke Pearson’s tribute to a Savior’s statue will not end up being the ongoing sound of being Black in America.

Do You Have A Dream?

A Poem by Presious Mills

The man of God had a dream.
One that would ring from the depths of his heart.
The black man had a dream; the white man had a dream.
And, Grandma had a dream. She was Black, too.
But what is your dream?

The man or woman with the loud voice often carries a quiet spirit.
The man or woman with confidence speaks the word of God so everyone can hear it.
Your likeliness to succeed depends on whether or not you believe
you have a dream. But will you just listen?
Even the blind man will open his ears to many voices of wisdom.

So, take some time to explore your beauty that we know is deep down inside of you.
It is your gifts that will take you many places; there is no limit to what you can do.
Just dream. Be you, without being a competitor.
Being humble will always hold fast to your character.

You are the man or woman with a plan.
The Black man or woman with the plan.
Dreamers accept that most days they will sit alone,
stand alone, kneel alone, praise God alone.

Go to the Most High alone. And then their brothers and sisters will beg to go with them
when they realize they definitely have character.
That man or woman with the plan is definitely a man or woman of faith.
That man or woman of faith is definitely someone with a dream.
But do you have a dream?

Should Taxpayers Pay for New Stadium for Haslams?

An editorial by Justice B. Hill

I knew that billionaires had their hands in our pockets, but I didn’t know how deeply. Well, now I know.

According to various reports, the Cleveland Browns have gotten more than $350 million in free money from various taxing options since 1998. Now, they seek more tax dollars to renovate the stadium on the shores of Lake Erie or to build a new one.

I think those of us who have been here awhile have heard this story before. Didn’t Art Modell use this woe-is-me strategy in the 1980s, which ended up sending the Browns franchise to Baltimore? Now, the Haslam clan is trying a similar approach. They are doing so even though they are among the richest NFL owners, and even as NFL revenues continue to soar.

I don’t think the Haslam clan or any other NFL owner needs taxpayers to cut them a welfare check. The Haslams can pay for their own renovations, or for a new stadium. Nobody needs to tell me who owns the stadium: It’s not the Haslams; it’s the city of Cleveland. But control of the facility is in the family’s hands, not the city’s. They should have made certain it stayed in good repair.

As a lifelong Browns fan, I remember Municipal Stadium, a dump that needed to come down. I wasn’t impressed when the Cleveland Browns Stadium opened. I thought it lacked the design appeal of Jacobs Field, but it was a stadium, and for the Browns to return, they needed a place to play. They got it. Therefore the Haslams should pay for the stadium’s upkeep.

I know politicians in Las Vegas are wrestling with a similar issue. They have a chance to poach the Oakland A’s, and all that’s needed is a billionaire-dollar ballpark (covered, of course). Tax dollars would pay the community’s share. The public can’t continue to pour money into ballparks. I understand the importance of having professional sports in our city. They bring a certain cachet to every place that has one. Cachet doesn’t, however, get roads repaired. It doesn’t pay for more cop cars or more cops. It doesn’t ensure that someone will pick up the garbage.

With a declining population and a deteriorating housing stock on the East Side, the city can no more bankroll ballparks and stadiums than it can pitch in to help Cleveland Clinic eat up more of the property in the Hough/Fairfax neighborhood.

I don’t want to lose the Browns, because I agree, despite how mediocre they’ve been for the better part of two decades, they bring plenty to the city. The franchise, its name, and its rich legacy resonate around the United States. The name travels well. Yet we can’t do for them—the Haslams—what we are willing to do for residents who live in areas that need a helping hand. I never had concrete plans to bail them out of their circumstances.

To the Haslams and other NFL owners, I have a suggestion: Take a chunk of your TV revenue and plow it into stadium maintenance and construction. Nobody is asking you to fork over money for roads around the stadium; that’s an ask anyone would be willing to say yes to. But you’re asking for a nine-figure check, and I don’t think taxpayers should walk that path. Not this time.

Justice B. Hill has written about baseball for eight seasons at MLB.com, and taught journalism at Ohio University. Now retired, he devotes his time to travel and freelance writing.

Equalizing the Playing Field of Sexual Identity

An Editorial by Ron Calhoun

Why do you have to be identified? It seems a certain amount of selfishness is at the core of the gender identity debate. Are you cisgender? What does that even mean?

It simply means that you identify as your birth gender. Cisgender matters. Source: Tracing Terminology, Perspectives on History Cisgender, “cisman,” “ciswoman,” “cisperson,” cis-gendered, “cissexual” or “cis,” a shorter version similar to saying “trans,” should have the same rights as all who feel the need to have a gender identity within civil rights. But are we simply talking about civil rights for all?

“It diminishes the purpose of civil rights and distracts from the efforts for equality in minorities,” says Martina, a resident of Cleveland. Civil rights include protection from unlawful discrimination. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), and national origin.

Whether it’s through the bad acts occurring in recent days or the calls for gender rights, gender discrimination is being addressed so constantly that, to many, it has felt like a “hijacking” of Black civil rights. Others have said that gender identity and sexual orientation choices are an entitlement. But Reggie, who identifies as a gay man, says “this is not what the lifestyle is about. I don’t relate to what has become a movement.” Mike says, “Black people have taken on the burden of the gender identity culture ahead of our own civil rights.”

How do you feel about sexual orientation and gender identity in relation to civil rights? Let us know by responding in an email to info@theclevelandobserver.com or by leaving a comment below.

Additional resource: <www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964>

Democracy Shouldn’t End at the Ballot Box

An Editorial by Keshawn Walker

Another election season has passed, and despite once again being told that this was “the most important election of our lives,” turnout in Cuyahoga County was abysmal with just shy of 26% of eligible voters turning out on Nov. 8. Despite the Voting Rights Act being dismantled piecemeal by the Supreme Court (paving the way for gerrymandering), new voter ID laws, and other attempts to prevent “fraud,” it seems like the biggest reason many people don’t turn out to vote still might just be that they don’t see the point.

What might surprise you is I don’t blame them. As far back as 2014, an academic study of election and policy surveys between 1981 and 2002 found that passed legislation primarily reflects the preferences of wealthy elites and business lobbies and that when the policy preferences of average citizens do not align with those interests, they are rarely, if ever, reflected by enacted legislation. In other words, there is a body of research supporting many people’s conclusion that “voting doesn’t matter,” but I would argue the issue is not nearly that clear cut!

Citizen apathy and disengagement feed the very beast that causes them. It is a self-perpetuating downward spiral: people vote, legislators are elected to represent the will of the people, and after election day most people disengage, so legislators only talk to the people being paid to sway their votes. The people’s will is ignored, and then the next election cycle, fewer people feel that voting is worth their time, which in turn incentivizes legislators to pay less and less attention to disenfranchised segments of the population or risk losing their seats.

Clevelanders know this cycle all too well, and our turnout numbers are a consequence of our distinctly dysfunctional politics. The recent history of Cuyahoga County is rife with crooks and profiteers who used their elected positions to enrich themselves and their friends: Jimmy Dimora, Frank Russo, Ken Johnson, and the list goes on and on. Consequently, Cleveland remains one of the poorest major cities in the United States despite massive inflows of capital investment and federal assistance, because most of that money ends up right back in the pockets of developers who are far more concerned with profit than with building a safe and functional place for people to live. Trust in our government is understandably low and the burden of proof is on our local legislators to establish that they care about more than holding onto their seats or advancing up the party ladders.

People need to see results for their votes or our democracy will continue to decline. And that’s a challenge for the many honest legislators who do want to fight for their constituents, because when good legislation does pass, people fail to connect that process with their daily experiences. There’s so much money changing hands, so many nonprofits and development corporations serving as middlemen, that it’s nearly impossible for the average citizen to draw a line between the city council and improvements in their communities and quality of life. So how can we solve this? How can Cleveland reinvigorate citizen engagement and illustrate the massive influence of politics on people’s day-to-day lives? How can we restore faith in our democracy, and prevent it from sliding further towards being a democracy in name only?

The new mayor has expressed support for an experiment that might help pave the way forward: Participatory Budgeting. It has been tried in other cities across the country like New York and Grand Rapids, MI to great success. It’s based on the premise that citizens are more civically engaged when they can have a direct say in the use of their tax dollars. Citizens are granted a small portion of the budget with which to propose their own initiatives and then vote directly on which citizen-led projects get funded. Even teenagers below 18 have participated in other cities and gained valuable civic knowledge and experience that they will carry for life. Mayor Bibb has proposed a plan which will allocate $5 million in ARPA money for a participatory budgeting pilot in 2023, less than 1% of the overall ARPA funds given to Cleveland but still an enormous amount of money to potentially finance projects that might otherwise never see the light of day. Clevelanders know what they need and ought to have this opportunity to not only have their direct say without the interference of lobbyists, but engage directly in the process our representatives do every day! Perhaps this will also illuminate some of the pressures legislators deal with and help Clevelanders see the need for the constant communication and engagement that helps them to be truly representative.

Keshawn Walker at a recent Council meeting.

I am calling on all members of the Cleveland City Council to vote yes on allocating $5 million in ARPA money to the Civic Participation Fund when it comes to the floor in the coming months. If you are happy with a 26% turnout, with hostile constituents who don’t feel heard, and with feeling like it’s impossible with your limited power to change a corrupt status quo, then vote no.

But if you believe, as I do, that a truly engaged citizenry can only strengthen your position as legislators and that we ought to be bold and experimental to save our declining democracy, I implore you to get behind participatory budgeting.

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – Power and Influence in Future Elections

By Ray Hom

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month – Power and Influence in Future Elections

My focus this year to highlight AAPI Heritage Month is to share the potential power and influence the AAPI community has in future elections, including the midterm elections in November.

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate is a formidable community with the power to shape and influence elections down the ticket throughout the country. Though the AAPI electorate is projected to double from 5.9 million eligible voters in 2015 to 12.2 million eligible voters in 2040, the strength of AAPI voters in many states today has been and continues to make their voices heard and influence the political process. This is no different than in the state of Ohio and in our local and state elections.

In the last three presidential cycles, approximately 620,000 new AAPI voters entered the electorate, with eligible AAPI voters in various states making up more than 5% of the state’s electorate, including Nevada, Virginia, and California. It is increasingly clear that candidates and elected officials must understand our growing political power and address issues important to our communities.

Fastest Growing Population

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders remain the fastest growing populations in the United States, at a rate of 46% and 40%, respectively, between the years 2000 and 2010. This stands in comparison to a 10% population growth rate nationally. AAPI population growth partially stems from growing numbers of Asian immigrants, with more immigrants coming from Asia since 2008 than any other part of the world.

While the largest AAPI populations continue to be in states like New York, California, and Hawaii, states that have seen the fastest-growing populations of AAPIs in recent years include Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina. Nevada has seen a 140% increase in the AAPI population since 2000, 123% in Arizona, and a 115% increase in North Carolina.

Today, roughly one in four Congressional Districts has more than 5% AAPI residents, and AAPIs exceed 5% of the population in nearly 600 cities and municipalities.

Representation Matters

The decisions made by policymakers and our representatives at all levels of government impact our day-to-day lives. However, if AAPIs aren’t at the table or in positions where they can influence policy decisions, our needs and voices are often ignored or forgotten.

There has been tremendous growth in AAPI representation throughout government. There are now over 600 AAPI elected officials throughout government at all levels, according to the National Asian Pacific American Political Almanac (15th ed.). This includes positions in all branches of government, from legislative to judicial, local to federal. In the 2016 elections, there is an unprecedented number of AAPIs running for office across the country, including two AAPI women running for the U.S. Senate, and various new candidates for the House of Representatives.

AAPI voters are important because our voices in the political and policy discourse must reflect our priorities and needs—which may also be accomplished by electing more AAPIs to office.

Impactful Economic Strength

The growth of AAPI influence and power extends beyond the political sphere into all aspects of American society. For example, AAPIs are integral to the success of the American economy—Census data shows that the AAPI community contributes nearly $1.1 trillion to the economy every year, and AAPI-owned businesses employ 3.6 million Americans across the country.

AAPIs as business owners, consumers, and active members of America’s economy have an important role in shaping the future of our collective communities. The decisions made by today’s leaders must reflect the growing needs and roles of AAPIs in American society, beginning with appreciating the power of our votes.

APIAVote has been through many changes and grown significantly since its humble beginnings as part of OCA-PIA. For over 30 years, APIAVote has invested in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to build power through civic participation. Consequently, APIAVote helped them come out and vote in historic numbers in 2020 and 2021 which injected our voices into the national dialogue like never before. However, to harness the fullest potential of our collective power, there is so much work left to be done.

Now is the time to recommit to their vision where all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are engaged and empowered because our safety and security are under growing threat. Access to civic education in the languages that suit their needs ensures ALL Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are guaranteed their freedom to vote so we have access to good resources amidst an influx of disinformation and more.

A refreshed logo and new website reflect APIAVote’s commitment to meet the moment and growing needs of our communities. APIAVote is embracing its role as the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering AAPI communities to strengthen their voices and create impact. They are stepping up and expanding their size, reach, and power as an organization and are excited to have you be a part of it.

Much work is needed to establish the habit of voting in the millions of voters who came out in 2020 and again in 2021, especially during the upcoming midterm election in November.