More Than a Month: Black History - Chris "Preach" Smith

It's Black History Month. But I'll be damned if it's a
matter of widespread public knowledge. Before you get all up in
arms and call me extra sensitive, let's examine something. Did
anyone, ANYONE see any mention of the fact that this past
Sunday was Jackie Robinson's birthday outside of a few websites
and channels? It was hard to find amid all of the chatter about
the Grammy Awards and the terrible tanned tag-team that is
the cast of MTV's 'Jersey Shore'. I felt it necessary to say this
on the second day of Black History Month; just because we
have an African-American president doesn't mean the struggles
are over, people. Not by a long shot.

I've always welcomed Black History Month but I've always felt
uneasy about it at the same time. One main reason being, its
existence alone can suggest that Black people in this country
as a whole can be compartmentalized and put on display like
an action figure on a shelf in a store. It's nothing new, but it's
beyond old as hell. You get the feeling as if the establishment
said, 'let's keep the Negroes appeased.' I know other ethnic
groups feel the same way. (By the way, whose bright idea was
it to split Hispanic History Month over two months?) The other,
more pertinent reason is how much of an imprint this time has
on people. I recall a statement by DJ Stress that sums it up:
'let's tell our kids that we have more famous people in our
society than rappers.' And sometimes, it does feel like some
of our youth don't pay any mind to something unless Lil Wayne
or Kid Cudi is attached to it. Harsh? Yeah, but it is truthful if
you ride the 2 train in the mornings or catch a bus once school
breaks out and listen to their conversations. Black history is
not only highly expansive, it is constantly in progress. And in
a technologically fast-paced world, that's got to be stressed
more than ever.

Black History is happening every day because like the history
of other cultures, you can blink and miss moments easily.
One story that comes to mind is that of Henrietta Lacks, a
poor farmer in Maryland who had cervical cancer in the 1950's.
The doctors at John Hopkins Medical secretly took cells from
her body for testing and experiments and these cells became
'immortal' and helped towards the development of a polio
vaccine in addition to other medical triumphs. Of course, this
story is only now coming to light. For a relevant example
today, look at students in New York City who held a protest
outside of MTA headquarters on their day off from school to
fight for the return of student Metrocards which were taken
away by the MTA due to lack of funds. It begins with us, like
it always has. At home, in discussions with friends and our
co-workers, wherever possible. Because history, like anything
else of worth, lives when it is current and spoken and written
about constantly across all generations. We need to get past
the point where we're relying on the media to remember for
us. Black history is every day of your life.

Super Bowl Bayou - Chris "Preach" Smith

Like a lot of people, I jumped for joy as the football sailed
through the uprights in the Louisiana Superdome guaranteeing
the New Orleans Saints their first ever Super Bowl Berth. It was
especially sweet considering that it came over the Minnesota
Vikings and 40 year old Brett Farve, who has more NFL lives than
Crash Bandicoot these days. They're not going to admit it, but I
believe there were some Saints fans who had a hidden feeling of
''it's too good to be true" and dread even though their team at
one point was undefeated deep into the regular season. Their team
after all had years of futility under their belt. Fans with brown
paper bags over their heads. Nuns invited to break the 'curse'.
Mike Ditka virtually giving up the franchise one year to draft the
only Heisman Trophy winning hemp afficianado ever, Ricky
Williams. Not that it's been entirely bad. Archie Manning had a
strong career with losing teams. Tom Dempsey had the longest
successful field goal kick in NFL history. There were contending
teams in the early 1990's built on the arms of Steve Walsh and
Bobby Joe Hebert and the one-two punch of Dalton Hilliard and
Craig 'Ironhead' Heyward. And who can forget Rickey Jackson
on defense? But this season has been truly magical. And New
Orleans is a town that needs some of that magic these days.

It was close to five years ago when Hurricane Katrina swept in
and tragically impacted the Gulf Coast, New Orleans primarily,
during the sweltering month of August. The entire world was
riveted to news from the bayou, and the Superdome became a
symbol of hope and resilience as people camped out on the field
and the bleachers...and bodies were stored in the catering freezers.
In the midst of the Mississippi's swollen floodwaters, it stood out
as a beacon of faith. Afterwards, football didn't seem all that
important. The owner, Tom Benson even mulled an offer to move
the team to San Antonio. This couple with the possibility of the
other sport team in town, the Hornets looking to bail would've
killed a lot of spirit in this town, a city rich in history and culture
outside of those cliche pictures of Bourbon Street. Thankfully,
Benson chose to stay. And the Saints have done their part in
helping New Orleans rebuild on and off the field.

A touchdown doesn't take away the feeling of feeling
abandoned.

The question is, as much as sports matter in this country, how
much can that feeling carry the city of New Orleans? Katrina
and its aftermath opened up that deep seated wound of racial
disparity that sits in the body of America with the cold efficiency
of a machete. I took part in organizing a benefit for a group in
the Lower Ninth Ward which is still, years later recovering. A
great deal of the people there were scattered across this
country, and some have yet to return. Houses still sit damaged.
On some level, the success of a football team doesn't mean
squat to a family who's lost their home and may not be able to
get back. A touchdown doesn't take away the feeling of feeling
abandoned. But these Saints have become a rallying cry. A cry
that is heard in Congo Square. A source of pride every time you
see a fleur-de-lis in black and gold. A friend of mine has family
down there and is a die-hard fan...which she trumpeted after
the Saints beat my Giants in week 5. (See Ms.Stackhouse, I
have not forgotten.)


And you can't help but think that there's a divine script being written.
The Indianapolis Colts are the second half of this Super Bowl, led
by Peyton Manning, Archie's boy. Archie's on record as rooting for
the Colts. But somehow, someway,  I think that this man who played
for New Orleans, who still calls it his home wouldn't be too upset
if the Saints won. And I think that he and a lot of other people
would hope that this means that more good fortune falls upon
this city in the form of upward progress in rebuilding. And more
businesses investing there. More jobs. Long after the cheering
stops, that is what the city of New Orleans will need the most
these days. Because while America loves a winner, more than anything,
they love a comeback. And the New Orleans Saints and their city can
definitely attest to that.

Penny Candy and Booze - Chris "Preach" Smith

For such a well regarded city, New York City has always shown
itself to be notorious in ignoring certain issues unless called out on
it. From Tammany Hall to Bloomberg, this common thread has hurt
and in some cases, helped natives of this city. One recent example of
this that has hit the newspapers has been the discovery that a few
bodegas in the Bronx have been busted selling alcohol to teenagers
for five bucks a pop. Every politico attached has expressed outrage,
and my reaction can summed up in one question:

Where the hell have you all BEEN?

I remember visiting a certain bodega on Linden Boulevard back
in my high school days. It did a lot of business despite closing a
couple of hours earlier than similar spots, no mean feat when
there were three other bodegas in that two block radius. There
were two reasons for this. One was the Street Fighter II machine
they put in the back. That guaranteed daily visits by the afterschool
crowd. The other was the fact that they were selling shots on the
humble over the counter...and age was not an issue. Wild Turkey,
Souther Comfort, or 151 depending on the day. Every teenager
in the 'hood knew about it, and quite a few took advantage. So
it doesn't surprise me that this is happening because the truth is,
it always was. There was even an older sister selling a mixed
drink(and I'm being kind)called Nutcracker out of a plastic bag
while I was on line for a concert at BB King's a couple of months
ago.

The main reason why this is happening is the fact that some
bodega and corner store owners have one set strategy which
gets dictated by times of economic struggle such as what we're
in now: teenagers are your best consumers, and it is best to
take advantage of that any way you can. Think about it. If you
grew up in NYC and your teen years covered the late 1980's and
early 1990's, a good deal of that time was spent at the corner
store or bodega. That's why a lot of people reminisce over 40
ounces and St.Ides Special Brews and other low cost beers.
A shot of liquor adds extra profit across the board. The same
principle that has eateries offer student menus gets twisted to
sell liquor to children. The rub is, teens won't speak up 'cause
this is the period of their life where this is part of their fun.
And any store owner is going to flat out deny it because they
risk getting shut down by the city. That bodega I mentioned
earlier? They got shut down by the police, and never fully
recovered. Even a change of management didn't help, and
that bodega is now a record shop.

If people want to stop this from happening, understand two
things. First, someone, somewhere will sell to teens because
money is money. Parents and community groups need to do
their due diligence and go to these store owners and let them
know the police will be watching along with them. The second
thing is, be mindful of your teen's behavior. Teens have a lot
of ways to communicate, but not necessarily with their parents.
Get involved and let them know it's for their safety and no
other reason. Because they know it's not the best thing for
them either. And this way the only Nutcrackers they can be
concerned about would be for the holidays.

Curses and Charlatans - Chris 'Preach' Smith

That's what you really wanted to say to the people of
Haiti, isn't it Pat?

“Whatever defamation of character my enemies are spreading
about me, I do not feel the need to justify myself toward them.
While discretion obliges me to remain silent, my duty compels
me to prevent them from doing any more harm.”

- Toussaint L'Overture

Have you ever been to a church and noted the exterior?
One thing that always stood out to me with churches were
the gargoyles. Gargoyles are, from my understanding,
placed on churches to ward off any and all evil that may
attempt to enter. So for all of their fearsome appearances,
they are guardians in that role.

But now, in the midst of a tragically horrendous earthquake
that has hit Haiti two days ago, we're now getting proof
that gargoyles can be truly evil. Especially when given a
platform in the name of something. Take Pat Robertson of
'The 700 Club'. Now I have never been a fan of him or his
show. And I always thought it was creepy that he had a lone
black figure as a co-host who didn't say much. Robertson
had the audacity to proclaim on his program that Haiti
suffered this earthquake because of a 'pact with the devil'.
And I got angry. Even more so when the sister that stood
next to him didn't utter a single word. To me, this man is
a disgrace. To call him a piece of dirt is an insult to dirt.
Robertson is nothing more than a decrepit, despicable bigot
who has a history of making these racial judgement calls
in the name of Christianity. And making a mint in the process
from poor, misguided souls which puts him in the same
class as any two-bit, jackleg storefront preacher with a
well-worn bible and a good pair of oxfords.


And if that wasn't bad enough, Rush 'I'm Too Bloated
to be a Pig' Limbaugh comes in, riding shotgun with
deregatory comments against President Obama's
heartfelt message to the Haitian people. It is truly
shameful to see someone so prejudiced, so absolutely
un-American in his sham patriotism sit and make such
statements with a smirk on his face. This after having
a heart scare not too long ago. I guess old bigots
never die, they just wither like corner store cigars.
Limbaugh and Robertson are just two sides of the
same evil that causes so many eyes to look on the
United States with disgust. These individuals cannot
compare with many fine and decent people who, even
in these tough economic times, have given of themselves
in so many ways to Haiti and her people in these tough
times.


"I guess old bigots never die,
       they just wither like corner store cigars."

Maybe we're the cursed ones because these two
represent an American way of life that simply will not
let go of our heels, now as we have entered our 234th
year of existence as a nation. A way of life that divided
us then and still divides us now because for every three
people that find these two despicable, there's one that
silently smiles and applauds. And that curse, Pat and
Rush is one you and your kind will prolong as long as
you spew your garbage in the name of religion and
patriotism. Thank the heavens that there are people
who do not share your antiquated ideals who are down
in Port-au-Prince, who are taking up collections in New
York City, and Montreal, and everywhere else who chose
not to believe in curses...but the compassion of their
own hearts. The two of you should be ashamed to call
yourselves Americans...and human beings.

Swing and a Miss - Chris "Preach" Smith

So Mark McGwire decided to talk about the past after all.

Every news station was alive with the news that Mark McGwire admitted
to steroid use. Big Mac's statement comes nearly five years to the day
where he was before a Congressional committee with Sammy Sosa and
Rafael Palmiero and said famously, 'I'm not here to talk about the past'
every time he was asked about his involvement with steroids. This also
comes before spring training begins and with it, a job as a hitting coach
with the St.Louis Cardinals. I watched his statement like everyone else
and my main conclusion?

Juuust a little bit outside of reality, Mark.

There is nothing courageous about how you handled this simply because
it puts you in the same class as Pete Rose, who admitted that he bet
on baseball only because he knew that by doing that he would get into
the Hall of Fame. Tony LaRussa, your former manager with the Oakland
A's and Cards more than likely told you that this is what you had to do.
But how you did it leaves a little bit of a bad taste. Especially when you
got choked up. We've all seen you emotional and that didn't seem too
genuine. Crocodile tears don't work for little children and they don't
work for athletes in trouble. Also, telling everyone that you didn't use
steroids for strength is a load of bull. You gain that extra edge from it
along with the supposed quicker healing process. As we've seen over
the years, that's a bonus many will have to get those big paydays a la
Giambi, A-Rod and the rest. Saying that 'God gave me a gift' to hit
those home runs...I guess you were highly impatient with the man
upstairs to do what you did, huh?


The biggest issue I have with you, is about what you've done up
to this point. NOTHING. You've become a veritable hermit, up until
recently. What happened to all of that youth outreach you spoke
so forcefully about on Capitol Hill? To date, we've heard nothing
or seen nothing. That makes this all the more regrettable because
once again, we have someone who did dirt and got rewarded(for
Major League Baseball needs to get some of the blame) and may
wind up with no punishment. And this is someone who certain
parts of America held up as a true hero. Some hero.


I'm not saying the Hall of Fame is pure when you've got pitchers
who used pine tar and one of the best hitting racists of all time in
there(Gaylord Perry and Ty Cobb respectively)but if I was a voter,
I'd make this man sweat. Wait until the last ballot to put him in and
even then, do it by a scant margin. Give him the same treatment
you'd give Barry Bonds, people. Or am I asking for something that
won't happen for obvious reasons? Make McGwire and any other
player who used steroids feel the shame of it. Telling the world 'you
wished you never played in the steroids era'? YOU WERE THE
STEROIDS ERA!!! You and a lot of other players. McGwire, I am glad
that you spoke up, I'm glad you told the Maris family directly that
you used but the real apology begins when you stop the snow job
and just come clean and not because it's the better business
decision.