Op-Ed

Rev. Franklin Graham Ignores Racism

Published

11 years ago

April 6, 2015

By Rev. Amos C. Brown
NNPA Guest Columnist

Easter was last Sunday, but Rev. Franklin Graham is still wiping egg off his face.

In an unintentionally insensitive Facebook post on March 12, the hugely influential White evangelist ignored the existence of racial bias by law enforcement in the U.S. by suggesting the easy solution to police shootings is to teach our children to obey authority.

“It’s as simple as that,” Graham wrote. “Even if you think the police officer is wrong – YOU OBEY. Parents, teach your children to respect and obey those in authority…The Bible says to submit to your leaders and those in authority ‘because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.’”

The controversial comments are being criticized across the nation. What is most alarming, however, is that almost immediately after the ill-advised post had been published, more than 200,000 people took to the Facebook comment section in order to support Graham’s statements.

Since the post, I have personally spoken with Rev. Graham – reaching across cultural, racial and religious divides – and we both agreed that his comments were insensitive and not clothed in the right language to convey that he meant well and not ill.

Graham is not wrong that parents should teach their children to respect law enforcement. But his post failed to acknowledge that the relationship between institutions of authority and citizens is a two-way street. Law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to respect the worth and dignity of all human beings regardless of race, religious expression, gender or personal orientation.

The presence of injustice in the criminal justice system is now undeniable. A Department of Justice report on the Ferguson, Mo. Police Department revealed widespread racial bias. That racial bias, as much as the perceived disdain for authority by citizens, was bound to lead to officer-involved shootings such as the controversial killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.

The DOJ’s report revealed that people in authority must also take steps to prevent police shootings.

Though unintentional, Graham’s Facebook post perpetuated the narrow-minded view that is reflective of the mindset of established privilege; of someone who has never had to be a victim of the kind of oppression and injustice that average, law-abiding kids of color face on a daily basis in this country.

Sure, we can attack Graham for views that were shaped by his upbringing and environment. But in my view, the better solution is to have a candid conversation with Graham and his flock about the experiences that have shaped the mindsets of Black youth in our nation.

I would not simply decry injustices in our criminal injustice system and the unfair economic policies that have Blacks living in ghettos and prison cells. Rather, I would take folks like Graham on a “ride-along” with the average Black student heading home from school. He should know what it is like to feel like a suspect in the eyes of a police officer, rather than as a normal citizen requiring protection.

He should know what W. E. B. Du Bois, the great African American thinker, meant when he wrote in The Souls of Black Folk, “One ever feels his twoness – an American, a Negro; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled strivings; two warring ideals in one dark body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being torn asunder.”

My hope is that Graham’s 1.06 million Facebook followers could be tuned into this alternative perspective. As a pilot, Franklin knows it takes two wings for an airplane to remain airborne.

Despite our different racial backgrounds and theological persuasions, Franklin and I have started seeing where each other is coming from.

Post-Easter, spiritual and faith leaders must move beyond the crucifixion of misplaced and in inept utterances to a point of resurrection and cooperation between law enforcement and the people they are sworn to protect.

We pledge our support for families, for economic justice and for substantive rehabilitation programs so that this season will not just be words about a Savior who rose from a grave, but about the potential for a social and political resurrection in our nation where people will do justly, love mercifully and walk humbly with their God.

When we do this, we shall become friends who understand and respect each other’s perspectives. We will no longer seek to blame or divide but rather to identify common ground from which we can rise up and improve as a fair and just society.

Rev. Amos C. Brown, a former student and colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is president, NAACP San Francisco Branch and a member of the NAACP national board.

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Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

2 weeks ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Activism

Essay: Intentional Self Care and Community Connections Can Improve Our Wellbeing

At the deepest and also most expansive level of reality, we are all part of the same being, our bodies made from the minerals of the earth, our spirits infused by the spiritual breath that animates the universe. Willingness to move more deeply into fear and pain is the first step toward moving into a larger consciousness. Willingness to move beyond the delusion of our separateness can show us new ways of working and living together.

Published

2 months ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

By Dr. Lorraine Bonner, Special to California Black Media Partners

I went to a medical school that was steeped in the principles of classical Western medicine. However, I also learned mindfulness meditation during that time, which opened me to the multifaceted relationship between illnesses and the interconnecting environmental, mental and emotional realities that can impact an individual’s health.

Therefore, when I began to practice medicine, I also pursued training in hypnosis, relaxation techniques, meditation, and guided imagery, to bring a mind-body focus to my work in medical care and prevention.

The people I saw in my practice had a mix of problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of pain issues. I taught almost everyone relaxation breathing and made some general relaxation tapes. To anyone willing, I offered guided imagery.

“My work embraced an approach to wellness I call “Liberatory Health” — one that not only addresses the treatment and management of disease symptoms but also seeks to dismantle the conditions that make people sick in the first place.”

From my perspective, illness is only the outermost manifestation of our efforts to cope, often fueled by addictions such as sugar, tobacco, or alcohol, shackled by an individualistic cult belief that we have only ourselves to blame for our suffering.

To put these ideas into practical form, I would quote the immortal Mr. Rogers: “Find the helpers.” There are already people in every community working for liberation. Some of them are running for office, others are giving food to those who need it. Some are volunteering in schools, libraries or hospitals. Some are studying liberation movements, or are working in urban or community gardens, or learning to practice restorative and transformative justice, or creating liberation art, music, dance, theater or writing. Some are mentoring high schoolers or apprenticing young people in a trade. There are many places where compassionate humans are finding other humans and working together for a better world.

A more compassionate world is possible, one in which we will all enjoy better health. Creating it will make us healthier, too.

In community, we are strong. Recognizing denial and overcoming the fragmenting effects of spiritual disorder offer us a path to liberation and true health.

Good health and well-being are the collective rights of all people!

About the Author

Dr. Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

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Opinion: Can Donald Trump Pole Dance?

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

Published

3 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

The news cycle has been buzzing the last few weeks. Xi, with Putin and Kim, the sweethearts of Trump carousing alone without him? The victims of the pedophile Epstein speaking out publicly in DC.

Then, there’s the release of that salacious letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said the letter didn’t exist. But it does.

Timing is everything.

Additionally, there are further concerns, such as the Supreme Court removing restrictions on ICE interactions. ICE Agents can stop anyone now. For any reason. And there’s the threat of the U.S. sending the military to fight crime in Chicago. Trump even posted a meme of himself as a character in “Apocalypse Now.”

All that with bad polls and bad economic numbers, and these topics are dominating the news cycle — Trump era chaos.

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

The reality is the opposite. He keeps going strong like nothing’s happened. Inexplicably, Trump always seems to defy gravity.

That’s why to reassure myself with reality, I just think of Trump on a pole. Dancing. He was born on Flag Day, after all.

I’ve got pole dancing on my mind because I’m in Canada at the Vancouver Fringe Festival doing my show, “Emil Amok 69, Everything’s Flipped,” about how the current political situation gets very personal.

Get tickets here if you’re near:

I’ve performed at 16 fringe festivals, and I always look for unique performers. This year, in my same venue (the Revue Stage) I found her in a show, “The Pole Shebang.”

Andrea James Lui may look like a typical Asian American at first.

But she’s Asian Canadian, married to an Australian, who now lives down under.

At the Vancouver Fringe, she highlights her special identity.

Pole Dancer

Yes, pole dancing has come to the fringe. Leave your dollar bills at home, this is not that kind of pole dancing.

This is more Cirque Du Soleil-ish- acrobatic stuff, yet it’s hard to deny the sexiness when a woman flawlessly swings from a pole with her legs apart.

The show is more intriguing than it is titillating.

Lui has created a behind-the-scenes look at the “polar” experience.

“She could have been a physicist,” says her big sister Christina, who despite saying that, supports her sister 100 percent.

Lui touches on some of the emotional depth in the poled subculture. But there’s plenty more to mine in the future. “Polar Bare,” the Musical? I’d see it.

Trump on a Pole

So that’s how I’ve come to the polar metaphor.

As Trump flails in the news, I picture him on a pole.

The letter to Epstein is further proof of the character of the man.

Will he stay afloat?

Not if the presidency were more like pole dancing.

You can’t lie on the pole.

That’s one way all of us in the Trump era can get to the truth.

About the Author

Emil Amok is a veteran journalist, commentator, and stage monologist. He has written a weekly column on Asian Americans for more than 30 years.

Contact: www.amok.com