Do We Need The National Guard To Help Stop The Violence In The African American Community? By Steven J. Smith

"Stop the violence! Save our sons! Save our daughters!" This is the chant that I heard in downtown Chicago as the community anti-violence organization CEASEFIRE held a press conference in front of the State of Illinois building. The press conference was in response to the recent tragic and gut wrenching murders of children in Chicago over the past few weeks. The spike in murders even have state legislators asking Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to assign units of the Illinois National Guard to help Chicago Police patrol high crime neighborhoods where senseless shootings and murders regularly occur.

The Governor will not send the National Guard into Chicago unless Mayor Richard M. Daley makes a request. Mayor Daley says stricter gun control laws and other alternatives should be used instead of the National Guard. Religious leaders and community activist have mostly condemned the National Guard idea and express the need for economic development (eg. Jobs), increase in education funding and after- school/Saturday programs for youth.

The Chicago Police Department made the point that homicides in Chicago have been trending downward in the past decade. Last years total of 458 homicides continued the trend of the numbers going down from homicides numbering in the 900's in the 1990's. Still 458 homicides is unacceptable and many are frustrated that senseless and often random gun fire is killing innocent 3 years olds, mothers, grandmothers and honor students who just happen to be in the middle of a shooting spree.

Many point to dysfunctional families in the African American community along with the toxic peer-group culture and the lack of jobs upon graduation from high school as the root causes of the crisis. There is a glaring need for a coherent strategy that is goal oriented and measurable. Whose going to stand up and lead this effort? One should not just say where is the Black Church, where are Black Politicians and why are they not doing more.

This problem calls for all people, all organization and all professions to join in the effort. The Black Church, Black Lawyers, Engineers, Social Workers, MBA's, Physicians, Educators and Tradesmen. The Black Church and Black Politicians are often the targets of criticism, rightfully so sometimes, but all segments of the community are responsible. All hands on deck or call in the National Guard.

Too Big To Fail, Derivatives, Financial Reform, What The ......Are They Talking About? By Steven J. Smith

An ABC News/Washington Post poll suggests that 65% of Americans support financial reforms that puts stricter regulations on financial institutions. When you consider that the global economy is in the worst economic downturn that any of us have seen in our lifetime we should all agree that something needs to be done. Seven million U.S. homes are in foreclosure, 8.5 million jobs have been lost, retirement incomes have gone down 20% and housing values have decreased by 30%.

The U.S. Congress is attempting to pass legislation that will place safeguards within the financial market and as usual partisan politics have Democrats and Republicans are squared off against other. Senate Banking Chairman Christopher Dodd-D-Conn. stated on Meet The Press, "Here we are 17 months after someone broke into our house, in effect, and robbed us; and we still haven't changed the locks on the doors, and we need to get it done."

Here are some of the proposal that attempt to change the locks on the doors so that we will not find ourselves in the same economic mess the next time a crisis occurs.

1.) Eliminate "Too Big To Fail". Congress is considering legislation that will eliminate the idea that a company is "Too Big To Fail", like AIG (American International Group), in the future. Economist argued that AIG had to be bailed out by the American taxpayers because a company that has over 100,000 employees in over 100 countries was "Too Big To Fail" and it would take the rest of the global economy over the cliff with it.

2.) Regulate "Derivatives". The exotic financial agreement between two parties that has a value determined by the future price of something else. Derivatives can be thought of as bets on the price of something.

3.) Establish a Consumer Protection Agency within the Federal Reserve.

4.) Give the government new power to oversee the dissolution of large failing institutions.

Currently the Republican Senators, "The Party of No", have vote against any financial reform. This position may be hard to maintain if they are seen as standing up for Wall Street. Most Americans feel that the excesses, greed and free wheeling of companies like AIG, Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sach and many others led to the collapse of the economy. Let us all stay tuned.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

By Steven J. Smith

The Health Care Reform Bill that was signed into law by President Barack Obama, some would argue, is the greatest piece of legislation in the United States since President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare into law in 1965. Opponents of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care would argue that it restricts individual freedom, it is to costly and as Rush Limbaugh states the Act will, "lead to the destruction of America."

Some 45 years ago President Johnson and the progressive Democrats faced opposition to the historic passage of Medicare, as President Obama does today. Medicare according President Johnson has been, "the most revolutionary and most beneficial measure for older Americans since we passed Social Security back in 1935." Johnson added, that older Americans "will no longer have to suffer from misery and neglect because they cannot afford the cost of modern treatment." He went on to say, "I predict 30 years from today this bill will be a welcomed and permanent part of our nations heritage that no representative would ever dare to repeal."

Johnson was spot on in his analysis. President Obama has made a similar claim to the historical and practical impact that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will make upon the lives of Americans of all ages. Here are some of the benefits of the new Health Care Law.

1. 95% of Americans will have health insurance.

2. Companies will no longer be allowed to deny people coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

3. Companies will no longer be allowed to drop people from coverage when they get sick.

4. Small businesses who can't afford to purchase insurance be able to now from a variety of competing plans.

5. The federal budget deficit will be cut by $138 billion over the next 10 years and $1.2 trillion over next 20.

6. Seniors on Medicare will pay less for their prescription drugs because the law closes the "donut hole" gap.

7. Create or save more than 2.5 million jobs over the next decade.

8. Young adults will be able to remain on their families insurance plans until age 26.

The same fear mongering and name calling that characterized the Medicare Act is happening now with the Health Care Act. Many opponents of the Health Care Reform are obstructionist who are opposed to anything President Obama does. Their attempts to block health care reform was done simply for political purposes. One Republican senator declared, "If we're able to stop Obama on this it will be his Waterloo. It will break him." Senator Sherrod Brown from Ohio recognized these scare tactics and stated, "I go back to 40 years ago when the Medicare Bill was passed. People like Bob Dole, Strom Thurmond, Donald Rumsfeld, Gerald Ford, as members of Congress all opposed it."

I wonder what side of the argument Jesus would support? Helping the sick, children, the poor and seniors is the essence of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. I know the answer to WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) in regard to his support for Health Care Reform. He would be a big supporter.

We've Got The Power! You Better Tell Somebody!

Written by Steven J. Smith

A facebook friend from Ohio asked me why I was so excited on Sunday about God's Divine Power and to share that message with others who may read this blog. Well Sister Turner thank you for that encouragement and you are right everybody needs to know that "We've Got The Power!" The Bible tells us, "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:3). God is so wonderful and amazing that he has given us "His divine Power." Just think about that for a minute....... Minutes up! If that does not excite you somebody needs to check your pulse. He did not give us just any kind of power, but the word of God says "divine power!"


The omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (ever present) and omniscient (all knowing) creator has given us the power we need for everything in life. I like the phrase "everything we need for life" because that means that nothing in life is outside of the realm of God's power. Not your finances, not your romances, not your children or your health. "We've Got The Power" to get it done in all aspects of our lives. You Better Tell Somebody! The divine power is real, practical and available right now. The word of God did not say he was giving it to us in the afterlife, but in this life that we are living right now here on earth.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:19-20, "I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." Jesus not only let's us know it will be done for us but that it will be done for us with him on the scene. Hallelujah! Sister Turner I feel like shouting and praising him right now! You want to talk about a support system? It gets no better than having divine power in your spiritual fuel tank. We are talking about super unleaded, maximum octane, grade A power that will take you where you need to go.

This is the message that the Apostle Paul was conveying in 2 Timothy 1:17 when he states, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." This should inspire you today to know that we serve a God that is not just heavenly focused and doing no earthly good. Quite to the contrary he has given us the power we need to prosper down here on earth. You have been gifted by God so "stir up the gifts." Remember "greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)

Ohio's Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Written By Steven J. Smith

Rev. William Simmon's writes in his book Men of Mark: 1849-1890 Eminent, Progressive and Rising about dozens of men who were the Dr. Martin Luther Kings, Thurgood Marshals, John H. Johnsons and Jackie Robinsons of the second half of the 19th century. Simmon chronicles the lives of men like Nat Turner, Frederick Douglas, David Walker, Henry Highland Garnett and Touissant L 'Ouverture. One name that jumped out at me was Rev James Poindexter of Ohio. Rev. Poindexter is from my home state of Ohio and according to family a distant relative of mine.

The recent emergence of genealogy services such as Anecestry.com enabled me to do some research and to find out if Rev. Poindexter was actually a relative. I was excited to learn more about a man that history writes, "The State of Ohio has had within its borders one of the strongest men in the United States, a man whose soul has been on fire on account of the outrages perpetrated against colored people, and who never lost an opportuity to speak and write with vigor against all species of outrages and to ally himself persistently with those elements that look toward the bettering of the condition of those for whom he advocated. His philanthropy has not, however, confined itself to his own race; but those who know him have always done him the justice to say that his interest extended to all classes who are oppressed and downtrodden."

"One of the strongest men in the United States" is how my great, great, great grandfather was described. Yes after a few day of research I was able to fill the generational gaps between Rev. Poindexter and myself. It truly was an inspiration to find that a relative of mine soul was on fire to help the downtrodden of his time. He was the pastor of 2nd Baptist Church in Columbus, he was a member of the Columbus Board of Education, also a member of the Columbus City Council and a member of the Ohio Bureau of Forestry. Wherever he served he was a tireless advocate for all people who suffered under the harsh laws and oppressive conditions of the 19th century.

As a pastor and active member of the community I gain so much from the life lessons learned from this giant of Ohio. Rev. Poindexter masterfully navigated the currents of religion, politics, education and business on behalf of the people of Ohio. Today we can gain inspiration from him as we fight against unemployment, the drug trade, dysfunctional family units and a broken educational system. If Rev. Poindexter and others could overcome slavery, lynching, no voting rights and limited to no access to education we can overcome the issues facing us today.

The God that equipped Rev. Poindexter still exists today. The question is does the faith and courage exist today as it did in men and women back then? I dare to say yes. I make it my point to teach my congregation what James Weldon Johnson eloquently wrote about the "faith that the dark past has taught us and the hope that the present has brought us." This faith and hope is in Bible where it says that faith is, "the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen." With natural vision we can not see how our young men can get off the street corners, how our young women can reduce teenage pregnancy, how the revolving doors of the prisons can stop turning, or how the divorce rate can be reduced. But I stopped here to tell you that if we pick up the supernatural glasses that eye doctor God can prescribe we can see how to overcome and we can overcome.

Is A Woman's Pocketbook Kryptonite For Men?

Written by Steven J. Smith

Kryptonite - The only thing that can kill Superman.

Let me start out by saying what a man and a woman does behind closed doors is ultimately between them, God and their spouses. I have never met any of the infamous sex scandal clad celebrities like Tiger Woods, John Edwards, Bill Clinton, Eliot Spitzer, David Letterman or any of the others caught in the 'Kryptonite Pocketbook' and I do not really care what they do in the bedroom. Unfortunately though society has become warped and crazed to find out about the most intimate details of the lives of celebrities. What is often left out of the conversation is any real compassion for the human beings whose live have been altered by these indiscretions.

For those who do not know what the term 'Pocketbook' means it is a colloquial term used to describe a woman's most intimate part. History seems to reveal that men, some very powerful men, are willing to risk everything for "a little something on the side". I had a friend tell me, after getting married, that it was hard for him to get accustomed to being with the same woman all the time. Or you hear men say that they feel they have earned the right to enjoy the attention that their fame and fortunate has given them. What happened to those vows that were taken at the altar? COME ON MEN!

The Bible tells us that, "a man who finds a wife finds a good thing and gains favor with the Lord." There is nothing a momentary pleasure can bring that compares to the awesome favor of the Lord. The Lord's favor brings joy, peace, love and all those fruits of the spirit that the Bible talks about in Galatians 5:22-23. Someone might say, "that's all spiritual stuff" no having joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control and gentleness in your life has a real impact on your home, your children, your health and your wealth.

The opposite holds true with the selfish pursuit of the 'Kryptonite Pocketbook'. The 'Kryptonite Pocketbook' has a devastating effect on the lives of those whom we love. Studies show that children are at a far greater risk for negative social, educational and physical problems when raised in a single parent home. Women have a far harder time financially, in most cases, when there is only a single income supporting the home. We owe it to God, ourselves, our women and our children to be better. COME ON MEN!

We have a culture that glorifies and in many causes deems it acceptable to be a ladies man, a player or a serial monogamous. I must state for the record I am not bashing my fellow men, but am speaking love and truth where it is much needed. If you cannot give me a "Amen", just say "Ouch" because I want to step on some toes and let you know the direction you are walking in is wrong.

Whether it is Samson of the Bible, televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, Rev. Jesse Jackson or a fellow like me, we all must face the 'Kryptonite Pocketbook' and must decide is it worth it.

Should Preachers Be Politicians?

Written by Steven J. Smith

"Nor can the preacher more than any other citizen plead his religious work or the sacredness of that work as an exemption from duty. Going to the Bible to learn the relation of the pulpit to politics, and accepting the prophets, Christ, and the apostles and the pulpit of their times, and their precepts and examples as the guide of the pulpit today." (From sermon preached by Rev. James Poindexter - Pastor - Second Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio in the year of 1885, as he spoke to the Pastors' Union of Columbus)

Throughout history pastors have been involved in the political process of governance at the local, state, national and even international level. They have held both elected and appointed governmental positions. Even with the long history of the pastor politician the debate still remains as whether the two roles are morally and ethically compatible.

Some of the famous ministers who have held, ran for or currently hold governmental offices include Andrew Young, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President Jimmy Carter and mayor of Atlanta, GA. Ambassador Young is an ordained United Church of Christ minister and disciple of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ministers as congressmen include Rev. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. from Harlem New York, who was pastor of the Abyssinia Baptist Church. Rev. William Gray, Jr. from Philadelphia, pastor of Bright Hope Baptist Church, rose to be the powerful House Majority Whip and was also Chairman of the influential House Budget Committee. Other congressmen include Rev. Floyd Flake, N.Y., Rev. Walter Fauntroy, District of Columbia, and currently Rev. Bobby Rush, Chicago.

We all remember the presidential campaigns in 1984 and 1988 of Rev. Jesse Jackson and more recently the presidential candidancies of former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and PTL host Pat Robertson. Here in Illinois Rev. James Meeks is an Illinois State Sentator and pastor of the mega church Salem Baptist Church. He along with many others around the country have held or are currently holding positions in government. Many are very influential policy makers that shape and dictate laws that effect our lives on a daily basis. State Sentator Meeks currently has legislation pending that will eliminate the local school councils in Chicago and offer vouchers to parents of students in low performing schools. The parents can take the vouchers and use them to pay tuition at private schools based on Meeks proposal.

Are these pastor politicians following in the Biblical footsteps of Moses, Joshua and David who held these dual positions?

In Ohio in 1885 Rev. James Poindexter was ending his career as a public servant (Columbus City Councilman, Columbus Board of Education President, Ohio Forestry Board Member) and pastor when he stated "the conclusion will be that wherever that is a sin to be rebuked, no matter by whom committed, and ill to be averted or good to be achieved by our country or mankind, there is a place for the pulpit to make itself felt and heard. The truth is, all the help the preachers and all other good and worthy citzens can give by taking hold of politics is needed in order to keep the government out of bad hands and secure the ends for which governments are formed."

Rev. Poindexter's on the mark preachers and all other concerned citizens should work to make government better for the people.