of Rev. Joseph Lowery, an 87 year old civil rights pioneer:
Rev. ended his prayer with, “Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around – when yellow will be mellow – when the red man can get ahead, man – and when white will embrace what is right.”
What does this mean?
Please tell me what this means in ’09?
Consider the lilies of the field… Matt 6:28
thedailylily.com 
I must say the Rev. is an older man and somewhat older than me. Therefore, I give him the respect due him for his age and the honor he had of praying for our President and our Nation. But, I still don’t understand his prayer. As I think on it, since President Obama was elected President of the USA by people from all skin colors and faith but one nation why would he not pray:
“Help us work for that day when all hearts would unite together and do what is right!” Or, do we have so many different opinions of what is right that the hearts could never ever speak as one? Therefore, the only thing we are willing to admit and talk openly about is the color of our skin? And, many of us don’t intend to stop? Maybe that is what the old man was trying to say? But, if this is right than why are only whites wrong?
I suppose the wounds and bruises of another era have not healed in many capacities. He saw his hero taken out, and even though it was quite a few years ago, it’s hard to forget an assassination. Rather than trying to excuse the old fellow’s remarks, which really are inexcusable in that setting and time and tide, but trying to discern where he might be coming from. Hurts and wounds that were delivered to some over decades of years and passed down from generation to generation take much time to heal.
But, the only real healing must come from the Lord Jesus Christ Who binds up our wounds and heals the broken-hearted. HE alone gives us a hope and future.
I am personally surprised that President Obama chose this man
to provide the Benediction as in the past year Joseph Lowrey
stated that “white racism is gaining respectability again,” and that “there’s a resurgence of racism ”at almost every level of life.”
Also, did President Obama or his staff preview the Benediction?
When it was finished, there was a definite smirk on the
President’s face. Was that a sign of satisfaction or surprise?
Obviously, Joseph Lowrey must not believe that our country
has made much progress in race relations. I believe our
respect level for each other’s race differences has greatly
improved and that most Whites are trying to do what’s
“right”.
Susan, I heard that people were trying to discern if that were a nervous grin or a smirk, as you observed. I wonder how many other Americans who are TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING, saw that!!
I think the President was smiling with joy. Or, that is the way it looked to me. But, maybe it was just the rhythm of this man’s voice. His voice did have a little jig to it.
But, I still think these remarks were inappropriate. And, how does others learn right from wrong with this kind of remarks. White skin does not make one do wrong. If he felt to speak to the issues of race why do it with this kind of slang?
Maybe I am wrong since this may be the only way this older gentlemen knows to speak.
“white racism is gaining respectability again,” based on what? Where is he seeing this? I agree with Susan I think it has greatly improved. President Obama proves that! Maybe, Rev. Lowrey wants racism to rear its ugly head again to give him something to talk about and keep his rhetoric going.
I disliked the ending prayer of Rev Lowry. I felt they left a shadow on all of his speech and were not beneficial and were a misrepresentation of the American voters. It sounded old, caustic and divisive to me, like trying to build walls and fences back up that many people of every skin color here in the US have worked to tear down and keep down. And I agree w/ Sara…the fact that Obama is President is proof. Maybe that is the only way he knows to speak, maybe a bad habit. Certainly not constructive.
“when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around – when yellow will be mellow – when the red man can get ahead, man – and when white will embrace what is right”
Sara, you have asked what this prayer meant…. I have quoted the “tail end” of the prayer, because it SEEMS this part, of the prayer, is referring to skin color? Also, what the particular color will be allowed to do and be?
I hope ALL “will embrace what is right”.
Sara, I’m not sure what this prayer means, but it seems that all our ancestors got off the same ark!!!!!! Captained by Great, Great,………… Grandpa Noah!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh………….GREAT thought Chickenfarmer…..Hum????does that mean we are ALL relatives??????????????
Needles, I love what you said “all will embrace what is right.” Rev. said white skin should and they should as all peoples should. It has caused me to pause and think racism is still around. Sin is still around. I am looking for that glorious day when we can say we are all One and that will be the day He returns to earth.
Chickenfarmer, I have heard that if we all took a DNA test your point would be scientifically confirmed. Grandpa Noah!!!
The more we discuss this, think about it and pray about it the closer we will come to this unity of love. Paul prayed in Eph. 3:14-19 “I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named…”
I may ask, who is the whole family in earth? John 3:16, God so loved the world? Did He mean only whites, or backs, red, brown or yellow, or did he mean ALL!
I am hearing many Christian say let us ‘shine in ’09.” I am on Noah’s boat, let us shine our light forward in all these areas in ’09.
That’s what I’m saying Needles!!!!!! Working in a hospital I see many people. Different shapes, sizes, colors, Etc… One thing is for certain, when someone is bleeding (no matter what color their outer shell is) the blood is always red. When the outer shell is cut through, the organs (if healthy) are all the same color. The muscles and bones are all the same color. GOD IS AMAZING!!!! He has taken each individual and given them different skin, different hair, different fingerprints, and different personalities. He made our insides the same color and made them work in the same manner. He puts the red blood in our bodies to carry oxygen and nutrients to the organs. He put a big muscle in our chest to pump this blood throughout our amazing well built system. Then He gave us amazing brains, that helps send messages throughout the body to keep everything running smoothly. This brain makes choices and decisions throughout our life. All the insides look alike, I mean I can’t look at someone’s brain and be able to tell what color their skin is. If we took a heart out of the chest of a white man, and put it in the chest of a black man, IT STILL WORKS. When we die our bodies are placed in the ground and this outer shell that has been so precious to some will rot away. So this precious outer shell is going to really smell bad. And eventually their will be nothing left but a bone. So I don’t understand how someone can stick their chest out with pride and state my skin is better than yours. Remember this is the same skin that will rot off our bones. How can our brains, that all look the same (some more wrinkled than others) think this way? I think we better go back and read the book of Genesis. God didn’t tell Noah to go out and get one black man and one black woman, one white man and one white woman, one red man and one red woman, and one yellow man and one yellow woman, so we can keep the races in exsitance. No, this wasn’t the case, after God destroyed the earth, there was not one person left, but Noah and his family. So how can we think any other way. DO I SMELL THE WORK OF SATAN!!!!!
Hey Chickenfarmer, I see we were writing @the same time and posting simultaneously. Good minds work together!
Love you comment of truth and love….I love how you explained our organs and personalities, etc.
I think I smell the work of man, Wendyl In eons past, when men (and women) puffed up their muscles and stuck their thumbs in their suspender straps and muttered, Yessiree! I’m better n’ you, brother”. That’s the seed of prejudice. We see it in every culture, religion, tradition, tongue and tribe. We see it between Cain & Abel. We see it between Ismael and Isaac, we see it between Jacob and Esau. As the environment changed and Noah’s descendents spread across the globe they became subjected to climate changes around the world; and there developed physical and physiological differences. That is EXTERNAL differences. BUT…as you aptly pointed out, the inside of a man/woman remains the same. And so the soul and the spirit of a man of any color….that which Jesus Yearns for the spirit and the soul of the man remains the same.
So it is only in becoming one with Christ that we can be reconciled to our brothers. Then, as was pointed out above….the color that houses, that is the temple of the Holy Ghost…the color of it means nothing
Chickenfarmer your thought provoking comparisons of anatomy and others comments above makes you realize how ridiculous racism is. And that little layer of pigmented skin, 1.5 mm (.04 inches) at its thickest part according to what I read online, causing so much sorrow, division and problems.
Thanks for posting this blog, Sara. I agree that bringing these things to light w/ discussions, etc is helpful for unity…and healthy.
How does this heart look when you see it? God said, “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.”—Ezekiel 36:26.
Remember the great Apostle Peter was prejudice and God gave him a audio- visual presentation to change him.
I love this blog. It is intellectually and spiritually efficacious to effectual thought and ideas. Paul wrote in Galatians 3, that if we are baptized in Christ Jesus then we have clothed ourselves with Christ (there is that “clothed” concept, again). So there is now no distinction…neither Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female for we are all in Christ Jesus, Messiah. And if we belong to Christ then we are Abraham’s spiritual offspring and heirs of the promise of Messiah and Heaven. And in Christ we are all freemen, no matter what may be our “color palette “. “For it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” And whom Christ has set free is free INDEED!
Yes, Gary, and actually Paul had an audio and NON-VISUAL presentation when he was rendered blind by the LIGHT, till Ananias was sent by the Lord Jesus Christ to heal him. This reminds me of the current book I am reading, LESSONS I LEARNED IN THE DARK by Jennifer Rothschild. Paul surely learned great lessons in those three days of darkness. It is indeed dangerous to kick against the goad!