Happy Birthday, President Nelson Mandela, who has turned 93 years old. We all stood in awe as he made his parade from prison into world history to become the President of South African. As the people were celebrating by dancing and singing, the question was asked of him, “see the people are excited because they are free.” He responded, “They are not free. They are loose.”

President Mandela has provided sage advice throughout the ages on what it means to fight, struggle, plan, and legislate for freedom. He has fought against the system and within the system to assert, a person right to be free.

Have we listened? No, the people of South Africa have given him respect, but did not fully listen to the advice of a this wise man. Have people around the world listened, no, particularly African Americans. We are still wrestling with our looseness and have not made much progress in our freedom march.

Have we developed leaders who are able to stand on a world stage? We thought President Obama would be such a leader, but we are finding out that the political rough and tumble of Washington, is slowly but surely chipping at his status and stature.

That’s what makes President Mandela such an icon figure. He stands for something that will survive the test of time – A REAL BLACK MAN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us: it’s in everyone. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
— Nelson Mandela

Source: Daily Walking, Working, and Winning by God’s Word by Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr.

Becoming fodder on talk show radio and journalistic blogs was the recent endorsement of members of the Interdenominational Minster’s Alliance of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake. It is reported that Senator Catherine Pugh challenged the selection process. At the crux of the matter is the endorsement process did not follow the organizations’ historic procedures. I will agree that is unfortunate. The IMA and its leaders must be careful that they are not above critique, and their actions must be above reproach. There was a period in time when it was necessary for clergy to provide political guidance to the African American community. There was a time when it was necessary to galvanized people to vote for a candidate who promised to place agenda item’s front and center who supported the African American community. Organizations, such as the IMA, actually ran candidates for public office. With the sophistication of the political process and campaign tactics, the real problem is that the IMA didn’t keep up with the times. Their process is “old school” and “old school” is out of date for these times.

Source: Daily Walking, Working, and Winning by God’s Word by Rev. Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr.