In our present day, they are known as “knock offs”.  Things and items that closely resemble that which they replicate.  The look like the real thing, feel like the real thing, and sound like the real thing.  To the casual observer, they are just as valuable as the original.  For most, it is hard to tell a knock off from an original.  In fact, knock offs seem similar to the original in every way possible; even in the way that they function.  That is until there comes a time when the situation requires something that can only be provided by the real thing. It is frustrating to find yourself in a…

It is, by my estimation, the most hate filled, vitriolic word in all of language.  While the usage of the word is subject to debate, what certainly cannot be debated are the emotions the word the N-word evokes.  Whether used to salute or to be spiteful, it is very hard for anyone to engage the word without dealing with the ethos of hate and degradation that accompany it.  The feelings (and possibly reservations) most of you encountered as you read the title of this post are of proof of this. What also cannot be argued is the swift, almost immediate, response one can attain with use of the word.  Calling an…

I don’t know if you were aware, but Donald Trump is running for president… What started out being viewed as a shameless ploy for attention on his part has turned into a legitimate and viable push to attain the highest office in this land.  Media outlets all over the world have been chronicling Mr. Trump’s ascent (or descent, depending on your perspective) in popularity.  From reporting at rallies to telecasting live events to tweets and status updates being retweeted and repeated throughout the day, it is hard for anyone not to hear what Donald J Trump has to say. Despite all of the rambunctious rhetoric surrounding Mr. Trump (and the…

It is an American writer by the name of Paul Auster who once said that “the truth of the story lies in the details”.  Auster supposes that despite the best of intentions, when a story is told without all of its components, the narrative itself is ruined.  The story is never a complete one, if the details are left out of it.  Conversely, the story is at its best when all of the specifics are left intact and made visible. As we find ourselves under the backdrop of another Black History month, I’m reminded of Auster’s words while thinking about a concerning trend in the culture of the contemporary church. …

Her name is Rachel Jeantel.  At the time, 19 years young, Ms. Jeantel was called upon by state attorneys in Florida to testify on behalf of her childhood friend, Trayvon Martin, who had been viciously killed by a man by the name of George Zimmerman.  The case had garnered national attention, and this young woman, armed only with a conviction to tell the truth and a devotion to right the wrong done to her friend, bravely and boldly took to the witness stand to testify.  As she began to speak, her phrasing and word choice were made more relevant than the truth she lovingly attempted to express. Her units of…