Hopefully, we'll see you all tonight at 9 p.m. in Rm 150 of the MCA. There will be popcorn!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Mosaic hosts 'The Visitor'
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Mixed-Race TV Contestant Ignites Debate In China
Here is an interesting article on the racial climate in China involving a 20-year-old reality tv contestant...
President Obama's arrival in China on Sunday is being eagerly awaited by many people, especially one young woman in Shanghai. Lou Jing is of mixed race, with a Chinese mother and an African-American father. She became famous nationally after her participation in an American Idol-type program sparked a spate of vitriolic online racist abuse.
For Lou, the reality television show turned out to be a lesson in brutal reality. The talent contest is called Go! Oriental Angel, and the 20-year-old made it through preliminary rounds to become one of 30 contestants.
Lou is studying for a degree in television anchoring at Shanghai's prestigious Theater Academy, and her teachers thought it would be a good opportunity. But from the very first, the focus was on her skin color.
Spotlight Cast Ugly Shadows
Introducing Lou, the host said, "her chocolate-colored skin lights up her sunny character."
In a short yellow satin frock, Lou launched into a rap she had written to introduce herself to the audience. In retrospect, this moment probably marks the end of Lou's innocence — and the start of a process of questioning her own identity.
"When I was young, I didn't really know I was different from other people," she says. "It was only after entering the competition that I realized I was different from others."
The show drew attention to her background, which is very unusual for China. She was raised in a single-parent family by her Shanghainese mother, who is a teacher. Her African-American father, whom she has never met, returned to the United States without even knowing he had conceived a child in China.
On air, her mother, Sun Min, said she had only ever had one conversation with Lou about her father. She described how her then-7-year-old daughter had asked about him.
"I didn't answer and immediately started crying," Sun recalled. "From then on, Lou Jing never asked again."
Painful Fallout
In her two months on air, Lou was nicknamed the "Chocolate Angel" and the "Black Pearl" by the media. She wasn't bothered by these names, she says.
But online, the poison pens were venomous. Chinese posting messages on the Web criticized her skin color as "gross" and "ugly"; they called her shameless for appearing on television. The worst insults were reserved for her mother for having had a relationship with an African-American out of wedlock. Lou and her mother are now suing one Shanghai newspaper for libel.
There were online statements of support as well, but the verbal attacks stunned Lou.
"I looked at the posts and I cried. Then I didn't look at them anymore. I decided I would do my best to go abroad to study," she says.
The Obama Parallels
Lou sees Obama as a motivational figure and hopes his visit to China will be televised live. The parallels haven't gone unnoticed: One well-known blogger and magazine publisher, Hong Huang, remarked that even as the U.S. was welcoming Obama to the White House, Chinese people were unable to accept a girl whose skin color was different.
China's economic progress has been astounding, but Lou Jing's cautionary tale exposes the fact that social attitudes still lag far behind.
For now, Lou is still on TV, guest-hosting a variety show showcasing different regional dialects. It's a job she had lined up before her appearance on Oriental Angel, she says. Since then, she hasn't had a single work offer — no advertising contracts or modeling jobs, either.
Her dream is of escape. She wants to study journalism at Columbia University. She believes the lack of knowledge about racism in China is such that many people didn't even realize their comments were discriminatory or hurtful. But for her, the world suddenly seems a different place.
"Before, on the street, people might say things like, 'How come she looks like that?' But that was just a small number of people. When I was younger, I thought life was beautiful. Why is it that now I've grown up, I don't think that anymore?" she says.
China still likes to think of itself as monocultural, but as it opens up — and more Chinese marry foreigners — the issue of what it means to be Chinese is emerging. Lou was born and bred in China, and never lived anywhere else, yet this latest saga has made her wonder whether she can ever really belong in China.
"I've always thought of myself as Shanghainese," Lou says. "But after the competition, I started to have doubts about who I really am."
For the show's producers, putting Lou under the spotlight may have been a clever ploy to boost ratings. But the fallout has been painful: Her mother has stopped working, and when asked if she regrets appearing on the show, Lou replies: "If you beat me to death, I wouldn't take part in that competition again."
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Panel on Homosexuality
Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 10 p.m. in Longacker Rectial Hall - email hu.mosaic@gmail.com for questions.
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Injustice in Louisiana
Here is an interesting article on a Louisiana official who refused to marry an interracial couple:
news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091016/ap_on_re_us/us_interracial_rebuff
EW ORLEANS – Louisiana's governor and a U.S. senator joined Friday in calling for the ouster of a local official who refused to marry an interracial couple, saying his actions clearly broke the law.
Keith Bardwell, a white justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish in the southeastern part of the state, refused to issue a marriage license earlier this month to Beth Humphrey, who is white, and Terence McKay, who is black. His refusal has prompted calls for an investigation or resignation from civil and constitutional rights groups and the state's Legislative Black Caucus.
Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement a nine-member commission that reviews lawyers and judges in the state should investigate.
"Disciplinary action should be taken immediately — including the revoking of his license," Jindal said.
Bardwell did not return calls left on his answering machine Friday.
Bardwell has said he always asks if a couple is interracial and, if they are, refers them to another justice of the peace. Bardwell said no one had complained in the past and he doesn't marry the couples because he's worried about their children's futures.
"Perhaps he's worried the kids will grow up and be president," said Bill Quigley, director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and Justice, referring to President Barack Obama, the son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas.
Obama's deputy press secretary Bill Burton echoed those sentiments.
"I've found that actually the children of biracial couples can do pretty good," Burton told reporters aboard Air Force One as it flew to Texas.
Humphrey and McKay were eventually married by another justice of the peace, but are now looking into legal action against Bardwell.
Humphrey said she called Bardwell on Oct. 6 to ask about a marriage license. She said Bardwell's wife told her that Bardwell would not sign marriage licenses for interracial couples.
Bardwell maintains he can recuse himself from marrying people. Quigley disagreed.
"A justice of the peace is legally obligated to serve the public, all of the public," Quigley said. "Racial discrimination has been a violation of Louisiana and U.S. law for decades. No public official has the right to pick and choose which laws they are going to follow."
A spokeswoman for the Louisiana Judiciary Commission said investigations were confidential and would not comment. If the commission recommends action to the Louisiana Supreme Court, the matter would become public.
U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said in a statement Bardwell's practices and comments were deeply disturbing.
"Not only does his decision directly contradict Supreme Court rulings, it is an example of the ugly bigotry that divided our country for too long," she said.
Tangipahoa Parish President Gordon Burgess said Bardwell's views were not consistent with his or those of the local government. But as an elected official, Bardwell was not under the supervision of the parish government.
"However, I am certainly very disappointed that anyone representing the people of Tangipahoa Parish, particularly an elected official, would take such a divisive stand," Burgess said in an e-mail. "I would hope that Mr. Bardwell would consider offering his resignation if he is unable to serve all of the people of his district and our parish."
Bardwell, a Republican, has served as justice of peace for 34 years. He said he has run without opposition each time, but had decided earlier not to run again. His current term expires Dec. 31, 2014.
___
Associated Press writer Eileen Sullivan in College Station, Texas, contributed to this report.
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Tuesday, October 20, 2009
The Hope of a Hebraic-Jewish Jesus
What does it mean to have images of a White Jesus, Asian Jesus etc.?
Most of the time we don’t really think about how we depict Jesus, but perhaps it is important that we think of it with more intent.
We unfortunately create Jesus in our own image. So who was Jesus?
Jewish as a Hebraic Jew, Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but his earthly mother, Mary, and his earthly father, Joseph, were from the northern parts of Galilee. Jesus would not have been white; he would have been olive-skinned. The closest thing in our day and age would be Middle Eastern Arabs or Middle Eastern ethnic Jews.
Jesus would have looked like a multi-ethnic Jew. He would have most likely had Jewish traits, a prominent nose and jaw, and dark hair, but he would have most likely also had traits and blood from various ethnic and cultural lines (look at the inclusion of Ruth (a Moabite), Rahab (a Canaanite), and others in Jesus’ genealogy). Additionally, as the son of a carpenter and a young man who trained in carpentry, we can deduce that Jesus was probably tanned by the sun and at least in decent shape. Archeologist put pieces of history together and actually deduced that Jesus maybe looked similar to this . . .
Why do we create in our own image?
Generally, I believe we depict Jesus in our own image because we are ethnocentric and prideful. We want to normalize and validate our own race, ethnicity, and/or history. Some times that comes with elements of power. Although it isn’t a comfortable reality, a white Jesus normalizes Christianity as a “white man’s religion.” Historically, within the American context this has been painstakingly true. Native-Americans/First Nationers, Black Americans, and Asian-Americans have struggled with the possibility of Christianity, partly because it meant that they would have to follow a “white man.” Obviously, folks within these groups became and are Christians nonetheless, but Christianity’s presentation of Jesus was incorrect and a hindrance for many.
But this is not a “white issue.” It is a Christian issue. A lot happens when we create Jesus in our own image. We have Aryan depictions which fueled Nazi Germany & the KKK, We have Black depictions that form an Afro-centric/Black Power Christianity. We have European depictions that encouraged the Crusades. We have Latino depictions that lead South Americans to violence. Having a Jesus that looks like us makes us – even if not consciously – feel entitled to view our expression of faith as true, sometimes despite the unbiblical reality of our expression.
* I must establish that rich art is something different than normal depiction. For example, the artistic depiction of Jesus as an African-American slave says something much more than Jesus is Black. In fact, it doesn’t say that at all. It says that Jesus can identify with the suffering of Black slaves in the United States and suffering as a whole. To depict Jesus as an Italian immigrant can speak of Jesus’ extraterrestrial alienation in this world. It is not art that is of our concern. In fact, Jesus art should be celebrated. We run into trouble when we normalize the race and ethnicity of Jesus to our own presuppositions rather than truth.
Does it matter what Jesus looks like?
Some say that Jesus’ physical appearance doesn’t matter, that it is superficial, but that isn’t reality. Jesus’ social environment was impacted by his culture and his appearance. Jesus was a Jew. That means people treated him like a Jew.
We have a temptation to want to be nice and color-blind or ethnic-blind (probably a better fit, but not as catchy). We wish we didn’t see difference, but that again isn’t reality. I am black, specifically African-American. To assume that my ethnicity hasn’t shaped my perception of the world and the world’s response to me is preposterous. My African-American”ness” doesn’t ultimately define me, but it is a part of who I am and who God made me. Maybe you are European-American, maybe you are Kenyan, maybe you are Black Jamaican, maybe you are Chinese-American, etc. Whatever ethnicity/race you are does not define you, but it is a part of your definition.
Jesus’ jewish”ness” connected him with humanity, with a people who had suffered, who had ruled, who had been in favor with God, and who had felt the hand of God.
Jesus dealt with – in neither an explicitly positive or negative way – being a Jew in a Roman land, being officially a bastard (lest we forget although Mary and Joseph were pregnant before they were married, even though we understand the work of the Holy Spirit impregnating Mary - try selling that to a whole society), a lower/middle class individual, a carpenter’s son, a brother, a Nazarene (thus, not from a “good” part of the middle-east), being most-likely tri-lingual (Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic), and being connected to a Hebrew ethnicity and history. His ultimate identity was the son of God, but he had many identities, one of which was his race/ethnicity.
So what?
So what do we do with depictions of Jesus? That is the hard question. I don’t know if there is a 5-step plan or that I can give a 5 point sermon about it. But here are some simple thoughts.
1- Internally and Externally acknowledge that Jesus was an Arab, Hebraic Jew
2- Confront incorrect -non Artistic - depictions of Jesus
3- Realize that artistic depictions of Jesus are not suppose to create an image of Jesus as a human, but as the Messiah (e.g. Black Jesus relating with liberation from American slavery equates with Jesus liberating us from the slavery of sin)
4- Understand how incorrect images tied with power (KKK, Nazi Germany) distorts the Gospel and is a hindrance to others.
The hope of a Hebraic-Jewish Jesus.
Seeing Jesus as Jewish liberates us from power plays. We all, despite our current ethnicity/race, most identify with the lineage, history, and stories of the ancient Hebrews. If “salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22), we must realize the depth of understanding. God worked within the Hebraic context in the Old Testament, but Jesus widened the perspective, it was no longer necessary to specifically join this people group. What Jesus brought was a multi-cultural expansion to where and to whom God would work. The Kingdom of God became open to all who wished to enter and was historically tied, but not bound to the Hebrew people.
In many ways this is obvious. If we as Christians weren’t supposed to connect to the Hebrew people, what is the point of the Old Testament? Yes, there are prophetic allusions to the Christ and we have a broad understanding of who God is by reading the Old Testament. But God could have simply placed the remnant of all those things within various cultures without having us follow a unified grand-narrative (I argue that he did give us pieces to look at in various cultures). But God pinpointed a certain people group to work through. Through their ethnicity and history we read the Old Testament and connect, in part because we are, too, God’s people. Like Ruth said to Naomi, we say to Jesus, the Christ, “your people shall be my people and your God my God.”
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Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
That's a wrap!
Thanks to everyone for making Harambee awesome! We'll post pictures soon to show you all the different cultures represented at the fashion show. Read more...
Monday, October 5, 2009
Tuesday Chapel Speaker
Rev. Brenda Salter McNeil is the author of The Heart of Racial Justice: How Soul Change Leads to Social Change and A Credible Witness: Reflections on Power, Evangelism and Race. She founded and directs both a ministry and a leadership-development organization devoted to racial and ethnic reconciliation and training. She earned a B.A. from Rutgers University, an M.Div. from Fuller Seminary, and a doctorate of ministry from Eastern Baptist Seminary
Along with Tuesday chapel, Salter McNeil will also hot a student leader training session on Wednesday, October 7 at 11:00 am in Hardy basement.
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Food and Fashion
Mosaic will be hosting a food & fashion show at 7:00 pm on Oct. 8th.
The event will take place in the HUB and will showcase fashion from around the world.
We are in need of students and/or staff members who would be willing to model clothing. We want people who are willing to have fun, mingle and briefly walk the runway.
Also, if anyone has clothing from around the world feel free to let us know.
E-mail hu.mosaic@gmail.com for more info.
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Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mosaic in the News
Mosaic got its first press coverage. We are in the big leagues now! Well at least farm league. Check out the article at www.huntingtonian.com.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
New Mosaic Blog
Hey Huntington campus! We here at Mosaic want to make sure you know all about Mosaic and ways you can get involved. So in case you were wondering...
Read more...Our mission is to encourage the community of HU students, staff, and faculty members to explore how race, ethnicity, culture, and diversity impact our world. We celebrate diversity in all ways, shapes, and sizes on the Huntington University campus. Think of us as a SAB (Student Activities Board in case you're new), but with a more specific goal in creating campus unity. So we like to have fun... and learn about each other while we are at it.So if you have any questions or ideas about Mosaic and what we are trying to do, contact us at any social networking site available to humans, i.e. Facebook, Twitter, and, of course, hu.Mosaic@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you.
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