No Pity : People with Disabilities Forging a New Civil Rights Movement Review

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(More customer reviews)As a deaf person and an educator, I find myself very involved whether I like it or not in being an activist. I was taking a law class on disability law, and the second footnote in the required text was on this book. That intrigued me, and when I read the reviews about the book, I was even more intrigued. This book is a must-read for anyone who might or does work with the disabled. We no longer want the pity, the institutions, and the exclusion from society. We want to be viewed as normal except with one part or a few parts that may not function as some would consider normal. We want an equal education, equal opportunity to jobs, equal opportunities to participate in society. And everyone will be the better for it. Mr Shapiro as a non-disabled person, wrote a book that was compassionate but strived hard to see things from our point of view. This ability probably stands him in good stead as a journalist. He even taught me things I didn't know about other disabilities. Educators, lawyers, politicians, parents, social workers, and health care professionals need to get off their duff and read this book. They can no longer turn a blind eye or claim ignorance as an excuse to not allowing those of us with differences our rights under the law.

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Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community? Review

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(More customer reviews)Many of those who claim to admire Dr. King and quote from his I have a dream speech seem to have never read his books. This book is the best of all the books King has written and probably the least read. In it, Dr. King critiques himself for giving the then youthful leaders of the Black Power Movement too overly optimistic views of the progress of integration. He also presents the pros and cons of Black Power. He states the need for White America to do much more to improve race relations other than declaring racism to be wrong. He calls for the teaching of African-American history, and for the nation to focus more on helping the poor over military spending. This book should be mandatory reading for high school students, college students, teachers, public officials and business leaders.

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The Forbidden Schoolhouse: The True and Dramatic Story of Prudence Crandall and Her Students (Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)) Review

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(More customer reviews)In 1832, Prudence Crandall ran a private girls' boarding academy in Canterbury, a small Connecticut town located between Hartford and Providence, R.I. When a young African-American girl asked if she could attend Prudence's school, the teacher gladly took her in - much to the chagrin of local residents. In spite of their protests, Prudence went one step farther. Seeing that the educational need was a much larger one, she started a school just for "young Ladies and little Misses of color" in 1833, beginning with an enrollment of six girls from around New England. Even in a Northern state filled with abolitionists and anti-slavery supporters, this action was met with abhorence and eventual hostility. In retaliation, the legislature passed the Connecticut Black Law, which made it illegal to run a school for "colored persons who are not inhabitants of this State." Prudence was arrested and taken to court. She had powerful men on her side -- William Lloyd Garrison, Samuel May, and Arthur Tappan - and eventually, she was found innocent and the law was judged to be unconstitutional. But after the school was repeatedly vandalized, Prudence decided to close it in 1834. She married and moved out of the area, ending up in Kansas.
Her story could easily have ended there. Fifty years after she closed her school, the town of Canterbury and the state of Connecticut decided to apologize to Prudence. The Black Law had already been struck down in 1838. Now in 1886, the legislature granted her a pension of $400 a year to make up for the losses she suffered in the 1830s. Of course, the payment to her still didn't put an end to segregated schooling, but it was a step in the right direction. Prudence Crandall died in Elk Falls, Kansas, in 1890.
Suzanne Jurmain has done us a service by bringing Prudence Crandall's story to light and to life. Her re-telling makes for an interesting and easy read; and yet, it's the kind of real-life tale that makes one cringe at the behavior of one's fellow Americans, even those who are long, long gone. Jurmain concludes the book with a brief and necessary history of American civil rights since that time. The name of Prudence Crandall shouldn't slip through the cracks of our American history volumes. She should be as honored and as well-known as Rosa Parks.

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Damn Near White: An African American Family's Rise from Slavery to Bittersweet Success Review

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(More customer reviews)This poingnant inter-generational story is told with such honesty that the reader is compelled to feel compassion. One cannot help but gain insight as to the the complexity of the competing demands of these family members, including Ms.Wilkins, within each of their own historical contexts. The way Ms.Wilkins weaves her experience with that of her family's history makes for riviting reading. Those families who have an Aunt Marjory know how lucky they are. Ms. Wilkins brings forth the real truth and conflicts about color within the race from the presepctive of lighter African Americans,few have acknowledged. This is a must read for everyone who values African American history and appreciates the sophistical dynamics of African American families. Being a part of the "talented 10th" is as much of a responsibility, with diasspointments, as it has been a benefit. Ms. Wilkins reveals both sides of this truth. This is a wonderful addition to every library that includes African American history.

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Carolyn Wilkins grew up defending her racial identity. Because of her light complexion and wavy hair, she spent years struggling to convince others that she was black. Her family's prominence set Carolyn's experiences even further apart from those of the average African American. Her father and uncle were well-known lawyers who had graduated from Harvard Law School. Another uncle had been a child prodigy and protégé of Albert Einstein. And her grandfather had been America's first black assistant secretary of labor.

Carolyn's parents insisted she follow the color-conscious rituals of Chicago's elite black bourgeoisie—experiences Carolyn recalls as some of the most miserable of her entire life. Only in the company of her mischievous Aunt Marjory, a woman who refused to let the conventions of "proper" black society limit her, does Carolyn feel a true connection to her family's African American heritage.

When Aunt Marjory passes away, Carolyn inherits ten bulging scrapbooks filled with family history and memories. What she finds in these photo albums inspires her to discover the truth about her ancestors—a quest that will eventually involve years of research, thousands of miles of travel, and much soul-searching.

Carolyn learns that her great-grandfather John Bird Wilkins was born into slavery and went on to become a teacher, inventor, newspaperman, renegade Baptist minister, and a bigamist who abandoned five children. And when she discovers that her grandfather J. Ernest Wilkins may have been forced to resign from his labor department post by members of the Eisenhower administration, Carolyn must confront the bittersweet fruits of her family's generations-long quest for status and approval.

Damn Near White is an insider's portrait of an unusual American family. Readers will be drawn into Carolyn's journey as she struggles to redefine herself in light of the long-buried secrets she uncovers. Tackling issues of class, color, and caste, Wilkins reflects on the changes of African American life in U.S. history through her dedicated search to discover her family's powerful story.

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Fall to Grace: A Revolution of God, Self & Society Review

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Jay Bakker's Fall to Grace: A Revolution of God, Self and Society, is something of a surprise to me. Bakker, as you might guess, or know, is the son of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, dis-graced (as Bakker puts it) leaders of the PTL club. Jim Bakker as you recall, went to prison and sadly Tammy Faye died not long ago from cancer.
Jay Bakker, candidly reviews his life, its ups and downs. Predictably he, as a young child, had a ball being in a famous and wealthy family. As the family's fortunes fell, so did his own, and he went the route of many kids in his position: drugs and alcohol. Also, as you might suspect, his hold on faith broke as well.
Like many, Bakker struggled with how he could redeem him life after years of bad choices and bad living. It did not happen over night, but finally he "heard" the words of a friend who patiently stuck with him, repeating again and again, that God's love never wavered. After long arguments, night after night, often in a fog of alcohol, Jay finally fell to Grace.
And grace is what Jay Bakker preaches, and what he believes with all his heart. He carefully explains the concept to those who may be unaware, largely through the voice of Saint Paul in Galatians, his admitted hero.
Jay was undoubtedly brought up in a fundamentalist mind-set, but as regards the bible, he has grown from that limited view, into a more mature and nuanced understanding. He notes that not all of Paul's letters may actually be written by Paul, and he notes the work of Robert Wright's, The Evolution of God, as well as the work of Karen Armstrong, and Henri M. Nouwen.
Those who might shy away from the book on the grounds that it is but another fundamentalist tract, need not worry. I found little in the book that I, as a fairly liberal/progressive Christian, would quarrel with.
What Bakker sets out to do, is to show others how they, steeped in their own screwed up lives, can find a way out of the wilderness through the offering of God's unlimited grace. Grace, as he explains, is God's offering of favor to us, completely unmerited by anything we have done or could do.
It is release from the Law, the Law that Paul spoke of as regards the Torah, but also the Law that we impose today in the manner of morals and accepted behavior in a modern world. We don't have to live up to some mark, God is always offering us the grace of forgiveness and favor.
When one comes to this belief, then and only then, Jay argues, one can by choice begin to see a better way of living, one that is not self destructive and hurtful to others. We can begin to value ourselves as we now realize God values us. And that is the first step. Once we value ourselves we automatically want to do those things that enhance our newfound goodness as humans.
This leads, as we study Jesus' words and Paul's, to a realization that love is the controlling factor in the world. It is the aim of our lives, to love and to continue to grow in love, thereby squeezing out the fears, the angers, the greed, and jealousies we are all too prone to.
When love is freely given, not attached to our hope that it will gain us anything (salvation), then we begin to love the doing of things for others more than any other thing. We embody God's grace, and offer it to others.
This is the way we change hearts and minds, this is the way we build the kingdom.
Perhaps in the most stunning fundamentalist reversal, Bakker has been able to find his way through the ugliness of homosexual bullying that is so prevalent in the fundamentalist world. He has correctly (in my analysis) understood the flimsy "biblical evidence" against homosexuality and come out the other side as a clear and loud voice supporting the gay community.
He, today, preaches to those he calls the freaks and geeks, the unlikely and the unwanted of society. I suspect he brings both comfort and joy to their lives.
While the experienced reading and thinking liberal Christian will not find much new here, those new to faith, or those who are outsiders and wonder if the church has a place for them, will find a welcoming spirit and reason for joy.


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If anyone ever had a reason to leave the Christian faith, Jay Bakker did.At the age of only 11 his parents' global PTL ministry was engulfed by scandal and undermined by Christian backbiting -all of which played out in the 24-hour news media. Disillusioned, Bakker turned to drugs and alcohol and left his childhood beliefs behind. But along the way, an interesting thing happened: Bakker came to understand, through his personal challenges and suffering (as well as the help of some friends), what God's grace was really all about.In this book Bakker explores the true nature of grace--what it means for everyday living and the hot-button issues of our day. With disarming humility, poignant observations, and spot-on theology, Bakker both challenges Christians to reassess their understanding of salvation and encourages non-believers to see Jesus with fresh eyes.

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Strength to Love Review

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(More customer reviews)Because of his inspiring leadership during the United States civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, and because he was assassinated while serving in that capacity, Martin Luther King, Jr., has become an iconic figure in popular culture. And I fear that King the "legend" has become so big that people may be paying insufficient attention to King the writer. If you want to experience King's insight and power as a writer, read "Strength to Love." This collection of sermons is an excellent summation of the philosophy he developed as a Christian clergyman, social critic, and advocate for the African-American community.
Most of the sermons in the book begin with a Bible verse which ties in to the theme of each sermon. One of the main themes of the collection as a whole is King's passionate denunciation of racial prejudice and of the tangible injustice that springs from that phenomenon.
King is also very critical of those sectors of the Christian world that have historically used the Bible and Christian theology as tools for promoting slavery, American racial segregation, and South African apartheid. Indeed, in the sermon entitled "A knock at midnight" he refers to the Christian churches' historic support of racism as one of "the shameful tragedies of history." And he is also critical of those Black churches that have reduced Christianity to either a frenzied form of "entertainment" or a snobbish social club. These are hard words that contemporary Christians need to hear and heed.
King's own vision of Christianity is bold and revolutionary. And this vision is firmly grounded in the person of Jesus, whom he describes as "the world's most dedicated nonconformist." While strongly Christian, King is nonetheless respectful of the truths found in other religious traditions.
One fascinating sermon includes King's balanced critique of Communism. In another sermon, he praises Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, who greatly influenced King's philosophy of nonviolence. Ultimately, King's vision and compassion is vast: in "The man who was a fool," he writes, "All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality."
King's radicalism, his willingness to critique the failings of the Christian world, and his rejection of a rigidly fundamentalist style of Christianity have made him a target of ugly criticism from some more conservative Christians. (Consider, for example, author Paul McGlasson; in his 1994 book "Another Gospel" he condemns King as a "false prophet.") And I fear that others have tried to "sanitize" King's strong message. And that is why "Strength to Love" is such an important book. It is an important historical document of a critical era. And it is also a bold proposal of a Christian path that is compassionate, committed, and open to new truth.

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"If there is one book Martin Luther King, Jr. has written that people consistently tell me has changed their lives, it is Strength to Love." So wrote Coretta Scott King. She continued: "I believe it is because this book best explains the central element of Martin Luther King, Jr.' s philosophy of nonviolence: His belief in a divine, loving presence that binds all life. That insight, luminously conveyed in this classic text, here presented in a new and attractive edition, hints at the personal transformation at the root of social justice: " By reaching into and beyond ourselves and tapping the transcendent moral ethic of love, we shall overcome these evils." In these short meditative and sermonic pieces, some of them composed in jails and all of them crafted during the tumultuous years of the Civil Rights struggle, Dr. King articulated and espoused in a deeply personal compelling way his commitment to justice and to the intellectual, moral, and spiritual conversion that makes his work as much a blueprint today for Christian discipleship as it was then. Individual readers, as well as church groups and students will find in this work a challenging yet energizing vision of God and redemptive love.

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The Martin Luther King, Jr. Companion: Quotations from the Speeches, Essays, and Books of Martin Luther King, Jr. Review

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(More customer reviews)For a good while I've been speechless.
Oh I talk, sure, but it has been obscured by my being distracted.By my flaws, by others flaws. A waste of energy sometimes, a drain on my heart when not directed to a love purpose.
On Amazon this included a person that deliberately improved a false god standing by ruining mine. Simple truths speak simply, it was a waste of my heart energy and did no one any good. I removed content that mattered to me. I wrote here to talk to issues in teaching, point out good books to use with students and reflect.But it became an accusational festival of lies about me. Untrue, unfair, unfounded and it hurt just good purposes. That's how jealousy and hate work. But I was falsely accused. And I stood pretty much alone. But I have a background in understanding some things. Shoulders to climb on.
I have always been inspired by the work of those who see poverty, see needs, see situations that require our concern and then seeing this lose their own self needs into becoming effective reacting on their feet, they dedicate their life to it, to solutions. Some are silent to the world, unseen forces for good. Sure they know how inadequate and flawed they are, but carry on with the best they have toward peace/compassion/doing as their light. Simple thing to elevate in your self. Some become known to us, often giving up their life in noble pursuit.At the extreme end many have done that.
Obviously Dr. King did that.
So his quotes contained in this little lovely book can slip in your purse and stay with you as you sit in the doctor's office, waiting perhaps to get results to see if you son has an aneurysm in his brain(my week), or whenever you feel you need to look deeper as you meditate, or to share with others to center a task. Good as I start the day, or get a break in it to think again about "WHAT MATTERS" in teaching to me.
So inside are attributions to writings and speeches and a very good culled QUOTATION collection. Nothing doesn't stand there for me like a rock solid foundational value he put into practice.
It is divided into sections:
Heritage, The Movement, Institutions, Philosophies, Issues, Reflections and further subdivided.
Today I need to think, meditate, as I teach King, reading here to center about Love and Compassion. (Within Philosophies)So try listening :
"The hard hearted individual never sees people as people, but rather as mere objects or as impersonal cogs in an ever turning wheel. In the vast wheel of industry, he sees men as hands."
"...we must recognize that the evil deed of the enemy-neighbor, the thing that hurts, never quite expresses all that he is. An element of goodness may be found even in our worst enemy. Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves."
" Somehow we must be able to stand up before our most bitter opponents and say: "We shall match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to endure suffering, We will meet your physical force with soul force. Do to us what you will and we will still love you."
" The oceans of history are made turbulent by the ever-rising tides of hate. History is cluttered with the wreckage of nations and individuals that pursued that self-defeating path of hate. Love is the key to the solution of the problems of the world."" It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
" If only to save myself bitterness, I have attempted to see my personal ordeals as an opportunity to transfigure myself and heal the people involved in the tragic situation which now obtains. I have lived these past few years with the conviction that unearned suffering is redemptive."
Dr. King
It helps me turn away from the feelings of disappointment, anxiety and deep feelings of disgust towards more loving reserves that allow me to say to that "enemy" ...... try seeing another way. And I will do the same.

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