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Opinion Human Tragedy and Triumph “Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now” B ERNIE F OSTER Founder/Publisher B OBBIE D ORE F OSTER Executive Editor T ED B ANKS Advertising Manager J ERRY F OSTER Account Executive L ISA L OVING News Editor H ELEN S ILVIS Multimedia Editor D AVID K IDD Graphic Designer M ONICA J. F OSTER Seattle Office Coordinator J ULIE K EEFE S USAN F RIED Photographers The Skanner Newspaper, established in October 1975, is a weekly publica- tion, published each Wednesday by IMM Publications Inc., I am always fascinated by the impact of human emotions on our consumer behavior – whether those emotions are inspired by tragedy or triumph. Two television broadcasts made ratings history recently, one because of a tragedy and one because of a triumph: the 54th Annual Grammy Awards on CBS and the contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks, Feb. 10, on ESPN. Nielsen research has proven Americans love sports and music programming. African- Americans are typically well-rep- resented in both. The Grammy Awards have been a viewing favorite. Research backs up the common sense notion that Blacks tend to gravitate to programming where there are larger numbers of people who look like us – but this year, the number of us who watched the Grammys was almost off the charts (no pun intended). The recent 54th Annual Grammy Awards attracted nearly 40 million viewers (39.9 million), which made it the largest Grammy audi- ence since 1984 and the second largest in the history of the broad- cast. Of those 39.9 million view- ers, African- Americans made up 6.21 million. That means a whop- ping 60 percent more Black folks watched the Grammys this year than last (3.7 million out of a total viewership of 24.7 million in 2011). Some people like me may tune in to see who’s wearing what. How fabulous will our favorites N IELSEN Cheryl Pearson-McNeil be, or how outrageous? Others are true music aficionados. While the why for this year’s phenomenal success of the Grammys has not yet been officially analyzed, I sus- pect that the tragic news of the sudden death of beloved music icon Whitney Houston the night before piqued the increased inter- est. If you were like me and my up when they got to the Whitney tribute. Someone from Ft. Wayne, Ind. (my hometown) actually alerted me when Glen Campbell’s tribute came on. (You couldn’t grow up in the Fort without being inundated with his music back in the day). So I loudly and proudly sang along to the tribute. My son watched me with his mouth hang- ing open in disbelief. “Really, mom?! Seriously, you LIKE this country music?” (If he reacted like this to my Glen Campbell tribute, he does NOT want to be around Some people like me may tune in to see who’s wearing what friends, we were reeling with dis- belief. Tuning into the Grammys seemed to offer a kind of solace and comradery in our collective desire to pay homage to a musical phenomenon who was one of our own. Now, in the interest of full dis- closure, the show didn’t hold my attention for long beyond the lus- cious LL’s prayer for “our fallen sister” (a very nice touch). But after his intro and having glimpsed the outrageous outfits of Nicki Minaj, Gaga and the sweet acknowledgements from Alicia Keys and Bruno Mars, I begged my Facebook friends to wake me when my sister, his Aunt Natal- ie, goes berserk over Kenny Rogers). Following Jennifer Hud- son’s moving tribute of “I Will Always Love You,” and after fighting back tears, I clicked off. On the flip side, Americans love to cheer on an underdog, a “Rocky,” a champion who rises from the ashes of obscurity to achieve vic- tory. In two words: Jeremy Lin. It was my basketball-playing son who turned me onto the phenome- non that was taking place with the undrafted 23-year old, Harvard- educated Asian-American from California and his fortuitous match-up against the New Jersey Nets. Lin has averaged 27 points per game – launching him from bench warmer to global superstar. In addition to a 73 percent increase in viewership of Knicks games on MSG and ESPN in New York, nationally the February 10 game between the Knicks and the Lakers on ESPN was the most- watched Friday night regular sea- son NBA game on the network, so far this season - with just over 3 million viewers. On top of that, NM Incite (a Nielsen McKinsey company) reports that social media buzz has also hit a frenzied pitch around the world since the first February 4 game. Even the phrase “LinSani- ty” has been coined. The online chatter about Lin has surpassed conversations about the Knicks, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant combined. Now, that’s powerful. And so are you. Because, if you follow these ratings stories, you know these surges in increased viewership are a result of people just like you and me tuning in. It’s great news for the networks as well as the advertisers. Those advertisers are dedicated to reach- ing us – the consumers. Which brings me to my mantra, “Knowl- edge is power.” The power is in your hands, and so is the remote control. Cheryl Pearson-McNeil is sen- ior vice president of public affairs and government relations for Nielsen. For more information and studies go to www.nielsen- wire.com. 415 N. Killingsworth St., P.O. Box 5455, Portland, OR 97228. Telephone (503) 285-5555. E-mail: info@theskanner.com World Wide Web site: http://www.theskanner.com Fax: (503) 285-2900 The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Associ- ation and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re - spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. © 2012 The Skanner. ALL RIGHTS RE SERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART WITHOUT PERMISSION PROHIBITED. To see The Skanner News on your smart phone go to theskannermobile.com or scan this QR code with your app. • • • • • • • • Local news Opinions Jobs, Bids Sports Entertainment Music reviews Bulletin board RSS feeds Page 4 The Seattle Skanner Faith of Our Fathers: On the Black Church B lack History month often reminds me of the brutal past we have endured as a people. The common thread we all share is that of a people forcibly removed from a continent and their respective nations. They were brought here across the Atlantic to serve as human chattel. One of the biggest criticisms of the Slave Trade was the forcible con- version of people and the names they were given to reflect those of their Christian masters. The knowledge of this heinous chapter in our nation’s history, coupled with the codified racism that fol- lowed, have led some to vehe- mently oppose the Christian faith and label it a “White man’s reli- gion.” That stated – I beg to differ with the description “White man’s religion.” The Slave Trade had many con- spirators of diverse religious back- grounds, from the indigenous, ancestral worship of warring tribes that captured their enemies and sold them to the merchants or kept them for themselves, to the Arab Muslims who historically enslaved non believers and rivals alike. Religion has always been used to justify atrocity and one man’s oppression of another. We must always keep in mind that many good Christian White people fought and gave their lives as abo- litionists to destroy the institution. I believe some of our fathers found a new faith in the journey across the Atlantic. It was not something their fathers would rec- February 22, 2012 R ELEVANT N OW Hakim Hazim ognize or something they were force fed by plantation owners. They created a culture grounded in a hope for the future and a free- dom they would never experience in this life. They were not earthly minded. They looked past the hypocrisy of their captors and believed in the God of the Bible based upon their own internal wit- ness. In spite of all tangible evidence, the Black church believed that God was with them and that he in fact died for them. The preach- ers insisted that those who called upon their God would be saved, but not by human hands, and not necessarily in this life. Think of the profound contrast between modern day saints and the rampant materialism that is taught from the pulpits of many Black preachers today. In the past, Courageous believers planted seeds of hope through their simple instruction the wonderful music left behind that spoke of the riches of Christ. Stripped of all earthly hope, they found an architect who promised to build them a city beyond the Jordan, and they sang (man did they sing!) about it often. They grabbed hold of a compas- sionate Christ that loved them and looked neither like their master or themselves. He was a spirit, a fire, a light, eternal and unchanging. Their music identified with the bondage of the Hebrews and they surmised that one day their deliv- erance would come, and if not for them – then the generations that would proceed from them. I have often wondered about this faith handed down for centuries. The faith of our fathers is some- thing to reacquaint ourselves with. They were illiterate, yet spiritual beyond description. Victims; yet, overcomers in every sense of the Sunday experience into the every- day toil of a life in bondage. In my mind’s eye I can see them now and I hear the passionate cries of yearning that ascended into heaven that came be known as gospel music. I see their torment of soul as their family members were tortured, raped and sold off. I imagine the sweltering heat of the sun during the summer and blister- ing cold of winter and alas I hear a prayer from the battered psyche of a people. “Delivah us Lawd, and if not us, our lil ones.” That was the spirit of our fathers. The church is not about color, but it is about people called out from diverse backgrounds throughout the history of the human race. Our spiri- tual journey emerged out of extraordinary circumstances because God reached out to a peo- ple, oppressed and dispersed throughout this nation. Whereas some ridicule the history of the Black church by citing excessive expression, emotionalism, shallow theology/doctrine and the like, I salute it and thank God for it. I understand that it is an inseparable part of our unique history. I believe some of our fathers found a new faith in the journey across the Atlantic word! They possessed nothing but were rich beyond compare. Their faith created a perseverance few human beings would ever know. I believe their prayers were answered regarding many of the opportunities Blacks have been given today, but I believe many remain unanswered still because many have remained in mental bondage. The Black church has a rich her- itage. Historically, it gave us was a sense of community and belong- ing to one another. It was a place we could go to and seek a God who would make Himself accessi- ble when we called upon Him. I think it was the closest place to home they knew. They carried the Hakim Hazim is the founder of Relevant Now Consultancy and co-founder of Freedom², a web- based Christian think tank focused on believers in America and other free societies
