I have only just begun to fight

My experinces in the last month, have been good and bad, I have seen some of the ugly sides of mankind and I have also seen the good in mankind......I have met some interesting people on this short journey, who have peoples best intrest at heart but because of their strong convictions in what they are trying to do for their fellow man they have become victims of the system like my new friend Suyara who wants to help people not lose their homes in this world of high intrest rates and forclosures and has basically put her own happiness on the line for this just cause.....In the process of my putting together the Homeless and Unemployed Art Showcase I to put my self on the line with my convictions, I lived in a tent for 5 weeks and had to walk numerous miles to bathe and go into town for meetings and dinners and get togethers, just so I convince people that my cause was a worthy one....I wanted to give up so many times because I know alot of the general population just doesn't get it and is only concern about themselves...So I had to pray to God to give me the strength to keep moving in a positive direction and not give up.....And you know what?....I am still not done I have alot more to do because Like Mother Theresa said" The good you do today, people will forget by tomorrow but do good anyways".......So people out there remember this, I have only just begun to FIGHT!!!!!......PEACE

The Restoration of all things

My show " I Hear Music in the Streets' is 6 days away.... Me and Tom Schulman who has graciously let me stay with him and his beautiful wife Pat, was discussing many things last night, alot of it had to do with the world today and how it relates to the teachings of the bible and Tom showed me a passage in The Book of Isaiah and has alot of to do with the way I view the World today.......Book of Isaiah Chapter 58.............Cry loudly, do not hold back, Raise your voice like a trumpet. and declare to My people their transgression, and to the house of Jacob their sins. ( The Church). Yet they seek me day by day and delight to know my ways. As a nation that has done righteousness...And has not foresaken the ordinance of their God....They ask Me for just decisions...They delight in the nearness of God.....Why have we fasted and you do not see?...Why have we humbled ourselves and you do not notice?....Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, and drive hard all your workers...... Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist....You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.....Is it a fast like this which I choose? a day for a man to humble himself?....Is it for bowing one's head like a reed, and for spreading on a sackcloth and ashes as a bed?.....Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the Lord?.....Is this not the fast that I choose, To loosen the the bonds of Wickedness, To undo the bands on the yoke. And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke.....Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry....And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you;.... The glory of the Lord will be your rear Guard.....Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;.... You will cry, and he will say" Here I am"....If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and the andspeaking wickedness, And if you give yourself to the hungry.... And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in the darkness and your gloom will become like midday....And the Lord will continually guide you, and satisfy your desire in scorched places, and give strength to your bones; and you will be like a watered garden...and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail......Those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins;....You will raise up the age-old foundations;....And you will be called the repairer of the breach.... The restorer of the streets in which to dwell.....If because of the sabbath you turn your foot ...From doing your own pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbth a delight, the holy day, the holy day of the Lord honorable...and honor it, desisting your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure...And speaking your own word.....Then you will take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the Earth.....And I will feed you the Heritage of Jacob your father......FOR THE MOUTH OF THE LORD HAS SPOKEN!!!!!!!!!!....

Persecution

Regardless what people think of me I will never falter from what I think is right. In this process of trying to put together this show. I have experienced some of the most unpleasant things known to man. My eyes have seen the people that society has called the unfit, because they do not dress the way others do, or they do not speak the way others do, or they are not the same color as others are. All my life I had to fight to belong to what society thinks is right, when in my heart I know that it is wrong. It is wrong to group a class of people in section of a city and then refuse them jobs, adequate health care and food, and then flood that section with drugs, just to see them eliminate each other. In that same vain the fathers that can't get jobs to provide for their families, now have to turn to doing illegal acts to put food on the table. Now they go to jail and the mothers are left to raise the children the best way they know how. By giving them playstations and letting them watch violent music videos and movies, this is what is raising the youth of today. Now the government who would rather put money into a senseless war, instead of putting money into the Arts and Education. Now the people we see begging for money, so that they can stay alive for another day. As we live and breathe we're depleting the earth of its Natural Resources, Gas, Food, Electricity is at a all time high. As a people we are killing ourselves. I think when the lord said " And the meek shall inherit the Earth". This what he forsaw, I know how to dumpster dive and live in a tent, but can you adapt to this harsh reality. So let's start now with supporting those less fortunate than us who are crying out for our help, because you never know someday it might be you asking those some one's to help you build a fire to stay warm. My faith in God has become stronger everyday because I know that at least he has not foresaken me, when I see mankind has. "I hear Music in the Streets" was put together so that we can show Northampton Mass and the surrronding areas, the talents of the people you call no good and not normal. I am in that category because of the color of my skin, When in this day and age people still call me Nigger when they know my name is Ira. But I have talents just like other peopleinthis town and I will never give up and made to feel that I am less than because I don't fit the perception of the upper class.

Rebirth

I am in the process of rebirth. My views on life are changing everyday, trying to take the good with the bad.....I have done somethings in my lifetime that I am not proud of today, but I will try my best to make amends the best way that I can. My mother has Alzheimers and right now I am in no position to help her or my sister who is her caretaker out. But with the grace of God sometime in the near future I will be there for her. I will always love my momma, She's my favorite girl. You only have one.....God has taken me on a journey right now and in this process you know who your real friends are.....So in saying that there are three people I want to thank Steve Conners for all your support. Pastor Steve Belke for believing in me and my project. The way you preach God's word is awesome, and last but not least Mr Bill Hairston for the inspiration and motivation that helped me with the course of others started me on this project. Bassam Kurdali you have been a true friend through out this process...... My rebirth has changed my life I am going thru some hard times right now but I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Everything is Meaningless

This excerpt is from the old testament and I think that it goes right along with my thinking. Pastor Don mentioned it in yesterdays service at College Church in Northampton Ma...It comes from the book Ecclesiastes Chapter 5 verse 8 thru 17.......... If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields.....Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. this too is meaningless.......As good increase, so do those who consume them. and what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?.....The sleep of a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep........I have seen a grievous evil under the sun;.......wealth is hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes so he departs....He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand......This too is a grievous evil......As a man comes so he departs, and what does he gain,since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great affliction and anger..........Can't take it with you when your gone so why not share it with everybody on God's green earth....To much like the right thing to do........Social Change in Mind

Mission Statement

1. This one goes out to Brianna.....The young lady I met at the Young Professionals get together put on by the Chamber of Commerce of Northampton at PACKARDS......I have come to the conclusion that my goals of this event is to like we discussed, to showcase the talents of the homeless and unemployed populations by giving them a forum to participate in.......This way we can educate the public and private sectors on the plight of this particular population in hope that we can open up a ongoing dialouge, on how to best address the needs, cause and the solution to the problem.......I hope this fits into the type of proposal of a mission statement that you were looking for......CUT and DRY.....Social Change In Mind

Education

To be learned in all that is worth while knowing. Not to be crammed with the subject matter of the book or the philosophy of the classroom, but to store away in your head, such facts as yor need for the daily application of life, so that you maybe better in all things, understand your fellowman and interpret your fellowship to your creator...........You can be educated in soul, vision and feeling as well as in mind.............To see your enemy and know him is a part of the education of man.......To spiritually regulate oneself in another form of the higher education that softens the ills of the world and makes us kind indeed............Many a person was educated outside the school room. It is something you let out, not completely take in. You are part of it, for it is natural; it is dormant simply because you will not develop it, but God creates every person with it knowingly or unknowingly to him who posseses it..... That's the difference.........Develop yours and you become as great and full of knowledge as the the other person without even entering the classroom.......Marcus Garvey.........Question to Malcolm X- What do you think is responsible for prejudice in the United States.........Answer-Ignorance and Greed....And a skilfully designed program of miseducation that goes right along with the american system of exploitation and oppression.....If you want to know more of this response by Malcolm X continue to read my blog in the coming weeks.........Social Change In Mind