August 31, 2008

If it’s Sunday in Kansas, it’s church day. Jan and her family members belong to a small local Baptist church and we attended the 11:00 am service. Prior to leaving the house, we were watching CNN’s coverage of Hurricane Gustav and the potential modifications being made by the Republican Party to their convention plans. I don’t know what to think.

The Democratic Convention was so important to the party; it’s hard to imagine the Republicans being helped in any significant way by this change. But they may not be hurt. I think the low-key approach is appropriate and potentially beneficial. They just announced that Bush and Cheney won’t be attending. That’s unfortunate for US! The Republican Party just got off the hook for part of its legacy!

The church was nice with good, clean modern lines. The people were all very friendly and welcoming (though some assumed that both Jan and I were visitors, despite her long-time membership – Jan’s husband is white). The church appears to do some good outreach work to the poor, including those in other nations.

There was the requisite overhead electronic screen to guide congregants through hymns. There was the requisite band to provide that soft rock feel to the music. Jan’s son, Jeremy, was playing the piano with the band on this day. And there was the requisite blonde, thin-voiced soprano to lead the songs of praise with a level of passion I simply cannot define (let’s leave it at that).

Attendance was low, possibly due to the Labor Day weekend but also possibly due to recent internal discord within the church. Jan’s family constitutes a large percentage of the people of color in this congregation. Translation: I saw no other Black people, though there are supposedly some other attendees of color. I was reminded that “the Northlands” has a history when it comes to racial issues – which is not to say that a single person in this particular congregation is or was racist. But segregation was a by-product of racism in Kansas City, and, today, segregation frames the history of the various parts of Kansas City.

The service started with a discussion of how the different parts of the body all have a role in maintaining the body’s well-being both literally and in Christ’s service. Then, after the children were sent to their separate area, the pastor discussed “sin” in the context of “neglect” or “failing to do that which we know to be right.’ Frankly, I’ve heard much better sermons on this and other topics, but this pastor seemed to operate well within the universe of this church.

What was most notable about the entire service, however, was the leaders’ “neglect” in failing to acknowledge Hurricane Gustav’s existence and impending arrival – let alone any mention of the recently completed week’s political events. There was no reference to the Gulf Coast situation or people in any way. I found that to be a serious sin of omission, even if I understand how people keep partisan politics out of their church experience.

After church, we watched more coverage of Gustav and the Republicans. They made their announcements, with McCain making an effective appeal for Republicans to become Americans first in addressing the needs that emerge from Gustav’s wake. After awhile, we received a phone call from Hon. Alvin Brooks.

Mr. Brooks (pictured here) and I had met on the Democratic convention floor – or should I say the stadium floor – this past Thursday. You can listen to my interview with him on one of these blog entries. Brooks is very optimistic about Obama both nationally and within Missouri. When I mentioned that I was coming through Kansas City to see a friend, Brooks asked me to call him so we could see each other again. I was very impressed with him and certainly wanted to do so. My private conversation with Jan regarding some other issues only reinforced my desire to see Brooks again and to introduce him and Janice to each other.

Mr. Brooks is a KC City Councilmember and the past Mayor Pro-Tem of Kansas City for two terms. He has a very positive and favorable reputation in various communities, and is certainly considered one of the city’s most prominent Black leaders. Brooks was a former police officer and detective who developed a flair for homicide investigation; he assists the KCPD to this day on certain matters.

Today, Brooks and his wife had gone to their church (slightly to the south …) and then he had gone to participate in the funeral of one of two young people who had been gunned down in a horrible drive-by last week. In the incident, a young man who had just turned twenty and his girlfriend, in her teens, were both murdered – leaving a two month-old child. When Jan and I met him this afternoon at a local restaurant, he was gracious, charming and energetic, but I could see the sadness in his eyes – particularly when he talked about the epidemic of gun violence emerging on KC streets.

We had an educational meeting. Jan, who had lived in KC for only two years, had learned her way around the city but knew only a fraction of its history. Mr. Brooks did not hesitate to remind us that his 2007 attempt to become Mayor of Kansas City was derailed by a tiny number of votes; his significant vote lead over the current white incumbent had evaporated in the face of an onslaught of white votes … from “the Northlands.” She was mesmerized by Brooks’ encyclopedic knowledge of the City and other political matters … as well as his personal style. For my part, I just wanted Jan to build a good network here in her new hometown so she could get more opportunities. I think we succeeded on all counts. We parted better friends than when we met and looked forward to further contact.

Upon our return to the house it was clear that Gustav was going to do serious damage to the Gulf Coast and New Orleans, in particular. In addition, it was clear the Republican National Convention would not be its normal self this year. I also noticed the CNN crawl stating that a former DNC chair had apologized for stating that Hurricane Gustav was evidence that God prefers the Democrats (at least this year.) What an idiot! With supporters like these …

We ended our evening with Jan cleaning up her office and me catching up on this blog while watching “And Justice For All,” starring Al Pacino. Great movie!