Lockhart Line 7 31 Lockdawg speaks on Marbury accident tape

Oh Ye of Little Faith!!

In the world today, so much death and destruction infiltrates the mind and spirit from the newspapers to TV and the internet, that living an uncertain future is made tougher when one does not have a relationship with God. But, if you truly know Jesus Christ, when the trials of life get you down and the outlook ahead looks darkest that is when the true believers of Christ rise to the occasion and rely on "faith" to enrich the soul and rejuvenate the spirit.

The words of an old spiritual that I grew up singing in a little chapel filled with love, "Love Chapel C.O.G.I.C." in West Dallas, comes to mind. The words and the melody of the song "We've come this far by faith" are so poetically fused together that just humming the tune to the song brings joy to the entire being.

"We come this far by faith. Leaning on the Lord. Trusting in his holy word. He never failed me yet. Oh... oh, oh, oh, oh, can't turn around, We've come this far by faith.



So when the world gets you down and you feel that your hope is fading away. Remember you did not get to where you are in this world alone. And you will not get to where you are going without a whole lot of faith!! Be blessed.

Lockhart Line 7.28 & 7.29 - Lockdawg talks sports!!

7.28 - NFL News - Commissioner re-instates Vick, conditionally (What tha..)

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7.29 - DFW Sports Update. Lockdawg updates the local sports happenings in the DF-dub. Cowboys, Mavericks, Rangers...om!!!

IS THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY STILL WORTH IT TO BLACK AMERICA?

THOUGHT OF THE DAY - IS THE STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY STILL WORTH IT TO BLACK AMERICA?


RECENTLY THE NAACP TURNED 100 YRS OLD AND SOME QUESTIONED THE VALIDITY OF THE ORGANIZATION IN 2009, AS IF THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUALITY HAD SOMEHOW MAGICALLY ENDED WITH THE HISTORIC ELECTION OF BARACK OBAMA.

THEN WITHOUT PROVOCATION A MIND BOGGLING ARREST OF A WELL KNOWN AND RESPECTED AUTHOR AND JOURNALIST, HENRY LOUIS "SKIP" GATES JR., BY THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE IN HIS HOME, WE ARE REMINDED OF WHY WE NEED AN ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO THE EQUAL TREATMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF ALL MEN AND WOMEN OF COLOR.

THAT REASON BEING: THE RACE FOR EQUALITY IS NOT OVER IN AMERICA, IT HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN.


"WE SHALL OVERCOME...WE SHALL OVERCOME!!"

ECHOS OF THE OLD NEGRO SPIRITUAL BEING SUNG AS AMERICANS OF ALL RACES JOINED TOGETHER IN 1963 TO MARCH ON WASHINGTON WITH THE GREAT DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., REMINDS THE WORLD OF A TIME NOT TOO LONG AGO, WHEN THE COLOR OF A MAN'S SKIN SPOKE LOUDER THAN ANY WORD HE COULD EVER UTTER FROM HIS MOUTH IN AMERICA.

BUT LOOKING BACK AT THE BRIEF 46 YEAR HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY SINCE THE DAYS OF JIM CROW SEGREGATION AND RACIAL OPPRESSION, NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD ARGUE THAT THINGS ARE NOT BETTER THAN THEY HAVE EVER BEEN FOR MINORITIES IN THIS COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY BLACK PEOPLE. HOWEVER, THE REALITY OF THE FACT REMAINS, THAT AS A SOCIETY "WE" ARE FURTHER AWAY FROM EQUALITY THAN EVER BEFORE!!

IN THE WAKE OF OUR NATION'S MOST HISTORIC MOMENT SINCE LANDING ON THE MOON 40 YEARS AGO, WE HAVE FINALLY BEGUN WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTERS FOR THE NEW AMERICA IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM.


THE HISTORIC 2008 ELECTION OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN TO THE WHITE HOUSE WAS A MIGHTY FIRST STROKE BUT, THE NATION STILL TEETERS ON THE BRINK OF CHANGE AND APPEARS AFRAID TO LEAP INTO "CHANGING" WITH BOTH FEET. WITH A DEMOCRAT IN OFFICE A SHIFT TOWARDS ADDRESSING DOMESTIC AND SOCIAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN THRUST TO THE MEDIA FOREFRONT.


AS WE TURN UP THE HEAT ON THE NATIONS' DEBATE OVER THE POOR STATE OF THE ECONOMY, HEALTHCARE AND THE TWO FRUITLESS WARS BEING WAGED AGAINST TERROR IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE RACIAL HEAT IN THIS COUNTRY IS ABOUT TO REACH AN INFERNO AS WELL.

IN THE LATE-60'S THE RACIAL TENSION OF THIS COUNTRY WAS SO THICK THAT YOU COULD CUT IT WITH A KNIFE. THE SAME CAN BE SAID ABOUT THE POCKETS OF RACIAL TENSION IN 2009 THAT MANY SEE ARE BURSTING, READY TO EXPLODE. THIS YEAR WE HAVE SEEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT SOME WHITE PEOPLE AND BLACK PEOPLE JUST WILL NOT GET ALONG AND MOVE FORWARD.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO I TOOK MY FAMILY ON A JOURNEY TO THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST AND ON OUR ROAD TRIP THERE WE MADE STOPS IN ATLANTA, GA AND BIRMINGHAM, AL TO SOAK UP SOME OF THE RICH BLACK CULTURE OF AMERICAN HISTORY.

NATIVE TEXANS, WE HADN'T TRAVELED THAT GREAT A DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE LONE STAR STATE BEFORE BUT SOMETHING INSIDE WOULD NOT LET ME MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH MY CHILDREN A LESSON ABOUT LIFE AND COLOR IN A NOT TOO DISTANT AMERICA.

DURING OUR BRIEF STAY IN BIRMINGHAM WE HAD A UNIQUE PLEASURE TO VISIT THE CIVIL RIGHTS INSTITUTE AND STAND ON THE STEPS OF THE 16TH STREET BAPTIST CHURCH BEFORE WALKING THE STREETS WHERE WHEELS OF EQUALITY WERE SET INTO MOTION. IN ATLANTA WE TOURED THE MLK MEMORIAL AND VISITED THE HOME OF THE GREATEST CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER IN AMERICAN HISTORY, BEFORE FINALLY REACHING OUR DESTINATION ON THE EAST COAST.

THE EXPERIENCE WAS BOTH EYE-OPENING AND AWE-INSPIRING AND MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN FOREVER CHANGED BY THE EXPERIENCE.

I NOW REALIZE THAT THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW AND WE ARE THE CHANGERS!!

WE ARE A NATION OF DREAMERS AND WITHOUT THE HOPE OF A BRIGHTER DAY TO COME OUR MORALS AND BELIEFS WOULD CRUMB UNDER THE INTENSE SCRUTINY OF THE HOPELESS. SO WE MUST NEVER GIVE UP THE HOPE THAT ONE DAY OUR STRUGGLE FOR EQUALITY IN THIS GREAT LAND OF THE FREE, WILL BE OVER AND WE WILL HAVE OVERCOME.

UNTIL THEN WE MUST BE PIONEERS AND GET OUT AND TALK ABOUT THE ILLS OF OUR SOCIETY TO BRING ABOUT THE CHANGE WE NEED TO FULFILL OUR TRUEST DESTINY.


WORD OF THE DAY - PIONEER n. ~ One who opens up new areas of thought, research, or development

Lockhart Line 7/22 & 7/23 - Black in America and the race conversation

Lockhart Line 7.22

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Lockhart Line 7.23

Lockhart Line 7/21: Lockdawg reviews the T.O. Show

The Terrell "T.O." Show made it's network debut last night. I didn't watch the live broadcast but did catch it on DVR. The premise of show consists of T.O. and his two publicists, who are also his very close friends, and their adventures following the star wide receiver throughout a few of his real-life escapades. I give the show about "D" for content and an "A" for being a laugh out loud comedy. T.O. may love "him some him" but, the rest of us can only stomach so much if you know what I mean.

If you missed it check out the entire show here.

Tell me what you think.

Lockhart Line 7/15: Recap 80th MLB All-Star Game

Rememberance

Today marks the one year anniversary of the passing of my dearly departed maternal grandmother, Thelma Lee Lockhart (79). Those who knew her well called her "Mama Angel" or "Granny". She was called home last year to be with the Savior and today I remember the woman who nurtured me from the time I was knee-high to a grasshopper until that fateful Sunday morning, July 13, 2008.

Born in fall of 1928, at a time too distant for many of my young readers to fathom, an infant Thelma would bore the experience of growing up in America's most defining times as a country starting with the Great Depression era. Approximately a month before her first birthday October 29, 1929, "Black Tuesday", would arrive and with it bring about the worst economic down turn that this country has seen.

In just one day sixteen million shares were traded--a record--and thirty billion dollars vanished into thin air. (sound familiar) Westinghouse lost two thirds of its September value. DuPont dropped seventy points. The "Era of Get Rich Quick" was over. America's first millionaire athlete, Jack Dempsey, lost a eye-popping $3 million.



By the time she eclipsed her first decade, the world would change again as World War II began in Europe in 1939.











Through her teen years she would also have to endure the painful segregation of the Jim Crow south and when race relations reached it's fervor in the 1960's, she would catch hold and make her own mark in the new America of the 1970's.
 

















She attended the oldest high school in the Dallas Independent School District, Crozier Technical High School, obtained her grade equivalency and as a tribute to her legacy, your writer enrolled and graduated from the same school at 2218 Bryan St. Dallas, Texas, many years later. The historic school was named Business Management Center in the mid-70s, and became an institutional connection to the business and technology world of the present.

She would later marry my maternal grandfather, Mayfield Lockhart, Sr. Raising four boys and two daughters in the rough and tough West Dallas Housing Projects a*k*a "The Jets", was seldom easy and always hard. Despite the many heartaches and painful memories she would endure, with the grace of God,  she nurtured a family and a neighborhood.

From her front porch-step to the streets to churches to hospitals to prisons near and far, she would share her wisdom to any and all that would venture past her door or seek her impeccable counsel. All the while she maintained an unyielding force-field of protection around my mother and her siblings.

She also carefully molded each of her grand children in so many ways. Last year at our darkest moment we sat in her living room and recalled meeting over to her house on Sunday evenings which our family tradition. Sometimes there were laughs and others there was a tear or two but there was always the presence of God near. She provided me with my foundations in faithful service, community activism and love for family.


Though she is gone away from this physical place her love continues to shine through each and everyone of us and extends to our friends and family. You see my Mama Angel never met a stranger.

Her home was a rest haven for all that needed refuge, be it just for a few nights or weeks or months at a time, she her arms were always opened.

Last month as the anniversary of her passing neared, her memory ignited inside my mind and while driving home from work one day I aimlessly twirled a wrinkled and weathered leaf I'd been saving from one of the carnations that laced her casket. I wasn't sure of the moment but felt it necessary to capture.


I know she is sitting comfortably in heaven and I hope when she looks down she finds my memory of her still in tact. There is still so much that I could share but for now I'm just going to leave it at that.

Take care of yourself and love your loved ones today and everyday that you have them because life is not permanent nor guaranteed.

Rest In Peace ~ Granny "Mama Angel" Lockhart

Lockhart Line 7/9: DFW Sports Update

Lockhart Line 7/3: 4th of July Williams Sisters Wimbledon Final - Who do you like Venus or Serena?

The fantastic Williams sisters will face off in their fourth Wimbledon Final on the 4th of July, making yet another American mark on the historic tournament across the pond. Serena holds a 2-1 edge in the series against her sister in Wimbledon finals and Venus always saves her best for Wimbledon, she will be seeking her sixth title overall.


Their all-American tale of a meteoric rise to all-world tennis fame and fortune began humbly in the mind of their audaciously bold and charismatic father Richard Williams, who has carefully guided them and their careers from the mean streets of Compton, California to the prestigious majesty of the All-England Club where they have reigned supreme as beautiful black queens on and off the courts.

Known best for their spectacular play on the courts Venus and Serena live out loud in these historic times for African Americans. Destined for greatness since their teens both of these remarkable athletes have been able to morph in and out of traditional sports arenas into business owners in fashion and design both with of their own labels "Aneres™" and "EleVen™" respectfully.

When they meet for the fourth time in the Wimbledon Final on Saturday morning (check your local listings for times), they will pen yet another chapter in the new African American history. But, who has the edge headed into the match?

The two sisters have faced each other in 20 matches in their championship-studded careers and the ledger stands 10 wins for Venus and 10 wins for Serena. In their semi-final matches both players were able to triumph but how they did it was starkly contrast. Venus faced the world's No. 1 ranked player Dinara Safina (RUS) in her semi on yesterday. She easily won the match dominating the befuddled Russian (6-1, 6-0) for the straight set victory in just 51 minutes of play.

Meanwhile sister Serena had a much more difficult time advancing and had to face down match point at (4-5) in the third and final set of her epic battle against Elena Dementieva (RUS) before eventually prevailing, 6-7, 7-5, 8-6. It was the longest women’s semi-final in the Open era at Wimbledon.



Both players will surely be at their peak but the edge will go to Venus. With five Wimbledon titles Venus has positioned herself to join some very rarefied company in Wimbledon history like Navratilova, King and Graf should she prevail to take her sixth. However, facing down the tenacious spirit of her little sister will not be easy. Serena narrowly missed winning in last year's tournament final and will be ready avenge that loss with the vigor of a grizzly bear tomorrow morning.

MJ's Will Leaves Papa Joe Out In Cold...