OIA! Interview with Dr. Gosnell Yorke: People, the Bible, Social Control, Liberation

OIA! recently had the chance to sit down with Dr. Gosnell Yorke to talk to him about what he studies: the Bible. Dr. Yorke is Dean of Graduate Studies and Professor of Religion at Northern Caribbean University, and was able to share many insights with us about his work, his life, the Bible, and the world.

Please find a brief summary of some of the themes discussed in the interview following this paragraph. Below that, please find two embedded soundclips - one contains out interview with Dr. Yorke, and one contains a speech he gave at the 4th International Conference on Education, Labor, and Social Emancipation. Finally, please scroll to the bottom of the post to see what questions were asked of Dr. Yorke during the interview. Thank you!!

To listen to other interviews we have conducted, click HERE!!

Summary:

Dr. Yorke studies the Bible's relationship to language, to colonialism and social control, and to the liberation of peoples. One example he gives in his interview is that the Bible was used to justify the apartheid regime in South Africa, and then when the Council of Churches later denounced apartheid as being heretical, this aided in the collapse of the apartheid regime. Dr. Yorke also studies the relationship between the Bible, the African people, and the African diaspora - where in the Bible are black people represented? Where is Africa in the Bible? He discusses how in the Bible, the Garden of Eden is supposed to be located within the borders of four rivers, and that two of those rivers are likely to be branches of the Nile River in Egypt. We conclude the interview with a discussion on the meaning of an Obama Presidency to Dr. Yorke, and how he sees the Obama Presidency as impacting the world and black and Afro-descendant peoples around the world.

[To hear the full interview and lecture, please click on the link below the sound box to connect to the site that contains the full sound clips. Thank you!!]

Interview with Dr. Gosnell Yorke - Obama IS America!

Yorke Lecture - Obama IS America!

Questions:

1. Can you briefly provide us with some background on what you study and how it is relevant to the everyday person's life?

2. Why did you choose the Bible as the focus of your work?

3. Can you discuss the dichotomy of the Bible as being both oppressive and liberating?

4. Do you think that religion has played a role in the War on Terror? If so, what?

5. What does President Obama's election mean to you?

Interview with Dr. Carol Wise on Immigration, Trade, NAFTA, Obama, and American Identity

Obama IS America! was blessed to be able to conduct an interview with the brilliant Dr. Carol Wise, Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Southern California.  The good Dr. spoke on issues ranging from immigration across the US and Mexican borders, NAFTA and the US economy, our current economic crisis and its world impact, and shifting conceptions of American identity.  

Contained in this blog post, please find:

1.  The OIA! interview with Dr. Wise;

2.  A copy of the interview questions;

3.  A video of Dr. Wise discussing the Mexican drug war and its spillover into the US and a link to the text of a 2006 interview where she discusses Hugo Chavez and his control over oil;

4.  Links to news articles relevant to the discussion of immigration issues and the United States.

Interview: 

Questions:

1. Firstly, do you think you can give us your thoughts on the relationship (if there is one) between the massive growth in immigration to the US from Mexico and other Latin American countries over the last decade and regional trade agreements such as NAFTA? 

2. Is there any relationship between NAFTA or other US trade agreements and the current state of the American economy?
3. How do you think that a deepening of the current US economic crisis will impact US economic relationships regionally and internationally?
4. What do you think are some of the more significant negative impacts of NAFTA, and what are some of the positives? 
5. What impact, if any, do you think the Obama Administration will have on NAFTA?
6. Do you think that an Obama Presidency has changed or will change common understandings of American identity? Has it changed anything for you?
7. How would you describe what it means to be American? 

Dr. Wise discussing the seeping of the Mexican drug war into the United States:

2006 interview of Dr. Wise by Kai Ryssdal on Hugo Chavez's power over oil production:

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/05/31/can_chavez_pump_up_opec_support/

Further articles/websites on immigration policy, the US, and human rights:
Tech Recruiting Clashes with Immigration Rules (NY Times)
Mexico City Bill to Grant Guest Status to Migrants

Truth in Immigration

What You Don't Know About NAFTA

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio

OIA! Interviews Missouri State Senator Maida Coleman

Missouri State Senator Maida Coleman

St. Louis, Missouri had the largest turnout for Obama in the United States before election day, when a crowd of 100,000 people came to watch the man speak.

On Friday, January 16, Obama IS America! had the chance to sit down and talk with Missouri State Senator Maida Coleman.

The discussion centered on race relations, American identity, some effects of the recession on the people of Missouri, Ms. Coleman's run for mayor of St. Louis, and the scandal surrounding the mayoral race.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS:

Obama IS America! interview questions for Missouri State Senator Maida Coleman:

1. Background question: Can you give us a brief feel of what race relations in Missouri, and particularly St. Louis are like from your perspective, and perhaps include some historical background that can place these relationships in context?
2. How did you get involved in politics, and what has it been like to be a Senator as a woman of African American heritage?
3. What has been the impact of the recession so far on the people of Missouri?
4. Are you looking forward to an Obama Presidency?
5. As a politician, and as a Black politician, what did Obama’s message of change mean for you?
6. What are your thoughts on the meaning of American culture and identity?
7. I have heard that Francis Slay, the current mayor of St. Louis is much disliked by the African American community. Can you give us some background as to why this may be?
8. Can you briefly tell us who Denise Watson Wesley Coleman is, and how is she significant to you and your run for office of the Mayor?
9. Why are you running for office?
10. If by the end of your first term as Mayor you could see 3 major changes for the better happen in the City of St. Louis, what would they be?
11. How do you think that you and your work will impact the future of American history and culture?

Slow Children Crossing - Comedy for CHANGE!

Obama IS America! had the pleasure of interviewing comedy sketch group Slow Children Crossing this past Monday evening before they took off to Chicago for a series of performances.

They discussed a variety of issues with us, including why they like making people laugh, what goes into making good comedy, the Future, Barack Obama, California's Prop 8, equality, being Black in America, how they see American culture, and how hope to shape the future of America through the work they do. Through their interview with us, they explain how they really are a group for change!

Slow Children Crossing Interview:

Interview SLOW CHILDREN CROSSING - Obama IS America!

MORE LINKS AND VIDEOS!:

*Slow Children Crossing Promo*:

*For Sale*:

*Black Ken*:

Below, please find videos of their work and links to their website, Myspace page, Funny or Die page, and, of course, Youtube.

Slow Children Crossing!

Slow Children Crossing Myspace!

Slow Children Crossing Funny or Die!

Slow Children Crossing Youtube!