Seeking Jesus in Drywall

Recently in Mobile, Alabama, a neighborhood of black folk spotted a leprechaun in a tree. That’s right, recently in Mobile, Alabama, a neighborhood of black folk spotted a leprechaun in a tree (see police sketch below). Responding to the sighting, some neighbors pondered if it was crackhead. While another resident dressed in green fatigues prepared to face the leprechaun with what he deemed a special ‘flute’ that wards off danger. Meanwhile, others simply wondered aloud, “Where da gold?”

Sound too far out? Think again. This story first aired on a legitimate, albeit clearly news-starved NBC-affiliate station, WPMI and has quickly reached ‘leprechaun-mania’ status on blogs and video sites on the web. A police sketch of the urban leprechaun in question has even sold for $1100 on eBay.

Interestingly, it reminded us at The Report of a story that aired a few weeks ago. In similarly mind-boggling fashion, black congregants at the Triumph Learning and Worship Center for Life in Saraland, Alabama spotted Jesus in the drywall of their Katrina-ravaged church. Since then, an array of people from the downtrodden to the privileged have flocked to the church to lay hands on the ‘holy buckle' in the drywall.

And just this evening, I saw Gary Coleman riding a Yeti from the window of my home library. Well, not really. Beyond being totally mortified by both of these stories being in the public domain, I’m troubled by both circumstances for a number of reasons. For starters, both instances are proof positive that Alabama needs a much better public education system. But that’s too easy.  More troubling is the less obvious trend of black group-think when it comes to issues of significance (religion) or insignificance (the ghetto leprechaun). By group-think, I’m referring to our consistent support of quesionable ideologies regardless of their utility or truth. If you’ve ever been ridiculed for cooking like a white person (i.e. cooking with too little salt, butter, sugar, or any ingredient that may hasten the onset of heart disease)- then you know what I mean. 

Granted, other communities have similar group-think ideologies. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great movie that presents the sometimes bizarre memes that drive cultural creativity. Difference being, Greeks don’t have to worry about 10 additional movies being produced that further the notion that they all use Windex to heal minor skin abrasions (you need to see the movie). My Big Fat Greek Wedding was hilarious and fresh, because most of us had little knowledge of the cultural anomalies that add flavor to Greek family life.  Unfortunately, for black folk, the number of movies, news segments, books, and music that substantiates our collective quirkiness seem to legitimize even our most absurd perspectives. My Big Fat Black Wedding wouldn’t be fresh or have the same success at the box office, because the movie has already been done- at least 15 times. This kind of replication seems to have led many of us to believe that even the most outlandish of claims and proclivities have merit.

Consider as additional support the strangely supported assertion that the federal government blew holes in levees to ensure that black residents were effectively removed from coveted New Orleans properties. The assertion simply diverts attention from the necessary work of ensuring that black residents receive appropriate compensation for their losses in the disaster. The mere existence of such claims, however, stems from our continued allowance of discussions of federal conspiracies and the puzzling belief that the oppressed circumstance of African  Americans makes it impossible for us ever to be flat wrong.

Finding a leprechaun… in a tree… in the ghetto… is equally as unlikely as Jesus appearing in drywall. It is highly unlikely that God has nothing better to do than play the equivalent of “Where’s Waldo” with the struggling Katrina victims (the resiliency of many black residents of New Orleans should be evidence enough of God’s care). Unfortunately, stepping out of line to call an absurdity an absurdity seems to be just as unlikely in our community. Perhaps, this is the message to be gained from the buckle in the drywall.

See a video of Jesus in drywall here and see the original story on the urban leprechaun here. For even more kicks or cries, check out the leprechaun music video here.   

Comments

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I honestly thing it was Gary Coleman or Emmanuel Lewis making a comeback. This is out of control.
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