The Best of Enemies

She also told Variety that her earnings skyrocketed after she started working with Tyler Perry. "Hollywood can be cheap. They love a great performance at a discount price…IF they can get it," Taraji said. "I always seemed to get respect, as far as work [went]. I just needed to get my money."

Queenie, Benjamin Button’s sweet-but-strong surrogate mom in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button alongside Brad Pitt. But Taraji told Variety in 2019 that she made just $150,000 for the role, despite later earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She experienced a shift when she worked with Perry on 2008’s The Family That Preys. Taraji told Perry that she didn’t get paid what she had hoped for in Benjamin Button, and he told her what she should ask for, she recalled. He became "the first person to pay me what I thought I deserved at the time," Taraji said. (They worked together two more times—on 2009’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself and 2018’s Acrimony.)

Is a 2019 American drama film directed and written by Robin Bissell in his feature debut.

It is based on the book The Best of Enemies: Race and Redemption in the New South by Osha Gray Davidson, which focuses on the rivalry between civil rights activist Ann Atwater and Ku Klux Klan leader Claiborne Paul (CP) Ellis.

The Charette- a meeting in which all stakeholders in a project attempt to resolve conflicts and map solutions.

Letting the Klu Klux Klan materials be on display as a condition to sing gospel music at the end of the meetings.

Scene in which Ann Atwater sees Claiborne Paul (C. P.) Ellis as a helpless human being and gets his son moved to his own room at the psychiatric ward of the Murdock Hospital.

Ann Atwater’s daughter meets Claiborne Paul (C. P.) Ellis at her high school and looks at him likes he’s a monster.

National Humanities Center

"The slave can now apply the lash." Fighting in Virginia with the U.S. Colored Troops in May 1864, Sgt. George H. Hatton witnessed an astounding reversal of history—"the slave can now apply the lash to the tender flesh of his master." Newly freed women and one man were invited by a Union commander to whip their former slaveholder, captured the day before (an "F.F.V.," i.e., of the "First Families of Virginia"). Hatton describes their retaliation in a letter to the Christian Recorder, the publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and urges Confederates to heed the warning: "Let all who sympathize for the South take this narrative for a mirror."

August 2007 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology

Factors Associated with Retaliatory Attitudes among African American Adolescents Who have been Assaulted

Adolescents’ perceptions of their parents’ attitudes toward fighting may be a factor in subsequent re-injury among youth. Violence prevention and intervention efforts need to involve components that assess parental attitudes and incorporate strategies to engage parents in violence prevention efforts.

Transition To Body- Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth…?

Intentionality of OT Scripture

Exodus 21:22–25 ESV

22 “When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her children come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the woman’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. 23 But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

Deuteronomy 19:15–21 ESV

15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. 16 If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, 17 then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. 18 The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, 19 then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. 20 And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you. 21 Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

You Shall Not Take Vengeance

Leviticus 19:17–18 ESV

17 “You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. 18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Righteousness That Exceeds

Matthew 5:20 ESV

20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Body

Reject (Spurn) Retaliation

Matthew 5:38–39 ESV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Spurn- to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to

Retribution- punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act.

Payback, retaliation, reprisal, revenge, vengeance

Retaliation literary means “tit for tat”

Tit for tat is giving back as much as you got, especially in retaliation for something harmful.

Tit for tat is really more like “blow for a blow.”

Tit for tat is meaner — it’s when someone does something like hit or steal something from someone, and the other person does something equally nasty back. This phrase is related to the saying "Let the punishment fit the crime."

Illustration: The Presidency of “Retribution”

Donald Trump has promised a presidency of “retribution” if he wins another term in office. Many Republicans fear they might face the brunt of it.

The former president has threatened to have donors to his Republican opponent Nikki Haley “permanently barred” from his orbit. A top adviser has vowed to destroy the career of Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the House Freedom Caucus chairman, after he endorsed another Trump challenger, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Trump campaign has also attempted to condemn former aides who worked for his rivals during the GOP nomination fight and has twisted arms demanding endorsements, telling lawmakers that Trump will remember exactly when they backed him.

On June 1, 2020, amid the George Floyd protests in Washington, D.C., law enforcement officers used tear gas and other riot control tactics to forcefully clear peaceful protesters from Lafayette Square, creating a path for President Donald Trump and senior administration officials to walk from the White House to St. John's Episcopal Church.

Trump held up a Bible and posed for a photo op in front of Ashburton House (the church's parish house), which had been damaged by a fire set during protests the night before.

Illustration of Retaliation: Israel vs. Hamas (Gaza) and Russia vs. Ukraine

Illustration: Demonizing one another during Civic Discourse- when we disagree

Response of Prophet Who Is Insulted

1 Kings 22:24–28 ESV

24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, “How did the Spirit of the Lord go from me to speak to you?” 25 And Micaiah said, “Behold, you shall see on that day when you go into an inner chamber to hide yourself.” 26 And the king of Israel said, “Seize Micaiah, and take him back to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 27 and say, ‘Thus says the king, “Put this fellow in prison and feed him meager rations of bread and water, until I come in peace.” ’ ” 28 And Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, all you peoples!”

Isaiah 50:6–8 ESV

6 I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

Do Not Be Overcome With Evil…

Romans 12:19–21 ESV

19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” 20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Jesus Challenges Our Desire for Personal Vindication

Turning the Other Cheek, Letting God Vindicate Us

We are free from having our behavior determined by the way we are treated.

Relinquish (Surrender) Willingly

Matthew 5:40 ESV

40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

Beyond the Letter of the Law

Exodus 22:25–27 ESV

25 “If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down, 27 for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.

Deuteronomy 24:12–13 ESV

12 And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. 13 You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.

Work it Out

1 Corinthians 6:7 ESV

7 To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

Work (Serve) Remarkably

Matthew 5:41 ESV

41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Life just ain’t fair at times

Even those who have done you wrong

Force- to force civilians to carry a load for some distance (in NT times Roman soldiers had the authority to enforce such service)—‘to compel someone to carry a load, to press someone into service.’

Give (Share) Graciously

Matthew 5:42 ESV

42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

The last illustration relates to uncomfortable people

This carries Jesus’ point one step further by referring to two kinds of uncomfortable people who might intrude into the everyday lives of his disciples. Not only are Jesus’ disciples to respond with positive treatment to those who ill-treat them, but they are also to give to those who beg and borrow. The word “ask” (aiteo) in this context indicates a poor person who begs for alms. The person who wants to “borrow” (danizo) may likewise have been poor, since the use of this same verb in Luke 6:34 indicates loaning to a person unable to repay. Giving alms to the poor was a central exercise of Jewish piety (see comments on 6:2–4). The Old Testament was likewise clear about the obligation that the people of Israel had to lend to the poor among them (Deut. 15:7–11).

Lending to Those Unable to Pay

Luke 6:34 ESV

34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

Our Unworthy Thoughts Regarding Those In Need

Deuteronomy 15:7–11 ESV

7 “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, 8 but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be. 9 Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, ‘The seventh year, the year of release is near,’ and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. 10 You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11 For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’

God Won’t Some of Us Because of Our Stingy Hearts & Wrong Attitudes

You knew when you lent it, they might not pay it back

Why are you mad now?

Transition To Close- When They Go Low, We Go High

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama first uttered her now-famous catchphrase, "When they go low, we go high" while discussing how to "handle bullies" in support of Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House.

Her motto quickly caught on. Even Clinton herself used it to defend herself against then-Republican candidate Donald Trump a few months later during their final presidential debate.

On Saturday, Obama told Oprah Winfrey what "going high" really means to her at Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life In Focus tour in Brooklyn, New York.

"Going low is easy, which is why people go to it," Obama said. "It's easy to go low. It's easy to lead by fear. It's easy to be divisive. It's easy to make people feel afraid.

"That's the easy thing and it's also the short-term thing," Obama said.

"For me, what I learned from my husband, what I learned from eight years in the White House, this life, this world, our responsibility in it is so much bigger than us. When I want to go low, it's all about my own ego. It's not about solving anything.... It's about seeking revenge on the thing that happened to you."

Obama adds that her purpose in life isn't revolved around taking care of her "own little ego," but instead to ensure that she is a positive role model for the next generation and is creating positive change.

"There is a bigger purpose for me out there. So when I respond to something, I have to think about that," she said.

If her words are not fixing a problem or at least moving the needle in the right direction, she knows that she's not going high enough.

"You're just being selfish," she said. "I believe that when you are a public figure, when you have any level of fame or if you have a platform, I believe and I always believe that I have a responsibility with that platform."

And "going high" doesn't mean you won't feel the hurt or have emotions when faced with a challenge, she told The New York Times in 2018. "It means that your response has to reflect the solution. It shouldn't come from a place of anger or vengefulness. Barack and I had to figure that out. Anger may feel good in the moment, but it's not going to move the ball forward," Obama said.

Close- Jesus’ Example

Jesus himself lived out this radical principle and became a vivid example for his followers

1 Peter 2:18–25 ESV

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Jesus Goes the Extra Mile

Matthew 27:32–44 ESV

32 As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

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