Let's Get It Right

It cannot be said enough...in order for change to occur... all of us must participate in the process and create the reality we seek and so deserve.  Every step we take and every opportunity we have to make our collective voices to be heard... everyone must be engaged to ensure that outcome.  We can’t wait or depend on others to understand, appreciate or embrace our values, culture, ethnic background, needs or spiritual heritage.   In the words of Mahatma Gandhi...“You must be the change we wish to see in the world.”
    
What happen in Ferguson, Missouri this past week is nothing new, but rather is a continual narrative in the American experience over the past 400 years.  The tragic loss of life of an unarmed Black male teenager at the hand of law enforcement continues to raise red flags and is a failure of the system, policy, lack of training and just common sense.  But what this event also uncovered was a failure of leadership, teamwork, outreach, partnerships and civic engagement.  It is clear that the failure was on all fronts... and many of those fiascoes carried on for several days and violated some civic rights.  In so many ways... some things could not have been handled worst.  In addition, there was a lack of professionalism, high levels of hostility and poor judgment.  Well... here is the real shocker... Ferguson, Missouri is not alone. 

It cannot be understated that there are a number of communities in America like Ferguson that need to make serious changes.  These changes include leadership, workforce, policies, voting and improving community relations.  We must come to grip with the fact that a number of cities need to make a transition as well as a  transformation.  People must be aware that no system is perfect, but any system must be reflective of meeting the ongoing needs of the people they are intended to support.  And of course that means it has to have both checks and balances.     
       
It is unclear what the outcome of all the events that occurred in Ferguson, however one thing is for certain, the city and its residents will never be the same. Things will change and it will take the residents to make those critical changes and not from outsiders.  Residents in other similar communities across the nation will need to learn from the failures of Ferguson and chart a new course.  The loss of any young person to gun violence is one too many and if we are to learn anything from Ferguson is to make sure we get it right and pass those lessons on. 

What do you think?           

 

The New Normal

We all know that it continues to happen... no one should be surprise by it.   But each time it happens... something else in the narrative just seems unthinkable.  In a nutshell, gun violence in America should be officially labeled as a disease and treated as such.  We need to find a cure for this new disease that is affecting our quality of life and certainly  plaguing our communities.  Of course there are a lot of root causes that feed into this new disease, including poverty, hopelessness, unemployment, mental illness, lack of education, racism, prejudice, neglect, self-worth, wealth, policy and social status.       

In a recent report by the Children’s Defense Fund, “The State of America’s Children 2014” paints a clear picture of what is occurring.  This report is just “eye opening and jaw dropping” and is a report card that reveals just how deep the “rabbit hole” is.  I must warn you that this report could be too much to handle for many and will require some time to process for most.  This report contains what most of us fear, hear about, or have seen firsthand in our communities... that gun violence is having a great impact on our youth.    

Here are some of the facts cited in the report: guns kill or injure a child or teen every half hour.  In 2010, 2,694 children and teens were killed by guns and 15,576 were injured by guns.  Guns killed more infants, toddlers and preschoolers than law enforcement officers in the line of duty.  US children are teens are 17 times more likely to die from gun violence than their peers in 25 other high-income countries.  Since 1963, three times as many children and teens have died from guns on American soil than US Soldiers killed in action in the Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq wars.   In 2010, Black children and teens were nearly five times and Hispanic children and teens were more than three times more likely to be killed by guns than White children and teens.  The US military and law enforcement agencies possess 4 million guns, US civilians have 310 million.  Every year American companies manufacture enough bullets to fire 31 rounds into every one of our citizens. 

As you can see, there is a need for some fresh ideas to deal with our addiction to guns and the impact it is having on our future.  If we are unwilling to deal with this long term problem, there will be no end in sight and this new normal will become permanent.  Additionally, this report is not along in painting the picture of our nation that is in serious trouble with its future generations, but also a nation that is in trouble in its defense of it true principles and its moral compass.  What do you think?    

 

If Not Us, Then Who?

The most glaring challenge in the 21^st century for the African American community is how to be unified on issues.  This a tall order and cannot be underestimated.  This reality is played out each and every day, especially during times of crisis within the community.  The issues could include stopping the violence, fair employment, quality health care, affordable education or erasing poverty.  However, the critical questions are... “Who is leading the charge? Who will speak on the issues? and most importantly, who understands what needs to happen, has the ability to articulate what is going on and is able to bring people together in order to deal with the issue at hand?  

Today, there are a lot of people trying to speak for the African American community, even though many are out of touch with what is really going on within the community.  From what I see and hear, there are a lot of people who are disconnected from the real issues.  Amazingly, some look like us, some sound like us and some pretend to be us, if only for a moment.   There are some who just don’t even care, but only want to be heard, out for themselves, and are seeking to see what is in it for them and nothing more.    

In doing a reflective review of history, it is easy to see that during every generation leaders have always emerged to provide leadership to communities, cities, churches, businesses and movements.  For some of these leaders, history will kind to them in regards to what they were able to get done, obstacles overcome and choices made.  For other leaders, history will be harsh on them in terms as being a divider, non-caring or polarizing.   Still others will be judged with being effective, while being remembered as doing something with good intentions.  There are way too many people who talk a good game, but at the end of the day, that is all they have is talk, while the results remain the same.  

It is important for us to remember, you can never lead people to a place where you have never been before or are willing to take the necessary “risk” to ensure success.  That is perhaps the bottom line; people do not like to take “risks,” to “put skin in the game,”... “neck on the line,” or to “go all the way,” regardless of the outcome.  There are no clear paths to positive outcomes along this journey and if you think we are having a tough time, just take a look at the leaders in history.  Now, how is that working for you?