When Peace Matters

I know that “World Peace Day” is officially observed a few months from now, but we need help today.  The widespread of senseless gun violence and drug use throughout our country are just signals that many aspects of our society are out of balance and things are going wrong for so many.  This issue and more are fueling the growing level of mistrust in public officials, law enforcement and policy makers.  In so many ways concerned citizens are getting fed up with the “business as usual” attitudes and approaches to solving the problems of the community.  

The rapid increase in gun violence and drug use is also fueling the charge in more shootings, more deaths and a greater concern for public safety and awareness.  In many ways these are indicators that something has to give and things need to change for the better.  Of course, that too is also a problem! What those changes should be and who is making the suggestions also draws suspicion.  For many cannot envision a transparent effort and impact when those affected are not invited to the table where decisions made and policies are written.    

Obtaining peace is a tough sell... it is easy to talk about, but it is hard to put into action.  Finding ways to de-escalate situations, conflicts and personal grudges is quite an undertaking and takes considerable skill, training and patience.  Additionally, trying to find ways to limit the access to guns and drugs is also an uphill battle, both legally and underground.   In addition, these enterprises are “big business,” regardless of the times. 

In order for peace to be a selling point of a good society and finding solutions to make things better, there has to be a better understanding of what peace is all about.  This process must involve people from various socioeconomic levels of our society and not those just on top.  The dialog must be real, where people voices are heard and ideas are valued.  Peace is not just a nice topic to talk on, but can become a reality if we are committed to the process of accepting others and what they bring to the table.  What do you think?      

When Mentoring Matters

In every major city in our nation, there are numerous agencies and organizations that offer one kind or another mentoring for youth.  The size and scale of the mentoring program being offered depends largely upon whether or not it is a primary objective, mission or vision for that organization.  It also depends if it is being funded through a grant, receives special funding from some other interested party or is of a particular interest to the agency leader, the board, team members or the general staff.  It is certainly a nice talking point and makes for an enriching conversation among friends, community partners, business leaders and civic officials. 
          

Mentoring is a process we all know something about and perhaps grew up involved as a mentee and perhaps now serve as a mentor.  Throughout all our lives, we had those caring adults, older students, teachers, coaches, a counselor, neighbors, church parishioners or a family member who gave us some much needed advice or just took us under their wings to show us the way and how thing are done.  In so many ways mentoring can be seen as “life coaching” and has always been something done one-on-one, in a group, joining a club or by being on a team.  Measuring how effective any mentoring program continues to be hard to measure by any standard and is for open debate.   

Today, mentoring takes on many forms and shapes, even if we do not see it as mentoring.  Mentoring does not have to be something that is so rigid or inflexible.  It can be something that occurs on a schedule, over time, a specific time table, date, weekly, by topic, and includes a conversation during a planned outing or over lunch.  And with modern technology and social media now in play, mentoring or aspects of mentoring as well as a mentoring conversation can take place on a whole new dimension.   
  

Developing and building an effective mentoring program for any age group is quite a challenge and that is not understatement.  It is a tall order.  In any regard, it takes a considerable amount of time to create, to recruit mentors, screenings, conducting training sessions, paper work, and background checks and to maintain communication.  Mentoring is needed, mentoring is necessary and it is what is missing for a large segment of this current younger generation, especially those (16-24) and involved in Juvenile Court.  I currently am working with the WestCare Wisconsin, Face Forward program to develop a quality mentoring team.  Putting this mentoring team together is a challenge.  A few of my biggest problems are trying to find caring adults who want to make a difference the lives of a new generation and additional funding for mentors.  If interested, give me a call... you are needed and welcomed.    

When Forgiveness Matters

In the wake of one the largest mass shootings at a Black Church in American History, a number of enduring heartfelt lessons occurred.  One of those lessons happened during the bond hearing of the shooter, when all of the affected families of the 9 that were killed had a chance to speak during that hearing.  One after one, they all spoke about their love ones in endearing terms and then amazingly offered the words of “forgiveness” to the shooter.  “I forgive you...”  

As those words rang out, it took everyone by surprise, it shocked a nation, it shocked a world and it certainly shocked those living in South Carolina.  No one expected to hear those words in public from any family member and especially so early in the process while holding the shooter accountable.  I believe that those words ignited a fire storm and a series of events that called for action on a number of underling issues that have pledged that state for decades, if not longer.  This included the removal of the confederated flag, expanding voting rights, reducing poverty, racial equality, improving employment opportunities and a review of state policies on gun purchases.  For all of that, Charleston; South Carolina and even America will never be the same. 

From my viewpoint and having once lived in Edgefield, South Carolina, did my Naval Reserved Duty in Charleston, and visited the city on numerous occasions, what occurred two weeks ago was a “huge moment” and it sparked a new debate about the symbols of slave history and its long lasting effects.  Let us not forget that unlike other states in the old south, South Carolina has a unique place in American history for not only being a slave state, but for  epic civil war battles, large plantations, shrewd politicians, sea ports, slave auction houses, secession from the union, and an enduring legacy of poor treatment towards African Americans and other migrants.        

What makes the events that occurred in Charleston even more distinctive is the fact that the families members of those killed at the church chose to “forgive” the shooter.  They certainly did not have say that, but they did.  And perhaps that is where we are today as a society as a whole, we have learn how to “forgive” others.  This is the hard part and the struggle is real as it can get, when words cannot express how we really feel, the pain, the lost and the grief.  Perhaps Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies. What do you think?