by josuter

Will anything come of the recent demonstrations around race?  There seem to be few lighted pathways out of the darkness. Maybe some government programs and legislature will help, but if not, will it lead to the same frustration and anger? 

If justice is defined as somebody going to jail and somebody else getting a pile of money, that won’t be enough.  We must have social learning and social change.  

Are we asking the right questions?  Are we telling the stories we need to make change or are we re-telling the old stories in ways that do not quite fit?  In the last few decades we have had a Black President, two secretaries of state, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, plus Black and Hispanic supreme court justices, not to mention all the minorities who occupy key positions in academia and business. Something has changed. 

In a democracy, civilians rank higher than the military and higher than the police at the local level.  Take the initiative.  Invite a policeman or policewoman over for dinner.  Everyone on the police force, including the chief, should share a meal at a home of some of the people they serve, and do it every 6 months.  Get to know them.  If they can’t come to dinner maybe they should find some other line of work.  Act as if you have power and you may be surprised. 

What is a good definition of “strong”?  It’s not a bully or a big man.  It’s someone who identifies a specific problem and pushes toward a solution, someone with purpose.  In my mind things will only change when those in the black community can do something for someone else, either in their own community or outside their community.  Then you are strong.  Others know it and you know it too.   

Take the initiative to know neighbors, even – or especially – in high crime areas.  If you don’t feel safe, ask for a police escort to knock on doors.  This is not simply an act of being nice.  You don’t have to be friends, but ask and expect neighbors to be part of some local project. Get them involved in doing something for others. 

Courts dispense justice mostly by setting boundaries.  They must also be concerned about fairness, but that can be a hindrance toward progress. One neighborhood might be ready to change and the next one not.  Efforts by local groups can focus their efforts and push the one that is ready. 

Government can’t know everything and do everything.  They can’t know when people are fighting over drugs or abusing others in their family or neighborhood.  Beware of the media, both in the mainstream and social media, who make more money when they fan flames of conflict.   

As individuals we may not feel so strong. Finding solutions will take more than listening however.  A belief that good ideas already exist means we must discover them, from anywhere or anyone.  Our success in doing this will depend on our ability to find and move useful ideas within the group that we are in.  

Organize more than demonstrations.  Organize projects, organize your room and the space around you. We organize our thinking or music on a page.  Learn and teach organization skills.  Don’t wait for detailed directions from leaders who may or may not be able to hear what is going on.  Working side-by-side on a task can be more valuable than trying to sympathize or feel someone’s pain.  Projects have a beginning, middle, and an end.  Then it’s time to push further or move on.

There are many other issues in modern day life that beg attention, including histories of other people.  We need help to move forward on climate change and the environment, education, health issues, or technical questions like how to install solar panels. Think and debate the importance of Internet openness and privacy issues.  These are issues that affect all people.  Read a lot, talk and listen.  Help think through the issues of joblessness, why they are disappearing, and what people without jobs might do.  Talk, listen, debate respectfully.  Act. Gather feedback. In any community there are people who don’t feel like leaders but can take the lead on some specific project of their own choosing.  

Ask about education and get involved.  Your child may have a nice teacher, but are children getting a good education?  What should a 3^rdgrader know? What should a 6^thgrader be able to do?  This may require many changes and a division of tasks, but maybe not.  Maybe a change in the length of class time or when to review can make a big difference.  All kids in the class must do better. Kids should be able to teach others what they learned.  Put away the screens for a while.  Use time alone to read and reflect.  

Don’t just organize to demonstrate.  Organize to take care of each other, to challenge others, both within and outside the community.  Identify problems and find solutions.  If that doesn’t work, then try something else.  The question will always be where to push and how far.  But push, experiment, get useful feedback.  Set a distance.  Set some goals and work on them.