In Need Of…?

Violence. Hatred. Racism. Homophobia. Xenophobia. Anti-intellectualism. Envy. Sexism. Egotism. White supremacy. Lack of self-esteem. These are the problems. The opposite is fixing each and every one of them.


So, what is your need? Mine? All of them?


I’ve thought about social issues most of my life. I remember group discussions with friends when I was in my early teens. I’m now just about to celebrate my 77^th birthday. That’s a span of over 60 years of thinking seriously about serious issues. It is a thing with me. I’m not proud of it or ashamed of it. It is just me.


Yes, I’m probably too serious. But at least I spend my time thinking about things that truly matter. When I pick up a newspaper or watch a TV news report, I understand the issue and its context. I am not stymied or buffaloed by the report. I can fit it in with the other issues of the day and consider what is more important, or not, and what we ought to do about it.


Trouble is, we end up doing nothing.


A lot of nothing over the span of 60+ years. Here we are, a large, prosperous nation which thinks highly of itself as consequential, inventive, progressive, brilliant, and capable of great things. I think we have missed the boat in a very big way.


First off, we do little to ensure justice is served in the lives of all our people. Second, racism is a cancer that has been allowed to fester for hundreds of years. Third, the economy does not reward fairly the contributions of all people. The enormous imbalance of wealth among our people is a sin. Fourth, our morals are mouthed only, not lived.  We say we are Christian but don’t know the first thing what that means. Fifth, we say we believe in equal access to education but don’t want to pay for it, won’t sacrifice for it, and expect someone else to foot the bill. We don’t really get why education is an investment in ourselves and each other.


And sexism? Or genderism? Why aren’t all people equal, period? Why don’t we celebrate each person’s uniqueness and contribution to our society? What does it matter to you that I’m gay, or you are a man, or a woman, and why should that indicate what we are capable of or not? It doesn’t make any sense. Glass ceiling for women? Why? How did that ever come about. Why hasn’t it been destroyed before now? And equal pay for equal work?


While we are at it, why are police unions in a power orientation on how police departments function? If the unions are so good at their job, why haven’t they been able to root out the bad apples that give the entire profession a bad name? George Floyd and his family would like to know the answer to that question, and the hundreds or thousands of other black and brown citizens killed by inappropriate police action. Just saying. This is the time to ask that question.


And get an answer to it.


If I sound testy, I am. A lot testy. I’m frustrated by the lack of action to make our country, city, state, county, better than it is. We are capable of so much more. And no, government doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Churches and nonprofits have been lifting a lot of weight for generations too numerous to count. They just don’t get credit for what they do.


We can do more. We can lift up the downtrodden. We can help the elderly, the poor, the disabled. God knows we subsidize the rich and powerful at every turn. But the rest of society shares crumbs.


I’m mad. I’ve been involved in solution-making most of my life. I hear others complain but don’t see their contribution to making things better. How do we get everyone to participate and be a part of the solution and not part of the problem?


We know the problems. We have accurate studies on the issues and the potential solutions. All we need is the will to get things done. And then do it.


Just do it! Now!


June 3, 2020