Charlottesville, North Korea, Afghanistan, Washington. Education, economic opportunity, healthcare, tax reform, infrastructure, immigration reform, gun regulation, governmental dysfunction. And others. Already overwhelming, but we can't let them get the best of us. We CAN do something. We CAN make a difference. We must. We each have gifts and resources to apply to the challenge. Let's start patching the holes.
My Uncoincidental Coincidence...The Mining Pan
From my presentation to Interfaith Action of Central Texas...
It was on a Colorado mountain adventure that I found this old mining pan. I was already a believer in uncoincidental coincidences, or "synchronicity," as Betty Sue Flowers and Joe Jaworski might call it. I immediately recognized that pan as representing my life. I was then reeling from the loss of a child to cancer, the loss of a marriage from that trauma, and the confusion and personal dysfunction that prompted disappointment with my friend in the mirror. The mining pan was the perfect tap on the shoulder, heart and mind.
In that moment of self-reflection, I realized the value of the experience. As with the pan, my life had a big hole in it. The pan could be balanced to pick up some gold dust, but no significant nuggets could be captured until the hole was patched. That moment of clarity was the perfect catalyst for my subsequent quest. Patching the holes in mind, body and spirit.
Caught In The Crossfire...Lessons from Stevie Ray, Mayor Henry and Sonia...
Stevie Ray Vaughn sang about being "caught in the crossfire."We are buffeted by shrill and divisive rhetoric daily. While we can say, "It can't happen here,"we ignore lessons from Charlottesville at our own peril. There are real and perceived grievances and inequities that enabled the Trump election and the tragedies in Charlottesville and other parts of "America the Beautiful." We've got to recognize and appreciate the issues and ideological differences before we can change or moderate them. Let me share a profound personal experience of this lesson.
It was a National Mayor's Conference in Houston in the '80s. I was sent as a Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce representative to pick up progressive tips from dynamic communities. A key speaker was the newly elected San Antonio Mayor, Henry Cisneros. He wowed us with a charismatic presentation about his hopes and vision for San Antonio's future. We were duly impressed, with both him and his outlook. Next on the agenda, however, was Sonia Hernandez, the activist leader of San Antonio's C.O.P.S (Communities Organized for Public Service), a grassroots advocacy group with major connections through the Catholic church network.
Hernandez was an impressive presence and speaker with a sobering counter perspective. She'd been inspired by Cesar Chavez and other activists who'd blazed the trails. She praised Cisneros, especially as a fellow Hispanic leader, and said she looked forward to working with him. However, she put things in perspective in a hurry. She said, "I want to live in the city Mayor Cisneros envisions, but let me tell you about the city I live in now. My community doesn't have sidewalks, has inferior schools and neglected infrastructure. There are too many aimless dropouts and hopeless adults. That's the community I live in." We in the audience were impressed and depressed. An effective reality check. An indelible political lesson for me. She effectively presented the "holes" in the argument. For thoughtful realists to process.
Let's Patch Some Holes...Where Do We Start?
We start in the context of our own abilities, experience, and personal issue priorities. There are unlimited opportunities to serve and make a difference. "We The People" have fallen asleep at the switch, been distracted by our screens and hoped/thought that our elected officials were representing our best interests. They weren't. There has been BIPARTISAN neglect of government responsibility at all levels. In almost any area of communal concern. Education, economic opportunity, environmental protection, infrastructure, healthcare, immigration, social justice, the arts, racism, etc., etc. You've heard me make similar observations before, but our State and National commitment hasn't yet risen to our occasion. Our sense of personal and institutional urgency needs a serious boost. NOW!
The complex, but reparable, predicament in which we find ourselves might be summarized thusly. Technological innovation outpaced investment in education and job training. Thus, leaving too many workers without the ability to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market. Education is no longer in synch with economic opportunity. So, an increasing number of willing workers find themselves out of luck in pursuit of the "American Dream." This is a significant reason for the number of angry, frustrated white men who can no longer effectively provide for themselves and their families. Reparable, but not without systemic priority emphasis NOW.
What, Who and How? ASK YOURSELF...
WHAT are my priority concerns? What are the issues I care about most that can positively impact my community?
WHO are colleagues, friends, organizations (associations, non-profits) and elected officials toiling in those vineyards? Which collaborations can best leverage our resources?
HOW can we be more effective* in patching these holes?
*It's good to frequently ask our friend in the mirror, our organizational affiliations and our elected officials, "Are we EFFECTIVE, or just busy?" That pesky accountability factor.
A MOSEY CLOSE
We shouldn't neglect the many issues that promote healthy communities. And we each have resources that can make a difference when we're committed to the cause. However, it is important for us to understand the critical relationship of EFFECTIVE public education to productive economic opportunity. When we better balance this equation, we'll be better able to address all other societal challenges. Think about it it! We can beat ourselves up trying to resolve a myriad of issues, but I contend they'll all be better served when we aggressively address "E Squared." When we patch the holes in Education and Economic Opportunity... LET'S MOSEY!