The future...as if it really mattered

As I was watching Meet the Press, something caught my ear. Tom Friedman, a New York Times reporter, wrote a book (From Beruit to Jerusalem) after spending time in the Middle East. He explained, "These are people who hate others more than they love their own kids; more than they love their own future." I wonder if this couldn't be applied to some of the kids in our inner cities. Kids and teenagers are in such dire situations (some self-inflicted, but others that have been created for them before they were even born) that I believe their sense of resentment and hatred may be stronger than their love for their future. Resentment and hatred is much more tangible that believing in the future.

Friedman went on to say, "The role of America is to be the guiding light there."

My question is:

How do we expect the United States to take care of another country's business when we can't handle our own?

A while back I read a book by James Garbarino, Children in Danger. The book compares our inner city war zones to those in Beruit, Belfast, and Mozambique. There isn't much difference.

Characteristics Garbarino mentions of war-torn foreign countries:

• malnourishment
• witnessing/knowing about violent deaths
• lack of emotion
• anger

In Mozambique, 42% of adolescents (out of 119 surveyed) had witnessed a murder. In some housing projects in the United States, up to 33% had witnessed a murder. Many more knew someone who had been killed, even if they hadn't witnessed it.

Though Tom Friedman continued to talk about our conflict overseas, we might could learn something from his theory:

"We've got to find another way...Listening is a sign of respect...If you just go over and listen to people and what they have to say, it's amazing... But when you just say we're not gonna go to Damascus, we're not going to listen to the Syrians, you're never going to get anywhere that way. I'm not guaranteeing you you're going to get somewhere the other way, but all I know, you sure increase the odds if you sit down and just listen."

Has anyone ever thought about listening to people in the inner city?? Friedman made the comment that what we're doing in the Middle East isn't working, so it can't hurt to try something different. I would argue that it's the same for our inner cities right here in the United States.

"Listening is a sign of respect."

Allow me to reiterate what Friedman said and apply it to our inner cities.

"I'm not guaranteeing you you're going to get somewhere the other way, but all I know, you sure increase the odds if you sit down and just listen."

Stand for Children

"We stood at the Lincoln Memorial as American families and as an American community to commit ourselves to putting you, our children, first, to building a just America that leaves no child behind, and to ensuring all of you a healthy and safe passage to adulthood.

"We stood together as an American people--red, white, brown, black, and yellow; young and old; rich, middle class, and poor; female and male; physically and mentally challenged; Jew and Gentile; Christian and Moslem; Hindu, Buddhist, and Baha'i; believers and nonbelievers--each an inextricable part of the amazing sacred mosaic of God's universe and of America's democracy.

"We came with many concerns and by many means for you, our children. Some of us walked and some came by wheelchair. Some came by rail, air, and bus. Some came alone and some in groups. Some came with family and some had no famimly. Some of us had one or more homes to protect our children from the cold, heat, and storms of life. Some of us had no home or place to call our own. No one was excluded.

"Everyone agreed on one crucial thing: that no one in America should harm children and that everyone can do more to ensure that you grow up safe, healthy, and educated, in nurturing families and in caring communities. You are entitled to your childhood, safety, and hope.

"In this nation, the poorest baby born in the Mississippi delta, Montana plains, Texas barrios, Arizona reservations, and inner-city ghettos has the same God-given and America-promised birthright of fair opportunity, respect, and protection as the middle-class child born in the suburbs of Shaker Heights, and as the most privileged child born on Park Avenue.

"Each and every American child adds or subtracts, multiplies or divides America's problems and potential, and fulfills America's nightmares or dreams.

"President Lincoln warned that "a house divided against itself cannot stand." That's why we remember his words and are acting to renovate our divided and battered national house to make sure it has room and justice enough for all.

"When Jesus Christ invited little children to come unto Him, He did not invite only rich or middle-class, male, white children without mental or physical challenges, from two-parent families, to come. He invited all children to come, as do all the great faiths, to renew America's and God's sacred covenant with every child.

"It is always the right time to do right for children, who are being born and formed in mind, body, and spirit every minute as life goes on.

"Young people, families, child advocates, citizens: keep standing together for children every day until all America stands with us. Take at least one step for just one child, and you will make a difference.

"Be confident that you do not stand alone: we all stand together. We will do our very best for you, and in doing so, leave our seeds of service to God. He will make of them twoering oak trees of hope in whose shade you can play and laugh and live and grow again all over America.

"Whoever you are, wherever you are anywhere in America--stand up and commit to leave no child behind. If you cannot stand, raise your hands. If you cannot raise your hands, then lift your eyes or open your ears and hearts. If you do, you, our children, and this great nation will do God proud when He comes.

"Trust in God's love. God lifted up Abraham Lincoln--a poor, rural Kentucky boy--to the presidency of the United States to save our Union from slavery and sectionalism. God used a courageous slave woman named Harriet Tubman to lead slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad just as God can use you to heal our communities.

"Let us end with a prayer."

O God, forive our rich nation where small babies die of cold quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation where small children suffer from hunger quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation where toddlers and school children die from guns sold quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation that lets children be the poorest group of citizens quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation that lets the rich continue to get more at the expense of the poor quite legally.
O God, forgive our rich nation that thinks security rests in missiles rather than in mothers, and in bombs rather than in babies.
O God, forgive our rich nation for not giving You sufficient thanks by giving to others thier daily bread.
O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with what is just and right in Your sight.

Marian Wright Edelman, Stand for Children rally, June 1, 1996

Way to go, Chicago!

At least one city is doing something about Congress's lack of compassion and response to raising the minimum wage (while granting themselves a higher salary). Chicago's city council has passed an ordinance that requires big retailers (like Wal-mart and Home Depot) to ultimately pay a minimum of $10/hour plus $3/hour worth of beneifts to their employees by 2010 and then it would be indexed for inflation after that (it would start out with $9.25 per hour and $1.50 per hour in benefits by 2007). It still only amounts to $20,800 before taxes, but it's much better than $5.25/hour. Of course, all of this depends on if the mayor vetoes or not...and he hasn't decided just yet.

What makes no sense to me is why these large businesses get so upset about things like this. I gather it is because raising someone's less-than-poverty wage might shave a little off of their billions of dollars of profit each year. How can we, who are making so much more money, be so offended by taking a couple of thousand dollars off of our much larger salaries? We aren't talking about people who are sitting around sponging off the "system." We are talking about people who are working 40 hours a week (and sometimes holding down second jobs) just to make ends meet. Yet, because they don't make enough money, they are having to utilize the system! ...at no fault of their own!! It refutes the age-old "poor people are lazy" mantra so many like to profess.

I say AMEN to Chicago's big company policy. I hope others (including Congress) follow suit! Other research (Florida just raised their minimum wage) shows that raising the minimum wage does not hurt people like everyone claims. In fact, it helps the economy because it gives people more money to spend!

Please think about this as you talk to your friends, neighbors, and legislators today.

Note to the above graphic: Currently, it would take $9.28/hour for a family of four to break even with the poverty line. Even then, the family of four would only be making $19,307 per year.

Struggles of minimum wage

Have you ever thought about trying to raise your family on $10,712 per year...or $21,424 if there are two adults in the home and both are working? That's what minimum wage ($5.15/hour) would get someone if they were working a full 40 hours a week with absolutely no vacation days for the whole 52 weeks out of the year! Granted, many jobs pay a whopping $6 or $7 per hour so that would up that number a little. Of course, those are gross numbers...before taxes have been taken out.

As a single person with no dependents, I can't imagine living on $10, 712 per year! Although I wouldn't claim to be the most frugal person when it comes to spending money, I'm not overly extravagant either. Minimum wage amounts to $892.67/mo. When I was living in my very cheap (comparatively speaking) apartment complex that offered "all bills paid" and where many people I know didn't want visit, let alone live (I would argue that I enjoyed my neighbors and loved where I lived...but that is beside the point.), my rent was $575 for a 2-bedroom apartment. That's 64% of a person's minimum wage income! And that was three years ago! I am almost sure rent in my old apartments has gone up since then. Unfortunately, though, while rent and other prices increase, minimum wage has not. Deducting rent from what someone on minimum wage would make leaves $317.67 for the whole month to buy groceries, household items, personal hygeine items, clothes, gas or bus passes, car payment (if you have a car), pay tithes, child care...forget the entertainment or any kind of luxuries!!

Check out this website to gain an understanding of the difficult choices people are forced to make because of these low wages.

The laws that are being made (or, in the case of the Congress, the laws that aren't being passed) at the expense of someone else make me think a little differently when I begin putting myself in that position and wonder how I would live...knowing I'm working hard just like the rest of the population!

Responding to Racist Comments

So many comments that we, Whites, make are offensive. Not only do we often not realize it, we get upset when a person of color tells us our comment was offensive. It requires a lot of willingness and openness to listen and learn from people.

Click here to listen to a radio report on people's perspectives of responding to racist comments.

Who is college for?

In California, Proposition 209 banned using race as a decision-making factor in college enrollment. I know some people would cheer and say that it's about time we stopped using race as a factor. The people that I've talked to want to be colorblind and take people based on merit alone. But is it their own personal merit that reserves them a spot at a prestigious university? And who defines merit?

Out of 10,000 African-American students who graduated in Los Angeles County this year, only 96 of them will be attending the prestigious UCLA. Why is that? The University and Proposition 209 would say that it's simply because those are the only students who have the skills to work up to the standards UCLA sets. I would guess they would say they don't see color. It's all about the academics.

However, I would say that money and privileges also play a large part in who gets in to UCLA. How many of those who did get in could afford and actually did utilize privately paid tutors and SAT classes to help them raise their scores and get the help they needed. Though I think it is important to look at basic skill levels and though I am not arguing that many of our kids are even at the level where they simply need a little push. No. Many of them need a LOT of help! A LOT!

However, I would think that as a part of a student's merit, it would be important to look at determination and perseverance as well. If a student does not have the skills, but has the ability and is willing to persevere through the frustration of attending a school that will challenge him/her academically, I think that should be given credit when looking at their application. It may take a little more work on the college's part because that student will need some individual attention to get to a comfortable level with college and be academically successful. That may sound like an undue burden on the college, but at what point do we stand up, take notice that there are students falling through the cracks, and begin to do something about it. Right now I see and hear of students being written off. They are suspended so they don't have to take the TAKS (state mandated) test, which would ultimately count against the schools pretty numbers. At what point do we say that "Kids Matter!" Are we going to sit back and watch the enrollment numbers dwindle, raising our hands in exasperation or are we going to do something about it...so that all kids are granted the same opportunity?

Murder...on whose terms?

The President believes murder is wrong. Tony Snow, the Press Secretary, said it in a press conference. The conversation was referring to the President's disagreement with embryonic stem cell research. He claims he "doesn't want to see human life destroyed."

I'm not sure I can understand that. How can he say that and continue a pointless war that is killing an average of 100 civilians per day in Iraq?! How can he be so concerned about unborn children, but not care about quality of life once they are born?

He contradicts himself.

Help me understand the rationale.

Neighborhoods get a bad rap--is it justified?

I absolutely love the neighborhood where I live as well as the one where I work. But some days, being a part of these neighborhoods frustrate me.

Both are low-income neighborhoods. There are good people in both neighborhoods. Unfortunately, some of the negatives of our community are much more visible and get much more publicity than the positives.

Just this week, Wyshina, my friend and the Assistant Coordinator for our After-School Academy in Turner Courts, witnessed a break in. As she was bringing things in off of her back porch, she saw three teenage boys run out of her neigbhor's back door. She knew her neighbor was at work so she called the police. When the police car arrived, Wyshina explained to him what had happened. One of the three boys was still standing right beside the apartment casually drinking the Gatorade he had stolen from the lady's home! Wyshina pointed him out to the police officer and explained that he was one of the boys who had broken in. Instead of getting out and investigating, the officer said there was nothing he could do and explained that when the lady came back home she should call the police.

Being good neighbors, Wyshina went across the street and got another friend to help her go into the house and move the washer and dryer unit in front of the back door so no one else could go in and then proceeded to sit on the front porch and wait until the lady arrived.

Needless to say, Wyshina was frustrated at the lack of response from the police.

Evidently, the teenager knew nothing would happen or he wouldn't have been so casually sitting outside the apartment drinking the evidence!

What do we need to do?! I realize that not everyone is as bold as Wyshina was. Most of the time in our communities people will witness everything that happened and then refuse to tell the police anything for fear of retaliation or rejection in the community. I know that must be frustrating for the police. So many of the negative activities are connected to family members and friends. No one wants to be the one who accuses a family member or friend. But by denying we know anything, we hurt ourselves and keep our communities from being protected. It all becomes a vicious cycle.

We don't trust the police --> The police can't do their job --> Our communities remain unhealthy with negative activity --> The police wrongly accuse people and harass people because of the neighborhood and its assumed activities --> We don't trust the police.

I realize we have a long way to go in cleaning up our communities. I realize that the police probably don't want to waste their time on people who deny they saw anything. But why can't the police value people like Wyshina...a person who takes the risk to boldly point out the person...and at least look into what she witnessed?

Minimum Wage

I'm in the middle of Urban Experience this week and don't have much time. But I think Larry James' post yesterday is an amazing post that should be read and taken to heart by all of us.

Click here to read Larry's blog on the benefits of raising minimum wage.

Not even on the map

Our Urban Experience (UE) program started today (see the link at right for more info). I had asked several of the teenagers that I've known for a while to help me out. I had asked them to be on a panel and talk about some of their experiences at school and such. They always amaze me with their wisdom and insight.

In the packet I gave each UE participant, I had included a map of the city, provided by our local tourism office. When it came time for Lewanna to talk about her neighborhood, she pointed out that the map we had passed out didn't have Southwest Center Mall on it--the mall in her neighborhood (a mall known to be in a predominantly Black neighborhood and frequented by Black customers). She questioned the neglect of putting the mall on the tourism map, yet the city claims that the mall isn't frequented and needs to be torn down. She wondered aloud how a mall could attract customers without any kind of publicity.

It was interesting to hear her musings. I hadn't even looked at the map. I had, however, noticed the same thing when I was in Atlanta last year. Their tourist map had four days worth of sight-seeing options listed in the margin; yet, though Atlanta was one of the hubs of the Civil Rights movement, and though Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Ebenezer Baptist Church and his birthplace is there, nothing related to Martin Luther King, Jr. or the Civil Rights movement was listed as something worth seeing.

When people are left out, they notice. If we're perceptive enough, we'll notice, too.