We Need Beacons Not Demagogues

An icon of the civil rights movement who marched and bled with MLK.

Rep.  Lewis is 80 now and ailing from cancer.

But his voice, tinged with passion, experience and wisdom, remains compelling.

Amidst all of the noise and the endless punditry, John Lewis remains a beacon.

Let’s listen to what he has to say: “I see you and I hear you. I know your pain, your rage, your sense of despair and hopelessness. Justice has, indeed been denied for far too long. Rioting, looting and burning is not the way. Organize. Demonstrate. Sit in. Stand up. Vote. Be constructive, not destructive. History has proven time and again that nonviolent, peaceful protest is the way to achieve the justice and equality that we all deserve.”

America is at a crossroads.

We are being forced to confront issues that have festered for far too long.

Systemic racism, inequality, a lack of opportunity, homelessness, health care disparities, political dysfunction, division and a general coarseness that permeates our day to day existence.

This is not what we are supposed to be. This is not the promise of America. This is some dystopian version and if we don’t wake up we risk the great experiment that is America.

This is not to say that everything is broken.

Last week’s Space-X launch is a reminder of our technical and entrepreneurial prowess. That the founder of the company is a citizen of three countries  is an important reminder that we are a nation of immigrants and that most who come here do so to contribute and build the Dream that benefits us all.

I capitalize the word Dream because it deserves more attention. America means something. The Dream means something.

MLK’s Dream. The American Dream.

It’s worth fighting for. It’s worth dying for.

But the Dream is not automatic is it?

It’s not a birthright. It’s something we have to fight for and work to achieve.

I take issue with both the left and the right on this.

I don’t want to redistribute the nation’s wealth. I don’t want to punish those who succeed.

I think we ought to grow the pie. The beauty of America is the pie doesn’t have to be finite. We can grow it, we can include more people and we can root for them to succeed.

But we have the resources to provide a social safety net too. And if you succeed you should pay your fair share.

And that’s my problem with the right.

You don’t like Obamacare? Great where is your plan?

Can’t we all agree that everyone will need health care and that in a great nation that cares for its people that we ought to design a world class system and give people access to the very best care possible?

I don’t want to hear that climate change is a hoax, because it isn’t.

Sea level rise is real, super storms are menacing us and we are experiencing more severe weather events.

Isn’t it time we did something to protect the world we live in and the one we will leave our children and grandchildren?

We can go on heaping  blame on one another. We can continue to divide, bully and label.  But it’s a waste of time; blame and fault finding doesn’t get us anywhere.

The endless division doesn’t create opportunity, doesn’t solve racism and doesn’t ensure that we won’t all be consumed by rising tides.

Time and time again, this blog argues that we can think globally but act locally. Here’s how.

We can create more housing here for families and young people but we will need to stand up to the NIMBY mentality. And we can design that housing so that it enhances our community and doesn’t ruin it.

We can listen to each other instead of troll each other.

We can break down racial barriers —if we want to.

Delray is diverse but segregated. Why?

We can agree that having a strong local government can be a great advantage. We all want and need governmental services.

It has been a rocky several years marked by scandal and turnover. But there are a number of super public servants working in our city and we are blessed with outstanding police and fire departments—-and right about now we should be exceptionally grateful for that.

But so few us vote. So few of us participate. It’s important that we do.

Rep. John Lewis, who crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge only to be met with violence and hatred shows us the way.

It’s not looting. It’s not apathy.

That’s the wrong way.

It’s being an active citizen. It’s using our voices.

It’s about working toward a more perfect union.

One of my friends said something changed when Americans saw that knee on George Floyd’s neck.

Something fundamental.

I agree.

It’s up to each of us as to what that change will mean.

We are at the crossroads.

Do we choose hate and division? Or love and collaboration?

Sounds like an easy choice doesn’t it ?

But too often we choose hate and division. It’s why we are at the crossroads.
Isn’t it time to try something else?