Tag: society

Order Matters

We live in a turbulent era — a time where order has been challenged. And for good reason. Our most fundamental right — the one that allows us to live — has been challenged by some of those sworn to protect it. And all too often, skin color is at the center of these tragic incidents.

As this grave issue has gained notoriety, related ones have come to light as well. We’ve collectively shown outrage at the blatant inequalities of our justice system, reopened discussions as to how we actually view black and white, and mourned disturbing acts of retributive violence that have rocked our communities.

We’re certainly a polarized nation. If you don’t believe that, look at the varying responses to NFL player Colin Kaepernick’s decision not to stand for the national anthem — a protest coined to shed light on race relations. Most of the support for the move has come from the black community; the white community has been much less forgiving.

Situations like these show our nation’s current predicament. We must fix these societal problems — but we need to do this in a unified, orderly fashion. This is a difficult feat, since there’s a crisis in confidence with our system of order at the moment. But it’s something we must pull off— as a world without order is fraught with danger.

***

I understand this as much as anyone. A short time ago, I went to a college football game in Oklahoma with a friend. Our seats were right next to the Oklahoma student section, and we decided to move over five feet and watch the game with the student body. While I was at first apprehensive about standing on the narrow metal bleachers with the student — especially considering it had just rained — I soon found out I had other concerns to contend with.

Shortly after kickoff, I felt something pushing against my back. It turns out the drunk guy behind me had dropped the cap to his pint of Jack Daniels, and he had knocked into me as he clumsily tried to pick it up. Moderately amused, I turned my attention back to the game. But a few minutes later, I found myself in the line of fire again — as the same guy started jawing with someone a row in front of me. As the argument got more and more heated, my focus for the evening drastically changed. I was no longer worried about watching the football game. I was instead worried about leaving the stadium in one piece.

Unfortunately, my fears soon became reality — although not courtesy of Mr. Jack Daniels. A man two rows above me had been trying to start fights all night. Someone finally obliged, shoving him and sending him flying; the man knocked me down a row as he fell, leaving me with a twisted ankle. When I looked up, he was charging through the crowd throwing haymakers.

It was only at this point that police and security showed up. They ultimately decided not to throw anyone out, but most of the troublemakers left on their own accord, as the game had become a blowout.

***

This experience was eye opening for me. A trip to a football game had become Jungle Law, simply because there was no one around to restore order. The situation was incredibly dangerous — although my minor ankle injury appeared to be the extent of the damage.

Take this scenario outside the walls of a football stadium, and the consequences are even more dire. While I certainly believe that Black Lives Matter and absolute power can corrupt absolutely, it’s clear that a complete lack of order is just as lethal as a corrupted system of order — maybe more. For when ill-meaning characters are allowed to run amok, we are all in the crossfire.

So we must not shun order completely. Instead we must work together to improve our system for everyone. We must ensure not only that innocent people are not victimized, but also that actual troublemakers are held accountable.

Restoring our confidence in order is not a black issue, or a white issue. It’s a gray issue.

It’s a challenge that affects all of us, but it’s one we’re compelled to take on directly.

Let us begin.

The Trials of Our Time

About a week ago, I wrote a blog article that was meant to be shared here. The article was about Dallas — how it is so often misunderstood, how what makes it special is hidden behind the stereotypical perceptions held by outsiders and whether all of this even matters.

I believe in every word of that article. But it will have to wait for another time.

As I was reading over my completed draft of that article, a nightmare was unfolding less than 20 miles away, in the heart of downtown Dallas. A peaceful protest against police brutality was suddenly ambushed by a barrage of bullets, aimed by a sniper at the officers on duty in the area. Five officers lost their lives in the attack, while seven others — plus two civilians — sustained injuries. It was quite possibly the most heinous incident in Dallas since President Kennedy was gunned down at Dealey Plaza — a mere two blocks from the most recent atrocity — more than 50 years ago.

The past few days have, admittedly, been difficult for me. I reckon they’ve been difficult for all North Texans. And while I’m no stranger to the emptiness left by senseless tragedy — having been in New York City on 9/11 and having covered some awful stories during my news media career — the pain I feel is different this time, in part because the situation is so much more complex.

You’ve probably heard commentary from countless angles over the violent events of the first week of July 2016 by now. This is not another piece of angled commentary. It’s a narrative I hope is shared by so many who are deeply disturbed by these recent events, but are also weighed down by the balance of perspective.

Given the perilous state of our society, I feel it’s my duty to share this narrative here.

***

“Dallas is a city that loves.”

Those words from Dallas Police Chief David Brown the day after the city’s most heinous attack in decades.

He’s right.

Despite the bad rap Dallas gets elsewhere — including the derogatory “New York of Texas” moniker given by the folks down I-35 apiece — this is one of the friendliest places I’ve ever called home. Strangers are genuinely kind and respectful, and friends have treated me like family.

While Dallas’ official tourism slogan is “Big Things Happen Here,” I’ve long thought it should read “Your Life Matters Here.” Aside from New York, I’ve rarely seen a more diverse and inclusive region; in fact, I personally feel Dallas is more openly diverse than Miami — a city that considers itself “The Gateway to the Americas”.

Of course, “Your Life Matters Here” brings us to the heart of the recent tragedies.

There is a define trend of African American men losing their lives at the hands of law enforcement in this country. It is real, it is disturbing and it must be properly addressed.

But the Dallas Police Department, by and large, has not been a part of this trend. Serving a city that, despite its welcoming attitude, is far from perfect — a city that still features its share of bad neighborhoods and violent crime — the department has made great strides to fulfill their duties without creating a culture of racial prejudice displayed in Ferguson, Saint Paul, Baton Rouge and even New York.

But that didn’t matter to one former member of the U.S. Army, a man who looked down at white and Hispanic men in badges and saw red.

He didn’t just take the lives of five men who were doing their job by protecting a group of people who were protesting atrocities committed by their own profession, he took the lives of five North Texans. Men who had families. Men who made plenty of sacrifices just to join the police force. Men who truly cared about the community they served. Men who would stop pro athletes to take a photo with them, just as other North Texans would.

Heck, some of the men and women he targeted had stopped to pose for pictures with the protesters momentsearlier. But that didn’t matter to this sniper, who had categorically picked them for extermination.

And that is why I take this incident so personally.

I am not black. I am not in law enforcement. So I don’t know what it’s like to have a continual target on my back. But the thought of being systematically categorized and eliminated based off something as basic as my skin tone or line of work is unconscionable. It’s a risk all my friends with darker skin tones face continually, and one that all my friends and acquaintances in law enforcement must be aware of as well. And it’s a situation that cost five officers — five of my extended neighbors — their lives.

We cannot let this continue. For if we do, we’re heading for a path of self-destruction. Coast to coast, the racial divide is as bad right now as I’ve ever seen it in my life. Distrust is high and violent confrontation has taken hold. We’re on the brink of a total meltdown that would annihilate everything good our society has ever stood for.

These are the trials of our time, and we must deal with them.

We must take the steps to come together and save ourselves. The angry voices on the edge need not take the lead; that’s the responsibility of those in the middle — the ones who care about fair treatment for all, but have done little to speak up so far.

We must put aside our differences and unite against hate, against prejudice and against this horrific violence.

***

As I turned onto the Woodall Rodgers Freeway the other night, I noticed the iconic Dallas skyline, decked out in blue in honor of the fallen officers. It was a beautiful, captivating sight — but also a melancholy one. Our city is certainly hurting right now, but we will endure.

Our society must make the changes needed to do the same.

Better Than Perfect

If there’s one aspect of our collective behavior that will continually baffle me, it’s the relentless quest for perfection. It makes us act in strange ways, waste money on trivial things and cast shade on significant moments of achievement, due to the presence of minor flaws.

Perfection is fleeting. It’s tantalizing. Sportscasters wax poetic about it, Lexus bombards us with car commercials about the pursuit of it, brides spend the months leading up to their big day obsessing over it.

Perfection is seemingly all around us, yet barely out of our reach.

But why do we strain for that escaped balloon, time after time? What is it about perfection that makes us fixate on it, like a diamond under the glass in a jewelry store?

Is it because perfection puts us on God’s level? We should know better. Both the Bible and Greek mythology contain cautionary tales about those who had the Hubris to ascend to where they did not belong. When Icarus flew too close to the sun, his wax wings melted and he plummeted back to Earth. When people teamed up to build a tower to Heaven, God foiled the plan by splitting up the languages of the conspirators, making collaboration impossible.

What about the prospect of living without blemishes? Is that what allows our hearts to fix on perfection? This thinking is foolish, shallow and arrogant. Blemishes and flaws allow us to be different, what allow us to be free. We are not carbon copies, devoid of any sign of character. We are humans, with unique personalities, looks and behaviors. “Blemishes” may represent deviation from a mean, but they also help us connect, learn and grow.

Yes, if we are to progress as a society, we must learn to embrace our imperfections, instead of relentlessly chasing perfection. But that doesn’t mean we must stop seeking a better way, a higher standard.

We must aim for ideal. Ideal is attainable; perfection never will be.

Think about it. Did the humbling experiences of the falls of Icarus and Babel cause us to stop building or innovating? Not by a longshot. Look up on a bright sunny day in the big city, and you’ll likely see airplanes soaring well above the peaks of skyscrapers. These innovations are below the level of perfection, yet above the standard of adequacy. To a certain degree, they’re ideal.

Along the path to ideal, we learn to live with our differences, our blemishes, our flaws and imperfections. We collaborate, grow and build a more nuanced culture. Some of us even learn how to speak the languages of others — breaking through the barrier of Babel. If perfection were attainable, we wouldn’t have the opportunity to improve our society in these mutually productive ways.

So strive for ideal. It’s better than perfect.

A Pressing Transformation

As I was out shopping for golf spikes a few weeks ago, my mind (quite naturally) fixated on one name: Johannes Gutenberg.

Let me explain.

You see, a trip to the golf store is never simple for someone with wide feet — especially when that person is on the hunt for the elusive black Nike spikes that will fit him, both in style and comfort. Inevitably, some poor employee will swing by and try in vain to find me what I’m looking for; when this happens, I’ll invariably start thinking about how it is that people can make their living selling golf equipment.

Zooming out further, I’ll start considering how an entire industry has cropped up around what is — at its most basic elements — an elaborate obstacle course. There’s plenty of money to be made in golf — not only for those on the PGA Tour, but also for those caddying, teaching lessons, managing the grounds or working the pro shop. It’s impressive, but it’s also confounding.

As far as I know, golf started out not much different than lawn games like croquet did. It was a high-class form of entertainment that rewarded those most skilled at hitting a ball around a course and into certain access points quickly.

Golf wasn’t an occupation back then. In fact, there were few occupations in Scotland of the Middle Ages — or anywhere else, for that matter. Society was mostly agrarian, with families working the land to provide for their own while under the reign of a king or queen. Communities were segregated, and ideas did not have the technology to spread to the masses quickly; both of these factors helped keep the system in place.

Enter Mr. Gutenberg.

By bringing the printing press to the Western world, Gutenberg allowed society to spread ideas both quickly and widely — all through the power of the written word. Enlightenment soon swept across Europe, followed by industrialization and the dawn of capitalism. Eventually, governments replaced monarchies, Europeans founded new nations in the Americas and an industrialized, free market began to redefine the world.

So what does this have to do with golf?

Well, as the world changed following Gutenberg’s innovation, golf changed with it. The game gradually transformed from a marginalized leisure activity in a collection of hilly fiefdoms to a global phenomenon that’s enjoyed by a wider variety of people.

Golf has also found its way into the heart of the capitalist commercial world. People are much more likely to play golf on business than, say, baseball. This fact (along with the exclusive allure of the country club) has helped make the golf course a staple of the landscape in America and countless other nations. It’s also led to the growth of that lucrative golf industry I come in contact with when I need golf spikes, or to take a couple dozen hacks at the range.

So thank you, Mr. Gutenberg. Without your printing press, the world would be a far different place. And without as much golf in it, I dare say it would be a sad place too.

Rise Up Together

As I drove by a bank the other day, I noticed the Texas and American flags in front of it were at half-mast. By the time I reached the next red light, I had figured out which tragedy the half-mast gesture was referencing. That’s when I came to a truly depressing revelation.

It seems as if the flags are at half-mast more often than they’re flying high these days.

This is not normal. Furthermore, it shouldn’t be normal. We’re the greatest country in the world, a beacon of freedom and hope. We shouldn’t have to spend 30 seconds trying to figure out who we’re mourning today.

Mass shootings or terrorist attacks are a monthly occurrence in this nation. It’s something we’ve got to change, and I’ll be damned if I watch in silence any longer.

So let’s talk.

Every time a horrific act of mass violence breaks out, the general reaction seems to be the same. Shock, anger, depression, acceptance — all of the stages of grief are in play in some form, except bargaining. There’s usually a call for political action of some sort in there, but don’t confuse that with compromise. It’s more about taking a stand.

But turning to politics is a dead-end road. I’ve always believed the problem with politics is that Conservatives think they have the right answer and Liberals know they have the right answer. In truth, neither side does — making the dialogue between the two sides toxic in times like these, when tensions are high. Yet, when it comes to a response to the recent wave of bloodshed, the answer isn’t so clear-cut anyway, so let’s dig deeper.

Mass shootings exploit a flaw in the documentation our country is built upon. The right to bear arms is protected under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, but the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is protected under the Declaration of Independence. Mass shootings use one of our rights to callously deny another.

Sometimes the flaw can run even deeper. Religious expression is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. But when religious extremists open fire on others, they use two our rights to deny the most fundamental one we all have.

That said, taking away the rights to religion and to bear arms won’t rid us of these tragedies. People have been killing each other since the time of Cain and Abel, and people have been using religion as an impetus for violence for nearly as long. The bad guys will find a way, regardless of which tools they have at their disposal. Where we fail, collectively, is letting them become the bad guys in the first place.

I believe that there is good in most of us. But we don’t show it enough. Selfishness, hate and deceit are but a few of the evil tendencies of humanity that are all too prevalent in our society. When the less glamorous side of our existence is on display in large numbers, these dark feelings can consume the weak minded to the point of committing terrible actions.

We must show the good in ourselves more often. Spewing hate and closed-mindedness at others only breeds violence. Selfishly denying assistance to those who need help only leads to tragedy.

The holidays are here. Let’s show the good in ourselves — the compassion, selflessness and universal acceptance that has made our society so great. Let us show love over hate, collectively. This will help quell the crimson tide of bloodshed more than any anti-gun legislation or plan for religious persecution by an imbecile Presidential candidate ever will. We not only can do this. We must do this.

Let’s rise up together.