What I know for sure. . .

Certainty turns out to be largely elusive in these times.  

But, not completely.  Values--bedrock, non-negotiable, pre-selected--values offer us reasonable certainty on how life ought to be lived.  

So, here is what I know for sure near the conclusion of our recent political convulsions:

• People must be honored, loved, valued--all people.
• Children must be cared for, loved and supported in families.
• Parents must be supported in their responsibilities to their little ones.
• Children must never be separated from their parents.
• A nation as wealthy as this one must take seriously its responsibilities to its citizens and those who seek to be citizens.
• A nation without fair, just, clear policies regarding immigrants and their desire to become a part of the nation lacks integrity, and is not living up to the values that created and sustain this nation of immigrants.
• Black lives matter.  
• Due process trumps police brutality.  
• Protest provokes progress.  
• Prolife is a much broader life philosophy than pro-birth.
• No one should know hunger.  
• Food scarcity and food deserts should be banned outright. 
• Economic opportunity should never be denied or segregated.. 
• Health care is a human right.  This nation should see that every man, woman and child receives such care.
• Public health is more than an idea, it is a practice.  
• Pandemic infections call for public leadership, honesty and sacrifice.
• Adequate, decent, affordable housing is a basic human right.
• Work is sacred.  Everyone who works should be paid a living wage.  No one who works full-time should fall into poverty because of inadequate pay.  
• Education is a human right and should be afforded to everyone at public scale.
• The earth is our home.  We should care for it, preserve it and engage it.  
• Climate change is real.  
• As a value proposition, progressive tax policy is a plus.   
• Charity is good.  Equitable investment better still.  
• Religion is not the point.  Most divisive policies find root in it. Radical love, generosity of spirit and soul is everything.  

Mural on community chalkboard at The Forest. . .much more than a theater!

 

Community Pandemic, What's Ahead

This just in from our friends at the DFW Hospital Council:  

The Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council wants to remind you of public health considerations as we approach the fall and have three viruses ( COVID-19, West Nile and Influenza ) in North Texas. 

Please pass this information to your friends, family and business associates, especially on social media. These three diseases display many of the same symptoms, so prevention is key in reducing the spread.

 Wear a mask

Wash your hands

Watch Your distance

Get your flu shot early

Remove standing water on your property

Wear long sleeve shirts

Utilize insect repellent

 

We need to be prepared for the triple threat and we can help tap down the community spread of these viruses if we all work together to protect each other.

 

Thanks for your cooperation and support.

 

W. Stephen Love

President/CEO

Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council

300 Decker Drive, Suite 300

Fairway Centre Building

Irving, Texas 75062

Telephone ( 972 ) 719 4900

www.dfwhc.org

Post Office

Reliable postal service in urban neighborhoods anchors vital communications, business enterprise and community organizing.  Of course, the same remains true for suburban and rural settings.  The local post office serves as an essential gathering place, a crossroads of sorts for residents and business owners and operators. 

Economically and historically, the postal service has opened a pathway into the middle class for millions of workers of color.  The postal service must not be regarded as just another business.  In fact, it is much, much more.  The ongoing subsidy required to keep the mail moving is a vital investment in the nation's life and well-being.  

But now we notice a marked change in postal service quality.  At least we do here in inner-city East Dallas.  

Our experience with the postal service over the past 3 years or so presents a marked change in quality, reliability and scheduling.  Our bills must be mailed much earlier to assure they make the payment deadline in many cases, both for local delivery and for out of city and state obligations. 

We've noted that much more often than ever before days with no mail delivered to our home.  

It reached the point for us that we  asked one of our letter carriers what was up.  She described exactly what recent news reports indicate.  The Trump administration's management combines the removal of automated sorting machines with a new policy of no overtime pay for postal workers.  Our carrier reported to us that, thanks to this policy, mail backing up for several days is not uncommon.  

Frankly, this erosion of service and reliability aggravates me. It is downright annoying.  

It also concerns me more and at a deeper level as we consider the potential impact  of this new policy on mail in ballots for the coming general election in November 2020.   

It may be past time to get on the phone, fire off an email or, yes, write letters.  If you decide on a letter,  just factor in a couple of weeks for delayed delivery!  

"I just want to live like you!"

So simple.  Yet, so obvious.  

Problem is, I seldom think correctly about the urban "poor."  

I don't see clearly.  

I rush to  "help," to "fix," to "solve."  

I don't hear clearly.  

I've known for years that I'm not always the sharpest knife in the drawer.  However, I've also noticed over the last 50 years that when I get to know a person, really know them behind authentic effort, and hard work on my part, I begin to get the picture--often a very different picture. 

Usually, growth in understanding follows time spent together.  In the connection of simple, but genuine friendship, I come to realize important lessons.  

Recently, a friend who is homeless, brought me to parade rest with this comment:

"Larry, I just want to live like you.  You know, a house, a job, options, family, friends, good health, safety.  I don't want to be out here asking people for money every day.  I just want my life to be like yours."  

Of course.  

It's not  rocket science.  

Everyone wants a life like mine and most of my friends.  

He doesn't want my service. 

He wants my understanding.  He'd like to help me re-channel my power for gains on normalcy in his daily life.  

His understanding, and willingness to tell me, ought to cause me to think very differently about extreme poverty in my community.