New Years opinion of peace as seen through the media's lense.

Peace is a word thrown around the sandboxes while heads are buried.

 

 

 

Once again, the Daily Press editors miss an opportunity to explore all possible solutions. Let's break down the editorial and provide discourse. Sunday, Jan. 1st, 2023. "Our Views"

 

Here is what Kris and Brian wrote or, shall I say, agreed to print. 

 

"But at a time when division and discord are ubiquitous."

1. When violence is commonplace

2. When neighbors and family are at each other's throats

3. What greater hope can there be other than to see more people choose peaceful means of conflict resolution?"

 

Discourse:

 

The Population Reference Bureau, known as PBR, a leading think tank on violence in our communities, found some not-so-astonishing facts, and yet the media does not report them. (April 2005) Why do black youth in the United States commit violent acts almost twice as often as white or Latino youth? Researchers at Harvard University have found that the reasons have little to do with individual poverty or inherent racial differences, according to a study published in the February 2005 issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Instead, four factors— (1) the marital status of a young person's parents, (2)  the prevalence of professionals and managers in his or her neighborhood, (3) whether he or she is a first- or second-generation immigrant, (4) and the proportion of other people in the neighborhood who are immigrants—account for most of the differences in violent crime rates for youth, according to Robert J. Sampson, the study's lead author.

"The data suggest that it's more than just a family's financial resources," says Sampson, a professor of sociology at Harvard University. "The study shows that the disparity is largely social in nature and therefore amenable to intervention in the community rather than individual settings."

Our biggest issue is, of course, Democrats. If we, as a morally straight, ethical society, intervene in a black community, we stand a good chance of being labeled racist by the media and black politicians. Whence we do not worry ourselves with the black community for fear of losing our jobs, being labeled, being doxed, or our employers being called to complain, thereby losing our means to provide for our own families. The politicians the black community votes into office give away money for a vote whose followers know no better. Keep them poor and keep them uneducated; that is the Democrat way. Let them kill each other, let there be violence; as long as I have the power, nothing will change. One only must look at Portsmouth or Richmond to see this, yet blinders are the fashion. Blacks are not first, or second-generation immigrants, so (3 and 4) do not apply; therefore, we only have to look to two issues to resolve the violence in black neighborhoods.

(1) the marital status of a young person's parents, (2) the prevalence of professionals and managers in his or her neighborhood, meaning educated beyond high school in most cases, although this is not set in stone. A high school graduate can make a great professional in some trade, even a great manager of people or proprietor of a business. Therefore, I submit we are down to one major factor. The marital status of a young person's parents. Fix this Daily Press, and we fix the black community.

 

4. Hampton Roads Residents cannot make a difference when we say, "We can't mediate a peaceful settlement as to the war in Ukraine." 

 

Discourse: Yes, we can make a difference depending on who we vote for to represent us in Washington, DC. Stop voting for free giveaways and start voting for morally straight, ethically sound candidates. Just write my name in the box, that is all you must do!

 

5. "Our region lost far too many promising young lives in senseless shootings and should have to live with the threat of mass shootings haunting every trip to the grocery store, every visit to a theater, and every day at school."

 

The Daily Press goes on to offer solutions. 

 

1. "Virginia needs to restrict access to firearms so those with ill intent cannot purchase them." 

2. "dramatically bolster behavior health services."

 

 The desired result: If successful, it (meaning behavior health help) should help more Virginians find happiness and peace in their own lives. So, what the Daily press is saying is the government is going to help you find happiness and peace!

 

Discourse: Yes, we have lost far too many promising young lives, and I refer you back to my first discourse.

 

(1) the marital status of a young person's parents, (2) the prevalence of professionals and managers in his or her neighborhood, meaning educated beyond high school in most cases, although this is not set in stone. A high school graduate can make a great professional in some trade, even a great manager of people or proprietor of a business. Therefore, I submit we are down to one major factor and then one not considered. The marital status of a young person's parents and a movement back to God and God's law, you know, the ten commandments. Fix this Daily Press, and we fix the black community.

 

Steps to take:

1. Too many distractions, so turn off your cell phone, turn off your TV, 

2. Find moments for quiet and reflection. 

 

The editors blame:

1. Past few years. 

2. People struggling with a world that continues to change and dramatically. 

 

We can find some stability.

We can find some comfort.

Maybe we will find joy.

 

if 

 

We are contemplative.

We are quiet.

We are empathetic. 

We are peaceful.

 

if

 

Discourse: Reflection is a mighty power to right a life, as Socrates says, "the unexamined life is a life not worth living. We can find stability, comfort, and joy in our churches. Our public school teachers are not able to furnish these attributes to a good life, but our Sunday school teachers can.

 

If we reexamine what we teach in schools and make time for financials before the 11^th grade, make time for ethics, philosophy, and conflict resolution outside of just once a month or eight times in a school year, we may change some lives. Yet, people make decisions that are not productive or counterintuitive to the health, both physical and mental, of young people. So, what do the Democrats legislate, they make drugs lawful, the very drugs that destroy the child who has no father or living skill set to begin with. I firmly believe politicians do this for power, and the media is all too happy to promote an ideology that kills thousands. The truth is you do not know what to do except it be more power over others. The media be damned if, for once, the media and Democrats thought for a moment, I might be right. That is to be your undoing, Brian and Kris, you think you are always right, and you damn those who do not think like you. Our governor is that example.

 

We can learn to be contemplative, quiet, empathic, and peaceful in our churches and masonic lodges. Yet until the black community wants to stand up and change, there will be no to little change, and whites are not in the mood for being called racist when they try to help our brothers in due part to cancel culture and hate. I read an article recently that blamed the lack of exercise on racism. This was a Time magazine article/opinion. A blame game to excite the masses of poor blacks to rail against whites. I am reminded of "principles before personalities" It means we practice honesty, humility, compassion, tolerance, and patience with everyone, whether we like them or not. Putting principles before personalities teaches us to treat everyone equally. In our Masonic teachings, we practice this ideal every time we gather. We are all equals in the lodge. I think some of you would do well to learn what that means. That means, though, that if a fellow brother trips up and does something wrong, it is my obligation to point that out. It is not your obligation to call me a racist for doing so but to accept my council. If my council does not resolve the issue, then others within the lodge may get involved, just as we see in the bible. Paul's instruction in 1 Corinthians 5: Paul instructs people to hold others inside the church accountable, but not those who are outside the church (nonbelievers). A fitting good bit of advice given the mass hysteria we find in social media today whereby one can lose their job or worse when we try to help others by preaching what we believe as truth to nonbelievers like yourselves.