Our Problems in America - How Can We Fix Them?

Say or believe what you like about Bill O'Reilly, but he can certainly get into some touchy and impassioned issues. In a segment from July 2013, O'Reilly discusses in a concentrated form some of the main problems that blacks are truly facing in America. (This was during the time of quite intense national discussion on race issues related to the Trayvon Martin - George Zimmerman case, when the verdict was returned.)

Please take five minutes and listen to what is shared in this video.

Click here to see the video.

I first saw this video sometime in 2016, and recently have come across it again - it rang true both then and now to me. I don't mean to drag up old news, but I do believe these same issues continue to be quite relevant, deeply affecting all of us in this country, either directly or indirectly. Imagine if we heard the Congressional Black Caucus echoing these sentiments, and if they were reported by the major news agencies. What about Al Sharpton and other relevant liberal black leaders - why don't we hear them discussing these things, especially in this manner?

During President Obama's years in office, there were numerous incidents that captivated national headlines for their respective brief periods of time. And then they were gone! But did the basic problems go away? I don't think so. What happened? What has changed? Were there really any solutions or remedies for some of these major issues?

Since Donald Trump was elected, I don't seem to recall any significant incidents that have made major news about any "white cops shooting innocent black victims" or such - not like Trayvon Martin or Ferguson. Apparently the news machines have turned their attention toward eviscerating President Trump and anything related to him, his policies, and his related staff and appointees. How about those Russians, too? The national discussion has also turned more heatedly to discussing whether Muslims, and their beliefs and actions are a threat to America, or if new Muslim immigrants and refugees should even be allowed into the country. Can American news and the American people really only discuss one subject at a time? (That’s another whole involved subject.) This is especially key as the "news" agencies seem to work as antagonists against the President!

There are many problems facing America, and they are getting worse by the day. How do we solve these problems? Pointing the blame and not taking the proper responsibility for problems is part of the whole issue - it clouds the discussion of problems immensely. Keep your eyes open for political and news figures who describe problems, and then point the blame ('blame-shifting') somewhere, rather than offering rational solutions, or steps to solve the problem. I have heard the question posed, "If you can gather thousands together for a march of protest (that sometimes turns ugly and violent), why can't you gather the same group to work on cleaning up a neighborhood?"

One of the tenets of conservatism as I see and believe it, is that we are to do whatever we can to 'take care of ourselves.' Don't depend on other people if we can help ourselves. Don't look to someone else if you can provide a solution yourself. This holds true for our individual households, as well as communities, cities, counties, and states. If a local town can take care of itself, it won't need state or Federal assistance. If the black community – or the Latino-Mexican community, or the Muslim community, or the white community – were to take it upon themselves to help make this a better country, instead of looking out solely for themselves, or blaming others for their problems, I believe it would start to be a whole lot better quite soon!

What CAN we do? What MUST we do? We need to look for solutions, somehow, in a civil and helpful and lawful manner. We need to have civil and reasonable dialogue concerning our collective issues.

America's problems ARE problems for all of us.

Many of these solutions will come down to individuals – good people doing good things. And much will also depend on leaders who will lead, inspiring people in good directions. We might just find that it doesn’t really take as much money as it does inspiration, and a willingness to do better.

Paul Hayden, 3/31/2017