Read on Twitter
Thread: I watched the riots on Twitter last night with increasing horror of all that I was seeing. My concern for the last several years has been that we all have the front row seat to the perfect storm, and none of us feel that we have the power to stop it.
You cannot solve a problem at the level of thinking that led to the problem in the first place. Simple solutions to complex problems always make the problems worse. The riots of this weekend represent layers of problems and not just anger at a single event.
To solving complex, systemic problems, you cannot solve them with the exact strategies that created the problem in the first place
You can't overcome dividedness by being divisive
You can't reduce anger by utilizing anger
You can't overcome manipulation by using manipulation
You can't overcome dividedness by being divisive
You can't reduce anger by utilizing anger
You can't overcome manipulation by using manipulation
You cannot overcome racism with racism
You cannot overcome abuses of power by further abusing power
You cannot stop people from feeling powerless by a show of greater power
You cannot overcome abuses of power by further abusing power
You cannot stop people from feeling powerless by a show of greater power
We have layers of problems which must be addressed
But most of the strategies I see employed feed the fires instead of quenching them.
But most of the strategies I see employed feed the fires instead of quenching them.
Politicians will not solve this problem as long as they see it as an opportunity to win points FOR themselves and score points AGAINST their opponents.
Divided parties cannot create a unified nation
Divided parties cannot create a unified nation
The press will not help us be informed in helpful ways as long as they fuel their process by disinformation and the appetite for “clicks” and “views”
Manipulation cannot create a base of truth
Manipulation cannot create a base of truth
The church will not solve this problem if we do not learn what it means to be healers and ministers of reconciliation in action and not just in word.
Layers of problems?
1.Institutionalized racism is real and must be addresses at institutional levels
2.Culturally we protect the abusive and re-traumatize the abused
3.Politically we have the most divisive system of choosing leadership
1.Institutionalized racism is real and must be addresses at institutional levels
2.Culturally we protect the abusive and re-traumatize the abused
3.Politically we have the most divisive system of choosing leadership
4.Politicians see their job as “beating the other side” instead of serving the nation
5.Our press has become a provocateur rather that a provider of information
http://6.Social media feeds a distorted view of reality
5.Our press has become a provocateur rather that a provider of information
http://6.Social media feeds a distorted view of reality
http://7.It appears that amidst protesters who need a voice, we also have anarchists bent on destruction
http://8.In the midst of a Pandemic, trust has eroded at a rapid rate and anger at one another has escalated at an equally rapid rate
http://8.In the midst of a Pandemic, trust has eroded at a rapid rate and anger at one another has escalated at an equally rapid rate
9.Generations of untreated trauma, cycles of abuse and addiction have left our culture in an emotional mental health crisis of massive proportions.
These layers weave together to create an atmosphere of fear, anger, mistrust, pain and social upheaval. Change must address all of these issues because each one feeds the other. And they must be addressed by finding solutions not simply by pointing out the problems
Blame makes people powerless, and becomes a hot button that everyone tosses around, but never effects positive change. Responsibility, on the other hand, empowers people and provides avenues for real change.
Finally, we cannot simply address these issues as if the human soul, the inner world of men and women is not a significant factor.
We cannot address external behavior and systems alone.
We cannot address external behavior and systems alone.
We must know that trauma, dependency, lack of responsibility and mental and emotional health are integral issues that affect cultural behavior.
Solutions you ask?
Most of our real solutions will not take place as a post or a tweet.
Politicians must act in unity if unity is to be the outcome
The press must have accountability to replace agendas
Most of our real solutions will not take place as a post or a tweet.
Politicians must act in unity if unity is to be the outcome
The press must have accountability to replace agendas
Until “conservatives” & “liberals” can learn to constructively dialogue for the good of our nation we can't expect government to lead us into relational healing
And until the press can learn how to put out flames instead of fan them, we can't expect them to lead us into truth
And until the press can learn how to put out flames instead of fan them, we can't expect them to lead us into truth
Accountability for those in positions of power must actually have the ability to remove power from those who harm others for their own benefit
But the weight of a great deal of the solutions are on us, we the people.
The church must learn to become a healing agency in a broken world.
Mental and emotional health must become a focus for all of us, not just service providers
The church must learn to become a healing agency in a broken world.
Mental and emotional health must become a focus for all of us, not just service providers
Relational health, the ability to connect to others and learn to face and overcome differences is crucial to healthy systems
Build bridges where other would divide. We overcome racism (judgment of people based on their race) not simply by acknowledging it’s wrongness, but by face to face conversation, relationship and engagement where we learn and demonstrate that our judgments have been inaccurate
Coalitions of people who have previously judged one another could be built on purpose. And as they find connection, their unity could help promote unity for those who may still be afraid.
We must also learn to see the whole picture, in the face of a microscopic press.
Good police are building bridges.
Good leaders are uniting people
Good people are serving the greater good
And they are happening in greater quantity than the bad
Good police are building bridges.
Good leaders are uniting people
Good people are serving the greater good
And they are happening in greater quantity than the bad
Reform must happen
At a political level: The good of our nation must take precedence over partisanship
At a cultural level: We must learn how to build instead of destroy, and take responsibility instead of blame
At a political level: The good of our nation must take precedence over partisanship
At a cultural level: We must learn how to build instead of destroy, and take responsibility instead of blame
At an nstitutional level: Accountability must be able to identify and resolve harmful people or dynamics
At a Communication level: Our media and social media must be able to put out fires and not just intensify them
At a Communication level: Our media and social media must be able to put out fires and not just intensify them
At a personal level: We must each learn to think past the immediate moment and the confusion of information to take responsibility to be solution focused and not simply problem focused
At an internal level: Humans are driven by their hearts and broken hearts must be healed if real change will ever take place.
It is not too late for our country, and our world, but the time is now to look for real change.
It is not too late for our country, and our world, but the time is now to look for real change.
