Broken Glass and White Paint

A few weekends back, my wife and I had dinner with another couple.

As an aside, I truly enjoyed this dinner not only because this couple makes a mean salad and are in general just really good people, but mostly because we had the kind of five hour conversation that people these days don't usually take the time to have.

It was during our conversation that I was reminded of the "Broken Glass Theory". For those who have never heard of it, the theory basically says that an old building with no broken windows will always look more appealing than a new building with one or more broken windows. And it's not so much about the windows being broken, because accidents happen, but more about how long the window is allowed to remain broken.

The idea is one of priority, image and assumption. A broken window suggests instability and carelessness. A broken window suggests abandonment and worthlessness, because if someone really cared about the building they would fix the window. If someone doesn't care enough about fixing the broken window, the image being presented is that the building is worthless and from then on, everyone who sees that building will see it as worthless.

We have a lot of broken windows in this country, both literally (just take a drive or walk through the old urban neighborhood in your town or city) and metaphorically. Quite a few of these windows have been broken for a LONG time and this, the nation has moved forward (whether consciously or subconsciously) with the belief that every agency or institution with long unattended broken windows is worthless.

Don't believe me? Take a second and think about all the parts of this country that are referred to as being "broken" or "in disrepair" and then ask yourself how often you or someone else have made a statement about those same things being "worthless" or "a lost cause". It happens everyday and it's happening right now as I write. Whether it's the Healthcare System, Public Education System, Justice System or the system of Government, once it is perceived to be broken and broken for a long time, people just stop caring.

As an antidote to the "broken glass" theory, I offer another insight that came from the same conversation (this is the kind of holistic conversation that happens when you give it five hours of time to grow organically). This couple lives in a very nice home which resides in a very nice neighborhood, but one day while taking a walk, the husband noticed some graffiti had been put on a stone wall in their yard. After the shock of the act wore off, he proceeded to fall into the kind of apathy that many people do when they feel powerless.

In the following weeks, the husband thought of a number of solution to his graffiti problem, like putting up shrubs or something to hide this wall now tainted with someone else's failed attempt at art. One day the husband comes home from work to see a gentleman painting over the graffiti on his wall. The husband had never met this man, knew nothing of him and yet here he was, doing his part to brighten up this couple's property. After speaking with this man for a few minutes, the husband comes to find out that his neighborhood has an association and the association oversees the betterment of the neighborhood through subcommittees like the "graffiti committee".

Upon finding out this information, the husband and wife immediately joined this association and became members of it's various committees, taking proactive steps to better their community that at first seem small, but say in the case of a graffiti-marked wall or maybe even a broken window, can make all the difference in the world.

While a little thing like a broken window can make a worthwhile place look worthless, all it takes is a little paint to turn a tainted wall of apathetic despair into a rallying cry for community engagement. Everyone talks about the ripples created by a pebble in a pond, but just as powerful is the movement going on under the surface, immediately shifting the foundation in ways most will never see.

Free Will and Civic Engagement

I had a conversation with my wife the other day and it began as an exercise for me to clarify why I love this country and its Democratic Republic form of government. The two of us are nerdy enough to do this on a semi-regular basis, but I digress. What began as an exercise focused on me clearly knowing the foundation of my passion for the democratic process became something much more telling for the both of us.

With plenty of experience coming in contact with the very worst parts of politics in all off its shameful horror, my wife is not exactly what one would call a "political animal". It would be more fitting to consider her a politiphobe (not sure if that is an actually word, but humor me). With the exception of following Obama's presidential campaign, she can hardly stomach hearing from political news shows like Hardball and AC 360 (don't even get her started on The Briefing Room and any Fox News programming).

Anyway, we're talking and I begin telling her that when people get civically engaged it not only helps that person, but their family, loved ones and a bunch of people they may never meet in their community. When more people get involved, it leaves less people out there feeling like they are alone in their experience whatever it is, because engagement allows people to share their story; their triumphs, trials and tribulations. When we know we're not alone in what we're dealing with, fighting for or trying to find our way through, we step more confidently and more courageously because we believe there'll be someone to pick us up should we fall.

I gave her the example of my mother's fight to secure full disability benefits for my brother who is a veteran of the First Iraq War and is now wheelchair bound due to Hodgkins Disease and Muscle Ataxia believed to be brought on by Gulf War Syndrome. For many months my mother made calls, visited offices, made personal appeals to elected officials and finally got in touch with someone who believed they could help her. Even after that, she had to constantly call this person and make 3 hour long round trips to visit with this man to finally get my brother what he was owed by the government for his service to his country. My wife knew this story all too well and it seemed to fuel her disdain for the government's ability to turn its back on its citizens, thereby becoming an accomplice in the citizen's condition.

After going back and forth with her, we separated for a few minutes after she suggested that if I'd brought her a bible instead of the massive packet of non-profit organizations I put in front of her (my evidence of the power of those who chose to become civically engaged in subtle and specific ways), I might have had a case. So after a little thought I came up with a fail-safe legitimization of civic engagement in spite of the current conditions the average citizen finds him or herself in today.

It goes to the very core of Christianity or most any belief rooted in a higher power. Free Will. My wife and I being the believers that we are, understand that every day, every hour and minute is a choice. We can either choose to live as someone who believes in God, his son and the holy spirit or we can chose to live as someone who does not believe. God goes on whether we believe or not. We aren't forced to do anything we don't want to, but as believers we understand that life (in all its manifestations) is better when we choose to live as believers.

The same goes for those who live in a Democratic Republic. We can choose not to live as people who believe in a Democratic Republic or we can choose to live as people who do believe. As things stand now, the Democratic Republic will go on whether we do or don't actively engage in it. Still, life tends to be more full and satisfying when we choose to live as believers in our form of government. Throughout history, Democracy has proven to be the only form of government that allows its people to choose the direction of both themselves as individuals, but themselves as a smaller part of a greater whole.

Our government (as could be argued with modern religion) exists in such a way that is hardly recognizable from its earliest beginnings, but there is still hope in its foundation. It is in that foundation that the possible cures of our government's ills lie dormant, waiting to be rediscovered. The ability to change, shift and chart a better course for our country is the most unique and most precious element of the Democratic Government we live in today.

There is but one question left to ask. Are you a believer or not?

Money is Not Root of All Evil, But the Root of Influence

There is debate between main street and wall street as to who is to blame for the current state of the country's financial state of disarray. As I write, the credit rating of thousands of people are dropping like flies and some banking institutions such as Goldman Sachs have credit ratings and profit lines that are rising like phoenixes from the ashes.

Some fingers are pointing to the banks for pushing for deregulation of the banking industry and asking to be bailed out for poor financial bets. Some fingers are pointing toward the government for agreeing to the deregulation and facilitating of using tax payer money to save banks that made risky financial moves. There is one party that (as per usual) is doing most of the finger pointing, but is just as complicit in the current state of our economy, the voter.

People will march for racial injustice, police brutality, gender bias and other visceral issues that get splashed across all manner of media. However, when it comes to issues of banking regulation, lending regulation and the influence of financial institutions on government direction, the reaction is at best elementary and short-sided.

There can be no denial that this country is driven by religion, protection of liberties, but most of all our nation is controlled by capitalism. Capitalism is defined as: An economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than the state. Put simply, the affairs of the economy do more to influence the success or failure of our nation than any other factor and not keeping a watchful eye on what's going with the regulation of the financial industry is a real mistake.

In the 80's the layout of how college loans and credit cards work was laid out in congress. There were some who wanted to allow bankruptcy protection against student loans like it is for most other forms of debt. Some of those same people spoke out against allowing credit rating on one account to be raised due to a delinquency on a completely different and unrelated account. However, congress was heavily influenced by credit card and lending companies, killing both of those provisions along with others that might have protected average citizens.

Now, credit cards and student loans are two of the more unregulated and powerful areas of credit and debt in the country and it will take significant action on the behalf of voters to change that. One of many sayings that I've heard from my childhood is "when you point a finger at someone, there are three more fingers pointing right back at you." Sure, Goldman Sachs is an easy target of voter unrest and disillusion, but if voters can take a shot at a harder target, voter complacency in holding representatives accountable for decisions made in relation to financial industries, we as a country might find our aim a bit more true.

A Few Simple Ways To Be Civically Engaged

Someone a few days ago asked the question, "How do you define this Civic Engagement idea?" A very good question. The American Political Science Association recently defined civic engagement as something which,

"includes any activity, individual or collective, devoted to influencing the collective life of the polity,"

I see it as the purposefully engagement in activity which intended for the betterment of a community. Some examples of such activity might be things like: running for political office, participating in a phone bank for a candidate or writing letters of complaint to your state representative/senator. These are fine examples of civic engagement, but it could even be something more basic. Here are a few simple ways to get civically engaged:

1. VOTE - Probably the easiest thing a person can do to be civically involved. Many people around the world either don't have the right or have had to overthrow their previous government to get the right to do something most in this country take for granted. Employers are required to give their employees time off during the day to vote in an election, a little known fact.

2. KNOW YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS - Most everyone knows the name of the President, but most people can name the characters on their favorite TV show before they can name their city councilman or mayor, state representative, etc. Unfortunately, what you don't know in this case can hurt you. Your local and state elected officials make decisions everyday that affect your life and if they don't hear from you, you can bet that they're hearing from someone else or some other group, but what you can't bet on is whether or not those groups or people being heard care about the same things you do. Don't leave your life in someone else's hands. You can find out who your representatives are by visiting your local town hall, city/county or by visiting a site on-line like Project Vote Smart.

3. GO TO A SCHOOL BOARD/CITY COUNCIL MEETING - While these meetings might not always be the most exciting events in the world, they are a great way to find out what issues are affecting your community and/or meet others in your town who might have similar passions as yourself. At the very least, if you go to a city council or school board meeting you might meet your representative in person and bend their ear about an issue you have. Meetings can be great way to have the kind of informal one-on-one meeting with elected officials that are hard to come by even with an appointment.

These are just a few simple ways to become civically engaged, but there are plenty of other ways to do so. The important thing is not HOW you become civically engaged, but that you DO become civically engaged. The first step is always the hardest, but make it a simple one and you'll be off and running (for office) in no time.

The Power of People

Thousands of miles and several time zones away there are people who are showing the U.S. the meaning of civic engagement. As the lone "superpower" our nation prides itself on being an example of progress and freedom the world over. However, this nation's greatest moments, World War II, The American Revolution, The Civil Rights Movement, The New Deal, Women's Suffrage, etc, have come in times of struggle and conflict.

When you're on top (though there are a number of ways in which nations are measured where the U.S. ranks near the bottom) it's hard to hold yourself accountable because you have equal force to keep you honest. The U.S. has had the good fortune to hold onto to its status as the most wealthy nation in the world since the fall of the Soviet Union in the last century.

In Iran, right now as I write, there are people who may not know very much about Democracy and it's origins in Greek and Roman history. Still, these people are enacting the very principles which exist at Democracy's core. They not only speak out for what they believe in, but they are openly defying a government and cleric state that seeks to silence dissenting opinion about the most recent Presidential Election, proclaiming that these people should be treated as "terrorists".

[On a note of irony: I'm pretty sure Iran officials resented being lumped up with "terrorists" and the "axis of evil" when President George W. Bush needed someone to blame for the activities of 9/11, but now that the word works for there purposes, the same people feel justified in using the same language.]

Here in the great U.S. of A, it takes impeachable acts, gross misconduct and years of war that continues to be costly and unjustifiable for people to get involved on a national level. In 2000, we had our own version of the kind of electoral mishandling that is currently being protested in Iran. Sure, there were a few protests and court hearing, but after the Supreme Court ruled on the affair, the more than 50% of the country that were up in arms simply packed up their complaints and retreated into a whole of bitterness and resentment.

THE RESULT: An administration that may prove in time to be the most manipulative, power hungry, unscrupulous and ambitiously incompetent in our nation's history.

The protests of the last 30 -45 days in Iran could be seen in some eyes as all smoke and no fire,. because the results of the election weren't re-examined or officially disputed. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still President and his opponent Mir Hussein Moussavi remains on the outside looking in. However, there appears to be some light at the end of this tunnel as Moussavi is seeking a legal political structure to continue the fight for a more progressive voice in Iran.

Only time will tell whether or not the efforts of Moussavi and other progressives in Iran will bear fruit any time soon, but hopefully it will serve as proof to future generations that a person can still love his or her country and while voicing opposition to power. If only we could

The Birth of Civic Engagement

Today is the Fourth of July. The day where the United States as a country comes together to celebrate the declaration of its independence. All around the nation, people will be flooded with fireworks, barbecues, picnics, baseball games, parades and patriotic music ranging from John Philip Souza marches to Lee Greenwood's "Proud to be an American".

Sadly, what will be missing today is any real recognition of this date's true meaning. July 4th is not merely the birthdate of our nation, the Declaration of Independence is arguably the greatest example of civic engagement in our country's history. In the face of charges of treason and certain death upon capture, a few men came together and bravely decided to defy the rule of an unjust government. These men, though busy with providing for families, running businesses, managing farms, etc, not only found the time to be aware of the state of their ruling government, but they understood the responsibility of citizens to hold that government accountable.

Fast forward to the 2008 Presidential Election, voter turnout nationwide reached the upper 60s and most people lauded this as an example of a renewal in voter participation. Two-thirds of our country takes part in the election to choose the nation's face to the world and it's supposed to be cause for celebration.

Organizers of the latest re-imagining of the Boston Tea Party, a collection of rallies against "unfair" taxes, will be attempting to gather again, but this time at the Southfork Ranch (of the television show - "Dallas" fame) in Texas. Ironically, these "patriots" are revolting against taxes that they (unlike their 18th century predecessors) can actually afford to pay, but just would prefer not to.

Still, these people would call their act an example of patriotism and civic responsibility, just as electoral experts might call two-thirds of the country voting for their nation's leader, laudable civic engagement. As a society we have progressed in many ways, but one way that we have noticeably digressed would be in producing an active and engaged citizenry. For me, the Fourth of July serves as remembrance of our country's past, a reflection on its present and a rallying call to its future.

So on this day, let us all enjoy the weather, food, fireworks and fun, but let's also take a second and think about the sacrifices made by our nation's forefathers as well as this land's forefathers (Native Americans). Afterwards, asking ourselves how our civic sacrifices compare to theirs.

After all there can be no change without sacrifice.

Happy 4th of July!

The Importance of Showing Up

Today I'd like to talk about two examples of people that decided to show up and the affect these people have had and may have in the future. U.S. Rep. Nathan Deal (Georgia-R) and Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Two very different cases, but connected none the less.

Congressman Deal is a candidate for the Georgia Gubernatorial race and has recently proposed an end to "Birthright Citizenship", a right given all those born on U.S. soil regardless of the nationality of their parents. This right is given by Section I of Amendment XIV of the Bill of Rights which says,

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside."

I am far from a scholar of Constitutional Law, but this section seems pretty cut and dry. Still, Deal and his supporters from the Federation for American Immigration Reform argue that the 14th Amendment was not meant to act as a "loophole" for the babies of illegal immigrants to become citizens. Deal wants to close this "loophole" in order to find a solution to the country's immigration problem.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, was nominated today by President Obama to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. As a judge, Sotomayor has been the first hispanic judge in NY State history and she is now the first hispanic woman nominated to the nation's highest court.

Her ruling in 1995 forced Major League Baseball owners to negotiate with MLB union players, saving the "national pastime" from the greed of of its owners. Raised in a housing project in South Bronx, NY Sotomayor earned a Bachelor's Degree from Princeton and her Juris Doctorate from Yale University. She is the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, people, who were only considered U.S. citizens as of 1917 (Thanks to the Jones-Shafroth Act).

U.S. Congressman Deal and Judge Sonia Sotomayor are two people who have shown up. Deal is showing up to argue against the privilege of citizenship given immigrants' sons and daughters like Sotomayor. Sotomayor has shown up and broken barriers for others like her who are told because they are a female, Hispanic or come from lower class neighborhoods, that they have to curb their "unrealistic" dreams. 

Deal may never become Governor of Georgia and Sotomayor may never become a Supreme Court Justice, but up to this point they have shown up and could have an affect on the lives of many current and future Americans.

CW

The Color of Help

This morning I was looking at different professional opportunities involving civic engagement, voting, democracy and community involvement on the internet. The sites were full of people who were happy doing altruistic and fulfilling work. Picture after picture, I saw plenty of faces smiling while taking a break from whatever project or event of which they were in the middle. Young faces, older faces, clean faces, dirty faces, well-kempt and scruffy. After seeing all these pictures I was left with a bittersweet feeling. 

I have been involved in a variety of programs and initiatives directly related in civic engagement in my life. This involvement has been in different parts of the country, working on different issues and with populations of different education, religion, age and class, but there has been one alarming consistency in most of my experience, lack of racial/ethnic diversity.

I understand that people get involved with things or causes that they're interested in, but what I don't understand is how so many of the issues (education, health, the economy, religion, politics/government, crime, etc) affect minority populations in most adversely and yet the people most often to be found working in the trenches don't look like those populations. 

Here are the explanations I've heard:

1. Minorities are too busy overcoming the issues that plague them to bring some attention to these issues and work to make them better.

2. Whites are less burdened, because of the societal advantage that accompanies being a member of the power race, so they can spend time addressing whatever issue they see fit to address.

3. Minorities are lazy and would rather complain and collect welfare or some other kind of handout than be a part of working to make things better for themselves or anyone else.

I am sure of two things: 1. There are other popular explanations to this dynamic that I am either forgetting or haven't heard and 2. There are more reasonable and accurate explanations to this dynamic.

What I am not sure of is how to shift this dynamic, because while I know that the "have-nots" are in as bad shape as they have been in a long time, I also recognize that there cannot be significant progress on any or all of these issues if this status quo continues. Any lasting solution to problems like equitable funding for education and health care have to come in part from those who are being most directly affected by the problem. 

If not, the solution will most likely come from those who were a apart of its creation. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for those creating the mess being a part of the clean up (i.e. U.S. involvement in recovery efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gulf Coast States affected by Hurricane Katrina), but if those who created the problem could really be trusted to fix the problem by themselves, the problem would never have existed.

All that being said, if those who are being most affected by the various issues that plague this nation can't find the will and the way to be apart of solving them, things will never get better. It takes many different perspectives to honestly identify a problem, so it just make sense that as many different perspectives would be needed to solve the identified problem. 

If you live in a neighborhood riddled with crime, then you need to go to anyone who will listen and get someone to do something about it and that could take the form of a neighbor crime watch or more funding for police to patrol the area. If you live in a part of town with no polling place within a reasonable distance of everyone in your district, you need to go to your councilman, alderman or selectman and find out why this is and what needs to be done to address the issue.

It's great that there are so many people working on issues that they are not being directly affected by and this needs to continue. What cannot continue is for those who are being directly affected by a particular issue deciding not to be an active part of addressing that issue. If you have enough energy to complain or be angry about it then you have enough energy to make things better and if not, then own up to that and suffer in silence.

CW

It All Adds Up

So, all over the news and the lips of the talking heads of CNN, MSNBC, CNBC and Fox News was the Credit Card legislation that was passed by Congress. Legislation that will protect credit card holders who often find themselves at the mercy of an industry that has up to this point been weakly regulated. This is supposed to be the start of the Obama Administration's commitment to shift the balance of power from business and corporations to the average citizen.

Interestingly enough, there was an addition to this landmark legislation that managed to fly under the radar. Now, thanks to an amendment added to the bill, people will be allowed to carry concealed handguns into National Parks. There are so many different ways to attack this amendment, but that's for another day, what is more peculiar is how something like this amendment that has absolutely nothing to do with the original purpose of the bill can be added and enacted into law upon its signature.

The worst part of all of this is that it's not an irregular occurrence. Amendments and riders that have nothing to do with the body of the bill are added all the time. Take a look at most any significant legislation and you'll find some interesting little additions that made a huge difference in the lives of many Americans. While every one talks about the main accomplishment of a bill, what isn't being talked about rears it's ugly head months or years later when it's too late. Once discovered, people balk and complain and stand in astonishment that something like this could happen.

As I write this post, legislators are contemplating riders and amendments to bills that none of us have heard of yet. Bills that will make the evening news, newspapers, columns and the like, but these riders an amendments won't add up to even a fifth of the language in the legislation. Still, the effect of these alterations add up to significant changes in things from under what circumstances your privacy can be invaded or in what ways an organization can discriminate against a job applicant.

How does this happen? It happens because people are too busy to pay attention until it's too late. If elected officials had to answer to citizens who knew what was going on, they wouldn't dare try to slip last minute changes and amendments that don't belong into important legislation. Engaged and educated constituents are the best friend of a representative fighting to get things done. Engaged and educated constituents are also the worst enemy of a representative who cares more for getting re-elected than putting his or her neck on the line for what their district needs.

The little things make all the difference. A little awareness on the part of every citizen and the little amendments that add up to big changes might not slip through the little cracks. A little vigilance goes a long way towards keeping the little things like last minute amendments and riders from taking a big chunk out of Democracy.

CW

Welcome to Civic Demoliton

Hello and thanks for visiting the site. For those wondering why the name "Civic Demolition?" When I decided to finally do what a number of friends and family members have suggested I do in starting this blog, I figured out that I wanted this blog to be about breaking down subjects from a from a civic point of view. Hence the name "Civic Demolition".

Now, I hope that this blog will serve as a jumping off point for those you who are tired of seeing elected officials that say just enough to say nothing at all and only seem to care about taking action on things that will get them re-elected. The constitution begins, "WE THE PEOPLE, in order to form a more perfect union" which clearly stated that the union was not then and will never be perfect and therefore is always under construction. Unfortunately, construction on our country seems to have stopped a long time ago and now we have people fighting over who gets to owns the "materials" to construct this more perfect union. The funniest part about all of this is that the founding fathers of our country gave the people the most powerful tool available in the construction of our union, namely, the Democratic Republic form of government that exist in the U.S.

Tragically, most people in our country have no idea how much power they hold in deciding the direction of their city, county, state and country. Even sadder still is the fact that there are people out there who need to use the power (given by the founding fathers) more than most, but because of the constraints that come with making ends meet, raising children , etc, they most often opt out of the process believing: 1) That someone else will take care of it or 2) That it doesn't matter anyway because no one cares about what they have to say because they're not rich or they're a minority.

I cannot count how many times I have heard people of all walks of life, education , class, religion and race express both of these sentiments, and each time it reminds me just how far we have fallen as a country, society and a democratic republic. Now, I'm not gonna even start on things like accountability and responsibility because that could go on forever and I 'm hoping to be have this blog for a while, but I will take a line from one of my favorite musical artists, Harry Connick Jr.

"Honestly now, either you stand for somethin' or get knocked down for nothin' "

There are so many reasons why everyone needs to be a part of this experiment we call a Democratic Republic, but one of the simplest is that those who show up make the decisions and if you don't show up, you're leaving the fate of you and your loved ones in the hands of people you don't know and may not agree with.

If you have children, imagine allowing a complete stranger to decide who your daughter or son dates or where he or she will go to college. For those without children, imagine allowing a complete stranger to decide where you will go and what you will do today. That doesn't make a lot of sense does it? Neither does choosing not to be a part of the process which determines what roads will get fixed, how many police officers and fire fighters will be hired or fired in your town or what children will (or won't) be learning in their classes next year.

For far too long, the same small group of people have been showing up and making decisions for the silent majority and this has to stop. If it doesn't our Democratic Republic will literally be history, as in, they'll be teaching classes that will talk about a time in U.S. history that the country had a democratic form of government.

If you want to be a part of ensuring that Democracy thrives in this country, I encourage you to contribute to this conversation and use it as a spring board to more conversation with friends, family and acquaintances. My hope is that discussion will spur thought and thought will then become positive action. So, let the conversation begin before Democracy ends.

CW