Baltimore

It has been characterized as tragic.  And it is.  The looting, the crime, the rock throwing.  It's also tragic that hucksters and charlatans like Al Sharpton have a voice to encourage the thugs.  It's also tragic that we've come to a place where the police are viewed as the enemy.  And it's more than tragic that the black community in this country is moving at a glacial pace to escape the bonds of poverty, racism and poor education.  Tragedy all around.  

But the reality is that the places where these events have happened are largely ruled by leaders who believe that the best route out of these problems is providing more money and handouts.  And a lot of those leaders are black.  That if we just give people things and make it easier, why then they will pull themselves up.  Unfortunately that doesn't happen.  Has never happened.  

I know I'm an old white guy with no (or little) standing to comment so if you don't like this you don't have to read it.  But I remain convinced that the keys are personal responsibility, education, and increased opportunities.  You don't develop personal responsibility by waiting for someone to give you something.  Part of the personal responsibility deal is that black men need to step up.  One of the best images to come out of Baltimore was the line of men between the police and the thugs.  That's what we need.  That's the step in the right direction.  I know, I know.  I'm not naive to the fact that black men face a disproportionate threat from authority.  And I'm certainly not saying that the police are always right.  But there needs to be a large conversation about the need for the authority figure of black men in their communities.  And that conversation needs to translate to a greater responsibility.  You don't get a solid (or at least basic) education by attending failing schools loaded with drugs and crime.  And you don't get increased opportunities by destroying your city so that business flee.  And that is exactly what is happening in places like Baltimore.

The black middle class is rising.  There is no doubt about that.  Just go to some places around Washington, DC or Atlanta, or Charlotte or any number of other cities.  But it's too slow and not enough.  We have to turn places like Baltimore, Detroit, Chicago, etc around.  And the model is out there.  NYC.  The Big Apple under Guliani and Bloomberg.  It wasn't a complete success and it's being unraveled but the current knucklehead in power, but the roadmap is there.  Create a stable and safe environment.  That means law and order.  Encourage school reform which is a huge task against the unions who only want to protect their employees.  Encourage charter schools.  And figure out how to entice business back to provide jobs.  Yes business.  Government can't do this.  They just can't.  

So this will all happen again.  Tragic.  But there is a roadmap to success.  Won't happen overnight.  It's not easy.  But the roadmap is there.