Barriers, past and future

Thank you for Chuck Williams’ article about Rev. Rudy Allen’s role in lowering segregation barriers. It took real courage to address such institutional societal issues in the ‘50s and ‘60s. It will be just as hard to face black-on-black crime and teen and out-of-wedlock pregnancy that makes life so difficult for mother and child.

The concept of vocational education training (now career/technical education) was so discouraged by black leadership’s claim of tracking that now we have untrained, unemployable young black men who have plenty of time to prey on others, including young black women. Improving C/T training in middle and high school, where it is free, and promoting it to all has a number of advantages: 1. The ones who complete a two-year course are more likely to graduate and have a skill or trade that can open doors of employment opportunity; 2. Those with employable skills can make their own way in life and their earnings can help them further their education without going into insurmountable debt; 3. Their filling of job opportunities will make the job market less attractive to those who would come to this country illegally in search of employment; and 4. With more skilled workers to produce better products perhaps industry would not be so tempted to send work overseas.

There are any number of things those in government could do, without legislative or congressional action, to make life better for all.

Father’s Day thoughts

My dad was not only my father, he was my leader and above all my best friend. A friend who listened to my problems and gave me sound advice. I still miss hearing the voice of my dad singing gospel songs.

“Got your keys?” my dad asked me before I got out of my car. So I have never locked my keys inside my car. My dad told me if he died before me to take care of my mother. My father had a stroke on February 15, 2010 and passed away on March 25. To have respect and honor to my dad, I am taking care of my mother.

Needless aggravation

It was a bad week, in my view, for the "powers that be" in Phenix City. First, due to an accident on the Chattahoochee bridge, traffic was diverted to Summerville Road to reach downtown Columbus. I sat in gridlock for an hour and 20 minutes for a trip that normally takes 10 minutes. I saw at least six Phenix City police cars during the gridlock but not one stopped to direct traffic.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that the 13th Street light was the bottleneck. Simple coordination with the Columbus Police could have made traffic for hundreds of commuters far easier. Yet, nothing was reported in the newspaper & nothing was done on the scene. The final straw for me was an unannounced repaving project on 40th Avenue between Summerville Road and Lakewood Drive. Would it have hurt for Phenix City to publish an article about this project and place signs on 40th announcing the project?

After this week, I have to rethink my choices in the August elections. During my 39-year Army and federal careers, I learned that a commander or manager is responsible for all that the troops or staff do or fail to do. Keep your constituents informed and don't ignore them as they will bite back with their vote.

Public boorishness

Recently, while filling up at a local convenience store/Taco Bell combo, my wife and I were besieged by very loud music as an employee parked in front of the restaurant, opened both the driver’s and rear doors, and proceeded to get dressed for work, all while blasting the parking lot with a litany of obscenities. After five solid minutes of this onslaught, and making sure everyone was looking, the employee proceeded into the restaurant to begin his shift. The intense volume and choice of lyrics were enough of an offense to compel me to enter the restaurant and ask for the manager. However, I felt that the incident might not get the attention it deserved, and attempted to email Taco Bell through its national website. Sadly, this proved futile as there was a glitch on the information page, I called the main number; to my dismay, the young woman I spoke with stated that there was nothing she could do as the “incident” had occurred in the parking lot and not inside the restaurant. I said that the manager could also hear the music inside the restaurant and could see the employee plainly, but she remained unyielding.

My objective was not to get the young man fired or score a free meal, but rather initiate a good solid reprimand for the employee.

I’m not sure what’s happened to our world with regard to respect, but apparently people can act any way they like just outside their place of business and know that as long as they don’t bring it inside, they’re safe, even if it happens right in front of regular patrons.

This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 3:05 PM with the headline "Barriers, past and future."