By: Norma Adams-Wade
Exactly a decade ago, I published my wishes for what was then the beginning of the new year 2015.
Now, a new decade has passed, and I am still wishing – this time, though, for different aspirations.
When I reviewed the 2015 list, it struck me how few things have changed. I should not be surprised.
Nineteenth century French novelist Jean-Baptiste Karr got it right when he wrote “The more things change, the more they remain the same.”
Nevertheless, as we enter this New Year, I was just thinking…here are my new wishes for a better life for everyone. Some or many may be considered Pollyanna pie-in-the sky. Yet, I contend that just as many are worthy of consideration.
I would hope that we just try them. Maybe we might like them.
I wish that we would:
1. Stop taking other people’s land and possessions just because we want it and are more powerful or smarter than the persons who own it. This wish particularly applies to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin’s attack on border neighbor Ukraine.
2. Solve the border and illegal immigration issue so that the Statue of Liberty’s words “give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” would still mean something.
3. Have an effective, workable solution for peace between Israel and Palestine. Yet, I fear that Biblical writings may, indeed, suggest that there will never be true peace between the two regions.
4. See local and national government leaders seriously explore and create solutions for housing people who live on the street. Yes, I realize that some individuals choose life on the street over living with others. Yet, somewhere out there is a solution for the homeless dilemma.
5. Truly create an equal, level playing field for businesses owned by people of color where they could obtain bank loans and respect equal to what majority-owned businesses enjoy.
6. Assign the National Guard or military reserve groups to protect all schools in the nation against gun violence.
7. Ban assault rifles from public use and use them only as weapons of war.
8. Prevent guns from being so easily available to young people and adults so that they would be forced to talk through disputes or, as in olden days, fight with our hands instead of deadly weapons. Opponents would then live to fight another day instead of ending each other’s lives.
9. Society could and would truly create workable solutions so that the nation’s mentally ill people do not end up living on the streets. Prior to the 1960s, the mentally ill were housed in deplorable institutions and over-crowded jails before new laws banished them to the streets. Let’s try again, seriously this time, to work out a solution.
10. The nation would find a way to stop the sell of illegal drugs, such as Fentanyl and others, which kill people and ruin lives that otherwise could be productive.
11. We would create a way to make the U. S. Supreme Court a respected institution again.
12. To gain a clean planet, each individual would stop and think first before throwing trash out of car windows or carelessly dropping it on the streets when there usually are trash cans nearby.
13. Animals and pets would no longer be neglected to the point of starvation and abandonment that produces those
heartbreaking TV commercials with that tearjerking music in the background.
14. Popular TV shows were less gory and gruesome as if viewers want to see blood oozing everywhere after violent,
brutal murders.
15. Faith groups would be more effective in reaching out to serve neighborhoods near their buildings and in out-lying areas where needs are great.
16. America’s mainly two-party system would return to the concept of fighting for the people who elected them rather than fighting for their particular party over the needs of the common people.
17. Bullies will get a strong taste of their own medicine.
18. Young parents would stop dressing children in provocative adult-style clothing.
19. The nation would prevent price gouging that satisfies business owners’ greed.
20. The nation would find a new and better fashion trend that replaces the long-standing, useless, embarrassing sagging pants.
SUMMARY
There are many other wishes that could make this list go on and on; issues such as…cleaning up foul and demeaning rap music language…preventing hunger and disease in third world countries… preventing the recent rash of smash and grab thefts from high dollar retail stores by people apparently with no scruples and not caring that retribution eventually will catch up with you…and on and on.
So, Dear friends, here are spaces for you to add your own wishes:
_______________
_______________
_______________
And Happy New Year!
Norma Adams-Wade, is a proud Dallas native, University of Texas at Austin journalism graduate and retired Dallas Morning News senior staff writer. She is a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists and was its first southwest regional director. She became The News’ first Black full-time reporter in 1974.
norma_adams_wade@yahoo.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login