As thousands of Omega men gather in Cincinnati, they do so during an election season that will influence the future of communities throughout America. The privilege to vote was not freely given. It was secured through generations of sacrifice, perseverance, and unwavering courage by men and women who believed that democracy fulfills its promise only when every eligible citizen participates.
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How do we make the best decision if we are not given every opportunity to hear every voice?
Whether one approaches it from the biblical account of creation or the scientific understanding that humanity traces its origins to Africa, the conclusion is remarkably similar: we are one human family. From that one family emerged many nations, many languages, many cultures, many philosophies, and many ways of understanding the world.
Fort Lauderdale Doesn’t Have a City Manager Problem. It Has a Leadership Problem.
As I watch today’s political climate, I’m troubled by efforts that seem to divide rather than unite. Too often, rhetoric fuels hostility, deepens distrust, and pits neighbor against neighbor. At a time when leadership should calm fears and inspire confidence, many Americans instead question motives and priorities.
Growing up in our home, the belt represented more than discipline. It represented direction. It represented correction. It represented accountability. It represented love wrapped in responsibility. My father never used it to destroy us; he used it to keep us from destroying ourselves.
During our dinner conversation, I remarked that while the higher echelons of our communities may find ways to adapt and thrive, those struggling on the margins often continue to catch hell regardless of who claims victory.
Too often, we evaluate leaders, policies, and decisions based on a simple question: “What have they done for me?” While that question may seem reasonable, it can be dangerously incomplete. A leader who does something good for me may not necessarily be good for everyone. Personal favors, individual advantages, and special access can cloud our judgment and prevent us from seeing whether decisions are truly advancing the common good.
That is why the article, “The Voting Rights Act Is Dead. Here’s a New Model for Black Politics,” written by Jake Grumbauch and Perry Bacon resonates so deeply in this moment. It forces us to confront a painful reality many in our community have already sensed: the protections our ancestors bled, died and continue to fight for are being dismantled piece by piece, court ruling by court ruling, district by district, state by state.
The Book of Esther tells the story of a young woman placed in position “for such a time as this.” It was not comfort that called Esther. It was crisis. It was not convenience that summoned her. It was conscience. She understood that silence in dangerous times could become betrayal to her people.