Black Americans need an economic boost, not the destruction of Black Lives Matter

We have come to a crossroads in our nation’s history, where innovation, family, religion, integrity, education and other traditional values are affronted by political correctness, “wokeness,” fear and despair.

Individuals pursuing anarchy under the auspices of “Black Lives Matter” create deep division from those of us longing to keep hold of the truth, the Constitution and our very way of life.

In recent months, aggressive and destructive protesters have been hellbent on destroying monuments throughout this country. In their unyielding foolishness, they have destroyed statues of Frederick Douglass, a black slave who rose to become one of the most influential men in U.S. history.

They’ve also targeted a monument of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, which recognizes the first all-volunteer Black regiment of the Union Army during the Civil War. These soldiers’ bravery earned 16 Medals of Honor.

Anarchists’ indifference to critical businesses (pharmacies, grocery stores, clinics, banks, etc.) in urban communities will subject their populations to a poverty sentence. These neighborhoods won’t easily be able to rebuild or rehire employees.

One of the Black Lives Matter rallying cries is to “defund the police.” What would they put in place of our current police departments? Will BLM advocates stop black-on-black crime? Will they prevent or slow the increasing number of black-on-black homicides?

Will BLM work to reduce black teen pregnancies, violent assaults and horrendous high school dropout rates among black males? Where are these protesters when innocent black children are killed in their homes while hiding from stray bullets exchanged by gang members? Do these Black lives not matter?

With few positive male role models, many Black children live in communities plagued with violence, self-hatred and drugs, thus continuing the vicious cycle of poor choices that steal dreams and crush souls.

These communities need an aggressive infusion of constructive, committed, competent, accountable and forward-thinking leaders. Not the removal and desecrating of statues. Not the charlatans pretending to be allies of the Black community, spewing empty promises that never address terrible schools, nonexistent economic development, poor access to health care and sketchy public transportation options.

To those who have demonstrated fake empathy, offered gross apologies, or attacked statues and burned cities, I say, STOP.

To truly tackle injustice, let’s start here:

1. Create economic opportunity zones to partner with African American chambers of commerce that have credible track records and are constantly looking for economic partners to help inner-city and poor neighborhoods end cycles of poverty.

2. Enhance partnerships with Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs)?

3. How many banks do you know that have African Americans serving on their boards?

What about hospitals? Utility companies? Other Fortune 500 companies?

4. Companies should hire more Black Americans in executive positions such as CEO, CFO, general managers and legal counselors, with board privileges. News organizations need more African Americans in top executive positions, with full authority to influence the mission, and they need more Black members of their boards.5. Increase scholarships for African Americans, above and beyond athletics.

Life for me, with this darkened complexion, has included racism and discrimination. I’ve witnessed it as I’ve traveled the back roads of Texas and beyond, as I’ve lived in 11 states and moved 33 times.

As someone who’s worked for the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Prisons and who is a disabled Navy veteran, I have seen the best and worst of America. Racism lurks in low-income communities as well as wealthy ones.

However, as the command chaplain of 39 nations in coalition in Afghanistan, I found many from other countries that, more than anything, wanted to live in America. Why? Because, in spite of our shortcomings, the U.S. remains the land of opportunity for all.

Indeed, there are problems here, but no one comes to the U.S. seeking a better life and then leaves because they didn’t find one.

We need courageous and forward-thinking leaders, not cowards who hide in the shadows. To anarchists disguised as allies through Black Lives Matter, enough! Let’s work together to make this country constructively better for tomorrow, because tomorrow is today.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “Our movement (of hope, economic, political, educational, and spiritual righteousness) will not be judged by the noise of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”

I, for one, am proud to be an American.