why in the city of Wilmington are men killing each other? why do I awake in the morning to hear of another human being's life being cut short by gunfire, often over something with as small value as a pair of sneakers, a cell phone or a small amount of cash?
why this morning while walking to get coffee did I pass homeless men and women walking the streets of this city? why when I turned around to look at them as they passed me, did I see in the background the chase building, the riverfront train station, the riverfront market district, the aaa building among others? why are young men and women sleeping in abandoned buildings in this city...the city where so many resources have been invested and so much talk about revitalization and returning this city to the vibrant and proud area it once was?
why do I see mothers with children coming to Emmanuel dining room to eat lunch because they can't afford to buy enough food for their household? why do I continue to see these families struggling every day to keep a roof over their head? why do I see that same look in their eyes day after day after day? why do I see these same families eating at the mission at nite so their children do not go to bed hungry? why do I see this while our politicians reason away these people with ludicrous explanations and reasoning? why do I see our policians abandoning these people with heartless actions? why in the richest country in the world?
why do I see men and women searching for employment, trying to save or rebuild the lives that were so carelessly destroyed by the contentious and careless policies of our politicians? why after six years do I still see the hardships and heartbreaks of a people whose government, thru failed policies and totally unsound economic policies, took away their livelihood, their security, their savings, their homes and often their dignity and sense of well being. why do I see this government continue the same policies that caused this tragedy to be a part of our American life today.?
why do I still see in the year 2014, articles and op eds and debates about racism and discrimination? why do I see people of all colors, black,white and brown raise this ugly topic in matters where it has no place in the discussion? why do I still see racism mentioned alongside religion by those who profess to hold a higher moral standard in order to position themselves in community leadership?
why do I still see people who are homeless, hungry and struggling with the every day basics of life? why are men and women of all ages still dying on the streets of this city and this country because they have no place to call home? why did men and women die in the cold during this past brutal winter simply because they had no warm place to enter during sub zero weather? why are our children being taught the unacceptable lessons of hunger, homelessness, poverty and all the stigmas, fears and scarring effects that come with them?
why are these issues still effecting millions of americans? why are we blindly looking away from these issues when they are as surely damaging and surely as deadly as any threat we face in our country today? why are the mentally ill still walking the streets untreated, like a time bomb waiting to explode into the next headline?
why, in this city....why in this state....why in this country? I wish I had an answer. I wish I didn't have to ask the question. we all need to start asking this one simple question.....why do we continue to let this happen?
there is a bigger question you should ask yourself. how much longer are you willing to have to ask this question? how much longer do our politicians and leaders think we are going to be willing to have to ask why?
see you around town