Focus on education and stop treating blacks like second-class citizens

No easy fix; respect, education are key

The deaths of two African American men shot by police last week have set off a nationwide firestorm.

More gun control and further handcuffing of police officers are not the sole answers to a very metastatic problem.

This problem will only be solved when we stop treating blacks like second-class citizens and do all we can to educate the blacks who are trapped in their GITMO-like neighborhoods.

This will elevate black incomes, as well as their social status and universal acceptance.

This will not be simple, but it will go a long way to solving a very serious problem.

Demand equal treatment for all

Police have to account for all deaths while on duty. In their defense, they also must make snap decisions in potentially dangerous situations.

Maybe the suspect is reacting out of fear because he believes police are racially biased? Does that then fuel racial stereotypes the officer holds?

Maybe it’s time for police to address their prejudice, and for white people to take a stand to demand all races are seen and treated equally.

Divisiveness fueled by marginalization

I am an old man. I have never seen the division, hatred, polarization and anger I see in the USA and world today.

People are frustrated and feel marginalized by their government. Worldwide, citizens feel their governments do not represent them.

What we are seeing is a frustrated people acting out their feelings.

My fear is – this is a long way from being over.

Changed by view I got of U.S. from abroad

Studying abroad for the past seven months has made me look at my identity as an American. And I am shocked.

I witnessed the rise of a bigoted demagogue from afar. My state made international headlines by passing a bill that never should have been considered.

I read news about the Orlando shooting – the 146th mass shooting since I left the U.S. in January.

Now, the video of Alton Sterling’s murder has traveled around the world.

People need to take action and become informed about the issues facing our state and nation. I have been a bystander while abroad, but that will change when I’m home.

If Marine’s emails matter, so do Hillary’s

An NCIS investigation revealed that Brezler had more than 100 classified documents on his personal, unclassified hard drive and thumb drive – just like Hillary Clinton had on her private server.

If Hillary is fit to serve as president and Commander-in-Chief of the entire armed forces, Maj. Brezler is certainly fit to continue to serve in the Marine reserves.

Trump offers no substantive ideas

Writer Elbert Hubbard said “If you can’t answer a man’s arguments, all is not lost: you can still call him vile names.”

The presidential candidate who has called his opponents Little Marco, Lyin’ Ted, Crooked Hillary, Pocahontas, and Crazy Bernie serves to confirm Hubbard’s assertion.

Donald Trump’s adolescent name-calling and childish insults are poor substitutes for reasoned thought and substantive ideas.

How to halt 4 more years of liberalism

In a perfect world, recognizing that he can only lead the Republican Party to a resounding defeat, Donald Trump steps aside in favor of a ticket of John Kasich and Ted Cruz.

It brings together fiscal conservatives, social conservatives, evangelicals and those tired of the Clinton/Obama network of privilege.

With Ohio, the South and most of the West in the bag, the ticket should achieve a solid (and possibly landslide) victory.

One minor problem – Donald Trump is an egotist, not a patriot or a conservative.

Instead, we will have another Clinton and four more years of encroaching liberalism.

This story was originally published July 10, 2016 at 5:30 PM with the headline "Focus on education and stop treating blacks like second-class citizens."