How To Take Back Your Community? It Starts With Mentality!

Although we have come a long way fighting for equal rights for all, we are still fighting on the home front to save our communities that are in danger from the influx of drugs, gangs, and violence.

The plague of drugs, prostitution, guns, and gangs are becoming the ills that are tearing these beautiful communities apart.

This is a nationwide problem where many communities have struggled for years on how to get rid of the problem.

When it comes to issues in your community, how concerned and involved are you?

During the weekly radio program “Real Issues, Real People, Real Talk” on 88.9FM WMCX, discussions of violence in the local community and community activism became a hot topic.

A discussion began about a community forum that will be held in efforts to take strides to stop the violence. Being the very opinionated person I am, I stated community forums are only effective if action is taken after the forum.

I received an interesting response to my opinion. No matter the dispute, what I was really trying to explain was action can only be taken when the community becomes involved and as a whole gets tired of what’s going on in their community. It’s all about the mentality!

I am a person that sees the problem is bigger than what is displayed.

Unfortunately, communities struggle to get the support of its own because of the mentality.

I had an excellent debate with a friend of mine about the different levels of mentality when it comes to being involved and caring about what’s going on in your community. The mentality plays a major part in whether action can be taken.

There are those who care about the community and take strides to find solutions.

There are those who are tired of the violence and move away.

There are those who are on-lookers, who care but are either scared or not proactive to actually move on an issue.

In order for a community to get rid of these ills plaguing its community, each must take a stand.

How To Take Back Your Community

Here are the three types I came up with during the debate:

1. Community activist – These are the individuals who attend community forums, city council meetings, marches, and rallies in efforts to find solutions to deter problems going on in their community.

While there may be loop holes in the fight, they still continue because some kind of solution can be made in the end.

You may not be able to change the world, but changing one’s life makes a difference.

Being a community activist doesn’t necessarily mean implementing programs, but being there to fight for a solution to the problem.

Being a community activist doesn’t mean being the next Al Sharpton, but you are saying I am making a difference in my community.

2. Community on-lookers – These individuals are concerned and aware about what’s going on the community, however, they are either scared or not proactive to the approach on being involved.

3. Community lagers – “If it doesn’t directly affect me, then there isn’t a problem”. Although a shooting may have happened right in their backyard, they do not see or hear the problem because it doesn’t directly affect them. They do care about the community, but as long it doesn’t directly affect them, there is nothing they can do to resolve the problem.

Which one are you?

I asked a group of young men a couple years younger than myself would they be interested in going to a community forum and seemingly so, they were not interested. It all begins with the mentality. Soon it will be up to the younger generation to stand up and speak up.

How involved are you in your community? “Real Talk, Real People, Real Issues” airs every Thursday night at 9pm – 11pm on 88.9FM locally in Central Jersey or online at http://www.wmcx.com