This week’s discussion surrounding “Question Bridge: Black
Males,” held on Wednesday, October 22, focused on Mayor Lovely Warren and Judge
Stephen Miller as leaders in the city — specifically as leaders in the black
community.

The first question, submitted through Facebook, asked if the
Warren and Miller were comfortable with the impact their actions had on the
community and the youth. Warren responded that she “was very comfortable
leading this city,” and was “trying to bridge the gap that exists within our
community.” Miller commented that he had a duty to leave a positive impact on
the world, and that some days are better than others (in terms of how well he
fulfilled that commitment). But knowing that others look up to him, motivates
him to stay on point.

Another question, pulled from Facebook, asked why litigation
was so important, to which Warren responded, “Politics is everything, and
everything is politics.” Understanding the role of politics in decision making,
how it plays into law, and everything it impacts in this nation is crucial to
the black community, Warren said. Those who are not active in government have
little room to complain about the “system.” Miller stressed the importance of
voting, and knowing its history through the reconstruction era and the struggle
to gain the very right — and even the setbacks caused by Jim Crow laws. “You
don’t know how powerful political involvement is,” Warren said.

The discussion then turned to community involvement: “In
this city, if you have a problem, we probably have a program that can help
you,” Warren said, but the solution lies with individual commitments to
improvement. Miller told the crowd to “encourage people to just love their
children and consistently support them,” as it would alleviate many issues in
the community before they even manifest.

One woman in attendance asked if there was a kind of
“one-stop-shop” for those interested in getting involved. Warren joking
responded that all the programs, from libraries to rec centers, needed
volunteers; Miller took a more serious approach: start with the one child you
know personally and taking the time to encourage them and set a positive
example. 

Questions about intelligence and the fear of sounding smart
were pitched before the discussion. Miller shared his childhood experience as a
culture where it was “cool to be smart” and that allowed him to challenge
himself and his peers to reach higher. His experience in the courtroom showed
the opposite, though. Young black men were indeed very intelligent, especially having
to navigate the difficult world they live in, however maintaining a “mask”
often led to a reduction in education and increased criminal activity.

The next discussion is
scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, October 24 at 7 p.m. and will feature a RCTV Panel
Discussion titled “Dialogies…toward Solutions.”

This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2014.