Our America, our nation, our home, is undergoing a painful self-examination and transformation. It takes courage to look at yourself. Everyone cannot self-reflect, because it is uncomfortable and challenging. If we don’t like what we see, we must bear the responsibility for our choices and live with our outcomes. If we admit our challenges, we accept our accountability to become who we want to be and expect to be.

Change is difficult, because we must lose what we were to become what we should be. I am African American. I am educated and have lived into my 60s; this is not the case for so many Black men. I was taught by my family and role models that I bear a responsibility to share what I have learned and what I have been blessed to have. America is the greatest social experiment in the history of civilization because America is people willing to look at themselves and start over, evolve and change.

This is not pleasant in the moment, but the outcome is a better tomorrow for everyone. This is optimistic but history bids me correct. Please have the willingness to start over.

James Weathersby

Augusta