Just as I think that we cannot
take in any more tragedies, senseless killings, continued animosities, extreme
racism and terror attacks, we are struck again: Dallas, Orlando, Minnesota,
Paris, Istanbul, and Nice. Some of these acts of violence are political
terrorism. Some may be attributed to the result of untreated mental illness. Some may be influenced by social structures. And some may be the result of
a combination of factors. We are constantly searching for ways to address the
causes of these horrific acts of violence. We look for ways to deal with our
own sense of powerlessness, to find common humanity in the face of terror, to
understand and yet be vigilant.
Sometimes we feel that the
problems are so huge, so global, so deeply rooted that we despair at our sense
of personal, professional, and community helplessness. What can we do in the
face of these continued indescribable events? We search for meaningful
answers and actions.
The Chapter has as one of its
priorities, written into the Strategic Plan: "promoting Racial Justice,
Eliminating all Forms of Racism and Oppression." We search for
ways to realize these goals, through our legislative priorities and
continuing education programs. Yet we feel there is much more to be done.
