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Information about our communities and issues outside immediate family comes from personal experience or what others tell or show us. A monumental impact on children in the 1950s was a series of “look-say” or sight method primers that followed the bland, sanitized world of siblings Dick and Jane, along with their dog and cat, Spot and Puff, and younger sister Sally. Although eventually replaced by phonics and more realistic characters and storylines, the Dick and Jane series served as a portrayal of a safe, clean, homogeneous (Caucasian) community that defined gender and occupational roles. Although many children did not actually live in anything even close to this world, young and impressionable readers were constantly assured that it did exist and any possible danger would be assuaged by authority figures… mom, dad, fireman, policeman, etc.
Along came the 1960s, filled with rage and a completely different view of how authorities handled their responsibilities. The façade of a harmonious, gentle society was shattered as societal factions staked their claim to reality. Information – factual and contrived – moved faster and faster. The pace of both phenomena has only increased since then.
Connections in communities at large have often evaporated as challenges to personal interaction with community members, and even business associates, has declined, reduced to computer screens and lines of text, emojis, memes and images. Brutal reality (or fantasy) has replaced idyllic simplicity, both skewed toward extremes of an unrealistic utopia or disastrous dystopia.
In addition to a fractured social structure, the COVID pandemic accelerated isolation within our communities. Prior to its outbreak, gatherings, festivals, sports and celebrations were numerous and well attended. Not only did arts and civic organizations bring people together, so did various protective services. Safety fairs, k-9 competitions, motorcycle competitions and fire suppression skills were on display on an annual basis.
The general population was able to mingle with administrative and line personnel, one-to-one. This is a tremendous mitigating factor when relying on the same people in a stressful crisis. As the impact of the pandemic has lessened, some major fairs (e.g., Festival of the Arts, Newark Days, etc.) have returned along with concerts and fine arts exhibits. However, we are a long way from pre-pandemic activity levels.
Although efforts of law enforcement to stay connected with the general public have continued through programs such as Coffee with Cops or School Resource Officers, these are limited in scope and while valuable, fail to reach much of the population. We need augmentation by more positive and personal connections. So far, our communities have avoided some of the lurid headlines of others that have suffered grievous tragedy and loss of life, but closer relationships with authority figures under positive circumstances is a powerful protective measure. I am not suggesting a fanciful, kumbaya moment with a Dick and Jane patina, but I do believe personal connections can mitigate differences that lead to misunderstanding and serious consequences.
The result will not be a series of colorful, simplistic pictures with sentences to match or the dark, despair of hopelessness, rather a realistic understanding and connections with others serving in a variety of capacities to ensure a vibrant, healthy and safe community.
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