First-time readers, this blog is set in the future (sometime after the year 2020). Each entry assumes there has been a 5th revolution in the US — the Revenge Revolution. More about Revenge Revolution and author, Entry #1. List and general description of entries to date. Annual assessment whether Revolution plausible.
Note: most characters appear in a number of entries, with many entries building on previous conversations. Profile of characters. You’ll catch on quickly. Thanks for your time and interest…and comments.
Scene: Jordan’s office, Washington, DC. (Conversation begins #209)
Gelly: “OK, I watched O’Reilly’s video.”
Jordan: “…and?”
Gelly: “No surprise that I didn’t agree with everything he said but his points were well taken. We’ve got to start a conversation with the black community in order to start solving problems.”
Jordan: “What do we do next?”
Gelly: “I was going to ask you the same question. Big set of problems. Who’s going to take the lead?”
Jordan: “Let’s make a list of people who might be good candidates. Who comes to mind first?”
Gelly: “For me, president Obama. He’s been out of office a few years and stayed away from politics.”
Jordan: “Great choice, but I think he still might be considered too controversial. You know who would be a good person to bounce ideas off of…and maybe lead the discussion before it gets too high-profile?”
Gelly: “Someone who really understands the black community…like Rock Man?”
Jordan: “Like Rock Man. Been a while since we talked to him.”
Gelly: “Want me to try to track him down?”
Jordan: “Please. If you find him, see if he can Skype. In the meantime, I’ll make a few phone calls.”
(15 minute break in conversation)
Gelly: “Found Rock Man. He’s waiting for us to Skype.” (Jordan’s makes Skype connection.)
Rock Man: “Hey guys. Long time, no talk to. Gelly said you need some advice. A big dog like you needs advice from me?”
Jordan: “Yes, from you. And who says I’m a big dog. More like a fire hydrant. Anyway, the challenge is two-fold: (i) how to get groups to take personal responsibility for fixing their problems; (ii) how to get groups to quit blaming someone else for their problems.”
Rock Man: “And you’re calling me about…let me guess…about getting the black community to take more personal responsibility.”
Jordan: “Gelly, he’s so perceptive.”
Rock Man: “What do you want me to do? I’m just one guy.”
Gelly: “From my perspective, you’re an ideal role model for taking personal responsibility.”
Rock Man: “In what way?”
Gelly: “I don’t know the whole story but I understand you grew up in Eastern North Carolina, dirt poor with parents who had very limited education…”
Rock Man: “…8th grade at best…”
Gelly: “…and yet all the children, what 6 or 7 of you, earned college degrees and several earned graduate degrees. That just didn’t happen by accident.”
Jordan: “Gelly, Rock Man won’t tell you this part. He started out in Charlotte at Johnson C. Smith, but after his sophomore year transferred to University of North Carolina-Charlotte in order to get tougher classes.”
Gelly: “See, Rock Man, that’s exactly what I’m talking about. You took personal responsibility for getting a better education. Would have been easier to stay at JC Smith but you didn’t. You are the perfect role model.”
Rock Man: “C’mon, my shoes are getting brown. There are much better role models 
than I am. What about Michael Jordan or LeBron James or a bunch of other athletes as role models?”
Jordan: “You and I have talked about this before. I think professional athletes are exactly the wrong role model for young black males. How many black professional athletes, or for that matter all professional athletes, have a college degree? Not just attend college but graduate?”
Rock Man: “I don’t know but not many have degrees. The problem among black teens is education isn’t sexy like athletics. Plus education doesn’t guarantee big bucks.”
Jordan: “What percent of college athletes make it to the pros? As small as that number is, what percent of high school students eventually end up in the pros? Its miniscule — a thimble full at best.”
Gelly: “Rock Man, your parents pushed education over athletics. My parents were 1st-generation immigrants. My mother was barely literate. But you know what their goal was? What they made significant sacrifices for?”
Rock Man: “Same as mine? Getting the kids through college?”
Gelly: “The goals of my parents and your parents were no different from goals of most 
immigrant families. Achieving those goals might take 2 or 3 generations and many will be grandparents or great grandparents before it happens. But the goals of the parents were clear – get the kids through college or a comparable technical school. So if families from Europe, Asia, wherever follow the same model, why shouldn’t black families? Your parents did…and look how the family turned out.”
Jordan: “Seems like the best person to start talking to the black community is someone who understands the hardships of the black community and the cultural norms.”
Gelly: “Like I keep saying, someone like you Rock Man.”
Rock Man: “Ok, you guys are persuasive. How do I get started?”
Jordan: “My view is the black community needs to: (i) take the lead in this effort; (ii) ask for help from other groups, even the police.”
Rock Man: “Let me ask again, ‘how do we get started?’”
Jordan: “Since the Revenge Revolution, the political environment is less toxic that a few years ago…”
Rock Man: “…you mean like the toxic environment when Donald the bomb thrower was running for president?”
Jordan: “Yes. Make no mistake, the atmosphere is still tense. If I were you, Rock Man, I’d reach way across the aisle and ask for help from a perceived adversary to the black community. Someone, who if you worked with, would cause everyone to turn their head.”
Rock Man: “Like who?”
Gelly: “Earlier today I looked at a short video from 2016 made by Bill O’Reilly.”
Rock Man: “Like the Bill O’Reilly?”
Gelly: “I said exactly the same thing when Jordan asked me to look at it. Let me tell you, O’Reilly listed some very good questions that would help start a meaningful dialogue.”
Jordan: “So, why not reach out to O’Reilly and get his opinion?”
Rock Man: “Can you send me the link to the video, please?”
Jordan: “Take a look and then ask yourself, what’s really the downside of talking to him about the issues he listed? You might be surprised. He might be very helpful.”
Rock Man: “Alright, I’ll review and get back.”
(Continued)
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