What does resolution look like?

A picture of resolution for me is an exercise in which I am very highly conflicted. Resolution is important to all parties in society but the format of resolution has the greatest impact on those who will come after we (you and me and our ilk) have departed the active scene. As I watch the 'Black lives matter; issue in the USA I am bewildered that more was not dome earlier by all the sectors that are now involved. Where were they until now? What has changed to energize them now? Social media may have given us immediacy but the horrors were there in newspapers and on postcards and in our faces as we looked at each other. The injustices were well known to all because it was not hidden. The other parties did not want to know and they could lie to themselves about their role/involvement. What final picture do the nightly protestors want? I cannot fathom what will suffice but I am glad that their ambition knows no bounds. It is the sheer unreasonableness of youth and the flush of unchastened idealism. Whatever I would want for the picture of resolution for Bermuda will pale besides what the new generations will accomplish for us if they become committed to a similar extent and work for the uplift and benefit of all persons in Bermuda and elsewhere.. I see my role as keeping the place going and supporting their development and activism as best I am able. (I refer all persons to the idealism and practice attempts of the friendly society philosophy to remake the worldview and operation of society from the early nineteenth century onwards in Bermuda. Note the friendly society was/is as very distinct from the precepts of free masonry as chalk is from cheese.)

Resolution will be helped when it becomes clear that both communities are willing to not only listen to each other, but really hear what is being said. Because the root of the issue is racism: specifically historically white preference and historical inequality towards black people, I believe that resolution will remain crippled if white people engage in denial, claims of innocence, white fragility, etc. They will need to accept that the racism issues we are dealing with today are the legacy bequeathed on us all by their forbears as slavers, colonisers, co-conspirators dividing up Africa at the Berlin Conference, etc. The globe became blanketed by their particular influence, which profoundly affected both sides in different ways. It has landed us with the dilemma we are seeking to resolve today.

The history of repeated failures of our education system under various governments, the historical patterns that kept black families from gaining wealth has lead to an inequality of opportunity for further education (university or technical) for many black families. Wealth equality starts with education. I would like to propose that for one full generation, every student in public school that makes the grade is offered free scholarships to an approved list of technical or universities. I say approved list because it is clear that the quality of university degrees in the US varies dramatically but the cost does not. Then the Government could negotiate with the schools for a fee as so many students will have a guaranteed payment. To fund this, I would propose the Government reach out to the business community as they did for the infrastructure support and create a pool for further education support. The same model can be used for technical support as for University support.