Do Crime!

Category: Community Involvement

  • Voting is not enough

    I have so many friends who look at the world, and they have issues with it. Don’t we all?

    And they all say the same thing. “Everyone needs to get out and vote.” Sure, that’s great, but it’s not enough.

    Everyone needs to get involved. If there’s something you care about, do more for it. And do it actively. The $5 donation slacktivism isn’t enough. Volunteer your time.

    Find a local organization that stands for something you believe in, and get involved. Offer to help with marketing, do a volunteer shift at one of their events, raise awareness as you go.

    Beyond that, start paying attention to your local politics. Go to a town meeting, run for a local school board position, get involved.

    March in the streets! Do crime!

  • Building a better community

    This is a short one today.

    I had this thought on the way to work this morning. We destroyed communities through the redlining process, and systemic racism.

    What is the distinction between healing these wounds, and gentrification?

  • We’re doing the wrong hard things.

    I feel like over the last few years, creeping into our zeitgeist has been this notion of us need to “do hard things.”

    I’m sure part of it came from the book “The Comfort Crisis,” which came out in 2021. There’s some points in the book that I agree with, actually quite a lot of points.

    The issue I have, is that the hard things they talk about in the book are the wrong ones. Sure, take a cold shower, or ice plunge, or do a million burpees in the sauna.

    But can you call your local representative? Can you coherently talk on the phone? Can you do anything other than melt into entropy at the end of your work day?

    Maybe instead of the ice bath, talk a public speaking course. Afraid of heights? Go rock climbing. Volunteer for a local organization. Coach little league. Pick up trash.

    The comfort crisis isn’t just sitting in climate control all day, it’s also about putting off the uncomfortable little things in your day. Do those, then take the plunge.

    Do hard things. Volunteer. Donate. Smash your phone with a hammer. Maybe you are physically exhausted at the end of your day, and you do want to watch Netflix. Instead of doomscrolling while watching, learn to sew and fix your ripped clothes. Don’t throw them out. Compost instead of putting everything in the trash. Learn to reduce your consumption, don’t just lean on reuse and recycle.

    Do crime. Throw round up on a golf course green.

  • Do your part, to be a part.

    Tuesday was an election day here in KC.

    It wasn’t a big election. It wasn’t a huge turnout. With a city proper of about 500,000 people (based on the “Welcome to Kansas City” sign), there were about 41,000 votes cast for the ballot initiative. My ballot had one question about keeping a tax active, and one choice for a school board position.

    I went out to vote, my wife went and voted on her lunch break from working the election. She’s worked most elections since 2021.

    Every time elections come up, and I think about America, it’s democracy, and all of the rights and liberties we’re given as citizens, it always makes me think about our responsibilities to the country, and our fellow countrymen. I think it’s important to talk about, because we so often don’t talk about them, acknowledge them, or even want them.

    The wife and I are DINKS (double income, no kids.) We’re also home owners (which, I know as millennials is a lucky thing.) I have several friends, and even older family members without kids, or who’s kids are out of the education system, and they complain that their taxes fund education. I, myself was guilty of this kind of thinking at an earlier age in my life.

    Now I realize it’s part of my civic responsibility to make sure we have an educated society. As much as I may not like children, I understand they’re the future of this country. Our doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, and politicians. It’s our duty to make sure they receive the best education that they can, their future and my own depend on it.

    Another responsibility that comes with living in America is jury duty. The wife just had her summons a few weeks ago, and I finally got my first one for May. Most people I know bemoan jury duty, and always say something like “tell them you’re racist,” or tell them “I hate cops.” I get the frustration. It’s a whole day, possibly more, where I’m stuck in a room with strangers, making almost no money, and time off from work, where I’m choosing to not take PTO. But, at the end of the day, I know that if I ever have to face a jury of my peers, I want them to look at it the same way that I do, that’s it’s a privilege to serve the community, and it’s residents, and uphold justice. You know, one of the things our country was founded on.

    I can continue on this topic for a while, but I’m just going to leave it where it’s at. You get the picture. Do more. Take pride. Plant food in public parks. Do Crime. I’ll see you on the jury.