Crime:
There are many issues and challenges that face the citizens of Atlanta, but nothing is more important than public safety. Atlantans have the right to feel safe in their neighborhoods, in their homes, and in their places of business. The current situation in our city is unacceptable. Too many Atlantans have been the victim of crime, particularly violent crime, and often it is the most vulnerable among us who are harmed: children and the elderly.
The solutions will require a holistic approach: a team effort between the city government, the Atlanta Police Department, and the citizens in our communities.
Having served as a military police officer for almost 30 years in different countries and communities of both wealth and poverty I know that to have a safe community there must be effective, competent, and compassionate law enforcement.
The adversarial approach that some city government officials have taken against the police is counterproductive; namely, the demonizing of police officers and the calls for defunding the police department. The members of law enforcement must be a part of the community not a separate entity. This is why I fully embrace community policing.
Community policing will help prevent crimes before they happen and help build trust between the public and the police department. Police care more about communities when they live there, which is why I would work to provide incentives for officers to live in the communities they serve, particularly in those areas that are subject to high crime and where there is currently distrust between the police and the community.
Our officers need enhanced training, and I will work with the other members of the Atlanta City Council, our mayor and the APD to ensure they get the training they need to be effective in our communities.
We need to use technology to keep our communities safer without the loss of life: revamp the 911 system to reduce response times, revamp the security camera system so that police can be proactive rather than reactive, and body cams to help keep both sides honest and give the public confidence citizens are not being abused.
We must work to make every citizen a part of keeping our communities safe. Through partnerships between individuals and the police, leveraging technology, and providing better training we can restore the rule of law and our beloved city can move forward and thrive.
Race Relations:
In my travels around the world, I have experienced many cultures and encountered people of various races, religions, ethnicities, political persuasions, sexual orientation, social status, etc. It is very clear to me that no single group has a lock on virtue. Whenever two or more people occupy the same space, there will be conflict regardless of how alike or different they may be. The question is, how do they resolve their differences. Do they find a way to coexist, or do they destroy each other?
America has done more to overcome past injustices and right wrongs than any other society that I am aware of. The America we live in today is not the same America of 1860 or even 1960. We have come a mighty long way, including here in the great State of Georgia and our beloved Atlanta
I love the Southern way of life. I love the accents, the food, the hospitality, the patriotism, the faith and fidelity to family and community. I’m very proud of the progress the South has made on race relations and economic development while maintaining common-sense governance. Is there more to do? Certainly, but let’s start by acknowledging how far we have come. We can debate the best way forward, but we must keep things in perspective and our debates must be factual, not emotional, and cordial, not confrontational.
In order to unite our city we must treat everyone the same; everyone must be judged by one set of rules and held to the same standards. There cannot be one standard for Blacks and another for Whites or Asians or Hispanics; there must be one for everybody. We have to stop allowing politicians and others to divide us by race (and gender, sexual orientation, etc.). Too many people, both Black and White, have struggled, suffered, and even given their lives to bring us to where we are, and we must not dishonor their legacy by ignoring the hard-won progress we enjoy today.
Individuals should only be judged on two traits: first as Dr. King stated, by the content of their character, and second, by the merit of their actions and abilities. Race, religion, ethnicity should not play a role.
We must stop making excuses for failure. There is no excuse for lawlessness or thuggish behavior… none! To effectively address the out-of-control crime our solutions must be based on actual virtue and not virtue signaling.
In our city, it is just a plain fact that the majority of violent crimes are committed by young Black males. This is not a question for debate, the data is very clear. The discussion should be about why is this the case, and how do we address it. It is a complex issue, and we are never going to solve it until we first acknowledge reality and then work to develop viable solutions based on facts and demonstrable results.
I look forward to having constructive discussions with my fellow Atlantans on how we can resolve the challenges we face and make Atlanta safer and better for everyone.
Leadership and Political Philosophy:
“I will not fail those whom I serve!”
This simple phase encapsulates how I view my obligations as a leader and it has been my guiding philosophy in how I conduct my life. My priority is always those who have entrusted me with the responsibility and honor of leadership. Leadership is not a position of privilege, but one that requires selfless service.
I value hard work, honesty, moral courage, humility, and loyalty. I will never accept “no” when “yes” is the right answer.
I believe in direct straight talk, and I value results over political correctness, virtue signaling, and rhetoric.
I look for facts and data over emotion.
I strongly believe in civility and treating people with dignity and respect.
My loyalty is to those whom I serve over any political party or entity.
As Atlanta City Council President, I will seek common-sense solutions, that have a clear and viable path to success while being a good steward of taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars.
I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I know what right looks like.
I know how to build coalitions, and to listen and learn from others. I have spent a lifetime working with diverse groups of people with competing interests, while developing complex long-range strategies and implementing effective policies. I will do the same here in Atlanta.
Education:
Education is the gateway to success in life and schools are an essential part of educating a child. However, it is not the responsibility of the schools to take on the role of parents and schools are not responsible for a child’s education.
Parents are responsible for educating their children. Schools, books, guidance counselors, libraries, etc. are tools that our society provides parents to assist them in one of the most critical jobs in our society, that of raising decent, law abiding, productive citizens.
Parents must have the choice of determining where and how their children are educated. They have an inherent responsibility to raise their children and must have commensurate authority and influence over their child’s education. Therefore I am a strong advocate both for school choice and for demanding excellence in our public schools.
My focus and priorities are educating the pupil, not propping up the system. Whether it is a public, charter, private, parochial, or home school doesn’t matter. The key factor is how well are the students being educated. I have never heard an argument against school choice that was based on placing the welfare of children first.
School choice alone will not fix the educational challenges we face. Parental involvement and homelife are the foundation upon which our civil society is built, and education is a key part. There are many parents who neglect their children by not being appropriately involved in their formal education. Too often there is not enough emphasis placed on learning and achieving academic excellence. This must be addressed as well. There is an urgent need to help teach parents how to parent better, and how to effectively assist their children’s learning process.
Many parents who are struggling themselves have literacy issues and financial challenges as well, and we must assist those who are willing to accept help and put forth the effort required to improve their own lives and those of their children.
This challenge will not be easy to resolve; if it were, others would have done so already. However, it is worth the fight to save our children and improve our society. It must be done.