Saying Goodbye to 2014: Bring It 2015

2014 is winding down its last hours as I write this. The year will not go down as an example of one of our nation’s finest. In fact, most of us are happy to hasten it on its way out. And, we have good cause.

The past several months have been marked by growing racial tension in our country. The racial tension is fanned, in my opinion, by the media and by hate mongers who seek to profit from the misfortunes of others. Not that they have created the problem, they have just blown it out of proportion. Common sense and good judgment have flown out the window. In fact, 2014 may very well be the year that killed those two important qualities in our nation. That does not bode well for 2015.

In our own community, we started the year talking about race and the idea of profiling. With new leadership in the Fayetteville Police Department, we have tried to move past that. But every now and then throughout the year someone would make a charge, which was usually found false, of discrimination by our fine men and women who fill the ranks of the department. When common sense, good judgment and open government exist, these problems can be dealt with in a professional and legitimate manner, which does not include throwing rocks or improvised bombs or burning down buildings or vehicles.

It is my hope that 2015 will be the year that common sense and good judgment come back to life and become a common practice not only in our communities, but more importantly, in those who govern our communities, state and nation.

What also needs to return is civility in how we conduct ourselves. Respect for authority and respect for life have been noticeably absent in 2014. That was seen clearly in the assassination in New York. It was seen again in St. Louis, when a crowd attacked a policeman who was forced to shoot a young man who pulled a gun on him. And it happened again in Texas. When there is no respect for life, no respect for law and no respect for leadership, chaos reigns. We are better than that and it is my hope that in 2015 we will all realize that.

Many of us will make resolutions to improve some aspect of our lives, like health, finances or familial relationships. We make those resolutions with good intentions. We work hard at it the first couple of weeks and then we gradually go back to old routines and promise ourselves that next year we will do better.

Whatever you resolve in 2015, make it count. Make it matter. Don’t give up on it. Work a little harder. It takes 21 days to make a habit. So spend three weeks on your resolution, and then it’s a habit. You can do it.

In 2015, we promise to remain here, showcasing the best of our community, and when needed, pointing out what’s wrong. We will work hard to be your community newspaper, and we will exercise common sense, good judgment and civility in all that we do.

As you count down 2014, let it go without malice. Forgive. Let it go. Love. Most importantly, welcome 2015 with a clean slate. Happy New Year!