Last month we talked about the accelerating struggle between morality and war in our societies, but left it hanging. This deserves more discussion.
I have a good friend, who serves as the City Services Director, and who is a master at compromise. I observed him in action one time, during a meeting of the City Planning Commission. The main decision before that group, at that particular session, was a request from one of the downtown churches about an alley which ran behind their church. Their parking lot was just across that alley, so that many members of their church either entered or exited out the back door. These citizens stated that many cars came whizzing down that alley, on their way between one way streets. They said that this was a big problem particularly after the end of a church service. They were concerned that one of their church family was going to be killed by this inordinate traffic. They requested that this alley be closed.
Members of the City Planning Commission immediately registered concerns. They said that there were people living along that alley, who needed back access to their homes. They said that regulations required a certain degree of access between one way streets. They felt that blocking the alley off would create more problems than it solved
My friend listened to all these comments by everyone, not saying a word. After all of the parties attending that meeting had voiced their complaints and counter-complaints, he spoke. He first listed the arguments of those who were requesting closure of that alley, and agreed that they had a valid concern. He then listed the objections that had been raised by members of the Planning Commission, agreeing that those objections were correct. But then he said, “There may be a way we can take care of your needs, and those requirements the city has for its citizens, at the same time. We can develop signage that closes that alley on Sundays, but leaves it open the rest of the week. It might take a few episodes of enforcement to make it stick, but once established, would increase your safety, and meet the needs of those who live on that block and use those streets.” There was a moment of silence, and then the spokesperson for the church group said, “I think we can live with that.” There were some furrowed brows amongst the Planning Commission members, a few sotto voce comments, and then the chairman asked for a vote on the proposed ordinance. It passed. Both sides were satisfied they could live with that agreement.
That is my friend at work. He does that every day. He is a masterful social planning artist.
His optimism for always finding an answer to conflicts and community failures also showed when I asked him and my other friends to tell me what they would do about the opioid epidemic. Over 7,000 Ohioans died of drug overdose last year, more than die from suicides and auto accidents. That number has climbed dramatically every year. My problem solving friend believed that better antidotes would be found for dealing with drug overdoses, that better rehabilitation programs will be established, that there will be public education to convince our population to not become victims of drugs. I believe he is right; I believe all these things will happen; I also believe that these measures, and other measures, will not be enough to overcome this disease and other diseases in our societies.
I live in the drug world. Most of my work involves taking care of patients who are dependent upon opioids for pain relief. I live in this world where over 80% of the crime committed in any community is drug and alcohol related. I live in the world where 90% of the people who fail their drug screen lie about the reasons. “There has to be a mistake. The nurse that took the specimen mixed it up with someone else’s.” (We have a rigid protocol for obtaining drug screen specimens, making sure in every way it comes from that patient and is identified, labeled as such before it is submitted.) “I had sex with a woman who is an addict. I must have gotten it from her.” “My dog knocked my pill bottle off in the toilet. That’s why there wasn’t any in my system for that test.” “I don’t know why my specimen showed that it was more water than urine. I do drink a lot of coffee.” “My wife and I keep our pill bottles on the bedside stand. They must have gotten mixed up.” I live in the world the same as the cop shows on TV, where 90% of those who are pulled over lie about the marijuana the officer smells, lie about the drugs present in the car, lie about the guns and knives in their possession, lie about the reasons they do not have a driver’s license, lie about the reasons they did not appear in court to answer the charges against them, lie about the reasons why they assaulted someone else. “Sir, what is that white powder in the front seat of your car?” “That’s baking soda. I use it for my smelly feet.” (Pause) “Sir, why is this white powder testing positive for cocaine?” “I have no idea. It’s not mine. Someone else must have put it there.” My experience has been the same. It teaches me to be wary about the future of the human species.
From my pessimistic point of view, what I see is that human greed, selfishness and disrespect will overcome whatever ethical respect for all other life our societies develop, and will lead to the demise of the human species as the dominant form of life on this planet within the next few hundred years.
I fervently hope that my good social problem solving friend is right, and I am wrong.