According to Wikipedia, communication is the act of conveying meanings from one entity or group to another by using mutually understood signs, symbols, and semiotic rules. The main step inherent to all communication is the formation of communicative motivation or reason. However, when two people talk, they do not always mutually understand each other.
A word can have more than one meaning or the tone or volume of the speaker can change the meaning of the message for the listener. The bottom line is we must try harder to communicate our thoughts and feelings honestly and respectfully to the other person.
Recently, we have seen an upsurge of protests that lost their message when some individuals resorted to vandalism, looting, and acts of brutality. The only reasonable path forward is to have peaceful conversations about the deep and systemic racism that is eroding our country. It starts in our homes not our streets.
According to statistics from Open Data Pennsylvania at data.pa.gov, from January 01, 2018 thru May 23, 2020, EMS personnel administered 37,351 doses of Naloxone, a medication to block the effects of opioids. During the same time-period, there were 35,286 “get help calls” to the drug hot line. From January 01,2018 thru May 16, 2020, 8,425 babies were born with neonatal abstinence syndrome. Babies born addicted to certain drugs must go thru withdraw. It is painful for the newborns and can cause long term damage.
Drug addiction is currently the worst public health crisis in Pennsylvania. Can we please have an honest conversation about substance abuse and finally get serious about drug prevention? Addiction is a disease that can affect anyone and everyone. This talk should start in the home at an early age and continue all the way through school.
Covid-19 has closed our schools, day care centers, Houses of worship, and places of employment.
Social isolation, unemployment, disruption of normal routines, and increased health risks have caused concern within the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Statistics for child abuse appear to be going down, but the children are at home and not in schools or day care centers where the first responders work. These conditions have also raised concerns about unreported domestic abuse. Power is the currency of the abuser. Any excuse to exercise power over another human being can result in injury or death. Let's have a conversation about healthy relationships and good parenting.
As I write this, according to Wikipedia, 6,426 people have died in Pennsylvania from COVID-19. Let's have conversations about the absolute necessity of wearing masks, cleaning, and social distancing. Let's not hide behind the American Disabilities Act or lack of empathy for our fellow humans. Reasonable accommodations are being made with curb side pickup and home delivery.
Let's have these conversations and kneel not to harm another person but to pray.
Patricia Petrusik retired from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation in the Pittsburgh area. She holds a guidance certificate K-12 and an addiction certificate, C.A.A.P. She also developed an educational game, “The Slippery Slope of Substance Abuse.”