Sunny Reddy, WSU Board of Governors Elect’s Post

Citizens Advice Sunderland unit is burntout after yesterday's riots in the city. If we ever needed a reminder of the danger of the dominant, polarised rhetoric that demonises those who are less fortunate then this has to be it. First it was the National Trust, labelled as 'marxist' by a group of MPs for publishing information that highlighted the links of its country homes with slavery. Next it was Bernardos, accused of 'ideological dogma' for publishing a blog acknowledging the reality of white privilege. The Runnymede Trust, challenged for providing detailed responses to the now widely discredited Sewell Report. The RNLI, criticised for saving the lives of desperate people drowning in the English channel. Mermaids, attacked for supporting young people to explore their identity following a governance failure. The list goes on, and on, and on... The attacks that we've seen on civic society in recent years are part of a much bigger dangerous and divisive agenda. And we're now seeing the consequences of this playing out in communities like Hartlepool and Sunderland through acts of mindless violence. How can we move towards a society where we don't jump to polarities and extremes, but where we can disagree agreeably and have nuanced conversations, rather than riots? Stay safe out there folks. #Hartlepool #Sunderland #Riots

So .....I have no problems with the way people live in their big cities. I don't care what they wear, what they believe, who they love, how they choose to live their lives.....It's THEIR life and I can respect that. After a while I move out of the city, because my views don't align with theirs and my lifestyle changes as I start a family and raise my children.....So like a good law abiding member of society, I move somewhere less crowded, with more nature and less crime, so I can live how I choose.... But alas....those same people in the city, want to enforce their city laws on suburban/country me. Instead of city or state law, they push for federal laws that affect folks who reside in places that neither look or operate like it does in their home city. America was founded on the ideals of individual freedoms.......which allows birds of a feather to flock together..... should they CHOOSE to. So why does a flock thousands of miles away from me want to dictate my life? Can't these population centers just keep their rules, wants and needs contained within their CHOSEN places of residence? Why must you feel the need to push your rules, policies and city ideals on me? I'd love to know why? 🤷♂️ #gwot #veterans #freedom #citylife #countryliving #America ** image sourced from Google **

https://lnkd.in/eM2mqhje A class act. To solve climate change. We need bipartisanship To reduce hate. We need bipartisanship To improve education so we don’t have another bankrupt, rapist criminal running for office. Need to prequalify all elected officials. As a minimum they can not have lawsuits from previous partners and need to pass a mental health test Ability to listen and actually solve problems. Party affiliation is irrelevant. We must work together.

The Orlando Sentinel article addresses Florida's teacher shortage, pointing out flaws in initiatives like fast-tracking veterans into teaching. It highlights low pay, lack of support, and disrespect as key reasons for the crisis. The piece emphasizes that improving conditions and respect for educators is crucial to resolving the shortage. Agree or disagree with our opinion? Please share your comments with us to continue the conversation or DM us on our socials. Stay informed with our newsletter, “The Informer”: https://lnkd.in/e_9F2s5s We appreciate it if you "Like" and comment to continue the conversation. Join our #community by subscribing to our YOUTUBE channel: @J-Washington, and hit that notification button! #Florida #Chicago #vote #politicalinnovation #politics #campaigns #trends #desantis #TeacherShortage #EducationCrisis #RespectTeachers #veterans #Election2024 #TimeToWin #FloridaEducation @RonDeSantisFL @EducationFL @orlandosentinel @orangecta @wesh DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed in the J & Washington Network belong solely to the content creators and do not represent the views or opinions of J & Washington clientele or its business partnerships.

For six months, I’ve been crisscrossing the country to deliver a message about how we can forge a new civic path.   At a time when people are fed up with our politics, this civic campaign is spreading across the nation. The question is why? Three quick thoughts: 1) When traditional candidates only go where their voters are, this campaign is embraced by communities across the political spectrum. 2) When people feel immense fear and anxiety over the direction of the country, this campaign is providing comfort and hope. 3) When everything seems stuck, this campaign is showing people a practical path forward that starts in their local communities. It’s clear to me. More politics won’t solve the challenges facing our communities today. But we can forge a civic path that creates real change. Let’s go together. I welcome your thoughts.

Today our CEO Gary Buckley discusses how we can strengthen civil society in the face of rising far right violence. Read his full blog here. https://buff.ly/4e0sZwX #voiceoftheCEO #blog #charityCEO #education #enterprise #employment

As much as I consider Milton Keynes a great place to live. I think Ben Everitt (MK MP) is disillusioned if he thinks this depiction is far from the truth. *I have not watched the episode; just read the story. In 2021 over 18,000 children in Milton Keynes were living in poverty – 29.8% of all children. The death rate is between 53%-77% higher across multiple scenarios for our most deprived areas in comparison to other Milton Keynes areas. 1 in 5 Five year olds has visible tooth decay due to the conditions of poverty (not just too many sweets). There are children going to bed hungry and eating out of bins. There are bricks being thrown through people's windows. There are far too many children on the social services watch list. When I went to the shops on Sunday, there were six or more homeless people sheltered in an enclosed car park. Multiple bus stops were being used as temporary homes, and a handful of tents were dotted about the streets. If the homeless problem is leaking out to be this visible, imagine how many people are suffering underneath what we can see. [Mr Everitt said that although the depiction was not a major political issue, it was important to him that the city be represented fairly. He said: "It's fiction, it's a soap opera, it's just the telly... I'm just not happy it's Milton Keynes."] If Eastenders had shown us in a good light, that would not have been a fair representation. We have amazing parks, awesome fast roads, many UK HQs, and are leading the way in tech innovation. It is relatively safe to walk around unharmed. *GoMK But we are also neglecting many people. And this isn't just a Milton Keynes thing. It's a UK-wide thing. So, if not Milton Keynes, then where? because we all have this polarity. And we can't just gloss over it with " 6,000 acres of free green spaces" and "visitor economy worth over £230m a year". https://lnkd.in/eDHHCx63

Thanks to @CareyBiron for quoting me in this important @ThomsonReutersFoundation article on the growing local reparations movement in America.

The diary of a leader really challenged by a book. Jonathan Sack's book is challenging me to think differently about community. He writes: If we focus on the “I” and lose the “We,” if we act on self-interest without the commitment to the common good, if we focus on self-esteem and lose our care for others, we will lose much else. Nations will cease to have societies and have identity groups. We will lose our feeling of collective responsibility and find in its place a culture of competitive victimhood. In an age of unprecedented possibilities, people will feel vulnerable and alone. Societal freedom cannot be sustained by market economics and liberal democratic politics alone. It needs a third element: morality, a concern for the welfare of others, an active commitment to justice and compassion, a willingness to ask not just what is good for me but what is good for “all of us together. Whew. Okay. Thoughts?

Could the most collectively intelligent constituency in the UK soon become reality? Permanent local citizens' assembly is part of independent candidate Faiza Shaheen's offering in her UK General Election campaign "As well as usual MP duties, including canvassing and weekly surgeries, I will set up a local citizens assembly with 100 people chosen at random to ensure I have a constant dialogue with people here in Chingford & Woodford Green." This is a radical game-changer in the effort to transform our politics and increase people's trust. To be honest, I'm a little miffed (but only a little :-)) that Faiza Shaheen has beaten me to it here, because I was thinking of doing something similar myself in my own home constituency but the suddenness of the snap election put paid to my plans. I'm thrilled, though, that at least one candidate in the upcoming election has so emphatically chosen to expand the governance and policy-making remit of her constituency to include ordinary citizens. It further underscores the sheer idiocy of the Labour Party in its brutal and stalinist last-minute deselection of her as their candidate on spurious grounds. What a contrast is Faiza's will to expand local democracy with Labour's denial of it, by parachuting in a candidate from outside the constituency against the wishes of the local constituency group. #collectiveintelligence #citizensassembly #faizashaheen #ukgeneralelection #chingfordandwoodfordgreen #labourparty #deselection #democracy #localism