“Boy, if you don’t go somewhere and sit down!” Those were the words my grandmother frequently uttered when I worked her last nerve. As a child, I’m not sure you’re even aware of how many nerves adults have, but when you heard that statement delivered, you knew they were perilously close to depletion. It’s been over 15 years since I’ve heard that never-acted-upon threat out loud, and I miss being slightly afraid.

My nerve supply level remains strong to this day because I employed the same never-acted-upon veiled threat discipline with my three boys when they were children. I recall many occasions when I was able to convince them to modify attitudes and behavior by strongly encouraging them to sit down with speed and efficiency. There was no additional discussion of ‘time out’ or the taking away of toys and privileges. No, it was simply the correct amount of inflection in my voice, coupled with an unblinking gaze as I delivered Grandma’s line that made all the difference.

Last week, as I engaged in my daily routine of online immersion of relevant world news and the mind-numbing pop culture fare that lessens intellectual capacity, I found myself wishing a few folk in the spotlight would engage in immediate posterior parking.

There is little in life that shocks or offends me, but my disappointment level with the lack of sensitivity of others has boundaries. I was astonished and appalled at the cowardly online letter penned by a former GOP senator’s communications director to the Obama children.   It immediately bought to mind the similar heartless and venomous communiqué leveled at Chelsea Clinton and Amy Carter over their still changing physical characteristics as they grew up in the White House’s shadow. With so much attention given to cyber bullying; you would think a young woman whose job it is to be an expert political communicator would understand this. But, it goes much deeper than that.

An atmosphere of racially divisive rhetoric has been allowed to exist and become the norm during the Obama presidency. Incendiary hate speech has replaced progressive dialogue, and people rationalize their obvious hatred and disdain by engaging in code words, searching for birth certificates, questioning patriotism, assigning monkey like characteristics in political cartoons, passionately asserting how they want their country back and feeling comfortable enough to hurl hurtful verbal jabs at the First Children. Is there really a need to feign surprise and indignation at the crumbling relationship, apathy and lack of trust centered along racial lines?

A collective of people, who feel they’re somehow losing their lofty standing in society, have no problem pushing an agenda where they feel comfortable demonstrating a physical, intellectual, and cultural superiority. I’ve never believed in the “minority” designation because whether in past history or with current strides, there are no small people making minor contributions locally or to this great nation as a whole.

Early last week, I was on a call with a friend who works within the heartbeat of our government in Washington, D.C. In mid-sentence, he paused briefly and then continued on to describe a contingent of Ferguson supporter protestors impeding traffic on a nearby bridge outside his office window.   On Cyber Monday, adults were urged to walk out of work and kids were urged to walk out of school and lie down in the street to interrupt traffic. After seeing the cell phone camera picture he sent, I wished I had enough metaphorical chairs in my possession for all those that participated there and in similar others across the country.

This absence didn’t inhibit me from recognizing “stupid” and issuing my grandma’s suggestive declaration of seated repose for their misguided act of civil disobedience. I’m all for disruption of the process in the face of injustice and inequality, but marching without an end game is just walking. To keep using ineffective strategies that only result in inconvenience to the protestors while yielding no long tern solutions or positive outcomes may play well to the cameras and the uninformed viewer, but it seems disingenuous and a waste of time.

It reminds me of a strategy session I was invited to here years ago where the goal was to have businesses recognize and respect the spending power of the black community. The answer was to trade in higher denomination bills for either Susan B. Anthony coins or $2 bills. The thought was if there was increased usage of the more unique money, businesses would then be able to tell who spent what. Ridiculous. You’re still spending money so where’s the lesson? And, you’re inconvenienced by having to carry around a larger amount of coins and smaller currency value. My suggestion was to stop shopping altogether for an extended period of time or shop in another County.

The incident in Ferguson was in no way related to an educational curriculum, so why would anyone encourage a black child or any student to walk out of an educational setting? There are so many educational cracks and deficits that exist in the black community, kids are struggling to keep pace. Black students are being suspended and expelled disproportionately, so why place them in a positon to be further disciplined?

I’m exhausted and can feel my nerve supply lessening, so I’m going somewhere and sit down.

Ken Hardin lives in Salisbury. Contact him at khardin@fibrant.com.