Start with personal responsibility

As usual, I am impressed with the latest John Gurda column (“Most segregated? Yes, but ...” Crossroads, Feb. 5).

Gurda always finds a way to make history more personal and relevant to the average reader. I think that he made a lot of good points in his handling of Milwaukee and its segregation issues, but he left out something that would have made the column stronger and more effective.

Two words were missing from his column, two words that a lot of people seem to ignore when they mention change and problems and historical faults and flaws. I know that it’s easy to blame race, or education, or every war from the Civil to the Cold to World War II, but this will never change anything, without those two words. Those words: Personal responsibility.

He mentions that, “it will require the best efforts of all of us, working together,” but nowhere does he mention that it starts with personal responsibility. If someone is an alcoholic, that person can blame everyone and everything around him, but that will not get to the root of the problem nor will it solve anything. In order to fix the problem, one must admit that one is an alcoholic and has a problem. Then, and only then, will the problem begin to be fixed, not before.

The same can be said for segregation issues and anything connected to them. Blaming anyone and everything is fine, but will fix nothing. Realizing that solving problems begins with yourself first is the only way to fix anything or expect any change. I cannot change you any more than you can change me. Change has to be achieved on a personal level before moving forward on a larger scale. Anything else will result in more and more of what we have now.

So, basically, in order to fix Milwaukee and its attitudes and mindsets and preconceived notions, it has to begin in each and every house with each and every member.

Brian Brehmer Milwaukee