"Let us take the high ground," Rev Richard Watts began as he spoke to the Wilkes Democratic Party at the annual County Convention on March 23rd, 2019. His talk focused on how useless it is to waste time with negativity. It detracts from the things we stand for, like education, a sensible foreign policy, and welcoming and lifting all people up.
"Let's think about who WE are as a country. What makes our country great and our Democracy stronger? WE lift up people. Cooperation is better than conflict. Bridges are better than walls."
He referenced former President Jimmy Carter, who is now our longest living president, as a wonderful example of of compassion and love for community, to which we can all aspire.
Watts, a former teacher and current coordinator for Crosby Scholars in Forsyth County, in addition to pastoring at Rickard's Chapel AME Zion Church in North WIlkesboro, stressed the importance of public education in his speech as the single most important way to help the future of our country. "Good education is key," he claimed. "We have allowed the media and the current administration to tell us that public school and public education is bad," he elaborated, adding that an education with the same opportunity for every child is vital to a healthy community.
"When people are just trying to put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, and clothes on their backs, they don't have time to read to their kids," Watts said, stressing the importance of economic stability along with programs like Head Start to helping him and so many others to get the positive start on their education. Referencing that neither of his parents held a high school diploma, he urged us to protect public education.
"We want EVERY child to have a free, quality education."
Realizing that each student is different, Watts said "some of the quietest students have the best solutions." He referenced his early recollections of his 1st grade teacher Mrs. Pollack, a kind and powerful woman in his life. "We ALL must work together to make ALL students ready for college."
He lamented that in 1982-84 when he was at Wake Forest, he and his fellow black students were protesting and fighting to stop "Old South" dress up parties and displaying the Confederate flag on campus. The same protests are occurring across college campuses today. The same battles have to be fought again and again. "We can not stop. They energize their base, and we must energize OUR base."
"This country is in a terrible spot," Rev Watts concluded. "But we can take it back again,...to reach greatness."
"Let's think about who WE are as a country. What makes our country great and our Democracy stronger? WE lift up people. Cooperation is better than conflict. Bridges are better than walls."
He referenced former President Jimmy Carter, who is now our longest living president, as a wonderful example of of compassion and love for community, to which we can all aspire.
Watts, a former teacher and current coordinator for Crosby Scholars in Forsyth County, in addition to pastoring at Rickard's Chapel AME Zion Church in North WIlkesboro, stressed the importance of public education in his speech as the single most important way to help the future of our country. "Good education is key," he claimed. "We have allowed the media and the current administration to tell us that public school and public education is bad," he elaborated, adding that an education with the same opportunity for every child is vital to a healthy community.
"When people are just trying to put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, and clothes on their backs, they don't have time to read to their kids," Watts said, stressing the importance of economic stability along with programs like Head Start to helping him and so many others to get the positive start on their education. Referencing that neither of his parents held a high school diploma, he urged us to protect public education.
"We want EVERY child to have a free, quality education."
Realizing that each student is different, Watts said "some of the quietest students have the best solutions." He referenced his early recollections of his 1st grade teacher Mrs. Pollack, a kind and powerful woman in his life. "We ALL must work together to make ALL students ready for college."
He lamented that in 1982-84 when he was at Wake Forest, he and his fellow black students were protesting and fighting to stop "Old South" dress up parties and displaying the Confederate flag on campus. The same protests are occurring across college campuses today. The same battles have to be fought again and again. "We can not stop. They energize their base, and we must energize OUR base."
"This country is in a terrible spot," Rev Watts concluded. "But we can take it back again,...to reach greatness."