Case in point: On Obama night, better known as last Tuesday, it was two bottles of champagne two doors away…the family…one of many black…with 6 adopted…black…kids, two of whom are special needs…adopted after the gang parent was murdered near Laredo in a drug pipeline from Monterey gone bad. It didn’t take much to see how they saw Obama’s victory. how affected my street’s inhabitants very diverse inhabitants. I am the diversity here.

Of course I could have walked across the street and talked with one of the many Mexican families about their children, one of whom directly across the street…David… went to prison after becoming a gang member. David was lost to us in prison. A knife fight…he was a marked man by other gang members. That is part is how I began an active decade-long working relationship with at-risk teens (generally Mexican or Mexican American but no few black) who have joined gangs. It was local. As in and estimated 50,000 Mexican workers living just south of my home in Southeast Dallas….in Pleasant Grove. Good people with hope who needed help and had lives in the shadows of hope. What’s that old saying, ‘All politics are local’?

Sometimes being closer to the hot water is a good way to stay warm on hot button issues. I am always hearing people’s opinions,,,they tell me about things that in no way are part of their day in and day out lives. The disconnect and inevitable PC tongue clucking that follows saddens me. Not all of us do what we can to enlighten others. Some of us have more time than money (like me). And others like Mary Ann (whose father founded 7-11 stores)…and her husband Joshua and their foundation… take the time to use their money AND time spiritually, productively and joyfully. Others might have opted to be comfortable being well-heeled dilettantes. There are no shortage of those. That is why people like Mary Ann and yes Bob matter. That ironically is when I realized her worth; when she was recognized as an honoree at a Philanthropy Magazine gala in 1996, hosted by Mr. Hopkins. Her speech was stunning. As is she.

As I expressed in person to Bob that night, I was very hurt by his words when he said “Hispanics are the ones breaking into our homes and cars”, as the choice of the words: “the ones” made it sound like they are the only race doing these kinds of actions. To me, this is like saying “Gays are the ones molesting children.”

After speaking with Bob about this incident, he emphasized that he did not mean to offend but that he strongly felt that the data supported his words. Having spent part of my day at the Interfaith Housing Coalition, and hearing statistics from them, I can’t say I agree. The crime occurring in our city is committed by all races, just as the many wonderful philanthropic actions serving our city are accomplished by the hard work of all races. Bob Hopkins’ inspired magazine speaks to this fact, as one only needs to peruse it’s pages to see the diversity our city is blessed with.

While Outward Bound’s work is vitally important, and we definitely need to look at how the gang problems in Mexico have an adverse affect here at home in our great state, we cannot allow ourselves to ever blame a single demographic for being the single cause of any one type of crime. As someone who cares deeply about human rights, we all need to be ever-mindful of our words and how we can accidently misconstrue the things we seek to communicate.

As a proud Texan, philanthropist, and someone of Hispanic genetics who was adopted into an incredible white family, I look forward to working with Bob Hopkins, Rawlins and others in our community towards helping to make it embrace its diversity as a strength that will in turn help us all to make the vital differences needed on both sides of the border and in the rest of the world.

Julian Nihill: I am honored reading your post and it will be an honor to someday hopefully see your operation in Mexico.

Perhaps Mr. Hopkins’ post today would have done much more good than his comments last night.

By the way, Rawlins, nicely worded comment. Suggestion: you might want to spellcheck “inconceivable.”

However, I believe that we need more dialogue and committment from both sides of the border on this issue. I believe that every child needs a mentor; regardless of race. I support the efforts of mentoring and involvement in crisis lives in Mexico as well as those here in Dallas. It just so happens we work in the public schools, and you know the statistics, mostly hispanic. I do live in East Dallas where many of the hispanic population dwell and know that much of what we see here, does come across the border and has a negative affect on our lives; personally and professionally. Instead of ignoring the problem, I encourage anyone who wants to work with our youth here to contact me at Bob@philanthropy-inc.org Thanks for your many “very important comments” about “mine” last night. I also support whole-heartedly the efforts of Outward Bound in Mexico. Thanks for the many supporters who bought auction items and made cash donations.

Like I said. Thanks Rawlins.