It’s important for residents to talk about the issues that matter to them. Oftentimes, however, they don’t have a forum. Their voices seem lost, or they just don’t know where to bring their concerns to be heard.
James Burgess, president of the Madison County NAACP, has a radio show on WHBU and, on Monday, he took it to the streets. The Herald Bulletin is partnering with the radio station on getting the word of concerned citizens out on the air and in the newspaper.
The show, called “Taking It to the Street Beat,” visited a longtime Anderson establishment, The Style House Barber Shop, 1521 Madison Ave., where Charles Peters has been a barber for 55 years.
The radio show is based on the movie “Barbershop,” where men gather and espouse their thoughts on any number of topics. Here, however, the thoughts are going out over the airwaves and into the pages of The Herald Bulletin.
Burgess wants to make this a monthly get-together, the third Monday at 7 p.m. of each month. On Feb. 19, he wants to take the program to a styling salon for women.
Topics Monday night included everything from changing hairstyles to school uniforms. People had all kinds of opinions, from the mundane to the provocative. This is what keeps a community fresh.
Politicians have long known the benefits of town hall meetings, where citizens gather to discuss issues near and dear to them. They get a dialogue going that can provoke social changes.
There are no politicians, though they are more than welcome. It’s Burgess’ aim to provide a voice for the west side of Anderson. There are other avenues to get the word out, but the media is the quickest.
There were just a few people at Monday’s gathering, and we hope that changes in coming meetings. On Feb. 21, the show will air live at Salon II, 1601 Arrow Ave., at 7 p.m. There will be a chance for people to talk about their concerns on the air, and The Herald Bulletin will carry an account in the next day’s paper.
It’s important for diverse views to be heard in a diverse population. We think this is a good start for a sustained dialogue. Who knows, maybe some politicians will show up and see what people are thinking. And the voice of the people will be heard.
