The invasion of Ukraine by Russia passed its one year mark this week. Looking ahead, most analysts see only continued carnage and devastation. The U.S. and Europe are pledging more arms, including advanced tanks. President Volodymyr Zelensky continues to press for fighter planes and long-range missiles.  He is committed to victory over Russia. Russia continues to prepare for greater military engagement, despite heavy losses on the battlefield. 

I recently got a photo from a friend that I cannot get out of my mind. It is a picture of a shower timer given out to people when they sign up for the city’s Lifeline Plan. The plan is based on a fixed monthly rate and limits water usage. When you sign up, you are warned that usage is limited. The shower timer is your reminder.

Detroit is facing critical choices about basic institutions that shape our lives. Development pressures pushing long term residents out of homes, are accelerating as money flows into the city. Corporate interests are pressuring for everything from capturing library funds to large scale developments of highly toxic concrete production plants.

This week the city of Memphis laid Tyre Nichols to rest. But the questions raised by his brutal murder remain. Mr. Nichols should have had a long life. He should have been able to grow old, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

Once again, we have witnessed the brutal murder of a young, Black man at the hands of police – Tyre Nichols’ death has provoked outrage and horror. The hour-long video capturing the viciousness of the attack he endured, has shaken people who have become used to such scenes of violence at the hands of police.

This week a young person, Manuel Teran, who called themselves Tortuguita, was killed by police in an urban forest in Atlanta, Georgia. Multiple police groups attacked a peaceful protest encampment, in a day-long effort to dislodge forest protectors. The encampment is an effort to protect the forest from plans to turn it into a police training center. At least seven other protestors were arrested and charged that day with domestic terrorism. Protestors were living in tents and tree houses. Tortuguita was asleep when the assaults began.

Detroit is a city where you get used to loss. When I came here in 1973 there were nearly 2 million people in the city. Now we have less than 650,000. We have been losing people for seven decades, tumbling from the 5th largest city in the country to number 27.

Many of us are embracing this new year in a spirit of deep reflection. We realize that these are dangerous and uncertain times. We are facing stark choices about the kind of futures we will have.