Don't Blame DFCS - In Fact, Don't Blame at All.

I've met the senior leadership at DFCS and I do believe the good people of Georgia are fortunate and that Governor Perdue has chosen prudently and with the keen eye of wisedom.

Their objectives derive from a vision of healing and their methods are based on sound performance management designs. They are, however, without magic.

The challenge of protecting children in our society today is monumental. Influences innudate them and their parents. An unstable lower end economy combined with a varitable plethora of self destructive devices readily available to ease the pain of social and economic marginalization. This is the context in which the work of DFCS occurs.

Aruging that problems do or do not exist is nonsense. They do. But the notion that fixing a family is better than abandoning it is common sense and when it works clearly has positive value both at its core and throughout our social system. Such an effort will not be easy, quick, or linear. It will take time and a great deal of collaboration between other public and private agency efforts. It will require the careful attention and understanding of the community and will benefit from a press corp that seeks to yoke its' individual and collective journalist instinct(s) for good. Consider the power of the press were it to help clarify the difference between a system trying to do a very noble and cutting edge thing, and individuals who themselves have problems but are not the soul of this system. Granted of course that there will be news worthy moments of personal failure, but grant also, that these may well be ailing trees only in a forest of new growth and hope.

Members of the media possess a great power to influence the thinking of their respective audience members, and it is quite easy to do this. It is not so easy however, and yet of immense character, to seek greater truths with which to influence ones audience.

There is much, much, more to be understood about the mission and goals of the DFCS transformation than can be inferred from any of the more publicized recent events.

Look closely friends. They're are good things intended and they're are very talented people trying to get them into place. Just as a footnote, I am not a Georgian but I have had the opportunity to learn about the cause, step inside the system and then to learn more about the cause.