Imrem: A plan for athletes to consider for urban America

49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick focused attention on inner-city violence by refusing to stand up for the national anthem last week.

Kaepernick protested police officers allegedly gunning down unarmed people of color.

However, the core problem is the overall violence in urban America stemming from drugs, guns, joblessness and the breakdown of the family unit conspiring to cultivate hopelessness.

Much chatter has followed Kaepernick's gesture but not much of it can be converted into action.

Here's a three-pronged plan to ponder until someone smarter comes up with something better.

PRONG 1: Many athletes more prominent than Kaepernick have spoken out against cop-citizen conflict and the general violence in major American cities.

These players - Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade among them - could put their money where their concern is.

It's poor form to tell others how to spend their money, but I'm going to propose that wealthy athletes pool portions of their net worth to open businesses in urban areas.

This is a tough sell. Magic Johnson opened movie theaters in underserved minority communities and most are closed now because of a lack of profitability.

New ventures would require collaboration among athletes, corporations and government, The goal would be to establish economically viable businesses to create jobs in those neighborhoods, where jobs area a critical need.

PRONG 2: Cities like Chicago would have to set up training centers where the unemployed learn trades that relate to the athlete-generated businesses.

We're getting into a major financial commitment by cash-strapped municipalities like Chicago. However, what better investment could there be than to teach people skills that would qualify them for employment and keep them away from life on the street?

Salaries likely would have to be entry level, but jobs would provide opportunities to advance and perhaps some day own a business.

PRONG 3: Today they're called military information support operations (MISO). During the Vietnam War they were psychological operations (PSYOPS).

Bringing the Army into the equation is a sensitive issue, so in, say, Chicago the government would have to conduct psychological operations or whatever they want to call them.

The way it works is word of the program - dropped from planes in Vietnam - would be spread on the ground and on social media.

The message would be, "Turn in your weapons … jobs are waiting for you … you will be trained for a better life … contact this number …"

City vehicles escorted by city cops would roam neighborhoods with loudspeakers blaring a similar message.

Vietnam wasn't a U.S. success, but lessons learned from that experience and from MISO could be applied domestically.

Law enforcement would have to protect defectors from the people they're leaving behind. The investor/athlete would have to at least make appearances in the neighborhoods and also be protected.

This social model, perhaps too complex and costly, is a first draft open to tinkering.

Regardless, it all starts with athletes.

If anyone has a better plan to throw against the wall, let someone know before the last thread of hope leaves town.

mimrem@dailyherald.com