I AM a 21-year-old Model High School graduate, working part-time while studying at Georgia Highlands College. Initially, I wanted to be a teacher and a coach. However, while I was at Jacksonville State University, I realized that something is terribly wrong in our society. To my own amazement, I decided to transfer and change my major to political science.

I became troubled when I discovered that we continue to find fault and place blame about who is responsible for unemployment and job loss rather than focusing on finding jobs. In my view, we have misplaced our priorities, and I am greatly disturbed by the lack of strategy to improve the state of employment in our community.

Although we have a wonderful and enthusiastic Chamber of Commerce, the fact is that almost every indicator shows stagnant growth. Chamber committees (Small Business Action Council, Greater Rome Existing Industries Association, Economic Development Committee, Governmental Affairs, Transportation Committee, Education Workforce Committee, Young Professionals of Rome, Information Technology Roundtable and Ambassadors Club) have individual goals and strategies, yet, Floyd County’s jobless rate was reported to be 11.1 percent in January.

Perhaps, when we stop looking at race, ethnicity, political affiliation, and other ‘stuff’ that doesn’t matter, we can focus on employment and improving our community as a whole. In my view, there is a direct relationship to the rise in crime and unemployment, and something needs to change before things begin to get any worse in our great community.

In other words, “Let’s find jobs instead of finding fault.”