There seems to be universal consensus that 2015 was a difficult year for very many people. Most are hoping that the troubles of the past will be left behind at year’s end, and the New Year will bring new opportunities for those in the most desperate situations. Of course, we know that wishing and hoping alone will not do. At the individual level, we have to take steps to guarantee change. At the national and international levels, those with power, authority and responsibility must work harder to solve some of the seriously difficult challenges of our time. Here are five issues that I wish will end in 2015, some more seriously than others.

1. Gun violence: Most cities and jurisdictions in the United States are perfectly safe places, where even a break-in or animal abuse is an anomaly. However, some cities like Camden, New Jersey; Detroit, Michigan; Oakland, California; Chicago, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri, and even parts of Washington, District of Columbia, have chronic problems with gun violence. These are also areas with deep pockets of poverty in the United States. In addition to urban street violence in these areas, the United States is plagued by random mass shootings. The past few years have seen an increasing number and some of the most horrifying, such as the Sandy Hook massacre, in Connecticut, where 20 first-graders and six adults were killed. The randomness and frequency of these occurrences are beginning to take a toll.

The ease with which even deadly assault rifles can be acquired and the gun lobby’s aggressive opposition to modest measures of control is a part of the problem in the United States. It is obvious, too, that there is something in the psyche of many American men that sees violence as a form of social control. While the country focuses on the mass shootings, there are numerous stories of murder-suicides that have gone unnoticed because they are the result of domestic violence — typically a man killing his wife and children before killing himself. In Jamaica, gun violence has long been a problem. We are fortunate enough to be spared the huge acts of random mass murders, but the small, everyday taking of one or two lives is devastating in a small space. For example, the killing of two police officers (names) and a teacher from Glenmuir High is more than enough to drive fear into the heart of a weary nation, and to dampen the interest of those abroad who are looking at the island as a vacation destination, retirement option, or investment prospects. As it is in the United States, measures have to be taken to keep guns off the street and to address the social conditions that make criminality attractive to so many. The current levels are unacceptable for any society even pretending at civilization.

2. Islamic extremism: It really doesn’t matter whether it is Al Qaeda, ISIS, Boko Haram or nameless individuals or groups. The presence of these extremists anywhere makes the world a dangerous and terrifying place for everyone. It is a complicated problem because these terrorists operate under the banner of Islam, one of the three major religions in the world. The solutions, therefore, walk a fine line between attempting to identify, isolate and eliminate radical elements and whole scale attack on a religion as a whole. The rhetoric that emerges every time there is an act of violence demonstrates just how challenging this is. I certainly do not have the answer but I do know that ways have to be found to diminish their influence and the particular kind of barbarism perpetuated by these groups.

3. Child Abuse: Children are a source of joy for most of us. More importantly, they represent the future of human civilization. That is the essential function of procreation; not so much so that we can use them as toys in childhood and insurance policies in old age. They are also among the most vulnerable beings because, in their early years, they are dependent on the adults around them for survival. Unfortunately, too many people see them as preys to be exploited sexually, or on whom to vent our frustrations or exert power. The end result is too many children being casually disposed of, hurt or killed. Greater efforts have to be made everywhere to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Next year, perhaps, Jamaica will see a national youth policy and more substance coming out of the Ministry and Youth and the organisations responsible for child protection and safety. The Office of the Children’s Advocate, led by Diahann Gordon Harrison, represents hope.

4. Donald Trump’s candidacy: Black Americans used a certain derogatory term — shortened PWT — to describe whites, perceived as outcasts from society and potentially dangerous because they are unpredictable and disrespectful of political, legal or moral authority. Some working-class white Americans are also said to use the term self-depreciatingly to describe their lifestyles. It isn’t generally used to refer to wealthy whites who live in luxury and fly in their own airplanes, yet Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is the most perfect manifestation I have ever seen.

5. Beauty Contests: The Guardian’s article on Chinese investment in Jamaica is being shared on social media. There are also endless shares of stories written about Steve Harvey’s gaffe at the Miss Universe contest where he mistakenly identified the wrong winner. One that I would like to see shared with the same enthusiasm is the column titled ‘Beauty pageants are embarrassing – even if you name the right winner’ by Jessica Valenti. She is right. In 2015, beauty contests are cultural trash. In Jamaica, they are an integral part of the problem of colorism in the country. Apart from the people for whom they make money, their overall impact is negative because of the damaging stereotypes of women they perpetuate. At some time we have to realise that entertaining ourselves to destruction is not a great choice; and for those who pretend at social sophistication, enthusiastically supporting these contests does not fall into that category.

Let’s work toward a great 2016.

Grace Virtue, PhD, is a social justice advocate.