Going Back to Moral Conscious and Law: Unchecked Rage

In my mind law and moral conscious should be connected.  We have experienced a lot of extremism over the past few years as a nation. We don't really have a strong understanding of what it is and how to resolve it. I believe the makings of such extremism existed for a long time but we neither had the theoretical lens to see it nor the foresight to tackle such issues early. 

Let us talk about domestic extremism for a moment. If you were a minority of some time (Muslim, Arab, Jew, Black, Asian, White, etc... The race and religion isn't important as it is based in who has power and who can be scape goated.) you may have experienced extremism at one time or another. Now that has moved onto different forms and beliefs.

While people may have experienced unchecked hate against those seen as "untouchables" in society it wasn't coordinated on a large group level. Some people moved from individual rage to group rage and shared sense of hate purpose. When given a level of political cover (Republican or Democrat) it begins to justify the unjustifiable. (Politics is no longer a always a discussion/debate but sometimes an act of physical force.) 

Once we had a sacking of the capital we saw domestic extremism clear eyed in a way that could not be ignored. The smaller risks of individual targets now moved to group support. It was always there one way or another but it was acceptable in smaller doses against "those" people (Whomever seemed most prudent  based on the circumstances of the times.). Now we have politicized and accepted such behaviors on different levels across our socio-political-bio existence.

We have chances to universalize our values, universalize our application of law, and connect moral conscious with legal jurisprudence. When people do extremist things like lie, coordinate others in hate, spread false rumors, ostracize, misuse their positions, intimidate, use violence, threaten, etc... we should not put our eyes to the ground and keep walking. 

In my experience, poor actions in one place often leads to poorer outcomes in other places. Its a little like ignoring a disease when you first find it and then discover years later it has spread. Preventing before getting a disease and in turn tackling the sickness as soon as it is realized is important (i.e. early mental health intervention.). Extremism is like a disease such as cancer on society and seeks to create divisions and distort institutions to bend to their will (not party specific). 

I believe there are a few things to consider:

1.) Universalize our values and laws.

2.) Use critical thinking and evidence based decision making. 

3.) Look beyond the obvious so as to not be blinded by false constructs (i.e. all people who look or worship like this are no better or worse when compared to those who look and worship another way.). 

4.) Intent and motivation is important in assessing behaviors. 

5.) Mental health help is important so as to avoid bigger situations later (Extremism is catalyzed by outward focused distorted personalities.). 

6.) Remove those who either misuse their positions and/or manipulate our institutions. Violations of law should be enforced when they are based in hate and rage.

7.) Encourage different groups of people to stand together against those who accept, support, or encourage extremism (Meaning we all have a stake in the success of our nation and it shouldn't be one group or another that damages that at the detriment for the rest of us.). 

8.) Be open to requisitioning your own personal values for the best possible outcomes. 

In the past few years we have become much more aware of the nature of these behaviors on a local and on a national level. We all have a stake in encouraging critical thinking, moral conscious in legal application, and the development of understanding of how these things work. We must now begin to figure out what our next steps as a nation, people, and individuals should be (For me its positive engagement and encouraging accountability....even if that accountability helps the perpetrators live healthier and happy lives where rage isn't part of their personality nor justifiable among their friends. There are bigger principles at stake.) 

Which is more important.....The law or moral conscious? Perhaps they should be one in the same. It looks like in these situations where far right (justification of rage) or far left (justification of rage) and or local social networks (unable to think for self) we must find a path through to reasonable compromise. I'm not sure anyone has the solution but we can hope for peace, understanding, and empathy. We must become again a single people. There are breadcrumbs of paths that lead to shared futures but we must find them.