We have come a long way as a nation but I believe we have backtracked somewhat in the last 6 years as different personalities seek to create divisions to enhance their political positions and solidify their support. That has an impact on our institutional decisions and their outcomes. When injustice persists and we know that some behaviors should have never been given a free pass we must stop and think about what the best approach to resolving these issues in the environment we find ourselves today (There is no true finalized judgement on those decisions yet but that there is the potential of how our current environment can influence both positively or negatively other societal institutions. That can include justice.)
Step too far and you make the wrong decisions and don't step far enough and you allow poor behaviors to persist in ways that harm many others at different times and places. Defaults occur if we fail to tackle important issues that arise when they arise. If you have already been a target of hate there really are no good choices no matter what you do (A perspective builder for people who have never been targeted. You for the most part will always be wrong even if your right or you "win". Win or lose you always lose. Rumors get embedded as true even though they may be defunct simply because people heard them, targeting may stop but resentment continues, bullies cause a problem and you will be outcasted by bigotry and blind loyalties, speak out risks your livelihood in the same way as whistleblowing makes one a target, keep quite more people get hurt, fulfill your duties and politics might get involved, etc... etc... etc... no good choices. Its all risk to the victims that someone else intentionally created. So I will stick to my version of the truth and trust in the greater collective conscious. Maybe even a higher power on a more spiritual than religious level.)
In the eyes of perpetrators and their supporters you are worthy of all they can dish out, corrupt or influence to harm you. Encouraging others to be wise and do the right thing might get you in hot water. You may also be wrong about your choices and even if you have the best intentions you may get it wrong and suffer the consequences for the doing the right thing. The problem is that often you are placed in these positions by others making those tough choices unfair and a risk all around.
Corruption is corruption and while we may not want people who hold the same political, racial, religious, or ethnic similarities to have a level accountability it is a must be possible in a free democracy. Failure to do that when it is obvious means the entire system and its checks and balances could be struggling. Freedom requires the ability to continuously work towards that freedom even when the chips are sometimes stacked.
Yet we have to hold judgement for just a second to ensure we aren't on the wrong path. We must come to understand that we don't know everything and while a huge percentage of society has seen those injustices play out over and over again we want to do the right thing. We have seen many people do the right thing along with many people do the wrong thing. Pausing for just a second can be helpful.
In other words, we don't want to be worse then those who make erroneous or improper decisions. Here are a few options I thought about in terms of what happened.
Option 1.) Doing the Right Thing: As requested, the perpetrators were required to have a mental health check/follow up, the department that supported their friends went through reforms, citizen complaints were thoroughly evaluated, financial incentives (including elder manipulation for financial gain) were reviewed, the college that rejects candidates on false/illegal selection criteria were required to make changes to fulfill their mission, and the sports gang group that as of a few months ago were willfully supporting their hate network learned a lesson about how their sense of entitlement and distorted boundaries can get them willingly involved in things they don't want to be involved in.
Option 2.) More to Story: There is more to the story and there are lots of unknowns that I can't judge from where I sit because I'm not privy. My perspective is very limited with limited information. While I'm in the "know" of what happened to me and the illegal targeting of myself and my children I cannot say if more was discovered through others investigation. I also can't say definitively if an actual investigation ever occurred but I believe very much it did. Most things have a percentage attached but still have too much variability for a definitive conclusion.
3.) All Minorities are Worthless: Some in our country do feel that all minorities are worthless, useless, and less deserving of rights. Minority is being defined not by race or religion alone but by the perceptions of power. We are becoming a nation of minorities of different backgrounds and playing "worthless" games is...well...frankly...worthless and has no good outcomes as balances shift. (As a side note many people feel pretty good about going to religious services { the specific religion not important} one day and forgetting all those lessons the next when they commit horrendous acts of discrimination against others they deem as less worthy.)
4.) More to come: Perhaps its not over yet and because some of the behaviors are egregious there is more to come. Further investigations, more oversight of local judicial systems, additional evidence presented, appeals and much more. I'm just not in the privy to know one way or another. I would hope that a free pass isn't the perceived correct answer because that would indicated a serious break in moral fabric. Hypothetically, no person could truly feel safe in a community locked down by blind support, hate, and lack of judicial protections (Most people are very good people who are loving supportive and kind. A few bad apples can change that perception. I'm making a point more than a fact here. In some communities they may not be as embedded in social networks as me so they have no way of countering false stereotypes and false rumors designed to harm them.). Minority or not, it would mean everyone is at risk if the right person causes a problem and is buddies with the right official.
What I think? Its probably a combination of all four but to different degrees. Some judges do try to do the right thing and don't understand all the factors because of legal manipulations, limited perspectives and a heavy focus too much on law but not the moral conscious that support the application of those laws. They also may sometimes hold some bias and make decisions that sort of seek to find a balance but fall short (or maybe even too much in some cases through overcompensation.). Doing the right thing in some cases so they are not culpable and doing the wrong thing in other cases. I also believe that much of the behaviors were given a free pass for practical reasons due to lack of investigative ability and the ability to create "a case". As with many systems there is a level of bias built right into it and there is more to come because there has been increased awareness of those potential bias (locally and nationally).
What we can do is raise awareness of the need for a free nation with appropriate accountability for those who are intentionally trying to harm others (i.e. lying, manipulation, stealing, rumor spreading, dark triad personality, etc...). We should give our judges the benefit of the doubt but only up to the point that their decisions make sense and fall in line with our civil rights and constitutional protections (I'm wrong a lot and admit I can be wrong but that also makes me often more accurate. Not by ego but simply by time and understanding.). Once they step outside of that we should use the system to encourage more fair treatment in other places through example and that includes ensuring our politicians are ready and able to lead for all of us (Not just their party, faction, race or religion). Sometimes new laws are necessary (I.e. Michigan Track and Solve proposition I put forward for dealing with foreign and domestic extremism.).
What I can say to all those who felt shafted. Be kind, be polite, be wise, encourage change, and keep pressuring until truth, law, moral conscious and wisdom are the new norms in our emergence into a more universalized digital era that gives us the potential to be economic and moral leaders of many other nations. Sometimes things are not always as they first appear so be mindful. We must walk the talk in our values. I'm not a far left liberal or a far right conservative. I'm a rational American that wants the most fair, ethical, and practical path forward. I am just a man who wants to understand so we can fix it for my kids and others kids. I want our nation to succeed, thrive, and overcome its current difficulties.
I believe what I say here is truthful to the best of my knowledge. I also think it is helpful to share an alternative perspective from the mainstream. It could someday help to save another person if it reaches just one decision maker that opens one door instead of slamming them shut. I'm also aware historically of what happens to philosophers, free thinkers and intellectuals if nations are still on the path to full freedom. Perhaps we are nearly there! Let us see what doors open and close.
Two quotes are important for understanding my perspective on the topic....
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