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Nicolas Poussin As a representation of essential truth and wise judgement. Both claim facts, one cries out. Who needs facts when you can have truth? |
The goal should always be able to adapt and strive toward the greater good and reject the lower order values that often accompany poor decision making. To me, just learning, understanding, thinking about, and finding solutions has been somewhat of a normal process since I was young. If there is one thing I disdain and dislike is intentional cruelty and harm to others and the misuse of official positions for unofficial gains.
The hypothetical.....
Let us bring up the hypothetical but likely impossible example (....because we know it would never ever ever happen!). Someone wants something, has close officer friends, was coached by those officers how to harm a minority, spreads dangerous rumors to encourage violence and aggression, environment becomes dangerous, the target is rejected from a part-time job even though they and the taxpayer funded organization stated the candidate was more than qualified (failing to fulfill their mission), the sick are manipulated, kids are targeted in multiple situations, some officials join the cause to cleans their community from "undesirables", and all because someone told them "no" and drew a line to protect their children from hate (The parent had every right in a situation of disturbing and manipulative behaviors that were intentionally harmful. The kids were moved away and encouraged to cut all ties for safety. They had few other options and had to do what was in the best long term interest of the children).
Let us take a look at these two studies. One is a poll on general decline of trust and the other is a poll on why acting with ethics is important.
Poll:-National Center for States Courts indicate general decline in trust across the board and growing support for behavioral health. You can read the poll HERE.
This is why I advocate for mandatory mental health for the perpetrators who started many of the problems. I also believe they shouldn't be rewarded for highly manipulative and dangerous behaviors but in today's world, based on what appears to be clan association, we could hope that we can at least minimize the future risks by getting them mental health if there is general protection from accountability. Keep in mind there have been multiple waves of hate that spanned over 4.5 years because of lack of accountability in the beginning, in the middle, and in the unknown end. Not all of that came from the initiating members but they launched the spark that ignited clan based bigotries and aggression.
Ethics:-This piece is by U.S. Courts and talks about ways to improve public trust and understanding. It also talks about how that trust is based in doing the right thing. You can read their piece HERE.
The key point of what we should draw from this scenario is that our judicial system should act with integrity at all times. Looking at higher order universal moral codes/"moral conscious" and the intent of law beyond its subjective application. I guess that is the same for all institutions within the country but at this moment we are dealing with general distrust in the law enforcement and the courts ability to deal effectively with corruption (btw...I actually like most cops and I like minorities. It was a problem in their head, and not mine. They created a dividing line.). That becomes more troublesome if there are other issues and reports of bad behaviors that have been given free passes based on more obvious local social issues that make their way into the decision making (I call clan based on more then just friends due to a willingness to coordinate in an effective way. i.e. patterned behavior of a clan.)
We are not talking about the necessary value of law enforcement to society as I believe them to be necessary and 80% doing the right thing and 20% not so much. We have to protect the public, but we also must do so in a way that has respect for human life, follows our constitution, and takes corruption and/or other more seriously to fulfill the higher purpose. They serve the people, not themselves. This isn't about punishment. I hope no one gets in trouble and the system reforms to better protect the public and its integrity. Wishful thinking is wishful thinking.
Let us say that you were the person on the receiving end. You are well aware of the behaviors, but there appears to have been a general dereliction of duty across the board. You are not sure if you and your family are at risk but you were correct when you said they were buying time and then went into wholesale targeting a second and third time. The people who started this knew they were immune from their behaviors when it started. They appeared to have spread dangerous rumors to encourage violence/rejection against the target. The "clan", as they have been dubbed, double down on their support for the destructive behaviors, mocking, and taking pleasure when someone was going to act to the targets (We sometimes see this in third world nations but sociological pressure is making it more common based on extremist based influence of others within the clan network.).
A few ways I'm going to deal with it.
1.) We can accept that potential corruption and clan based systems will persist because most people were aware of these behaviors and did nothing. i.e. sell out their values. It would appear its a closed system with no way to correct itself internally. There is vested interest in protecting their own and in many cases that appears to supersede most other needs. The goal is not jail, it is to help them protect the public; even if it means from themselves. So I will politely encourage them to fall in line with our social contracts and oaths for the betterment of society. I recognize that we are not yet a universal democracy and that not all people are free everywhere. We try, but there are still social segregationists out there intentionally being destructive to the greater good. There are pockets of locality where second class citizenship is enforced and enforced potentially violently (i.e. lynching our fellow Americans was federally illegal in 2022, physical-social segregation ended 1964. There are legacies from that continue forward. I believe this is a good example of that.).
2.) We might also come to accept that we can only change what we can change. It is our duty to bring forward the issues along with constructive feedback. We can do so positively, politely, and with the greater needs of society in mind. Yet, if we keep electing the same type of people, putting the same type of thinkers in positions where they must decide things, we are unlikely going to improve our prospects. As a person I can take the philosophical approach that I have done my duty challenging obvious and apparent misbehaviors even at my own personal safety and risk that ranges from physical to social to reputation. It is up to the system to decide if it will step closer to liberty and our universal democracy or to take a step toward the pressure of a self interested few toward a backsliding democracy (It is not my place to make this judgement based on a single activity but is a general statement about our society being on the right path as long as we reach for the higher order continuously. Axis Mundi as a representation of a place of personal understanding where you learn something new. i.e. insight into a problem).
I believe in a higher order and a higher calling for our values and people. I love philosophy because it taught me we must stive over the horizon or we become complacent and erode as a people. It seems a little silly but I like this video of various wise sayings on "Embrace Change".
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