Navigating Opportunities in Justice: Moving the Needle to True North

We have been debating over how we are going to mend the different perceptions of policing and justice into a single framework that is acceptable to the many different stakeholders that make up our nation. Some will say that everything is great so bedamned with the critics and some will vehemently disagree that its been broken without hope of repair. I like to take as rational and practical approach as possible as I can to help ensure that systems capitalize on their strengths and learn to improve through awareness of weaknesses. All organizations must continuously change or they run the risk of dissolution (Police, nations, companies, non profits, etc... are not "magically" immune.)

Thoughtful Change in Policing:

When I say thoughtful change that it doesn't mean "Oh great! We don't have to do anything!" and then move on without effort to improve the system. I think people have become aware of delay and ignore tactics and expect change with teeth marks. The options of sidestepping legitimate concerns are becoming increasingly limited as people become aware of the refusal to improve. A huge percentage of society feel they don't count, their rights are ignored, and the people who engaged in such behaviors are given free passes consistently (Providing win-win situations for everyone is not enough because you have to get them to accept it. Mental health for those who caused the problem, training for those who made mistakes, reform for better checks/balances, etc...).

There is a balance of the new and the old. Of course we should also be mindful of the traditions, value, and needs of policing (The "codes" are sometimes valuable and sometimes destructive.). They still must catch bad guys/gals and need the wiggle room to do that. Yet it should be done in a way with the deepest respect for human life and the essential principles of our society. There is no good reason why we can't respect certain occupational traditions while ensuring that we are not anchoring everything different as the enemy, criminal, less worthy and half Americans (It applies to people outside departments and those who are look, act, or are different.) 

Such a system would be a learning organization with adequate feedback loops from multiple sources. Some of the problem we face is that only a limited stakeholder perspective (i.e. political, legal, and self) that doesn't account clearly for the needs of a diverse society. Because feedback is sifted through all these other entities it is often best for police to be reactive versus proactive to environmental change (I'm not saying I agree or disagree but that I understand. Think about it....they don't want to be subject to the "flavor of the month" movements while also not running afoul of greater societal needs. They are stuck sifting through the different opinions; mine included.)

How To Fix When Justice Defaults (A Case Review)?

1.) Owning Responsibility: The responsible party should retract any statements made specifically to harm the target that are not based in fact. No one has the right (official or unofficial) in a smear campaign to intimidate the targets, cut them out of economic opportunities, ensure they can't serve their communities without incurring serious risks from misperception, lack of support and/or equipment, and seeking to ensure social networks are pitched as blameless (not to mention the elusive nefarious goal of splitting society into "Us" vs. "Them") 

2.) Train Mistakes and Remove Criminality: Only in the legal jargon of the time is there a concept of "immunity" for criminality. Beyond perversions of law are the truths of society. Good cops that make mistakes should be trained but bad cops that commit crimes should be removed (to maintain the integrity of the shield). We can play with the meaning and words as much as we want but there are essential core truths that apply to all societies and of course the consequences of allowing any system to run counter to the needs of its people. The law may say one thing but society and history will say another. We only need to have an understanding of history and how "protect our own" laws can lead to societal movements (I'm 100% for police and I'm 100% forgiving of mistakes and I'm 100% for removing those engaged in criminal behaviors.)

3.) Reform The Justice System: There is no such thing as a half citizen in the Constitution. As long as we continue to consider a simple majority of society has half citizens we will have distrust issues. What is a half citizen? It is a person that on an official level we give them full rights but on an unofficial "grey area" there will be those who circumvent those rights to ensure they are weighted in performance and outcomes. People who promote half citizen status (i.e. racism and bigotry) have accepted false beliefs about the nature of their country and its people and work often (using their positions) on a subconscious level to undermine certain principles and people when it don't fit their distorted view (Sometimes I wonder about our soldiers and how they may have served their country and have to come back and deal with racism, bigotry, hate and half citizen status by those who have done little to nothing for anyone. It happens and our leadership should stand up for certain essential American principles. We just need to get the obstacles that blind their sight out of the way.)

The Hope: 

People stand up for what is right and its a continuous process on pushing for improvements where they are needed. The problem is that we are beyond slow. We recently just passed a law that says its illegal to lynch people (Really? We didn't know better? We should have known 100+ years ago...maybe 1000 years ago.). A young Black boy looks the wrong way at a racist and gets chased down and murdered by a group of "concerned citizens". No one is prosecuted. There have been many more incidents of legal sanction of highly criminal violations of human rights. I think people are beginning to understand that we can't go on this way and meaningful change will soon be here. There must be a commitment to freedom and that people have now seen the disease in the rise of extremism (We have given a blind eye to homegrown extremism because we couldn't see people who looked like us at fault for anything. That becomes a problem when engage in group think, promote only certain types of people, and can't see all the options. We inadvertently nurtured it in the disparities of perception and law.). 

There are many who now understand the destructive path of not changing and are taking action. The problem is that there are lots of voices and some of those voices are just as ignorant as those engaged in hate. I support the rule of law and the rights of people (They aren't mutually exclusive. Some of our judges seem to understand that and are making choices to do the right thing. Its refreshing and a sign of hope.)We need our police and we need them to do their jobs (I'm against defunding and may even consider more funding for training, non-lethal weapons, recruitment, citizen reviews and social work.). We want police to be effective and ensure the laws don't stop what they have to do but at the same time the laws protect the rights of citizens to fair treatment. Police are here to serve our communities (not the other way around) and in turn must continuously be connected and responsible to the community within the wider framework of our national values. So I give two thumbs up for policing and at least one thumb down at our pace of reform.

Side note:

No one has to listen to me....I have a Muslim sounding which often means that what I have to say is typically taken with a grain of salt (not barring that in hindsight I have a higher accuracy rating than many others) and even if I'm (i.e. people like me) are doing what I/we believe to be the "right thing" there is typically someone there to judge, block, discredit you (of course not judging themselves through a proper lens!). It has been this way for a long long time. Why I'm vehemently opposed to half citizen status and its destructive nature on our society.

Leadership quality is important in this country and that is based on how leaders think. There are those who have found freedom and there are those who have no idea they are slaves. Its about their personal awareness and ability to navigate their environment and fulfill our duties as independent thinkers (See Socrates Allegory of Cave.) The more you grow, the more awareness, the more rich disparities/beauty become, and the more responsibility you have to push society to be better (Respecting what we are doing well and being honest about what we aren't doing well. That is true regardless of how angry people get when they hear it and how far they are willing to go to double down to silence voices of reason.)

I would probably be remiss If I didn't provide a word of caution that I believe keeping our system focused on truth, justice, and wisdom is the best course of action for everyone; strategically and and in alignment with moral conscious (Ensuring the needle points true north.). I know! I know! He is one of "those" people and doesn't have the right to speak for Americans! ...and those are the unfortunate lessons of life (The "lessons" that are not in the textbooks but yet we intuitively know is behind the curtain of conscious.). BTW...I never actually expected the hypothetical "Justice" to occur...hopeful....but not expecting...there are always a million reasons to not change but only one good reason to embrace positive change. Its a values debate!

Think 10-15 years into the future and ask yourself, "Should we really still be debating this?" There are those on the right side of history and those on the wrong side of history. Unfortunately, we don't always really know until we get there...and then its too late! If our compasses are calibrated correctly we will be ok but if our compass is incorrect we will be on the wrong path/trajectory.  

The Six Box Organizational Model: Knowing When Organizations Should Change

Businesses thrive when they continuously seek new levels of organizational performance. Learning organizations adapt and those that are dying fail to adapt. Sometimes we need a model to help us formalize concepts. Marvin Weisbord (1976 p431) combines "bits of data, theories, research, and hunches into a working tool that anyone can use.". Below you will find the 6 boxes for formulating a conception of a business and where it can improve. 

1. Purpose: What business are you in?

2. Structure: How to divide up roles and responsibilities.

3. Rewards: Do activities have incentives.

4. Helpful mechanisms: Are there adequate coordinating technologies

5. Relationships: How the organization handles conflict.

6. Leadership: Does someone keep the other boxes in balance?

The model does well simplifying/oversimplify) and considering the wider factors in organizational management. It is provides an opportunity to view the organization from different perspectives to highlight potential issues and determine whether a strategy is being effectively executed. Business is a process of consistent improvement and having models such as this can help in formulating a proper review. You can gain some more insight at Guide to Weisbord’s 6 Box Model

"Weisbord, M. R. 1976. Organizational diagnosis: Six places to look for trouble with or without a theory. Group & Organization Studies 1(4):430–47."

Judge and Defense Attorney Receives Death Threats in Gov. Whitmer Case-Yep such things go on and on and on!

There isn't much I can say other than I'm happy we are starting to take extremism seriously. Governor Whitmer is a high profile person and has protections that many of us don't often have. As a well known figure that also makes her a target for some groups. When I read the article FBI raids Michigan home after reported threats to judge, lawyers in Gov. Whitmer kidnapping case I find myself perplexed at the audacity of people!

Let me say that I'm a light right Republican and I have seen radicalism on both sides of the perspective. From this article you can't really tell if they are for or against a particular outcome. What I would say is that birds of a feather flock together. We will wait to see who is sending these threats and what their motivations might be (likely once investigators have answers)

Its hard for leaders to make the best decisions when they are being targeted by these extremist groups. It makes no difference the ideology or background. They are people who use power, force and fear to try and force their will onto others. They are not the type to listen to reason and instead love the feeling of power that comes from the fear of harming others. 

These bold moves by radicalized groups (Capitol, MI Gov., or Hometown) is an indication for an increase in violence to solve problems. Different forms of extremism have been common and it wasn't within our mental frameworks to view these groups as dangerous because of our preexisting biases in vantage points (meaning unable to see certain things because of incorrect anchoring.)

It is very difficult to stand up to these types of radical behaviors unless we are able to tackle them in our hometowns. We should recognize that ones position (official or unofficial) in society and their station in life make no difference to who may or may not be involved. 

I have advocated for mental health services for those who do not understand the gravity of their behavior in an attempt to reform (assuming they weren't violent), holding officials accountable whether they are involved or turning a blind eye to such behaviors (sometimes training and sometimes removal), and coming down hard on groups that are actively plotting and planning. 

From a sociological level there are reasons why this is happening and there are many factors that range from life frustration to poor leadership. We have created a context where such behaviors are acceptable depending on who is doing it and who are the targets (Its always the "other"). Its easy to devalue life and the values of others. Its much harder to respect others based on principle. Let's stop rewarding the profane to spite the tame.

Until we change the environment by changing our perspective it will just go on and on and on and on! It will just be in different forms, and places, time and tactics (The race, religion, or party makes no difference. Society is a conversation. It actually is massive interconnected conversation. When positive communication declines and violent rhetoric rises we have begun to split society. Different rules for different people.). You can see the growing rhetoric that seeks to devalue human life and encourage forceful militant style radicalism. Its nice to see that not all of us have given up on a free and enlightened society.

The Single Ingredient for Small Business Success is Confidence

Small Town America Needs Confidence
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Confidence counts for a lot in our lives and is substantial to the success of a small business that must continuously overcome challenges. Overconfidence creates undue risk while confidence assesses new information to make accurate assessments of success (or failure). Without confidence you are unlikely to start a business or succeed through the positive and negative aspects of society to maintain your business. Your personality and your business are often intertwined during the initial stages and your belief in yourself is key to longevity.

One way to improve on confidence is to think about the different possibilities and the truer likelihood of success or failure within the market. If you aren't sure you certainly can take a blind leap of faith but it is often better to try and find opportunities to narrow those gaps of missing information. That isn't always easy when you lack the self-belief to start walking down the path to success. 

I read an article in Forbes by Caroline Castrillon entitled This Is The Secret Ingredient For Small Business Success that discusses the nature of confidence. I stole their APA Dictionary of Psychology of underconfidence as, “a cognitive bias characterized by an underestimation of one’s ability to perform a task successfully or by an underrating of one’s performance relative to that of others.” (Its a very informative article so I suggest you read it.)

What we find is that underconfidence, just like overconfidence can impact our decisions and in turn our outcomes. They may often seem subtle but add up in profound ways over the many series of choices we must make. While underconfidence leads to certain outcomes we can sometimes overcome those difficulties as we weigh and balance options. Consider the following...

1.) Look for information before making major decisions.

2.) Listen to your inner self and match that with logical analysis.

3.) Be open to different possibilities and outcomes. 

4.) Stay in touch with industry changes and pay attention to what others are doing.

5. Bounce ideas off of others (Get a consultant if you don't have someone to bounce)

6. Recognize that business is a process and failures often lead to success. Just keep working on it!

Why We Struggle to Stand for Certain Principles? Institutions Help Countries Thrive During Crisis

In a park representing ancient principles of democracy from
 Greek society and our ability to respect wisdom. Kind of a
bad picture but if you like it
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Its makes no difference if you are talking about companies, people, or government there is a right and a wrong way to do things. Sometimes the structures (meaning the formal design) can get in the way and other times it is the leadership of those institutions. People who know people who know people often get the best positions leading to a level of social adherence by those who share similarities in background and ideology. New thoughts often have a hard time moving forward in group think environments.. 

Let us think about Putin's Russia for example. There is a level of thinking that exists within the highest rankings of society and people know they must say what they are required to say to be consider one of the in-group members (...and all of its benefits.). They may personally disagree but they are not dumb enough to say that. In turn, choices get skewed because institutions are led by people who want to be in the good graces of dominant personalities. End of the day the same choices are made over and over and that can be costly. 

The U.S. is different. We have more diversity and our institutions are fairly strong (There is more work to be done as the Capital Riots have taught us that even institutions risk collapse under the wrong kinds of circumstances). It was our values that saved us and the people like Pence, our politicians on both sides, our institutional leaders that stood for something greater....a belief in America. There were no guarantees (Just like people who struggle with these issues everyday have no guarantees anyone is going to do the right thing. The macro sack is a symptom of local micro issues being played out in different places. Why I advocate for mental health to deal with extremist before such people make it a bigger problem. Its in one ear of our leadership and out the other.....that's a value issue.)

Our nation faces risks in todays world. While our institutions limped through a big crisis and made it work it was very close to being a very different outcome. People within those institutions were afraid to speak up and had to work in the background to do the right things. They rested on their values at great personal risk. They are our silent heroes. If it would have turned out the other way they would have been toast!

There are people everyday fighting to do what is right against insurmountable odds and often corrupted people. Our institutions sort of do the right thing but often get things wrong (Meaning there should always be feedback loops to create a learning organization/nation. If we stick our fingers in our ears we have become guilty of neglect of our duties.). The values of our principles are what makes difference in our success or failure. Sometimes it works out great while at other times we just continue on and on with the wrong choices and that leads to the decline of institutional integrity (If you can't project what that could mean if it goes to far you probably shouldn't take any leadership positions for the benefit of everyone else.). 

This is why I believe our institutions we should balance the independence of  our three major institutions Judicial, Legislative and Executive to maintain the right ballast on our ship (Its a metaphor). We should also strive to put people in positions of authority that have the right values (Not the one's they profess to each other, wink and nod, or politically-socially connected but the ones who actually have the skills.) In other words, we promote our best and brightest regardless of their race, religion, or lack of social "connectedness". 

Diversity and the strengthening of institutional integrity will be our future if we learn from the past mistakes and correct them (You can't run a great country on limited thinking and only partial human capital. It dumb!) On the flip side extremism, violence, and societal chaos will continue to grow if we don't rally around our essential American principles. Principles is the only thing I know that can cut through a sense of entitlement, social networks, political divisions, and chaos. It is also what defines leadership from nepotism. 

What are your values? This is a decision that people must make for themselves.

The proof is always in the pudding. We either can strive or we can resign....but its a collective choice (Seems like were still debating our best strategic position....for some....or for all of us. I personally believe that national strategy should maximize our strengths, hedge our weaknesses, and put ourselves in the best place possible to capitalize on various situations. I'm not sure what everyone else believes.....they may not even know themselves. Answers before the questions. Unfortunately sometimes no one listens and no one cares because you are outside the "inner circle"...and that is the place you have to start. Sounds familiar doesn't it....we have heard this before.....from lots of different people. 🤷 )

2023 Defense Budget: $130 Billion research in advanced tech, cyber, space and AI. (Cool stuff!)

There are a lot things of interests in our DOD 2023 Defense Budget. You can read more about it within the press release at The Department of Defense Releases the President's Fiscal Year 2023 Defense Budget. As a quick breakdown you will see some interesting changes in direction occur:

$56.5 billion for air power platforms and systems

$40.8 billion for sea power, to include nine more battle force ships,

$12.6 billion to modernize Army and Marine Corps fighting vehicles. 

$130.1 billion for research and development readiness in advanced technology, cyber, space and artificial intelligence.

There is more so you will want to read through it. Let me say that creating an advanced military with advanced technologies often means supporting next generation technologies. That technology can come from industry-government-university partnerships or it can come from internal research. 

Technology and innovation is increasingly important to the competitive playing field of any nation. Advancing nations are measured in many ways by their technology development (i.e. patents). Increased investment in advanced technologies such as cyber, space, and artificial intelligence are part of a broader societal shift.

As with all big budgets it is important to ensure that money is being spent wisely. The better we do at spending it frugally the further our tax payer dollars go. Budgets should seek to achieve goals, maximize resources strengthen the entire organization. They will need to continuously cut fat and stretch dollars as much as reasonably possible. 

Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act Signed-Way Way Beyond Due!

I'm happy we signed this bill and unhappy that it took so long. While its not the specifics of the bill that are important to me but the action that hate and lynching is designated by our leaders an unacceptable value in the U.S.(I complain a lot about how short sighted our leadership can be but when they do something right I commend them.) We need a Federal Law because sometimes there is difficulty locally prosecuting and holding people accountable for inappropriate behaviors (Selective values of who is considered local and who is "worthy" of fair treatment.). A hate law allows for more influence on how these cases are handle. 

Hate is the devaluing of life (See Why We Hate) and we don't need a law to tell us that hate on this level is unacceptable; we are not talking about preference. Whether we call it murder, terrorism, or a hate crime it makes no difference...its the accountability that matters. There should have always be accountability and no person(s) have the right to look in the other direction when major crimes like this occur. The ignorant shouldn't be enforcing their values on the wiser members of society.

Its not so much about race either. I believe that any people's can hate another people's and the law should be universally applied to any such crimes. Black people in this country were treated brutally in our past and its our time to change that.....to ensure all of us live by the same values and standards. For me its not as much about Black but about fair treatment and movement beyond racial and religious ignorance to value human life (I have mixed race kids and they don't need to be any particular background to be valued and protected by the law/society. As crazy as it sounds...human life is valuable no matter its race or religion. You can't value yourself until you value others. )

I've seen and experienced hate on a heightened level that could have led to violence and/or death. The decision making during that time was completely skewed and sadistic allowing for no other alternative but what the voice of those causing the problem. Up the line people followed suit. No laws, rules, or values were applied (There were laws but they weren't being followed. Breakdowns in moral conscious occurred and dangerous rumors were spread thereafter to ensure the punishment for daring to stand up for yourself/kids was complete. I reject that and feel that accountability is necessary for movement forward. Win-Win is what I seek but that should depend on the capability of those involved to break out of their dysfunctional social networks and thinking to be a better people. I reject their distorted values of what America should look like and their warped disparate sense of value of human life. My America is a free America where we compete on our essential principles and ensure we move toward greater relevance as a grand experiment in humanism. True capitalism relies maximizing human capital for building, owning and generating; the background shouldn't matter. Innovation, economy, and human rights are all associated as a mix to a certain outcome.)

What I find fascinating and a little nauseating is that  we quickly come to prescribe validity to such hate and social groups. Its bizarre that people are willing to jump on the band wagon and throw all caution to the wind. Its easy to discount the values and rights of others when they are different than yourself (Maybe better, or worse, but difference challenges distorted social perception. In addition, I support law enforcement 100% and the removal of bad apples 100%. I want good officers to be promoted, mistakes trained, diverse recruitment successful, and resources provided to increase effectiveness. I also want communities to support and keep departments on the straight path serving and protecting the people....all the people. This law helps to ensure higher levels of accountability. ) 

Its a great law and it will be helpful for stepping in when local enforcement defaults. We shouldn't have a need for it but it seems like an ugly necessity. Any group of bigots (no matter the race or religion) that hunts down people and kills, hurts, harms them for racial or religious reasons should not be in the general population. Definitely not in positions of authority where they can influence others. They are a danger to others and to society. Which law should really apply?

The Bill: Specifically, the bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 30 years, or both—on an individual who conspires to commit a hate crime offense that results in death or serious bodily injury or that includes kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill.

Effective Website Design: That that ranked the highest

Websites are the modern business calling card and are essential for staying competitive in an e-commerce arena. People adjust within the first few seconds and will either stay or leave/”bounce” depending on how they view that site. In today’s world websites are more than just convenience they are essential to modern business. Core elements of strong design are often related to proper navigation, purpose, easy of use, and other important concepts. The key purpose is related to attracting and motivating visitors to take some action such as a purchase.

Looking at the study A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement we find there are essential elements to strong website designs. The authors reviewed significant literature to compile what they found.

• navigation (62.86%), 
• graphical representation (60%), 
• organization (42.86%), 
• content utility (37.14%), 
• purpose (31.43%), 
• simplicity (31.43%), and 
• readability (31.43%).

As you design your website consider the differences between that which works and that which isn't going to work. The website becomes increasingly important for consumers. It should stand out and be easy to use. When people are browsing information they only take a few seconds to look before deciding what their next action is. 

Garett, E, et. al. (2016). A Literature Review: Website Design and User Engagement . Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 6 (3). Retrieved https://www.ojcmt.net/download/a-literature-review-website-design-and-user-engagement.pdf 

Gym vs. No Gym Exercise: Maybe a little of both?

Gym versus no gym exercise has been debated for some time. I came across an article Limited Exercise without Equipment Achieves Same Results as Daily Gym Workouts that discusses how making small choices everyday impacts our overall health. Gym and no gym can certainly work together to enhance your fitness goals. 

Recently, I have been work on gym versus no gym exercise and the benefits of both. I had a training session with a woman last week that didn't have a gym membership and was thinking about the different ways in which she can workout at home. 

That got me sort of thinking.......

Gym is great for high cardio and weights that stress the body while no gym exercises burns calories and is often more sustainable for busy people. 

Yes its possible to integrate both. The gym is a great place to put on your schedule and attend every day (or minimum 3X per week) and then augment with no gym exercises throughout the day. One will push your body to adapt and the other will help encourage health maintenance (in some cases growth is the right exercises are created.). Add to that small changes in parking further away, walking stairs, taking dog for walk, etc...and it will add up!

If your interested in virtual fitness training send me a message. I have fitness trainer, yoga and self defense certifications and do training as a side gig. Training is done virtually and catered to your specific goals and needs. Affordable. Nothing better then to be involved in the field. Limited space and availability. Email Fitness Training

Russians Scale Back Offensive and Gives Up Some Demands: A sign of stalled effort!

 Russia has indicated that it will be pulling back some troops, refocusing efforts, and giving up a few demands for peace in upcoming negotiations. This looks like the implementation of Plan B where they seek to get out with a perceived Win. There is significant pressure on Russia that will have long term implications (i.e. losing oil markets, exposing military weaknesses, and lost world credibility). 

What does a win or loss look in this situation? If Russia gets out with splitting the nation it will be perceived a Win while neutrality guarantees will be seen as a level of success. However, the attempt to dominate the country has failed and that means a small country can thwart the advances of a large country. The perception of Russian (from the Soviet times) military power has been broken.

It can't look like a retreat it has to look like a negotiated withdrawal. The long term implications are significant for Russia despite what happens during the negotiations. Things have just changed in world perception and how exposed Europe is to Russian oil and commerce. The adjustments of Euro-US countries will be a big loss for Russia over the years.

I'm actually slightly optimistic of these negotiations (I read once something on Russian negotiation styles but can't find it as it was decades ago.). Russia has the incentive to settle disputes, reoriented their stated goals to Plan B, but also know that maintaining the fighting is going to create personal risk for Putin (in some cases the military as well.). The war has not gone as planned for Russia and they are looking to pitch a negotiated withdrawal as a type of win (BTW..who uses poison in the modern world? An attempt to put everyone on edge as a tactic? Psychological warfare maybe? 😥)

Let us wait and find out what happens. Either way our U.S. leaders should start thinking about how to innovate and advance our own nation to overcome future challenges we may face in the world and at home. To me developing the first large digital era advanced manufacturing nation that maximizes all of its human capital is important to our success. We will have to focus on democratic principles and ensuring our way of life stays strong (institutional integrity will be important here.).