The Path to Corruption: What is it through a learning example?

The difference between corruption and a mistake is that one seeks to create gain that is not an inherent benefit of their position. When friends, associates, etc. benefit from behaviors that are immoral and illegal we have a potential corrupt situation. It is important in our society to stamp out corruption and ensure it is not protected. Where we can't do that we have to be concerned about our fortitude.

Let me give you a hypothetical example for learning purposes only. 

A group of bullies that included a number of corrupted officials engaged in wholesale cleansing of a family because someone within their group wanted something and spread a hate narrative utilizing preexisting racial and religious beliefs (They even told the person they were targeting them for their religion while a number of officials watched. They were confused but not necessarily corrupted. Others were corrupted and followed up with a mopping campaign). Some misused their position to help their friends exploit a situation to ensure they can manipulate a vet and sick elderly to extract as much profit as they could (There is indication they did this before but no objective investigation allowed. Other complaints came true through new evidence even though they were initially squashed leaving the victims unprotected. Officials knew but a code of silence prevented appropriate action.). Hate was one factor and financial gain was the other. The group was engaged in a history of patterned poor behaviors and others came forward and they were quickly retaliated by those who were supposed to be upholding the integrity of our institutions. Following home, threats, attempted assaults, calling the victims crazy, dehumanizing, hiding evidence, blocking employment and much more were well worn tools of the trade. Once they were discovered and people documented, studied, videoed, etc. and voiced their opinions about the these type of behaviors and a whole host of other issues they were swept under the carpet (again, again and again indicating a total system default.). Perpetrators that shared similar racial, religious, political, and extremist views were given a free pass. Victims and those who criticize corruption were put on secretive lists for further retaliation and targeting. Some of these members may be out there still scanning for new victims because corrupt acts were not corrected thereby indicating a lack of respect for moral conscious and the law (i.e. closed clan systems). Human life and other types of people are seen as less worth of justice, less worthy of fair outcomes, and less worthy of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. If your a victim in these systems you have no option but to be quiet, convert to a similar religion as the extremists, or leave the area because the goal is to stick the victims with the bill of others behaviors. It's a local system that one might consider illegal and worthy of revamping. 

Now, we know this can't happen because if it did it would be a major violation of our social contracts and people would rush to correct it (unless there is wider bigotries at play. i.e. second class citizens, human rights, civil rights, etc. ). What we can say is that if this happened once then it can happen again. So anticorruption efforts would do wonders in ensuring that essential justice is restored in an example like this. Where we fail to correct we expect future corrupt acts to become apparent. Different laws for different people is not going to make us a competitive nation no matter what the experts believe. Thus, while these examples are grotesque and bizarre they do highlight the diligence needed to protect a free democracy.

You may want to read Exploring the Path to Corruption

*This is for learning purposes only like a thought experiment to explore some dicey issues through freedom of religion, speech and the Constitution. Take with a grain of salt. 

Federal Reserve Indicates Rate Cut

We are expecting a rate cut and you can see the relationship between the economy, labor and interest rates. You may be interested in reading something on the Slanted L Phillips Curve. 

Why They Won't Reform Criminal Justice?

 I will tell you one thing I have learned over the years. Justice is only partially functioning and there are people within the system that ensure that it never reaches its full potential. This is an older video and I'm somewhat of a true conservative so I don't think on a unipolar level but on an interwoven level. In other words, I don't pick a race or religion to be a benefactor of our collective efforts. I also believe that the universal right to exercise faith in a meaningful way or speech that contributes to society's development are positive pathways. I may not agree with what everyone says but I respect their right to say it as long as it is thought out and helpful in nature. That is not something shared by everyone, not every politician, nor every official. 

Bernie Sanders seems like a guy who speaks his mind. I like that when people are honest and they have passion for their beliefs. He raises my eyebrow sometimes and of course I don't always agree but in this case he is right we need justice reform. Only the selfish and mean spirited believe things are perfect. There are places where there was intentional violations of free speech and intent on forcing one's religious beliefs on others using the power of their position. Perhaps people come forward and complain and have direct retaliation for doing so. Systems that intentionally rewarded their homogeneous friends and social networks at the expense of their community. Criminal behaviors encouraged through socialization of bigotries as a "cool" thing. 

One might feel bad for the victims because a huge percentage of politicians do not care enough about the American people to make even small tweaks or adjustments that improve the entire system. People will support where it consistently tries to do the right thing; even after mistakes. Obstructionist put in place few functioning backstops and somehow tie mean spiritedness with patriotism. It makes no difference the millions of people who complain, the changing demographics or how destructive and dishonest some of these systems can become when left to their own devices. It doesn't even make a difference that our nation must compete and needs all the human capital it can muster or it will face decline. They just don't change, they struggle to correct, and obstructionists make little effort to stand for something greater.  

Before you get excited and start rallying the wagons to violate more human, civil rights, freedom of speech and you know the other things many of us look upon with disdain let me also say that I also am a supporter of what works well. The vast majority of people who work in these systems are fine outstanding people trying to make the world a better place. There are systems out there that are imperfect but still seek to strive for perfection (never attainable but a good goal). However, when there are bad apples protecting other bad apples and that warps the system then we have much bigger problems. Those problems get even bigger when a few bad apples dictate their distorted version of law.

As a rationalist one might know that good is good and we should encourage it and bad is bad and we should discourage it. That makes me a supporter of the justice system. Not a fake supporter but a real supporter. I'm practical by nature so if something is working well we should keep it and develop it. Where its not working we should change it. If the system has a moral conscious and tries to do the right thing then it has value to our society. Institutional trust is declining as aspects of the system continue to get derailed. Its not me making it up...go check the stats and listen to people. Public Trust It is insane we don't take a few minutes to think about why that is happening and whether or not there are improvements. Politics is supposed to be overall helpful through solution creation and not destructive.

As long as there are no checks and balances for protecting criminal behavior, sharing legitimate complaints for retaliation, civil-human rights violations, extreme religious bigotries, partisan applications, taking advantage of the elderly, or all the other stuff then we need people who to encourage change. We can do that politely and we can do that meaningfully. Never take your cues from those who violate our rights because that will replace a problem with another problem. Always seek to improve and adapt the system generation after generation to something stronger and more functional. We encourage democracy by developing it and its institutions to serve the greatest good.

They won't change not because they don't recognize the behavior but because they feel the goals and missions of the systems are less important than their racial, religious, and in some case extremist ideologies. To some the law is a tool and a game for them and the wisdom that our philosophers and religious figures have taught us is secondary to their own agenda promotion. In other words, you can target people but ideas are free to roam where they want. Yes you can follow people home and silence them but that only happens for a time. Someday you just can't shut everyone up. Support our justice system by supporting what works, correcting what is wrong, and pushing it to get better at serving our people's needs. I guess the other option is....or don't....and trust continues to decline...and no one knows what the long term impact of that is yet. My suggestion is to avoid institutional declines....as dumb as it sounds. 

*This is part of a thought experiment on freedom of speech and religion for learning purposes only. Take with a grain of salt. It is not definitive by nature. 

Human Rights and Justice from a Religious-Philosophical Perspective

Human rights are very basic conception that all human life has value. Human Rights and Justice are related to the concepts of fairness of treatment. In the lives we live, the laws we create (or enforce) and the environment we develop (intentional and unintentional) the terms Human Rights and Justice have different meanings. They also have widely different applications depending on who or whom does the harm and who or whom is on the receiving end. 

In my experience there are very good people who support justice and in many cases our institutions seek to create an atmosphere where these important ideals can flourish for the benefit of society (I have respect for institutions that live by their missions.). Sometimes these systems stop working (or don't work well) and for whatever reason  (I have respect for their right to change.). Usually this isn't the fault of the institution and its values but the human folly of its application (Why checks and balances are needed). 

Where I learned about human rights and justice was first in an vivid human exchange sense, then a religious/spiritual sense, then a military sense, an academic sense and then a proof in pudding systemic sense. I suppose for all people we will eventually experience it in a divine sense these concepts when we are old and grey (At least that is what most religious sort of try and remind us of.).

As a Catholic, Muslim, Jew (...an idea that we all share a beginning and an end). I learned human rights and justice first from the Capuchins and found these ideas nearly identical in every major religion I have experienced and learned about thereafter. 

These are some interesting pieces The Concepts of Human Rights in Judaism, Christianity and Islam and the Concept of Justice 

Not that it matters much but I will say that I have a profound respect for all religious (almost all) because they are philosophies that help guide our secular laws. The pure and the copy distribution. When they are applied properly we don't create distinctions within institutions and we don't pervert the greater laws for the smaller ones. Nor should we pervert the concept of human rights and justice for one type of person over another based on superficial perspectives. 

Human rights and basic concepts of justice are needed in this world and they are needed in our institutions now more than ever. Without it there is little sense of moral order. Without moral authority there is pretty much just power. A world of just power is brutal and doesn't provide for an environment of human dignity. A lie becomes true and the truth becomes a lie. This is why our laws are based in "In God We Trust" to help us think beyond law to its essential universal purpose. "errare humanum est"

Anyway, the video sort of reminds me of how that journey sort of got started. Good peeps. I have met good people of almost every religion who believe in a higher moral order. If we could get them to work together maybe we could support human rights and justice more effectively and broadly. I don't know what everyone is fighting about anyway. If the beginning and the end are the same the stuff in the middle is sort of life fluff we have to learn to swim through. In that we are all equals. 

I was searching for the concept of justice and this showed up first and I thought it was fitting (I'm not advocating or not advocating but just saying we can learn from each other through many various perspectives.) The Psychology and Theology of Open Mindedness

*This is for learning purposes only. A philosophical exploration like a thought experiment on freedom of religion and thought. i like these deeper concepts. 

 

Volunteer Firefighting in SoCal: Train and Retain

Volunteer Firefighting is an honorable contribution. I think of the amount of time and effort these firefighters put in and I will tell you that its more than just commitment to community that inspires them.  Most of our capacity around the country rests with volunteers. They will become increasingly more important and we can think about ways of making it easier to train and retain them. 

U.S. Fire Admin Info provides some resources. 

Lots of great information in the Volunteer Firefighter Association

Delta County Commissioners Meeting (08/20/2024): Camp Sites, Small Business Development and Trains

The meeting hummed along. There was a private closed door session so we will have to wait to see what that is all about. The key points are below that you may want to consider. 

-Moving to online approach for camp reservations. Also, many of the camp sites are taken up quickly. 

-Small business development center/cubicle. Not sure of the nature of it so can't really say much other then developing small business helps. Attracting entrepreneurs downtown does help and can make a difference if you can get multiple types of people involved. 

-The Soo Line Historical and Technical Society will behaving a convention. Conventions are great for bringing new business, tourism, and public exposure of local offerings. 

First Amendment: Is it ok to have a different perspective or religion?

The First Amendment is what makes us unique as a people. These are basic human rights that government supports. People should be able to report criminal behavior, have a different religion, or have at least reasonable alternative perspectives. What we don't want is freedom of speech as long as it aligns with my values, freedom of religion as long as you worship like me, or freedom of assembly as long as its for my cause is not really freedom. However, when there are issues of corruption, extremism, or partisanship these rights might quickly go out of style. Thus, it is important to ensure that we all support them the best way we can. Sometimes we have to tell people they are infringing on these rights. For the most part people are trying but at times they should be reminded of their oaths and duties through polite persistence. That doesn't mean they will listen or adjust but at least you did your duty of reminding them. Whatever that is worth. 🤷

First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."