I'd just like to state for the record that while I appear to exhibit glee when I point out instances where I believe "the establishment" (to include military, law enforcement, corrections, judicial, etc.) has crossed the line and has shown the evil side of its collective persona, I actually do so with profound sadness. Let me be clear: while I do not necessarily believe that ALL men and women in uniform and positions of authority are bad, there is no doubt that there are bad people in these positions.
I have seen uniformed personnel strike people with batons for no apparent reason with my own eyes simply because they could on more than one occasion. And let's face it, the "war on drugs", particularly the war on pot, is a drain on precious resources and makes "criminals" out of millions every year. Marijuana arrests and prosecutions clog our legal system and crowd our correctional institutions needlessly. "Forty-one percent of the U.S. population" have tried marijuana. That makes nearly half of the U.S. population criminals! (And I have personal knowledge that some of that 41% were the very people who arrest others for the same thing!) "Forty-six percent of respondents … say they support allowing states to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol."
But enough about pot. That is not the subject of this piece. (Though, in the interest of full disclosure I had two simple possession charges of less than a gram each time when I was a youth, in 1977-78. So, while I feel strongly about this, I use this issue as an example of "law enforcement" gone awry).
I have also had a handful of people with whom I had meaningful friendships who were police officers, deputy sheriffs, and corrections officers. I know there are good people who do these jobs. And, yes these jobs are necessary. But I have seen a lot more "authority figures" abuse their authority than the few with whom I grew to respect and care for. And not coincidentally, my respect for them grew out of their respect for me. (Hint, hint.)
I served in the United States Marine Corps. Though, we jokingly referred to it as "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children" (see: U.S. Marine Major General Smedley Darlington Butler's "War is a Racket" . And KNOW that Smedley Butler was one of Our Nation's foremost war hero's! He was actually invited by Corporate interests to overthrow the Government of the United States! And he said no. That alone makes him a leader to be emulated.) While I served, I observed that not ALL orders were "lawful" orders. And it is each service member's obligation to make the distinction. If you were ordered to shoot and kill unarmed civilians, it fell upon you to determine that this was an unlawful order. The Nuremburg Trials is history's testament that "following orders" is no defense to unlawful actions.
And I feel that a police officer "just enforcing the law" when the law is obviously and clearly flawed is not acting in the interest of the law.
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
We, as Americans, should be ready and willing to disregard, condemn, and prosecute those who while in the service of this country in any capacity violate the Constitution and the tenets which made this society a great nation.
"Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves.
…"If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go; perchance it will wear smooth — certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn."
I am a rare bird indeed: a southern former US Marine, and a former Republican (I voted for Ronald Regan… sorry about that), a product of a fundamentalist Christian upbringing, who has converted to Buddhism and have radical left political leanings. I am NOT a revolutionary, though I believe that revolution is the only thing that will wrest our freedom away from the Corporate NON-entities who now hold our freedom in their iron fists and the richest 2% who hold everything ELSE in their iron fists. Though, AS a Buddhist, I can only observe and hope for the least number of casualties and collateral damage… at the hands of both sides of the conflict to come. "What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn."
"One man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist" works the other way around: "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter". I'm quite certain that the King of England viewed George Washington and his band of merry men as "terrorists", though I don't believe that connotation had yet been conceived. And there was a time, not that long ago when a U.S. Representative named Charlie Wilson trained and armed "freedom fighters" called The Taliban.
"History is written by the victors."
Winston Churchill
Our American dilemma is simply that we cannot decide which version of history we wish to be recorded. Therefore, we change it when it suits us. The masses are so dumbed down from "Survivor" and "Dancing with the Stars" (Oh, and my personal favorite: "Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader"). So, why not just rewrite recent history? Who'll notice?
In my world, in which I realize that I share with very few people, it is far more expedient to suspect authority, to disbelieve and suspect the rich, to constantly be aware that "they would like to lock me up for life for ANY reason", and to watch for those very few who prove me wrong by proving their humanity than it is to automatically suspect a few "leftists" or "revolutionaries" because those terms are not in vogue and to CHOOSE to give those in the greatest position to infringe upon our basic human rights, and from all appearances the inclination to do so, the benefit of the doubt.
If you want both sides of the story before you decide that "Power" is abusing their power before you decide who is right or wrong you will likely have no opinion on a multitude of injustices. Very few paid any attention to Jews during World War II (and no one else even TALKED about it). Few took up the banner of the Native American or the African American, and "respectable" people just didn't talk about such things.
If you are waiting for Dick Cheney to tell his side of "enhanced interrogations" (otherwise known as torture), you're in for a long wait. Well, actually he already has stated his position: it was "legal, sanctioned, and NOT torture" … regardless of what ANYBODY else thinks!
To request to hear the side of law enforcement before you decide that they went overboard with their "law enforcement" is to close your eyes and follow blindly. You are already a slave. Wear your designation "Slave" proudly. I will always suspect authority of wrong doing unless anyone can prove to me otherwise.
"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority: still more when you superadd the tendency or the certainty of corruption by authority."
Lord Acton (1834-1902) English historian
When everyone else is right will I be all that is left?
Rural American Progressive
In Unity is Strength
