“A FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP”

2 PARAGRAPHS 4 LIBERTY: #270

             Are we to be governed by the Rule of Law or not?  If so, we have seen some blatant failures of leadership in the executive branches of government.  Without a doubt it is ingrained in our Constitution and in us not only to allow and but even to encourage peaceful dissent.  But things like looting, committing arson and damaging other people’s property, including statues, are crimes and must be treated as such!  And that is true regardless of the validity of the issues behind those actions.  That is what the Rule of Law requires.  And we have also seen the results, because when the Rule of Law is not enforced all kinds of bad things start happening.  Many people injured, much destruction of public and private property and much loss of faith in government, all of which result in increased self-help protection which, in turn, further escalates the problems.  Even heroes like Rosa Parks, who violated the law, had to be prepared to accept the consequences.

             But what about the issues raised, because many of them are righteous?  It’s fine to be angry and to demand that changes be made, but we have a political process that can address  those changes.  Use it!  So if there happen to be statues of Confederate Civil War Generals that people believe no longer represent the spirit of who we are, approach the respective city councils or state or federal governmental officials with your complaints and demand that they be removed.  Particularly in today’s atmosphere, your views will be heard and likely acted upon.  (And the results will much more likely be much more reasoned and rational.)  But if self-help, violence and destruction are allowed, the perpetrators will almost certainly gain confidence and We the People will increasingly lose it.  So where will this end?  From what we are seeing, the “us vs. them” problems will continue to become more pronounced.  And if that happens, since these are our governments and therefore our responsibility, we will have no one to blame but ourselves.

Thought for the week: The three hardest things to say are:

1.  I was wrong;
2.  I need help; and,
3.  Worcestershire Sauce.

BTW Attached is one of my prior 2 Paragraphs editions that was expanded into an Op-Ed piece that was published in the Orange County Register on Sunday, July 5, 2020.