(Title reminds me of a song.)
When I was growing up one of my dad’s favorite sayings was: Are you going to be a leader or a follower? If so and so jumped off a bridge, would you jump off as well? Guess what, I have never been, nor will I ever be a follower.
I look around me today and I watch the news reports and read social media and I can only shake my head. How do so many people find themselves posting the drivel of so-called leaders? It is like they are all caught in the net of I want approval from the mindless crowd. Never mind that what is said needs to be met with logical disapproval or at least discourse to find the best courses of action.
If you make rules for your kids at home, and the first time one of them breaks the rules, you say, that’s okay, just make sure you follow the rules next time. What do you think will happen the next time? They will continue to break the rules and they will test every rule you have made.
Our world has certain rules, called laws for a reason. We have laws that apply to traffic control, driver’s licensing, assault and battery, and felonies for rape and murder.
Those rules, those laws are being challenged today and we are allowing people to challenge them because currently breaking those laws is not affecting us. Guess what, laws broken in one area of the country that go unchallenged suddenly are happening in major cities across the country.
Do you want to be able to walk down your street without worrying about being verbally assaulted, physically battered or worse? Then you have to make your stand where the first assault on our rules, our laws happens.
No circumstance justifies verbal assault, physical assault, rape, or murder. We have a system in our country for correcting injustices. A system of rules and laws developed by the people, for the people and adjudicated by a similar justice system.
We vote our representatives into office to represent us, to enforce our rules, our laws and to do what is best under those rules and laws to protect all of us. Nothing in our legal system allows physical violence against our representatives or police who we empower to protect us and enforce the laws.
One injustice does not empower anyone to do violence against one another, our representatives and the police. We have a legal system set up to prosecute those injustices. Those that seek to usurp our system and take justice into their own hands, in turn need to be arrested and prosecuted by our legal system.
This lawlessness, just like rules we lay down for our children, needs to be nipped in the bud. It should have been stamped out on day one. The fact that we let it go, has provided a free pass for others to do the same.
Are you a leader or a follower? Are you afraid to say what needs to be said because all of your friends on social media appear to be siding with the mob. The mob is a brainless, ignorant child. The mob does not learn from history and in essense is, pardon the cliche ” destined to repeat” its mistakes over and over again.
If you had private conversations with many of your friends, you would find that they too are concerned about the lawlessness, but are afraid to speak up about it on social media.
Speak up about it. Rage against the sea of stupidity. You can do it without calling people names. You can do it without antagonising one particular group. You do it by identifying the problem, not the person.
The problem is none of us believe lawlessness and anarchy are the world we want to live in. Then why do we chime in, in mindless agreement when a friend, acquaintance, or relative makes a comment that seems to chastise the entire police department instead of the rare individual who usurps his or her authority or sometimes makes a dreadful mistake.
Be a leader, not a follower. Use your brain to analyze what is happening in our world. We are not helpless, but we cannot be apathetic either. Apathy will turn this world into something none of us wants. Speak out, but please do not parrot what others say.
Thank you. Your comments in relation to this blog are welcome from all comers.
—-Talking Haid
