..."history may judge us to be the real bully if, in the our rush to punish someone, we act in ways contrary to our core beliefs and values as a nation"...
Speaking as one who is closer to the end of life than the beginning, the observation that "those who do not know or understand history, are doomed to repeat it" takes on new relevance for me. Events of the last week have given us all reason to reflect and try to sort out meaningful lessons.
Here are a few observations I believe have meaning for all of us... both privately and in our business affairs:
BULLIES DON'T WIN...
Throughout history the bullies of the world have always lost. Gandhi was right! They may bloody our nose with a sneak attack or a lucky punch but, in the long run, they are always defeated by the forces of good and right. Tyrants down through the ages have had to learn this lesson the hard way. The Hitler's of the world have never prevailed. Neither have predatory corporations or governments.
COALITIONS WORK...SHORT TERM...
Building coalitions are effective to achieve goals...short term. They rarely work long term.
While it is very possible (and desirable) to bring divergent groups together to battle a common foe...that same coalition will decay when the mutual adversary is overcome. Disparate groups will melt away as their own self-interest begins to resurface.
This is as true in business and private organizations as it is in public and world affairs.
BULLIES & TYRANTS DON'T ALWAYS CARRY KNIVES...
Modern bullies wear designer clothing and use computers. They understand the power of politics, sound bites, and photo opportunities. They are masters at using the tools of mass communications to advance sinister goals. Yes...this includes the use of the internet.
They run large corporations, foundations, financial institutions, think-tanks, and hold our highest public offices. They are subtle. They are deceptive. They are dangerous because, like Hitler, they understand the human need for security and order. They understand how to make actions that steal our freedom... appear to be logical and necessary.
They are comfortable and proficient working with hidden agendas which promote their own self-interests. They are practiced at turning dramatic tragic events, or temporary conditions, into building blocks for their own personal financial gain or extensions of their power base.
The antidote against these poisonous souls... is a mechanism for totally free, uncensored, exchange of ideas and thoughts... the internet!
BEWARE OF KNEE-JERK REACTIONS...
Never has careful, measured, thought been more important than now.
When a bully bloodies our nose our first reaction is righteous anger and indignation. This is both normal and right. We should be angry. We should feel indignation.
This same anger and indignation, however, can lead to a rashness of response which plays right into the hands of the forces stacked against us.
If we attack a perceived foe, without indisputable evidence of their guilt and culpability, we have become no better than they.
Indeed, in the eyes of the world, history may judge us to be the real bully if, in the our rush to punish someone, we act in ways contrary to our core beliefs and values as a nation.
The world is watching. We now have the opportunity to prove what a great nation we truly are. It will take patience, great judgement, and a careful measuring of the facts before we act, if we are to be what we have always purported to be... a nation grounded in fairness, freedom, respect for human rights, responsible judgement, and real justice.
Editorial Commentary Written--9/17/2001 ?Copyright 2001-2005 Thom Reece All Rights Reserved
Thom Reece is CEO of Online Marketing Group, a Hawaii based direct response marketing and web development firm. http://www.e-comprofits.com , http://www.e-comprofits.com ,
scheduled cleaning services Winnetka ..The use of homosexual men in the area of espionage... Read More
Incompetence is all too obvious at the trade shows of... Read More
Recently scientists have been watching the exponential growth of marine... Read More
Many in the peanut gallery of society are so quick... Read More
Believe it or not, every theatre, church, or Britney Spears... Read More
Using Harmonic Beams to Pre-Detonate Shoulder Launched Surface to Air... Read More
Many folks who are pro-NASA and Pro-Space Colonies say that... Read More
Recently the FTC, Federal Trade Commission put forth a report... Read More
The current political efforts aimed at improving the American public... Read More
Hello! Happy new year. May you live a long healthy... Read More
How much oil can travel through a pipeline? It depends... Read More
In these times when states are suffering extreme downward pressure... Read More
In the future when we decide to help nations vote... Read More
When this president's father was in the Oval Office, he... Read More
Perhaps we should have printers with ink which has metallic... Read More
We need more oversight and transparency in government. We need... Read More
The most damaging factor to our economy today is the... Read More
The FTC franchising division purports their law enforcement experience in... Read More
We see today a fierce unspoken competition between trucks and... Read More
Is Starbucks a monopoly? It fits all the definitions. Does... Read More
IntroductionThe way one lyrist has written, "Hum logo ko samajh... Read More
I hear it all the time; you can't say that.... Read More
Thought of the day; Questions about the judicial system. If... Read More
As we reel from the news of the recent bombings... Read More
30 years ago, California, later followed by other states, decided... Read More
reliable maid service Lincolnshire ..The most exciting event in Slovenia last week was when... Read More
In response to Douglas Bower's article; Logic Class 101 Applied... Read More
The paper industry in the US is hurting. Due to... Read More
California Attorneys and politicians are to blame for the energy... Read More
Non-lethal Goo Concepts have been tossed around by many war... Read More
The idea is to have all the important items with... Read More
The use of religion is well-documented as a social engineering... Read More
Much of our personal and cultural perspective on the world... Read More
Airlines do not allow cell phones on board, but they... Read More
Ethanol is a great way to produce fuel, great fuel... Read More
Farmers will eventually be facing federal regulations involving air emissions... Read More
SYNOD OF DRUM CEATT (494 - 5):It is interesting to... Read More
Corporate America has been shaken recently by lawsuits and criminal... Read More
30 years ago, California, later followed by other states, decided... Read More
There is something egregiously wrong about a government that will... Read More
When organising a country or a group of people in... Read More
Entrepreneurs can clean up the environment if we would let... Read More
With respect to the States' databases, you may not locate... Read More
Presently Universities and Private Enterprise are working to build more... Read More
Guides for RetailersThe regulations about marketing pearls are listed in... Read More
Indian and Pakistan and nuclear war. What does the world... Read More
The Palestinian Fatah Movement is doing whatever it can to... Read More
Why is it that every single thing government does; it... Read More
"The Jesuit priest John H. Surratt, proven to be the... Read More
Sizing up North Korea is important for a war there.... Read More
Political |