Arrested Development

Students of humanity have observed a pattern that at least as far back as recorded history repeats itself unerringly even to the present day. Civilizations pass through generations of strife, internecine struggles for power and control, divisions and the rise of authoritarians ultimately displaced by revolution--violent or otherwise followed by periods of growth, intellectual and technological development and the emergence of rule and law for the common good. And they have also witnessed the eventual decline of such civilizations hundreds of years further into their development. At some point societies devolve --never reaching a more durable enlightenment and the differences that divide us emerge once again to begin the repetition; a period of arrested development, violence, division and extremism.

There are many who believe that we are in such an interval today--and that we have been moving in this direction steadily since the end of the last great world conflict. Whether you subscribe to this belief or not, it is apparent that those in our country --and some other powerful nations who hold positions of enormous power and responsibility seem less and less to be acting in the interest of those they ostensibly serve but rather in their own petty, and morally bankrupt ways. This is more than a desire for power and wealth--in fact it is disproportionately those who possess both that greedily strive to obtain more.

We hear and witness every day an unceasing whining, an airing of personal grievances from those who sit in the seats of power. Not words or actions intended to lift us up, to point us in a morally clear and affirming direction, not words or actions that heal and enjoin us to embrace our humanity but those that debase, denigrate, demonize and divide. If there is a plan behind all this it is plainly one that leads only to subjugation, the loss of freedoms and individuality, that seeks to lead through intimidation, through defiance of the rules of law and governance crafted so many years ago in fearful anticipation of just such a moment. Our forefathers were students of history, they gave witness to those great and ancient civilizations that came to ruin for the same reasons we now encounter.

And where are we in all this? Who of us hearing our children behave in such manner, spewing anger, hatred for the weak, the poor, the stranger in our lands--engaging in playground bullying and cowardly evasion, lifting up a lord of the flies bereft of any moral compass, would not intercede? Who of us would tolerate for a moment what we can recognize as the actions of sociopaths in the making absent parental guidance. But it continues, day in an out--the whining self justifications, the appeal to hatred, the denigration of any and all who might disagree. The license with which our would-be leaders speak these words, air their basest thoughts and reveal their psychosis is unabated.

Silence is acquiescence. Our failure to call out this behavior for what it is, to make plain that it is intolerable is complicity itself. No one is deserving of our respect or obedience by dint of position but only by the example they live each day. We know what we are seeing --we know that this behavior reflects the worst of human attributes--and no excuses can justify acceptance. If we remain on the sidelines, afraid to speak out, unwilling to resist the decline of our nation we will fulfill the predictions of history, a society that brought ruin upon itself, a civilization in arrest, unable and unwilling to achieve a lasting peace, a respect and tolerance of one another than transcends race, gender, country of birth or any other difference, and a willingness to sacrifice all to uphold the rights and freedoms of all men and women everywhere.

No religion, moral code or rule of law at any time in human history has countenanced such behavior. Whatever faith or philosophy we hold true, they all speak against what we witness today. Perverting those beliefs out of fear, rationalization of some 'greater good' or even more vile, out of self interest, makes plain where one stands --there is no middle ground, no facade behind which one can stand above the fray. Speak now, speak with courage call this behavior what it is or stand with those who stood by and did nothing but watch the sands of time wash away yet another chance to escape a pitiful destiny.