Isn't the major problem in our world the "abuse of authority"?

Question

From the High and Mighty that think they are too important to talk to regular citizens?
To over-worked mail-readers that throw our concerns in the trash? And leave citizens
in a bind and out on the street? Don't you think we need to confront this type of abuse?
If you don't, you will when you are injured by it!

Anthony Silva
Citizens for Ethics
Evansville, IN

Answer 1

I feel its not the abuse of power but the apathy of the masses in not tolerating these abuses. Were they to stand up and be heard then maybe the next guy to think about the abuse of power would think again.

Answer 2

Well, I think ignorance is a big problem too. Abuse of authority I wouldn't think of putting at the top.

Answer 3

In many cases abuse is literally leaving people out on the street. Look at the spiraling numbers of homeless people in the supposedly wealthy North America! You say "when you are injured by it"? That "when" is now because these things effect all of our lives by the general climate it creates in a society and it is effecting the cultures of the glove very very much these days. Nothing is an island on our increasingly small globe and the trickle down effect is momentous. It starts at at the top and trickles allllll the way down.

When I grew up there was a "joke" that went:

Boss bites the man.
Man bites the wife.
Wife bites the kid.
Kid bites the little kid.
Little kid bites the dog.
Dog bites the cat.

Sadly we live in an overly-materialistic society that has become obsessed with everything but courtesy and compassion. The goal is what counts, not the method of obtaining it. Remember when people played sports for fun and winning was a plus? People have forgotten that the journey is what we learn from more than the final goal. Everyone is thinking about themselves first and I put many parents into this category for not instilling proper values into their young. That is where it begins. Teach our children well and we are making a small start.

In the Muslim world, so many put themselves first and forget about their brothers and sisters. They kill to push forth their own agenda regardless of the cost of lives to anyone, including other Muslims. In the Western world everyone is struggling to survive and get ahead. To do so, the cost is often to step on whoever or whatever they must to reach their goals. Our governments and "spiritual leaders", too, kill for their agenda, and we all agree, killing is the ultimate abuse of authority. War and death, the ultimate abuse, soon follow as we see today.

It starts with the example set by our governments. The greatest abuse of authority comes from the almighty "elite" who consider themselves above the rest of us. We all know who these politicians are in America. Some of them are in the news daily, some of the deadliest are invisible. Don't blame just one party, this sickness is equal in 99% of all politicians. If we don't know who these people are, for shame! Not being educated .. or apathetic... only encourages these people and, like the proverbial camel in the tent, they take over more and more. I could go into more detail as to where and who these people are, but I am not awake yet and this is not a political platform.

Sadly, the pressures of our governments have created a tense climate around the globe in which ordinary folk are finding it a challenge to survive in very dark times. The pressures from above trickles down to their daily lives. In fact, it often costs lives, the lives of the innocent and the not so innocent. What has happened in other cultures at other times as the "chosen ones" take more and more power from the common man is happening again. It is a sad old story that recurs all too often throughout our spotty history.

At this time the people of North America, all, not just the US, are being severely abused in terms of their rights to speak out, their rights to life without war. It is not all that much different than in the countries they are taught to castigate! Every government has the same agenda despite the ideology it purports to support. This is a global movement, not a provincial one. I do not think the situation will improve unless everyone learns to speak out and does it sooner than later!

How do we confront such abuse? Standing up for oneself is the only alternative and we are limited as to whom we can stand up by the legal systems in place in our various countries. These systems are put in place by the "elite" of course to protect themselves and their investments. Protest in some places leads to death, in others to imprisonment or constant observation of some sort. Few are the countries that allow even limited protest or confrontation unless it pushes some political agenda. Look at the bloody messes that occur whenever the World Trade Organization convenes to solidify their abusive agenda! People go to confront abuse and things get ugly. Again, another ultimate abuse, freedom of speech.

All we can do is take care of ourselves and those around us who are too infirm to stand up for themselves. I have found, personally, when I am faced by some type of abuse or negligence, I go to as close to source as possible and state my case with calm thorough courtesy. If I am not satisfied I attempt to move up the chain of command until I find satisfaction. Sometimes it works, sometimes I am stymied at the outset. Again it depends upon the situation.

But all in all, these are dark times in a godless world that encourages its citizens to war over God and man-made ideologies. It is a daunting task, Mr. Silva, but all we can do is our personal best. Confront it when we find it. Make sure we live by the values we are espousing.

I believe these efforts are not wasted. If we do not speak out somehow we are being apathetic and we all know what can happen to an apathetic people. Remember Germany in the days before WW2? It is happening again around the globe on a much larger scale today. We must be diligent and do our best to counteract such things.

And stay calm, always calm, when dealing with these creatures. But if we do not speak up, if we do not do our best, we are passively allowing the worst abuse of all. The theft of our humanity.