Do You Feel Lucky?

(and feel free to comment! My older posts are certainly no less relevant to the burning concerns of the day.)

Monday, September 21, 2009

To Those In Any Power

You who occupy the halls of power while flouting the rights and laws you have sworn to uphold are not "above the law" - unless we allow you to be. You are criminals, pure and simple.

Really this principle extends to any, in any position of trust or authority, public or private, who abuse their trust and go against the stated or sworn aims of the entity that installed them. From bad presidents to bad CEOs to bad cops to bad priests: each of these is a betrayer of what they were bound by duty to protect and uphold.

Every organization with any power or trust whatsoever, public or private, has a responsibility to expect some corruption. Every organization has an obligation to be vigilant against it, to have procedures in place for investigation and appropriate steps for removal and punishment if a charge of corruption proves true. But the fault does not belong to the flag, the seal, the institution - the fault is in those who, by their actions, egregiously violate what it stands for.

Let us pledge ourselves to what is good, and support what stands for good. Do not tear down what is good simply because those whose goals are foul find it clever and convenient to seek shelter from justice, and camouflage for their misdeeds, within a position of trust and respect.

You who occupy the halls of power while flouting the rights and laws you have sworn to uphold are not "above the law" - unless we allow you to be. If we cynically damn the institution you pervert, rather than damning you, then yes:

You will get away with it.

No comments: