Our national policies are naive, illogical and create the exact opposite effect of what was supposed to be achieved. It is happening in our school, judicial, and political systems. Instead of raising the standards of proper behavior, our leaders are lowering our expectations and standards and therefore, more negative behavior and values have become acceptable.
Our traditional biblical standards are being replaced by what was once sinful. Lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, carjacking, kidnapping, killing unborn babies, beating police officers, squatting in homes have all become prevalent. Taking advantage of the defenseless is glorified in Hollywood, the media, politics, and business on both the national and local levels. Practically, our entire culture is honoring anyone who “gets over” on others and blames them for being naïve or just plain stupid.
The abusers of power or the exploiters of the unsophisticated, if they are successfully ripping off their victims, are honored as a success. The perpetrators are seen as con artists who receive no negative consequences for their underhanded businesses, political, and educational practices.
Our public schools are receiving an exorbitant amount of money for each student attending their so-called educational programs, which is estimated to be around $40,000 per pupil. The effectiveness of the educational programs has declined according to educational testing as compared to other countries.
Our police officers are sitting ducks. Many of these would be gangsters who use their fists and whatever is at hand to beat officers. These vicious physical attacks are often witnessed by citizens who ignore the violence, take videos, or just walk away instead of seeking help. Even if the incident is reported, today’s justice system may release the criminal back into the community with no legal consequences for their crimes. Similarly, judges are not following through on election law crimes by politicians who are not following the laws. Citizens cannot even discuss possible election fraud and illegal practices without the threat of suffering criminal consequences such as jail time for questioning election practices.
Commentators are questioning if we now have a two-tier legal system. The party in power can use many internal agencies such as the justice department, FBI, CIA, the IRS and even the media to convict whoever they want by distorting whatever they supposedly did to appear as a crime.
Even our local school board superintendents are more political operatives than educators. Most school superintendents can justify their new policies by emphasizing the financial effectiveness of these practices and the potential positives. Each new year, the focus is on how much better the educational program is going to be but not on how last year’s program increased the learning of the students.
The increase in school violence, lower test scores and teacher resignations are not closely reviewed. It is interesting that a similar practice happens with politicians responsible for counties, cities, and states and even the presidency of the United States. The discussion is not about their success, but the focus is on what they are going to do. The same political tactics are used in our justice system, our law enforcement, and our elections for high political office. The two-tiered judicial system currently in place favors certain political party affiliates, ethnicities, and other protected groups. Promises of great change in their political organizations are held up as the solution to better results. Yet the same end game brazenly appears.
Criminals continue to attack random citizens and police officers openly with no consequences. The criminal is rarely apprehended and if they were, our permissive, progressive judges would release them on their own recognizance, if they belong to the right groups. This new age justification for releasing criminals is being applied to almost every segment of the population. Some crooked politicians, when caught with solid evidence of outright bribes, are given a slap on the wrist with no jail time, humiliation, or even fines. There is no punishment, only lip service.
The white-collar, prominent leaders and small-time criminals both get off scot-free. They laugh at our pathetic process of meting out punishment all the way to the next fraudulent scheme to steal money and power. Society must reward citizens who have achieved remarkable results while punishing inappropriate and violent ones.
For any operational system to work, the leaders and doers must reward the individuals doing a commendable job and punish or remove those who are not. This approach works in any organization, such as school or government. No positive or negative consequences means there is no clear direction taken, which could end with a positive result.
Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.
