The Keys to A Healthy Person and a Nation - Balance and Unburdening - Neither Extreme Capitalism Nor Socialism

Three merchant ships set sail from a foreign land on a long distance journey for home. All three ships have three captains, a full crew and a similar contingency of passengers. All three ships are heavy laden with gold and trade goods belonging to the ship owners and officers. They also carry a large number of crew and passengers and their property.

Midway through their journey, the three were beset by a small storm that separated them by a few leagues. When the storm had passed, all three were within sight of each other and all on course, but were too far apart for mutual assistance should any run into trouble, but trouble was on the way. Riding the tall wind of the storm, they were beset upon by pirates, in sleeker, faster corsairs. Based upon the factors of wind, speed, current and craft, the ships would be over taken by the pirates within a few hours and could not regroup to form a collective defense. Woefully outgunned and under-fitted for defense, the three ships' only hope is to run for it.

As each captain, assessed their situation, each realized that to live another day, to make most use of the wind, they would have to both lighten their loads and balance their ships.

The Captain of Ship 1 decided to start with what he valued the least and ordered all the crew and passengers to push their property overboard. Then, if needed, he would push the property of the owners and officers’ overboard.

The Captain of Ship 2 brought everyone together and explained that God would spare them if they found the unbelievers among them and set them, their families and their property into the life boats and to fend for themselves.

In the third ship, the last Captain took his earnings in gold, called the crew and passengers together, and in view of all dropped his gold overboard and then asked everyone, including the crew, who had more than they needed to survive, to immediately throw theirs overboard. He also indicated that everyone's lives were equally important and that all would make sacrifices proportionate to their capacity to do so. He said that it didn’t matter how the ship became unbalanced, but that they would do what was necessary to balance it without concerning themselves with how it got that way.

So who survived?

Here’s the truth, in any decent, democratic community or nation–the push and pull of politics, the disparity of providence, the ability of those who acquire power and are entrusted with power to accumulate wealth, the ability of the masses to exert their will- will always create imbalances and burdens that will sometimes be too great to bear in times of crisis or are too inequitable. Furthermore, in a civil, moderate, sensible, democratic manner those imbalances and burdens will at times need to be readjusted and lightened. This process must be equitable and must necessarily be borne by those who can do so and done in proportion to their capacity, without anguishing over what caused the crisis in the first place or how the ship of the nation became so dangerously unbalanced or so precariously under siege. More on the history of the three merchant vessels.

© Loren M. Lambert, September 17, 2015.

Why Does Horseshit Smell Like Roses When Vomited From The Right Mouth?

What do the following statements or beliefs all have in common and why does one smell like a fragrant rose?:

The Ayatollah believes that no Christian should ever rule over Iran.

The King of Saudi Arabia believes that no male member outside his family and no female should ever rule over Saudi Arabia.

A Pope, centuries ago said no one but a Catholic should ever rule over Spain.

China's Communist Party has decreed that no one should rule over China who is not a member of their communist party.

A politician stated that John F. Kennedy should not serve as president of the United States because he was a Catholic.

Many US politicians have stated and believed that African-Americans should be enslaved, then not allowed to vote, and then should not be elected to any governmental office.

Presidential candidate Ben Carson says a Muslim should not be President of the United States.

Answer: It's all anti-US-Constitutional horseshit, yet Ben Carson's horseshit smells so nice because it assuages our fears, comports with our biases and reveals our inability to understand that universal principles and immutable rights should be championed, revered and implemented by all people-even us. And I might add- it seems innocuous when stated by a soft-spoken neurosurgeon, whom I was beginning to appreciate for his civil presentation skills and intelligence, and therefore it must be okay. It is, in fact, as vile as the statements uttered by some of our own past leaders and other bigoted leaders worldwide.

Now, a US citizen is well within his or her rights to decide that they would prefer having a “Christian,” as their president because a Christian does in fact believe and exemplify in their life some of the values of Christianity that the voter feels would make that person a better president. It is a totally different matter when an individual is running for president and they reveal by their statements that they do not understand our Constitution, the same Constitution that they will be swearing an oath to follow and uphold.

© Loren M. Lambert September 20, 2015.

Living In The Valleys Of Our Egos

Buddha taught that we must strive to obtain a level of consciousness where ego surrenders and we become fully awake.
Even though thinking of the reward for such an accomplishment is actually antithetical to its attainment, it is this: you cannot suffer when you are not thinking of yourself.

Now, that is the loftiest of peaks that will not be easily conquered, and is not graced when the objective is merely to place your heart’s flag upon it, as a lonely, effete monument of your effort, only to turn your back against it and descend back into the valley of your ego. Yet who can long survive making a home in such a rarified atmosphere?
Loren M. Lambert © Sept. 19, 2015.

Field Justice -- A Green Light to Vigilantism or Police Brutality?

For those who understand people who are governed by the rule of law, justice, equity and due process, you will understand that a person can be both a criminal, even a vile criminal, and also be a victim of police or vigilante brutality. They are not mutually exclusive nor incompatible. Would you have it otherwise?

Is it the responsibility of the police officer to inflict punishment based upon what the officer thinks the alleged suspect has perpetrated?

Likewise, a police officer can be responding to a legitimate criminal event and both act within the scope of his or her authority and at the same time exceed the scope of the requisite police response. Every such situation must be evaluated in isolation in its entirety before it can be determined to fit a pattern or tell us whether we have a rogue cop or a system-wide problem.

© Loren M. Lambert, September 21, 2015

True Faith - An Abiding Belief That All Things Are Possible

An abiding and true faith knows that we are capable of great majesty. We are capable of rising above our greed, our petty need to dominate, and of organizing our societies so that all mankind and living things have a place therein.

Yet this potential, this unbounded capacity, is ironically circumvented by those of alleged faith who have no vision, no foresight and believe that paradise can only be realized in depletion and death.

True faith rejects this misanthropy. True faith, while not without sacrifice, (if it is a sacrifice to do the right thing) holds that all things are possible and within our potential and that paradise will only be realized by those who are willing to champion it here and now.

© Loren M. Lambert, September 11, 2015

Oklahoma–The Musical That Should Be Retired

Disclaimer: this is satire and over the top hyperbole--

yet there is often true sentiment expressed in satire

I got to see “Oklahoma,” at the Hale Theater. They did a great job. The middle dream sequence vocals and dancing were exquisitely beautiful. The leads were supurb. The actress who played Ado Annie could carry the show by herself. The actors had amazing voices and were all talented dancers. The energy was captivating. Yet this play has always bugged me. It should be retired or gussied up a bit, and not just because I have “Oh the cowboy and farmer should be friends,” stuck in my head on repeat. Let me explain why through the use of its iconic song, Oklahoma:

There's never been a better time to start in life-
If you aint’ too dark and you are completely white!
Starting as a farmer with the purchase of a wife-
Soon be livin' in a brand new state!
Brand new state - where there’s nothing to debate!
Gonna bring one dimensional characters,
Jokes for your bias, spite and tormentors,
A few tales of whoring where the cowboys zoom,
Plen'y of meanness, plen'y of room,
Plen'y of room to swing a rope!
Big fat noose its kinda just dope.

OOOOk-lahoma, where the dance and vocals hide the pain,
Where a cowboy’s whore lives next door,
and the stereotypes are really quite inane

OOOOk-lahoma, where a Persian man and a hired hand
are there to be mocked by the cowboy jock,
makin nooses for his petty plan.

We know we belong to the “man” (yo-ho)
And the women we purchase are grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Aye-yip-aye-yo-ee-ay!
We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine, Oklahoma!
Oklahoma KO!

Repeat.

Loren M. Lambert © Sept. 14, 2015

Marines and Workplace Civility-Lessons To Be Learned

Most people don't realize that there is no legally imposed civility code that governs employment, nor legally delineated work schedule.

Generally, bosses and supervisors when interacting with their workforce can engage in yelling, screaming, psychological abuse, cussing, demeaning, belittling, indirect violence against their own equipment, temper tantrums, etc. and can work people to exhaustion so long as it isn't combined with targeting a protected status and so long as safety laws are followed and workers are paid overtime and worker's comp benefits when over worked.

In other words, they can yell at you and call you a dumb person, scream that if you don't pick up the pace you'll be fired and make you work through your breaks and overtime so long as they pay you equal to others doing the same work, abide by minimum wage and over time requirements and don't call you a dumb Mormon (or a dumb Jew, black, Chinese, bitch, faggot, cripple, blind, or old person).

When their bad behavior implicates your protected status, sometimes you have to complain to get legal protection. So get legal advice before you quit!

Although I don't agree with the games that military drill sergeants play by demeaning and yelling at their troops, sometimes such training teaches you an important lesson. You can think, but not say aloud,"This guy is a lunatic, playing a game. I'll stand here passively and look totally interested in their babble. I won't take it personally, and when he is done I'll go about my business no worse for the wear." Sometimes that's the best approach with bad managers. Well, that and start looking for a new job with a decent boss. 

Loren M. Lambert © Sept. 15, 2015.