WHAT’S CHANGED:

Dennis comments ♦ December 22, 2015 ♦ 1 Comment

THE SELFISH POWER SHIFT TO THE ADMINISTRATORS AND CORPORATE RULERS AGAINST THE INTERESTS OF SOCIETY

It is exceedingly difficult to function in the modern police state as either an idealist or as a caring human in light of the milieu in which we lawyers have to exist. In fact, presently, it is virtually impossible. Most all of the power in our organized society is with the rulers, who routinely disregard the law, the constitution, common sense and decency, and any consideration for the society as a whole. Instead, we have a bunch of arrogant, paranoid, apocalyptic ignorant rulers, so sure in their ignorance, that they are like the lemmings, self-destructing in their rush to the sea. Our rulers don’t think. They don’t lead. And, more importantly, they don’t care as long as they can have or stay in power. Of course, it is a lot easier if one is stupid or incapable of rational or intelligent thought.
One of the factors causing the mass incarceration in this country is the phenomenon of simulacrum. Not the Socratic notion of a copy, but the idea expressed by Jean Baudrillard in which the simulation or copy becomes the reality. We are bombarded with ideas of justice, which is skewed and distorted. We see the Rambo justice of self-righteous revenge. We see the Dirty Harry pragmatic and violent justice, we see offenders, portrayed as dangerous psychopaths being captured, killed and imprisoned. How, this idealization of the criminal does not exist. Most criminals are victims of time and circumstance. They are generally impulsive and don’t think of their actions or consequences. The cold blooded intentional dangerous criminal rarely exists. However, the authorities, in order to gain status and funding have to fictionalize the criminal, making him a dangerous hazard to our society. The new reality of the criminal created by the media is now the criminal. Like the witches of Salem, they are extremely dangerous and need to be eradicated.
This simulated reality, coupled with the apocalyptic view of society has led to the highest incarceration rate in the world with no sign of remission. If we don’t stop the criminals in the commie enemies of yesteryear from Viet Nam, if we don’t stop them there, then we will be stopping them in San Francisco. Thus, if we don’t jail all pot smokers now, they will become addicts and rape our sons, daughters and sheep. With such a view, science, logic and reason are irrelevant.
However, to accommodate such a view, the concept of law as we know it has to be destroyed, which has all but not been accomplished. We don’t have law, we have rule. We don’t have common law. We have Martial law. We don’t have lawyers, we have administrators. We don’t have an intelligent populace; we have a ship of fools. We don’t have an educated population; we have a fearful ignorant mob. Consequently, we can lock up more and more people to the benefit of the corporations and against the interest of the public. The public can be extorted into buying protection from a bunch of bullies in uniforms. And even if we know better, we are inundated with fears of the earth or society ending that we ignore reality. Worse yet, we ignore humanity.
There are excuses like “things have changed since 9-11,” which is absolute rationalization, again based upon perceptions and not real facts. What really did change? Nothing; except a draconian suspension or repeal of Constitutional and Human rights. Suspension of habeas corpus; torture of prisoners; kidnapping in the form of “rendition;” entrenchment of a police state; and hysterical and frightened citizenry; and the stagnation of congress. People that should know better are acquiescing to these changes in the name of “National Security.”
Because of this marketing of fear, there is little or no dissent. Government officials operate with impunity and immunity. Everyone is viewed as a suspect. There is little joy or comradery. All because the People are too nervous, ignorant or scared to use any common sense and identify the real threat, creeping corporatism which used to be called Fascism. No one questioned when the vice president declared martial law under the announcement of calling “continuity of Government.” No one questioned the morality of torture, undefined preventive detention, assassination by drone and other things which I believed only Nazis in Germany did 75 years ago. The nut cases claim that we should be a Christian nation as they act our and react in a demonic fashion.
So, the Neo-Nazis, Fascists and Corporate promotors wrested control by sabotage the legislatures and stacking the judiciary with cowards and pretentious fools. Emphasis in on efficiency and not justice. Law schools turn out administrators and specialists instead of lawyers.  As police murder us, our institutions and safety valves are destroyed, cheered on by the ignorant and fearful. Hopefully, it isn’t too late to examine and change the situation.