Rules, Rules and more Rules
PublishedBrownsville Herald May 13, 2007
Most of us are assaulted with rules that tell us we can’t do this or that and warn of the terrible costs for a violation or more frequently just say you can’t do that! There are so many laws specifying what you can’t do and things that you must do just a certain way, that the vast majority of them are forgotten and never enforced or very well remembered and never enforced because it may be inconvenient. There are many reasons for the rule glut but it mostly happened when a highly publicized violation of public order resulted in our rulers rushing to create a new law with their name on it to prevent such a thing from ever happening again. In nearly all such cases there were laws on the books, with another politicians name on them, that the perpetrator was already in violation of. Even worse in nearly all moderate to large commercial organizations not to mention government agencies the same glut of procedures, policies and regulations exist frequently to keep highly paid staff assistants employed or show to some overseer that a particular manager wants to assure that such a problem could never again arise. To most of us, all of this is so well known that we take it for granted until these extraneous rules are used by a ruler to get even with a political foe or support an ally; and here in the Valley, the media have reported numerous instances of just that, over the years of political bosses and compadrissmo favoritism. Like many of you, I grew up in the 1950’s in a rural area and my folks did not have a lot of money. We farmed and worked for wages like every one else I knew. My folks set out a set of rules and expectations as well as some very clear boundaries that were not to be crossed. I knew very well what actions my dad would take if those lines were crossed. In some things I occasionally took a chance and was led to believe that I wasn’t found out but was always apprehensive and knew I was doing wrong. There were really serious things like giving proper respect to authority figures like the police, teachers, the nuns and the priest. Problems or even the thought there might be a problem would certainly result in an unbelievable wrath befalling me.
I grew up knowing the rules, why they were in place and confident that there was always a consequence for unacceptable behavior. I also found that when my behavior was better, there were frequent rewards. I had more freedom to choose classes, I was allowed to play varsity hockey, I could accompany my dad and his friends hunting and fishing like a grown up. In the last few weeks the media has been full of a story about Paris Hilton who violated the law, was convicted and given probation. Subsequently she ignored the law that was for someone else and violated probation. When her probation was revoked and she was sentenced to 45 days in jail she cried foul, that the sentence was too much for such an inconvenient law. When the inevitability of her situation was finally made clear her public self changed to one who understood the seriousness and would voluntarily turn herself in early. This is just a very public symptom of the near anarchy we find in our society today where our young people have been brought up with a view that the rules of our society that can be violated without consequence either because the rule itself is superfluous and not enforced, too inconvenient or quite often the persons in authority chooses not to deal with a difficult situation. The bottom line is that the “rule of law” that is touted as most important to American society has been lost and laws are only followed by the suckers and then only when it is convenient. It is far better not to have a law at all then to have one and not enforce its intent. If it is a bad law, revoke it legally as ignoring it will make the framework of law unenforceable. It starts with our school system, most frequently by the beginning of middle school; many students routinely skip school and or classes, directly refuse to follow teacher direction in classes they choose to attend (which they may not even be assigned to), refuse to bring previously provided materials to class, refuse to participate in class activities and on….. These anecdotal examples have been reported at a number of schools around the nation as well as here in Brownsville. The poor behavior when reported to administrators frequently is not acted upon, even when an administrator or security is called to report a more serious problem it may not be responded to in a timely manner if at all. I have also been told of cases when appropriate action was taken by the campus administrator, an angry parent who has been inconvenienced or a compadre intimidates a District administrator to overrule the action. The student has now learned that rules are only for the suckers and aren’t for real. The concepts that good behavior and hard work will result in a better future have been replaced with the idea that regardless of whatever you do or don’t do you can buy, cheat or intimidate your way to the same mediocrity as everyone else should have. So not only has the rule of law been sullied but the basis of our nation, capitalism, is in real danger.
Our Congress has also contributed mightily to the decline in the “rule of law” by failing to provide for a reasonable immigration process with enough visa numbers to help fill the jobs created by the growing American economy. This resulted in some manufacturing to move to developing countries earlier in the product cycle than normally expected and millions of jobs being filled by work starved folks from other countries who found the 20 year wait for a legal visa inconvenient and intentionally violated our immigration laws to survive and thrive. They came from countries where the law was only applied to those without influence or enough money just like the U.S. today. The suckers in those same countries who believe in the “rule of law” and properly filed papers, are still there 18 or 20 years later. In the meantime many who failed to respect the laws received amnesty some years ago and are still here. Of more importance these same folks that do not respect our laws attempt to intimidate our legislators with protests and violent promises, to secure their wants. If you want to se our future if e continue down this path just watch the news stories about today’s France. The rule of law must be brought back!