Thoughts Born of Tragedy ...

..."history may judge us to be the real bully if, in the our rush to punish someone, we act in ways contrary to our core beliefs and values as a nation"...

Speaking as one who is closer to the end of life than the beginning, the observation that "those who do not know or understand history, are doomed to repeat it" takes on new relevance for me. Events of the last week have given us all reason to reflect and try to sort out meaningful lessons.

Here are a few observations I believe have meaning for all of us... both privately and in our business affairs:

BULLIES DON'T WIN...

Throughout history the bullies of the world have always lost. Gandhi was right! They may bloody our nose with a sneak attack or a lucky punch but, in the long run, they are always defeated by the forces of good and right. Tyrants down through the ages have had to learn this lesson the hard way. The Hitler's of the world have never prevailed. Neither have predatory corporations or governments.

COALITIONS WORK...SHORT TERM...

Building coalitions are effective to achieve goals...short term. They rarely work long term.

While it is very possible (and desirable) to bring divergent groups together to battle a common foe...that same coalition will decay when the mutual adversary is overcome. Disparate groups will melt away as their own self-interest begins to resurface.

This is as true in business and private organizations as it is in public and world affairs.

BULLIES & TYRANTS DON'T ALWAYS CARRY KNIVES...

Modern bullies wear designer clothing and use computers. They understand the power of politics, sound bites, and photo opportunities. They are masters at using the tools of mass communications to advance sinister goals. Yes...this includes the use of the internet.

They run large corporations, foundations, financial institutions, think-tanks, and hold our highest public offices. They are subtle. They are deceptive. They are dangerous because, like Hitler, they understand the human need for security and order. They understand how to make actions that steal our freedom... appear to be logical and necessary.

They are comfortable and proficient working with hidden agendas which promote their own self-interests. They are practiced at turning dramatic tragic events, or temporary conditions, into building blocks for their own personal financial gain or extensions of their power base.

The antidote against these poisonous souls... is a mechanism for totally free, uncensored, exchange of ideas and thoughts... the internet!

BEWARE OF KNEE-JERK REACTIONS...

Never has careful, measured, thought been more important than now.

When a bully bloodies our nose our first reaction is righteous anger and indignation. This is both normal and right. We should be angry. We should feel indignation.

This same anger and indignation, however, can lead to a rashness of response which plays right into the hands of the forces stacked against us.

If we attack a perceived foe, without indisputable evidence of their guilt and culpability, we have become no better than they.

Indeed, in the eyes of the world, history may judge us to be the real bully if, in the our rush to punish someone, we act in ways contrary to our core beliefs and values as a nation.

The world is watching. We now have the opportunity to prove what a great nation we truly are. It will take patience, great judgement, and a careful measuring of the facts before we act, if we are to be what we have always purported to be... a nation grounded in fairness, freedom, respect for human rights, responsible judgement, and real justice.

Editorial Commentary Written--9/17/2001 ©Copyright 2001-2005 Thom Reece All Rights Reserved

Thom Reece is CEO of Online Marketing Group, a Hawaii based direct response marketing and web development firm. http://www.e-comprofits.com , thom@e-comprofits.com ,

---

UK Elections on the Horizon

With elections on the horizon and Blair looking tired and... Read More

Bushs Election Victory: Ethics, Morality and Religion Defeated War, Economy and Foreign Policy

President George W. Bush has unofficially won his re-election bid... Read More

Look! America Take a Look!

I heard on the news this week how America continues... Read More

Jihad Will Continue

The Jihad against the Western World will continue. It will... Read More

Market Impeders and Market Inefficiencies

Even the most devout proponents of free marketry and hidden... Read More

Plastics In Our Nations Dumps and Landfills

Long Term Environmental Effect of Plastics, Composites and Other Materials... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Falsely Purports Franchise Disclosure is Cost Effective

In a recent report on the status of the Franchising... Read More

The Pilgrims and Beacon Hill Mob

In 1966, Dr. Carroll Quigley, a professor of history at... Read More

Anarchy: Law, Order, and Authority

[Author's Note: Another essay that I wrote on notebook paper... Read More

Howard Deans Big Fat Mouth

"The only time I open my mouth is when I... Read More

Workmens Compensation Lawyers, Lets Raise Minimum Wage; No Lets Not, Say We Did, We Have

The debate to raise minimum wage in California is totally... Read More

Global/Israeli Corruption!

What depth of blind insanity has inflicted itself upon Israel's... Read More

From Democracy to Omniocracy

Clint Eastwood recently plunged into the murky political pond with... Read More

In Defense of the Feds Vs Katrina

I, too, am saddened by the disaster in New Orleans... Read More

Let us Disband The FTC?s Franchising Division

Previously Senator Dick Armey and his staff in 2000 to... Read More

Dealing with Massive Prisoners of War

In the last Gulf War we saw thousands of enemy... Read More

Continuing Change in the Offshore World

The offshore financial centres have been forced in recent years... Read More

Computer Cyber virus attack from hackers

Recently the CIA staged a practice simulation of a cyber... Read More

Environmentalism and Roads in Our Forests

Many environmentalists are against roads through the forest because it... Read More

The Rosicrucian Council of Three

THE ROSICRUCIAN COUNCIL OF THREE:A Thelema/OTO leader who became a... Read More

More Devastating Than a Nuclear Bomb

Despite their signature on the Biological Weapons Convention of 1975,... Read More

Bird Flu may kill you and your family

We have heard a lot about the coming bird flu... Read More

The Truth About Power and Absolute Zero

Societies have always had a problem of what to do... Read More

Another Round of EU-Iran Talks Starts April 10 - Will Iran Be Referred To The UN Security Council?

Iran's objection to ratifying the International Atomic Energy Agency's Additional... Read More

Cracking Down on Cigar Counterfeiters

In the most rewarding new industries, there is often a... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Franchising Website Needs Updating

Many times our government regulatory over embellish problems in the... Read More

Cops Want To Increase Marijuana Punishments?

Leave it to the Columbia City Police Officers Association in... Read More

Fact to Fiction: The Brutal Truth about the Practice of Stoning

"Like humans void of soul or mind, they jeered and... Read More

Double Standards for Regulators?

Elliot Spitzer, recently said he wanted to drive a stake... Read More

California Attorneys and Politicians

California Attorneys and politicians are to blame for the energy... Read More

California Mutual Assistance Program

In years past California Mutual Assistance Program and emergency response... Read More

Is George Bush Two-Faced?

Yes, Bush is two-faced. The two sides of the faces... Read More

The History of Trade and Using it as a Weapon for Peace

The Flow of Trade is a major consideration of civilizations... Read More