Be a Boulder

In the past week I have read some very unsettling articles about Police Officers and their egregiously high levels of corruption.

First up is this article about events in China. The police have organized and executed "Shame Parades" where they shackle women suspected of prostitution and lead them through the streets for all to see. Not only is this a horrible offense to the human rights of these women, but it once again confirms the belief of many that women should be ashamed of having sex. Where are their Johns? To be fair, some of the cities did publish the names and addresses of the accused sex workers and their clients, but why aren't the Johns also being paraded through street? Have we not heard of Supply & Demand? Besides the inequality with which men and women are treated sexually, it is not likely that these women chose prostitution. Most of these women are probably sex slaves or girls who were abandoned by their families as babies and found no other option for survival.

"Crime" must be committed against someone, no? In the case of prostitution, I can't determine who the victim is meant to be. Unless the prostitute knowingly spreads disease to, abuses, or steals from her John I can't see how's she has made him a victim. Besides, all of those crimes can be prosecuted without any reference to sex. Unless you actually believe that the clients are lured by these evil seductresses into their dens of debauchery and were completely non-complicit in the decision to pay for sex, the only victim is "the state" whose law was broken. That's not good enough for me.

Next I read this article about a Russian man named Aleksei Aleksandrovich Dymovsky who used to be a police officer. He put on his uniform and made two YouTube video appeals to Vladimir Putin which would take over Russia. In his videos he offered proof from inside the Police Force that police are expected to take bribes and constantly make illegal arrests to extort money. The officers are even required to hand over a percentage of their daily collections to a senior department member known as "The Cashier." This wouldn't have to happen if the police officers were actually paid a decent amount of money.

Mr. Putin's response was to denounce Mr. Dymovsky's statements. Of course Mr. Dymovsky was fired and placed in jail, his apartment was searched, and he was sued for slander. Now, this makes no sense to me. Is the Russian government not at all concerned with whether or not its people and the world view it is a corrupt entity incapable of functioning without the bullying of the public by its authorities? Because going to all these extreme measures to punish him and scare the rest of the public basically confirms further everything this man has exposed. Nevertheless, this month, "Mr. Putin’s party...toughened penalties for officers who criticize their superiors. It is being called the 'Dymovsky law.'" WHAT?

Abuse of power is as old as humanity, and yet I cannot accept it as "the way things have to be." Why should we have to accept injustice? And what exactly is to blame? Bad economy? Bad leaders? Bad parents? Besides all this, I think these folks have the wrong idea about the definition of "power." Fire rages and destroys everything in it's path, but it is dependent upon what it eats. Without material to consume, it will inevitably die out. A boulder on the other hand, moves for no one. This is power.

I couldn't begin to tell you what we do to correct the terrible abuses of power around the world. I don't see it ever ending, but I for one will not accept it as my model for power. Be a boulder.