I’m Smarter Than You and Your Institutions Too!

Is there a reason a little old grey haired Caucasian lady cannot enter the Taylor-Zimmerman fray?  I don’t think so.  Hence, my thoughts on the whole mess in this context:  I was not on the jury.  I did not watch the trial.  I have not reviewed the evidence or listened to the jurors “Monday Morning Quarterback” themselves, which if nothing else is truly bizarre.  There are some issues that for me merit additional thought, however.

We have reached an interesting time in our nation when a ½ Peruvian man shoots a Black boy and the issue is perceived as racial and the verdict is perceived as racial.  The message is if I see it as racial then by definition it is racial.  I am smarter than the prosecuting and defense attorneys, not to mention the jurors.

We have reached an interesting time in our nation when the trial and jury system established by our founding fathers is consistently questioned by folks who did not participate in the process.  I am concerned about the message sent by those not there who now attack a verdict.  Have we lost all confidence in the American judicial system?  Is each one of us smarter than our 200 year old process?  The message is I am smarter than our judicial system.

We have reached an interesting time in our nation when a man can arm himself and walk his neighborhood, playing protector.  What are we thinking?  A non-trained civilian, armed, walking a neighborhood, looking for trouble is a good thing?  Worse, when the police advise this man what to do he ignores that advice.  Scares the bejeezus out of me.  The message is I am not only smarter than law enforcement; I am smarter than any expert in any field.

I have lamented the observation that everyone is now an expert on public education.  It appears that this lament was far too narrow in scope.  We must now recognize that everyone is a racial expert, a jury trial expert, a law enforcement expert.  Each of us is smarter than you and the institutions you support. 

If I believe that, if I believe that somehow my opinions equal knowledge and expertise, then all our institutions are in jeopardy, not just public education.  Frankly, when it comes to public education I truly do know more than non-educators, I am smarter, my opinion is based on training and expertise.  When it comes to other institutional issues, I may have opinions, but have no real expertise.  My opinion does not count in these areas.  Protesting the outcomes of an American institution bothers me deeply.

Have we all become so smart that we do not recognize there are things we do not know?  I do not know what I do not know, but I know that there are many things I do not know.  When I find those areas I am the student, not the master. 

Bottom line for me in the Zimmerman case is the post verdict verdict:  All of us are smarter than all of us including those with expertise.  I am smarter than you and your institutions.  My opinion by definition is right.

Yet, I recognize all of the above is just my opinion and my observations.  Those should not be the basis for decision making, but perhaps the basis for reflection.  That is my goal.

I am not right just because I think this way. 

Scary, scary times.

The 237th 4th

Ah, the 4^th of July:  Flags, BBQ, parades, fireworks, apple pie and homemade ice cream.  I have seen many celebrations in my life, and have secretly celebrated the revolution of 1776 in other ways.  Usually with the following thoughts regarding our philosophical history:

Thomas Jefferson was way out there in 1776.  He wrote on behalf of the Continental Congress a list of unresolved grievances against the King of England, grievances so heinous as to justify a declaration of independence from the British Crown and the de facto declaration of war against England.  Jefferson was operating from a paradigm, a way of thinking, a view of the world that was unique, was radical, was without precedent.  Governments prior to ours were justified by right of birth or by might, never justified by those who were governed.  Assuming people could rule themselves was the most liberal thought of the day.  Others had theoretically argued this from Plato to John Locke, but only here did representatives of those 13 states place their names on a declaration with the commitment of their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.  What was this philosophy that moved men of means to commit so thoroughly when they had little chance for a successful revolution?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Wow.  All men created equal.  All men at birth have rights.  Those rights include life, they include liberty, and they include the pursuit of happiness.  Really?  Radical.  Liberal.  Far out.  No conservative supported these notions as they were blasphemy to the prevailing notions that there was noble blood, that those born to the nobility were obligated to rule, mostly as tyrants, that those born to humble folk owed their loyalty and labor to the King, had no rights to property or profit, and the only rights they had were given by the King.  The state ruled as it always had, by birth right.  Should a state be conquered by another state, then a new inherited royal family would be established.  That is the way it was.  Birth was a political and economic life sentence.  Into this world and this context, these men said, “No!  All men are equal.”  Clearly from the majority point of view they were wrong!  All men have rights at birth!  Balderdash!  Those rights include their own lives, (Poppycock!) and their own liberty to map their own lives to pursue their own ends.  Blasphemy!  That no state should intervene in these rights but should protect them.  Birth should not determine futures.  What a philosophical stand.  This turned the historic international notion of power and rights upside down.  It meant that one did not receive rights from an earthly monarch born to rule, but one inherently had rights at birth, including the right to self government and the overthrow of earthly monarchs.

I believe it is hard for us to understand how radical this philosophy was at the time.  Yes, the language was sexist and at the time these men were thinking “men” and thinking Anglo Saxon men.  I forgive them contextually.  The history of our nation founded on these principles has been the history of exercising protection for the rights of our citizens earned at birth, whether they are in the majority or minority, whether they are male or female, whether they believe as I do or not, we practice freedom here and support the rights of our citizens.

We forget that.  We forget that when some argue that their view of the world is the “right” view and it merits suppressing the views of others and trampling on the rights of others.  We forget that when some argue that their view of the world is the “right” view and it merits securing economic safety for the wealthiest while resenting providing life support to the poorest.  We forget that when some argue that providing education to all children is not the right thing to do and that some children deserve better education than others.  The Founding Fathers were willing to sacrifice their entire fortunes and their lives for the philosophy of the equality of the rights of all.  We have a hard time paying a few more taxes.

On this Independence Day I fear we have drifted from our founding notions to a nation of wannabe aristocrats who do not believe in equality at all, much less equality earned at birth.  Jefferson would be sad and mad. 

Today, I celebrate the radical form of government we enjoy, a form of government based on the most absurd assumption that all people have rights at birth and should govern themselves.  I celebrate that I will protect the rights of those I totally disagree with, who are different from me in beliefs, DNA and sexual preference.  I believe that is the essence of the formation of the government of the United States of America.  This form of government does not yet exist in the Middle East, or in North Korea, or in China, or in many other states.  Few people in those nations may safely stand and advocate such a government.  It is too radical.  And, it would not likely be successful without a liberal education of the people within those nations.  We must be ever diligent against the forces in this nation who would undermine the equal rights of our citizens as determined by characteristics at birth.  That is our philosophical heritage confirmed by the blood and valor of generations of our forefathers and foremothers.  For those who know this and remain willing to support these rights, join me in the celebration!

Happy 4^th of July, 2013!