How is it possible to defend criminal behavior in a first world country like ours? I was engaged in conversation with a friend who spoke of her inner struggle to answer that question. She defended criminal behavior in our major cities by trying to understand the criminals’ minds. Hasn’t our government tried empathy, programs, understanding, free housing, free food, free money, and education (and more) for over 50 years? Has it worked in your state?
I listened calmly, as my friend described how “success” in these individuals’ minds is defined. “The road to “success” is stealing, then selling the goods to others for a profit. After that, she carefully explained, the neighborhood “crime boss” gives approval. The measure of “success” is stealing without consequences, making a profit, and gaining the kudos of the “boss.” She seemed empathetic, trying to reconcile the fact that we live in two different worlds. It’s as though the rioters and looters deserve all of our attention, efforts, and compassion because my friend contends that “they are born in these circumstances.” She believes that law-abiding citizens need to care more. If we did, supposedly, the problem will be solved.
(If caring alone could solve the problem, why are we still having major crime, rioting, and looting issues after years of government programs, compassion, etc.)?
So, I said to her that the criminal behavior she described is a choice. Not everyone in the inner city loots. Not everyone grows up to be a drug addict just because it’s a way of life in the community. I remarked, “What you have just described is a “church “of sorts. The value taught at this “church” is approval through theft and profit. The “god” is the neighborhood “boss.” “Worship” is in the form of looting and rioting to bring honor to oneself instead of the Creator.” I went on to explain that we all have a choice. Not everyone living in poverty steals. Some wealthy people steal, too. It’s a choice, not a given.
Our Founders referred to “The Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” in the Declaration of Independence. Those laws are inborn. We know what to do. When we don’t do it, we violate the laws of nature and nature’s God. Looting, like any sin, is fun for the moment. If you can loot and riot without consequences and get approval, you keep on doing it. This is what we are seeing in our cities today- crime with no consequences and hamstringing any authority that would call such behavior into account.
Forcing law-abiding citizens to surrender their property to “cure” the problem won’t help. It presents unintended consequences. Defunding the police and giving mega millions to government programs won’t make the needed change. If it could, surely it would have done so in the past three generations.
Understanding and defending criminal behavior won’t help. Changing hearts could make all the difference. Have you ever tried to change someone’s heart? It’s a supernatural act of Providence when any person changes their heart toward you or anyone else. Maybe we need to reinforce the laws of nature and Nature’s God that we were born with, e.g., knowing right from wrong. We know what to do. Some of us choose not to do it. Bad things happen when we defy the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.
Why not support healthy respect for God and country, accountability for one’s actions and values in line with the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God? What would our country look like if we did? Cheating, theft, lying, murder, replaced by a healthy respect for authority and property. Educational standards requiring an honest study of an actual body of knowledge rather than a need for safe spaces. Instead of propaganda, injustice, and failed ideologies of the past, what about truth, justice, and the American way of rugged individualism, self-discipline, and hard work? Are we too far gone at this point? Some think so. I believe that many citizens still believe in the American way. While there will always be poverty among us, self-worth and dignity are available to all who choose it.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship ??
