Personal - #501 - #19 - What price do you want to pay for “Telling it like it really is?”

Many people are afraid for one reason or another to “Tell it like it is!” Some of the reasons are obvious …. Politics, Media response, Social isolation, etc . But how do you make a change?

Suppose the Author was made the new Chief of Police. What should he tell his officers? If the choice of Police Chief was made as an appointment, who would he be responsible to … the Mayor who was elected, or the Police Commission which was appointed? Where do the people fit in? In the votes for the Mayor? In the Media’s acceptance (and hence the acceptance of the general public) of Police Commission? What about the acceptance of the policeman themselves?
What’s the price to be paid?

If the Chief is beholden to the Mayor, will the Mayor’s goals be the overriding goals of the Chief’s department. If the Chief is beholden to the Public and the Media, will the Chief instruct his employees accordingly? What about the policeman, the employees?
Can you make a Policeman work? Suppose he “just puts in his time”? Can you tell him how many violations he must report in a given time. Is that a “quota system”? Suppose he just responds to the radioed instructions from his office? He ignores other possible violations or he “safely” responds to a call? Who does he really work for? ….The Mayor, the Public and the Media, or the Chief?

What would happen if these facts were publicly stated? What price would the spokesman pay.
In the case of the Mayor, it would be votes.
In the case of the General Public and/or the stance of the Media, it would depend on which Public, which Media!
In the case of the Policeman, would it be the Chief, or his staff, or the Policeman on the front lines that would face the wrath of the others?

Who is willing to “pay the price for saying for what has to be said”?

Can there be any meaningful enforcement of anything without a specific course of action to do the “enforcing”. Can the people who do the “enforcing” act properly without precise instructions.
If you are in a predominately “Green” area, and your statistics and experience says that “Greens” in the age group of 15 to 28 years old, mostly male, make up 70% of the criminal activity in this area, are you “discriminating” or “profiling” when you stop and question a “Green” that seems to be acting in a suspicious manner? Is a “suspicious manner” open to interpretation or do we assign this option to the experienced men who do the actual enforcement?

What exactly do we want?
Who’s willing to “tell it like it is!”
Nobody likes to be told he’s wrong! Nobody!

But there are at least two reactions.
One is normal anger followed by a logical explanation.
The other is an irrational outburst of anger, disrespect, and sometimes violence.
If your job description were to “enforce” the law, would you act the same way to both reactions? Are there specific rules for every case?
If you might be attacked either physically or legally would you get involved or “just put in your time” …. (not get involved in the first place!)

Yeah!.. but what about the majority of the people that depend on a quiet, legal environment for their existence and enjoyment? … little violence, no “shots fired”, no robbery or worse….. Just a little peace and security!!
“Who”, exactly “Who” makes the rules?
“Who” makes the rules clear and understandable? …(not legal or politically correct jargon … vague generalities!)

Are we doomed to an ever decreasing standard of living because there’s no one “willing to pay the price for telling it like it is!” Just ask selected retirees that have little or no “price to pay” what the real story should be.

If the politicians take over or the loud vociferous activists become a so-called majority, we’ll have no change. It will be just the same old decreasing standards.

Not a very pretty picture?

This is just an example of “Who’s willing to pay the price?”

The example of the corporate hearings, the defenses, the courtrooms and their lawyers and the role GAAP ( the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) are more examples of “Who’s willing to tell it like it is?” ….”Who’s willing to pay the price?”

How about the Iraq controversy?
How about the election of judges to existing vacancies?
How about the “pork” in the National Budget?
Etc., etc.

There are so many public situations that could be improved if only someone was willing “To tell it like it is!” … nice and clear and understandable …. No legal jargon, no politically correct speak!!

Is it possible that those that might speak fear that the “general public” would react badly? ….

“What’s the successful alternative?”