working the system, aren't you?

so here's the problem - everyone is political, they all have their opinions... and the odds are, you're all doing the same thing.

first, let's look at big business.  what assholes.
big business works the system, they spend money making sure their pockets are lined with politicians and judges that rule in their favor.  they make arguments about how their failure will impact the whole country, and they get bailouts then don't pay taxes on epic income levels.

second, let's look at the little people, the poor, the people who are just getting by.  what losers.
a lot of the little people work the system as well, they want programs, so they vote for government that gives them benefits and social systems and lowers any taxes they may have paid as well.

let's take it further...

in mid-2013 the world watched as George Zimmerman was acquitted of murder for his shooting young Trayvon Martin because a law had been passed saying anyone who felt threatened could lethally defend themselves... but no one noticed that this was far from the only case where 'stand your ground' was the defense.  a widely overlooked reality is that two drug dealers with past felony conviction and prison time got in a shootout, one killed the other, and the one who survived said he was threatened, and got only a slap on the wrist for being a 'felon in possession of a firearm'.

so we have politics and law and finance all listed above, and all being taken advantage of.

what is the solution?  is there one?

some would argue that government should be more involved... of course, more government means more political corruption and more taxes.  less government means more freedom... of course that means more freedom for people to screw each other over.

you have to do what you can do, right?  so you have to help yourself - and if the system let's you get a free phone or healthcare or let you expense a horse for your wife or line up a country club membership to use regularly and write off against your income, that makes sense, right?

here's the thing, you're reading this, and your'e forming an opinion that fits YOU.

you are thinking about how YOU need to keep your business going, so YOU need that law passed that makes it easier for you to do business.  you are thinking about how YOU need a cell phone for free so that YOU can keep your life moving.

no one is thinking about the bigger picture.

i have many friends, all good people, all charitable.  many would be OFFENDED at the idea of me telling them they are doing something wrong, unethical, or immoral.  at the same time, all over the world, the Roman Catholic church operates parishes, and many of them have schools... and those schools are supported by the money each person gives in tuition and to their parish.

the problem is that i know a lot of people who don't send their kids to the school for the parish their home is in, they send their kids to the school at a wealthier parish.  they attend church at a wealthier parish - and they make the excuse about how the school is better, and how their kids deserve the best.

the truth is that Catholic schools are cheap when compares to private schools, and they won't turn anyone away.  so... my upstanding friends are working the system.  they are working the system just as much as someone who abuses welfare or hires a lobbyist to twist laws in their favor.

some of those friends are lawyers... they will comment to me about dirty politicians, they will go to church, they will scoff and those who abuse welfare... and then they take cases that abuse laws and get them 1/3 of massive settlements.

the truth is that while those laws were created to keep people from abusing each other, the same laws are being used to abuse the system.  while the poor scream 'no one needs to make millions a year as a CEO!', the insurance companies scream 'no one needs to get millions from a car accident!'.  and the lawyers make money coming and going... they are working the system just as much as anyone else.

we have those who take phones and money and EBT cards from the government, spending other people's money on their needs, weakening the system.  we have business leaders who put earnings in their own pockets instead of their employees or taxes, weakening the system.  we have killers who abuse laws meant to allow people to defend themselves, which will lead to people being unable to do so and causing more crime, weakening the system.  we have middle class people who attend the nicer parish with their time and their money, leaving the other parishes they are supposed to attend weaker, and thus weakening the system.  we have lawyers who fight daily for the little man, but push for big payouts, lining their pockets with their portion, giving less to the little man, and taking large payouts from defendants and insurance companies, weakening the system.

and, these are just the examples.

and each of those will make excuses - EPIC REASONS - why they need their loophole.

the poor NEED that healthcare, they can't afford it without the government help!  without it, millions will suffer - think of the big picture!

big businesses NEED those lobbyists to keep laws and contracts in place so their businesses can continue, without it, they can't keep their employees - think of the bigger picture!

people NEED to be able to defend themselves with 'stand your ground', without it, people will spend a fortune defending themselves in court and face prison for simply defending themselves - think of the big picture!

my kids NEED to be able to be at the best schools!  we NEED to be in the best parish!  if they go to the lesser equipped school it could damage their education and limit their lives, and you could be limiting our connection which impact them - think of the big picture!

i NEED to be able to take 1/3 of the winnings in court settlements!  without it my legal business can't fight for the little man - think of the big picture!

so... the poor, big business, the people, the average family, and even the crusader for the the little man, they all have an excuse.  and each of you have formed an opinion on who should get a pass.

the truth is there's a solution for each of these situations...

the poor could fend for themselves, they did it in the past, they banded together, family took care of each other and so on...

big business could live by the rules of business, in that they have to survive on their own and not get bailouts or breaks...

the legal thing - hmm... well, we no longer allow our judges to use common sense, instead they must follow the letter of the law.  on some level this should be obvious, at the same time it's the most complex...

parents could just bite the bullet, live by the same rules that apply to public schools and parks, and teach their kids a great lesson in the process.  in my example, diocese could make rules requiring people to use their own parish, but they fear lower attendance, and they want the kids in Catholic schools instead of the private schools parents would probably opt for...

lawyers.  hmm.  well, this one is an opinion issue.  i'm a fan of tort reform in that punitive damages could be required to go completely to charity, allowing the lawyers to only collect from winnings a billed rate.  assuming their all honest and won't pad their bills...

and really, the worst part of all this is that we're 'fixing' problems with more 'rules' that people will find ways to get around instead of doing what most people know (on some level) to be wrong.

it won't really matter how you feel - you aren't going to stop the poor from taking advantage of handouts to them any more than you'll stop big business.  no one wants to stand up for themselves and face prison for it, and how dare anyone tell a parent that their kids don't deserve the best, right?  and the lawyers, well, we all need them to fend off everything listed above.

and i'm not saying that we shouldn't have loopholes, you will always have 'grey area' in life.

it should be said that i'm not completely innocent in all this, when i go to mass i go to the wrong parish simply because it's much closer than the one i'm supposed to go to... i don't give them any money or send my kids there, but i'm willing to admit that i'm just as bad for it.

but as we go on through life pointing fingers, let's go ahead an all admit that we are all the same shit as the people we disagree with.

Zimmerman trial - right and wrong and remaining calm

i've been watching social media for the last few days, many people are up in arms, and if George Zimmerman killed someone based on his race, he needs to be strung up by the balls.

BUT - how we as a people go about doing that was handled completely wrong.

first, everyone needs to know and accept the 'stand your ground' laws that exist.  you may not agree with them, but they are there, so they are the first issue.

realize that aside from the Zimmerman case, this law has been in effect for some time, and has been abused at length.  even in a basic search of news reports can help you find cases in Florida where convicted drug dealers would get into shoot-outs, and one would kill the other, and the person who survived was only charged with 'felon in possession of a firearm' and not murder - why?  because in Florida, if you can convince a jury that you felt threatened, you can kill someone.

and, since we're all a dramatic people these days, it's not difficult to convince people that you were threatened.

second, while the act of feeling threatened gives you the right to be lethally defensive, it doesn't give you the right to kill someone because they are black.  this is a civil rights violation.

so - how should the government have gone after George Zimmerman while following the laws?  this should have been a civil rights case.  someone should have gotten him on the stand and somehow caused him to use terms that would have labeled Trayvon a hoodie wearing thug - because of his race, and poof... conviction.

sadly, the government didn't handle it properly.  al capone fell because of tax laws, not because he blatantly violated liquor laws.  prosecutors should have thought this out better, they should have thought out the best way to make sure this guy went to jail, but for whatever reason they did not - yet.

we as a people have a choice, we can continue to rant and rally about the loss of this young man, or we can do our best to influence the right cause of action.

remember - people are stupid, but persons are smart.

don't fall victim to hype, think this out, then contact who you need to by the best means and do what you can to make sure the correct process takes place.

if George Zimmerman is guilty of killing Trayvon Martin because he was black in any way, the he needs to be brought up on federal civil rights charges, because in Florida, once there's a fight, you are supposed to 'stand your ground'.

we as a people are again falling victim to pundit led drama, while politicians ramble about the need for justice - but actually do nothing to properly handle this case.  not only is Trayvon a victim here, so are we as we fall prey to spin and drama created by people who are increasing their image and lining their pockets while doing nothing.

let's never forget that a young man was murdered, and how sad we are - but - at the same time, the murder rate for young black men in Chicago is higher than the death rate of our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

over the last few days, i've seen many rallies and protests nationally about this case.  the idea that action is needed may be right - but where are the rallies and protests against the every day murders in Chicago or L.A.?  why aren't these groups organizing against the every day murders which we can't hang on a schlub like George Zimmerman?

before we get too worked up, we need to find out why Obama didn't press his people into filing federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman, and we need to ask ourselves why Al Sharpton isn't in Chicago.