Disillusion of Justice

Very often in society we are quick to agree with the state. Most of us hold a high degree of confidence in the individuals we elect and select for positions of power, thus we tend to agree with the choices and statements made by state officials. This is especially true in the justice system. When a person is arrested most of the general public will assume that this person must be guilty. At times even I have heard it said that even if the person did not commit the crime they were arrested for they must be guilty of other crimes. Recently I have been following the story and progress of The Innocence Project in Dallas, Texas.

The project is using DNA evidence of convicted felons to exonerate them for the crime they did not commit. So far 17 men have been cleared in Dallas. Most of these men were serving life sentences for a crime they did not commit. One of these stories was recently profiled on 60 minutes.

“James Woodard went away in 1981, convicted in the murder of his girlfriend who had been raped and strangled. He was prosecuted by the office of District Attorney Henry Wade. For nearly 30 years, he never gave up writing letters, and filing motions. But no one was willing to grant him a hearing-until now.”

James is a hero. He was offered release form prison on several occasions as his parole hearings took place over his last 8 years in prison. The parole hearings offered him a simple way to get out of jail. Admit to his crime and display remorse for it, and he would be released on parole and become a free man again. He could have walked out of jail a free man, but he refused to admit to a crime he did not commit. After each parole hearing he was sent back to prison. Only now after 28 years in federal prison was The Innocence Project able to use his DNA evidence to fully exonerate James of the crime he did not commit. The other remarkable piece of this story is that The Innocence Project is a nonprofit group of lawyers and law students working in most cases for no fee what so ever. These wrongly accused men have no means to pay for legal services.

While the trust in our legal system is vital to our own well being and acceptance of the laws we created, it is important to remember that we cannot possibly always be correct when accusing or prosecuting individuals of crimes. This is the most powerful argument vs. capital punishment. When the state executes a person for a crime they did not commit it is simply murder. State sponsored murder. And while at times we may feel as though the most heinous of crimes should be matched with the full force of our legal system and execution, it is inevitable that the innocent will be killed during this process. And that is a crime against humanity.

About a year ago my father was arrested for fraud. The story made the front page of our local news papers and tarnished his reputation within the community and among his friends. I knew in my heart that my father was not guilty of this crime, but it was of little importance to my acquaintances and those I worked with. Most assumed that if the police had arrested him, they must have had a good reason. While many were cautious in approaching me about this subject many expressed their support for both me and my father. It was a difficult time for our family and while I told my father on several occasions that he was innocent and therefore justice would come to pass. It was of little condolence when his lawyers were telling him that he would need to spend approximately $150’000 to defend himself and that was just to begin the defense process.

Yesterday morning the court dropped all charges and the case was thrown out based on a lack of evidence and some illegal integration techniques that would make most tyrants and military justice systems seem liberal. After all was said and done, the peel regional police had spent several million tax payer dollars to perform a modern day witch hunt that took place over several years. Many millions of tax payer dollars were spent to investigate the possibility of misallocated government funds. In the end, there was no evidence of any fraud. It was also interesting to learn that some of the “police” involved in the investigation have since been suspended or terminated for abuse of power among other things. Interesting that this side of the story is not printed on any local news paper front pages. In fact the news papers have yet to report on the final stage of the story they were so eager to print on the cover of the paper. I imagine that when they finally do print this side of the story it will be a small box on page 14. I will continue to monitor the media coverage or lack there of and convey that information here, since it will likely not be covered any place else. I should mention that the story has been printed on some local web sites.

http://www.mississauganews.com/article/14032

It is a cautionary tale of simply not jumping to conclusions and also to remember that the law enforcement system is flawed in a number of ways, and while we claim that anyone accused of a crime is innocent until proven guilty, it is often not a philosophy that we all adhere to.

“Justice belongs to those who claim it, but let the claimant beware lest he create new injustice by his claim and thus set the bloody pendulum of revenge into its inexorable motion”
Frank Herbert

Blind Fanatical Religous Faith

One should be able to study and believe in any historical or fictional account of the universe. Those beliefs and faith do not affect my life and do not disrupt the lives of good hard working people throughout the world. At times the use of religious faith can be twisted to create the illusion of a holy war. This battle rages on between fringe factions of Islam and Western Civilization currently in our lives and is important to address. Unfortunately it is currently being addressed in an overly violent method that ironically leads to breeding increased hatred and malice towards the Western world. Clearly when religion is used as a catalyst for increased violence and terror, the initial intention of that faith has been jaded and tarnished by those who would decide to wield power for themselves.

In light of these various challenges and complications it seems that a religion founded on the sheer premises of making money would be of minor concern at this time, however the core issue is not that the philosophy of these two forces is conflicting, rather the blind and unquestioning faith itself is the true danger. And so as I continue to study this effect on mass populations I have come across something quite disturbing as an example of the use of various Machiavellian mental control techniques, fear and the promises of spiritual salvation. This example is the corporation and conglomerate known as Scientology. What is Scientology is a question I imagine many have pondered, but never actually investigated or had reason to research. Oddly enough the media has not provided journalism at the main stream level to inform the public about what Scientology is. There have been several investigative journalists who have attempted to provide this subject the due diligence it deserves. Richard Behar, a writer for Time magazine, wrote an exposing article in the May 6th, 1991 Time magazine entitled: Scientology: The Cult of Greed. It should be noted that for his investigation and article, both Richard Behar and Time Warner Inc. were attacked by Scientology on several legal and personal fronts.

"For the TIME story, at least 10 attorneys and six private detectives were unleashed by Scientology and its followers in an effort to threaten, harass and discredit me."
Richard Behar - Time Magazine - May 1991
http://www.xenu.net/archive/media/time910605.html

"New York --- Time Inc. and another unit of AOL Time Warner Inc. have persuaded a federal appeals panel to uphold the dismissal of a libel suit brought by the Church of Scientology International. The lawsuit stemmed from a 1991 cover story in Time magazine titled ''Scientology: The Cult of Greed,'' which called Scientology ''a ruthless global scam.'' The 7,500-word story by journalist Richard Behar said the church survives by ''intimidating members and critics in a Mafia-like manner,'' and called Scientology a ''ruthless . . . terroristic'' cult. The church sued Behar, Time and Time Warner for libel, claiming that these and other statements were defamatory. "

This is how they fight the media attention and any critics of their cult scam. It is a practice that the founder of Scientology, L.Ron Hubbard put into place in order to continue his cash scam and silence those who discovered the entire operation is a fraud and sought to inform the public. Interestingly enough L.Ron Hubbard was a dubious figure of false claims of success and even more questionable scientific and academic stature. His "work" in the pseudo science of Dianetics was heavily criticized when he attempted to publish it in 1949 touting it as a "self improvement technique". Veteran author Jack Williamson described Dianetics as "a lunatic revision of Freudian psychology" that "had the look of a wonderfully rewarding scam." In September 1950, The New York Times published a cautionary statement on the topic by the American Psychological Association that read in part, "the association calls attention to the fact that these claims are not supported by empirical evidence," Over time R.L.H choose to change the definition of Dianetics to become a religion, in order to benefit from tax exemption status as well as give his scam a more creditable marketing and packaging strategy. While most of this information is available on the web, somehow the cult of Scientology has managed to thrive into a powerful conglomerate of various corporations and front businesses, on an international scale. All based on a man who wrote a book with no scientific evidence, no educational accreditation, and no research or published findings. As I further researched and found testimonials of people who had left the cult after many years of extortion and exploitation, it was clear there was more to it then I had first suspected. In fact what L.R.H had done was perfected a form of self hypnosis that would create a feeling of euphoria for those who followed the techniques. It was a fairly simple trick that had a powerfully profound effect on individuals who were searching for some kind of spiritual salvation. It was set up in a way to continue to extort money from those who wanted to continue the path to salvation. It would cost a person several thousand to begin the courses, and upwards of hundreds of thousands of dollars to reach the higher levels.


All with the promises of actually becoming a higher being, a super human with incredible mental powers and abilities! So much so that the cult claims to have found a cure for most sickness and metal health ailments from radiation sickness to simple colds and headaches. A claim that if was true would have been extensively researched by both the medical profession and the military. Both of these entities have investigated and found no merit in any of the material. And yet, the cult still exists and thrives today, more powerful then ever due to its highly profitable business.

As you look further into the teachings, and life of L.R.H, it is difficult not to become entertained by the sheer lunacy of his work. It seems as though later on in his life he became unable to distinguish between his science fiction work, and his alleged non-fiction. Several ex-cult members have detailed the higher levels of training involved learning about the supposed origin if mankind and of civilization on earth. Not surprisingly this is the point where by the cult denies these claims and in public statements say that these outrageous assertions of aliens and galactic imperials are not part of their so called "religion" It is very clear however that much of L.R.H fictional work, is very similer to the leaked documents and teachings of the cult. To detail the story of mankind’s origin on earth is difficult to do with a straight face. In short, 75 million years ago, an alien overlord named Xenu enslaved humanity and brought them to earth, slaughtered them, stole their souls, forced their souls to watch false images of Jesus and Buddha and then let them roam free on earth, collecting in the minds and bodies of all humans for the last 75 million years. This is why all people have so many problems, sickness, and difficulties going through life. It also accounts for our "false history" involving Jesus and Buddah as well as the reason for all health related issues. He claimed he had found (the only human to do so in 75 million years) the only way to remove these evil spirits from humans. That is the basis of the high level teachings in the cult as well as a call to action to help all of humanity rid themselves of these evil sprits.

One has to question how this has managed to become such a powerful force and recruit so many people into their ranks. Mind control and brain washing through the use of hypnotics were used once by a leader, a man who would use those techniques to cause mass amount of pain and suffering upon the human race. His name was Adolf Hitler. He was a tyrant, and a stain on human history. L.R.H is very similar. He has used a form of hypnosis to control and suppress mass amounts of people, he has attacked all opposition with malice and fervor, and he has used these techniques for personal gain and profit. He named this technique "Fair Game"

It is astonishing that these crimes vs. humanity continue to take place, but LRH fair game strategy has worked well in suppressing critics of his cult. However now, the internet is simply too large to contain, far too powerful to suppress. World wide protests have been planned for May 10th, and I plan on being there to protest. I will fight for this cause not because people believe in Xenu the evil overlord, or because they believe in anything. People have the right to believe in what they choose. I fight because they have used mind control techniques reminiscent of past tyrants and a form of hypnotic mind control that should scare all of us. They have created a false faith on the false promises of spiritual salvation, and gaining super human power and ability. All for a heavy cost as well. The best defense will be the information and knowledge being available to all. The first step to avoid a trap is to know of its existence.


http://www.xenu.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L._Ron_Hubbard
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~dst/Library/Shelf/miller/
http://www.epicanon.com/
http://forums.enturbulation.org/
http://www.anonymoustoronto.org/index.php/Main_Page
http://www.exscientologykids.com/

Trepidation of Stagnation

Fear is the mind killer. That has been something I often use as a strategy for fighting off the primal emotion that is fear. It is something most of us are able to avoid beyond the constant worry about children and loved ones. And while the avoidance of fear is mostly a positive way of approaching life, it can be detrimental to our progress and evolution. When we do not change and grow over time something sleeps within each of us. The sleeper must awaken.

We have become numb to the lack of change and stagnation that has all but engulfed most of our life and times. The most basic form of fear revolves around the unknown and possible harm coming to ones self, or loved ones. Stagnation does not fall into this description and so we tend not to be afraid of it. It is comfortable, predictable and dependable. We can bask in knowing what each day will bring and enjoy the routine of daily activity. However as a race we become lethargic and weak from our lack of growth and change. Change itself becomes frightening, because it is not what we have come to expect.

Stagnation is far more difficult to over come then the adaptation to new ideas and concepts. It may concern us and alarm us at first. This is the natural response when anything new is added to any equation. It is also natural for the immediate adjustments to take place without force or intent. This is one of the strengths of our race, we are highly adaptable and our spirit is unconquerable. Stagnation will take these advantages from us and water down the human spirit.

Confronting the issue is difficult because of its complexity. How does one begin a maze with infinite entrances and vantage points? It is a challenge each of us is capable of, but will we risk leaving the comfort and ease of our routines? As we forge our way towards the chaos and uncertainty of ending the stagnation I only hope our collective spirit will remember that fear is the mind killer.

credit: "fear is the mind killer" Frank Herbert

Hypocrisy of Injustice

As the bureaucracy expands to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy, at times I question how we the people can be so easily manipulated. It is as though we do not want to know about the double standards and would rather ignore when people fall into the hypocritical rhetoric and discourse. Have we become so desensitized that it is no longer noticeable when our leaders and peers say one thing and do another. Has the bureaucratic format become so encompassing we just no longer see the hope for a better way?
There is no reason to complain about it and become more apathetic towards the perpetrators of hypocrisy. Rather, it might be time to challenge those who would perceive others to be easily manipulated. How long is it before we completely allow mass contingency for the things we know to be false. When a politician promises something, we all prepare for the promiss to be broken before hand. Prepare for the worst is something we do in all endeavors, being ready for the worst care scenario and yet, have we lost hope for the best case? Is our focus so easily swayed to expectations being so pessimistic in nature that where by, anything other then hypocrisy is surprising?

Injustice has also come to be expected by most. It no longer upsets people to see injustice take place. Instead we shake our head and say, that’s just the way it is. Its too bad that things are like that. This will not change anything and this will not lead to more justice. It is unfortunate that so many people have become used to the idea that the rich live by a different set of rules then everyone else. The wealthy are pleased with the current state of affairs because there has not been a solid opposition to their strangle hold on society. It had always been allowed and accepted that the rich are subject to different rules then the rest of us.

Expanding the middle class should be the main focus of all leadership, yet it is important to recognize that; advocating only to helping the poor is not enough, it will take a new form of justice to truly shape the way our world wants to continue and progress. Yet how can we possibly overcome and defeat this wealthy sub class of individuals that hold 99% of the worlds wealth. I see our advantage is in the population breakdown and dichotomy of shared wealth. If only 0.5% of the world holds 99% of the wealth then by simple math, it is clear we have far superior numbers. But can we stand up together, and demand a change? One has to only look as far as the French revolution to see it is possible. It can be done, and hopefully with less violence.

A simple quote comes to mind when facing daunting challenges.

"Can we do it? we can do it, we shall do it!" Marcus Garvey

Bastions of Hope

Cynical and pessimistic sentiment about life is a poison that causes wide spread apathy and lethargic will power. This lack of will power and defeatist's attitude is what the few with power and wealth are banking on. As long as most people do not care, then things cannot change and will only evolve at the slowest possible pace. I myself have been one of these individuals that looks at the world with that same cynicism and feeling of helplessness. Fortunately, I have been able to study and observe two great leaders recently, who have been able to fortify my will power in the hope of making a difference and working towards a better world. I do not want this to become political so I will simply refer to these leaders without political party affiliation and attempt to only illustrate their message of hope. As I read Barak Obama's book tittled "The audacity of hope" some of his words impacted my optimism more so then any other literature of recent memory.

"Our failure as progressives to tap into the moral underpinnings of the nation is not just rhetorical, though. Our fear of getting "preachy" may also lead us to discount the role that values and culture play in addressing some of our most urgent social problems. After all, the problems of poverty and racism, the uninsured and the unemployed, are not simply technical problems in search of the perfect 10-point plan. They are also rooted in societal indifference and individual callousness—the desire among those at the top of the social ladder to maintain their wealth and status whatever the cost, as well as the despair and self-destructiveness among those at the bottom."
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream - Barak Obama

The politics and ideas, the issues and solutions are all part of the political process however Senator Obama is able to transcend these factors and focus instead on the hope of all people, no matter political or social allegiance. This is why he has captured my heart and mind with a message that is one of optimism, but remains true. He maybe just too honest to be an effective politician, but I am hopeful that people are ready for a leader who can tell the truth while still delivering a positive message of progress and optimism. This is not a political endorsement or attempt to plant my political seeds rather a confession of true inspiration and enlightenment to the hope that we can still make the world a better place. Idealism and hope, meshed with truth and realism, imagine the power these concepts can obtain when used together. The people will listen, the people will care, and above all else people will use these motivations as a driving force to bring about the kind of change that can improve each of our lives and the world we live in.

Closer to home, I have had the good fortune of meeting a leader who will shape the landscape of the Canadian way of life. I met Justin Trudeau two years ago at a benefit event for youth and had a chance to hear his speech. His ideas and vision for Canada is one of positive and effective strategies for getting young people involved in their community and begin to tap into the abundant resource that is young Canadians. It was not long before I was truly thinking of Justin as the future of Canada and my support for his leadership has grown ever since. He also has an honesty, that while rare in politics is very much refreshing and energizing. More recently I was again able to meet Justin, this time as a assistant at the JobMarket2008 event, and while I did not use my chance to speak to him about my support for his work, I did get to see a side of Justin less public, and more personally speaking briefly to him about his son and wife. He remembered my name and used it a few occasions during the day. And while I was very much flattered and again impressed by Justin's words, it was his down to earth and yet highly charismatic attitude that really inspired my support. I find myself highly motivated to become a part of these evolutions we are seeing in leadership. No longer the sweep it under the rug mentality of the past. Now I see hope in confronting the major issues of our life and our society. I see the possibility to make changes and bring about new ideas and a coherent vision for the future of our great civilization. These are my bastions of hope.

The Trap of Prescience

As visualization becomes something more and more feasible and understood by myself and others, it is clear that all of us do set a path for ourselves to follow, through thought and emotion. Depending on the amount of commitment and effort put forth, that path can be unbreakable. It is possible then to see the trap of prescience as a difficult concept to fully understand, or rather one that is not worth the mental intensity. The idea of self fulfilling prophecy is not a new one, however it has mostly been used as a anecdote or discouragement to the pitfalls of speaking/feeling in a negative tone. And while it is more obvious to look at the negative side all situations leading to this so called self fulfilling prophecy, its also clear that a positive thought and emotion will lead to its own self intended end.

From a historical perspective I think of the Japanese warriors who waited on the beaches while the hundreds of Mongolian ships began to appear on the horizon. Kubuli Khan has massed a massive fleet of warriors whom had just finished easily conquering Asia, now with his sights on Japan. A sea force this large will not be seen again in till the invasion of Normandy some 400 years later.

The small force of Japanese defenders were staring at a almost certain doom, and yet they held that beech front, with a steadfast faith that Japan would never fall to an invasion force. A faith that had been passed down generations, all steaming from the religion of Shinto and the idea of Japan itself being a living Deity of divine protection. A feeling of invulnerability from forces outside of Japan that would eventually lead to their tragic defeat in WWII as well as an inability to surrender after the first atomic weapon was unleashed upon them. But these noble and loyal samurai waited on the beeches, massively out numbered. In the mind of each and every samurai was a feeling and absolute knowledge that Japan was in fact protected by something more powerful. God protected these warriors and their divine islands. After the first wave of attackers, the Mongolians quickly retreated to their ships, unaware that the Japanese were such well trained and powerful close combat warriors. The retreat had been precautionary since clearly the Mongolian force had the Japanese out numbered and processed advanced technology.

That very night, a devastating Typhon smashed the Mongolian fleet and destroyed nearly all the ships, most of which had been poorly crafted by Chinese ship builders. Now the once all powerful Mongolian attack force that had cut through Asia with such ease, quickly defeating all who stood in their way, now lay drowned and buried at the bottom of the ocean. The Japanese would take this as a sign of their divine right and protection from heaven, unfortunately nearly 400 years later it would also lead to the ultimate sacrifices of hundreds and thousands of Japanese lives. The trap of prescience had taken an unexpected divination from that all powerful force that is religious faith and unwaivering belief. A few years after the war Emperor Hirohito renounced his divinity and began relinquishing the government to a democratic format resembling what it is today.

The human species-organism....

Most days when I wake up, the feeling of salvation is far beyond my reach, but as the day goes on, I get closer to the idea that it may be obtainable, with enough hard work and perseverance. That is something that I draw motivation from. Blogs have a tendency to be highly personal and I would rather not go in that direction since I know so few people in the cyber world, it is unlikely that many will read these words in any case.

Frank Herbert once wrote that human beings as a race represent a single organism linked through genetics and various thought patterns.

"Understanding that pace and its conditions requires a different approach to the total human system, that nameless animal of a species-organism....Somewhere in between left and right you begin to get a glimmering view of things in process now. That glimmering offers the following observations:

• Something like pheromones (external hormones) interacting between members of the human species to weld groups into collective-action organs. (How does a mob unite and hold itself together?)
• Isolation cues that separate groups into identifiable substructures, a system possibly influenced by diet. (Aside from accent and mannerisms, how do members of the British upper class recognize each other?)
• Conflict igniters, possibly sophisticated abstractions of primitive postures and vocal signals. (How do you know that the man coming toward you is angry?)
• Glandular responses to changes in territorial circumstances, responses of remarkable similarity throughout large populations, but with a more complex substitution system than implied by most observers. (Why did most of the occupants of Chicago's high-rise Lake Shore ghetto abandon it within three years, and what did that experience do to their life expectancy and subsequent behavior?)" "Listening to the Left Hand" is an essay by Frank Herbert.
  (Copyright © 1973 by Harper's Magazine.)

It is clear that the human race does share these factors and thus is controlled somewhat by them, invariably unable to break out of these patterns. However it is also possible evolution itself has a high degree of influence over these various boundaries. We need only to look at the former hierarchy of ancient society to see the changes. The hunter gatherer mentality of the male/female role no longer exists in modern society. Or a watered down version survives but no longer drives the motivation of the modern male.

As i prepared my own motivational strategies workshop and looked more deeply into the ideas and theories behind motivation, and more specifically visualization it become very clear that the theme of thought patterns creating action, and thus events is far more powerful then I had previously estimated. It was somewhat interesting to see the reaction of my participants to the ideas and even more interesting to debate the factual evidence. One only has to watch a basketball player throw an ally op pass to his team mate. Example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdYLs7YSMn0&feature=related

Here we see a player throw the ball to the exact hight that the other player will catch and dunk the ball. Through eye contact and the practice of playing together, thoughts become actions without any communication beyond the body language of the two players. It is not magic, it is very much the act of visualization and the law of attraction to some extent as well. The thought is all that is needed to initiate the action. This is a simple version of the effect that thoughts have on actions, and thoughts communicating with each other.

It happens on a larger scale within all human interaction and dynamics. If two individuals share in the same thoughts, it is only a mater of time before their actions synchronize, and create the outcome of the shared thoughts.