All people have a right to good governance and fair treatment. The very concept of life and liberty is deeply woven into our social fabric. Most people seek to create a free and fair environment where people flourish in a way that draws the best out of others. Sometimes there are embedded groups that carry with them not only corrupted behaviors but also social dominance mixed with extremist views. Other times we are aware of these groups but make differentiations of who can commit what crimes depending who is the perpetrators and who are the targets. Where these things occur we have a moral responsibility to deter that which robs from the rest of us of our collective good as a now highly diverse society in order to ensure we not only create that positive environment but we also managed all systems for the greater benefit of the people. We can do that through a thought experiment that seeks to explore a hypothetical example, build a model and move to final resolution.
Keep in mind this is an example for learning purposes so it is meant to be a little extreme and bazaar (no pun intended.).
What we can do is think about in the Age of Extremism and whether or not that is going to have an impact on our communities and how that might influence the economy in the long run. This piece is not yet discussing the economy but there are implications and research that show the more extremism and corruption rise, the more damage to things like economic development, quality of life, return on public investment, etc. (Its associated in the literature. The Impact of Corruption on Economic Growth). Thus, finding ways to minimize extremism and corruption is important to maintain the strength of economic performance. In this example there was a near 2 decade decline in the example economy and population but once corruption was started to be removed as a societal cancer there was a reverse of fortunes. When corruption and/or extremism cannot be removed organically through natural mechanisms one might bringing forward a case for federal oversite to minimize"extremist nests" supported by tacit support from toxic partisanship.
Let us keep the example not too far out in la la land.....
Rarely, except for in third world nations where broken institutions are abundant, will we find a deeply embedded culture of corruption unchecked by other stakeholders. Most of the time what we will find is a group of bad actors that skew the concept of justice through things like intimidation tactics, retaliation, targeting, bribery, extortion, witness/statement tampering, hate rumors, putting people in harms way, corruption, etc. mixed in with general indifference (The ugly stuff!). In other words, in this learning purpose example we have a situation where lawlessness becomes more important than lawfulness based on these homogeneous affiliations and somewhat indiferrence to the plight of many good people. We may also find no protection for those being targeted and little desire within such local systems to fix the problem thereby leading to a type of complacency and/or dereliction of duty. Strengthening institutions and finding new mechanisms for minimizing negative influences of bad actors is helpful in preserving the health of whole (Why Federal oversight may be needed in places where they are deeply embedded in the social network and nepotism policies are unenforced.)
Let use further explore this hypothetical thought experiment example for learning purposes on how lofty concepts such as liberty, justice, fair treatment, equality, etc. are considered dirty words when sifted through the minds of extremist member and projected on out-group members (i.e. outgroup members anyway one seeks to define such members). In this example good officials are silenced by social influence that further ensures extremist members can continue to act without hindrance or backstop (i.e. lack of internal controls and/or misuse of authority and investigations.). A corrosive influence on institutions that exploits the vulnerable with coordinated misbehaviors under the watchful eyes of supporters (The in-group that will become out-group when the lens gets wider.)
The Hypothetical Learning Example:
Getting a little wild and crazy with the example. “When the world says, Give up. Hope whispers. Try it one more time.” King Tut
A group of self interested people spread intentionally bigoted rumors through their social and professional networks to harm a victim (as well as others) in order to help their friends exploit racial or religious differences for gain. The perpetrators knew they were being destructive and they and their friends mocked the targets whenever they saw them. Elderly were manipulated, children put in harms way, hate behaviors encouraged, so on and so forth in general chaos creation. Behaviors against targets included following home, dehumanizing rumors, blocking employment, exploitation, actualized attempted threats of violence by a large group, secretive extremist managed hit lists, etc. Further, because they were connected to a number of corrupted officials who have become accustomed to misusing authority to target out-group members (race, religion, lifestyle or politics) such behavior took on a surreal creepy Steven King like quality (i.e. clones and followers acting in robo behaviors.). Such hate also attracted a network of anti-government militia supporting extremists with close association to likeminded corrupted officials and "the clan" but also indication of further connecitons outside the area. Others came forward with similar complaints of mistreatment and long stemming illegal behaviors only to be ignored and discarded until they put their complaints on public camera and the community confirmed their support for the ideals of freedom. The perpetrators were rewarded through the local systems without regard to truth or justice. The perpetrators laughed all the way to the bank and continue to target out-group members with threats and hate rumor spreading with full immunities. Those who complained were quickly retaliated against through street justice and promoted wink and nod accountability. There were suggestions that the intentional lack of backstops was not accidental, random, or sporadic but may be an attempt to please a homogeneous "in-group" membership based on social affiliation and ethnocentric identities. Entitlement of key actors to use aspects of institutions to benefit themselves, their ideologies and miscued perceptions of superiority (Status and Development). In this example there has been no correction within the system but the will of the people did switch many of the local leadership positions through democratic processes. Where systems failed the people stayed true to the American cause. Suh people might now turn their attention to voting out those who provided protections for criminal behaviors. Concerns over systems of justice and their outcomes still loom as the root of the problem has been discovered but uncorrected through willful negligence and rejection of our sacred national oaths. The end of the story hasn't been written yet so let us not be hasty in judgement. Good can come from wrong and its important to be a rational optimist. Freedom will survive no matter the barbarity of the few. We have a history of free passing hate but as the nation's demographics change places that practice segregationist methods will feel increasingly more pressure to universalize and correct their deficiencies-as rightly they should if they hold true to their missions!
“You will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it.” - John Adams
The Issue:
In this hypothetical example some people who launched the hate narrative knew well what they were doing as the coordinated acts of intimidation and cleansing were professionally enacted (i.e. a history of these behaviors.). It brings up bigger moral conscious issues and whether rogue elements should be allowed to function in near direct counter/opposition of to our national values. It is also unfair that good officials must deal with aggressively corrupted officials that do not respect the missions of their organizations nor the law. Good officials should expect an environment where raises, promotions, work assignments, etc. are based on merit and not social nepotism of clan members. New models to detect, thwart and prosecute are necessary for the health of the republic. Sometimes we need authority from outside the area to raise the liberty torch higher because some people within such systems no longer believe in following their oaths. More importantly new models to minimize and detect partisanship in judicial systems to ensure they function for all of us (i.e. big data approach). Philosophically we must protect the integrity of the spirit of the law over its technicalities to support the higher conception of justice (This can be a difficult concept to sell if we are hyper focused with the pathology of bigotry.). Without justice we are creating a subhuman and second class type citizen that are subject to intentional mistreatment. We should not let such systems gain a foothold and when we find them we should improve and reform them so to service the needs of communities. With justice our compass points true north for the benefit of all and in support of the long term health of the republic. The Concept of Freedom: Liberal and Conservative
“If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” — George Washington
Developing the Model:
Because we have growing extremism and sometimes placation of corruption we also run the risk of institutional decline. One way to support positive and universal proAmerican change is to understand how corruption and hate function when manipulating justice. Strong justice systems are important for the health of the nation because they can put checks and balances on extremism and its outcomes. However, that will require also understanding how it works and some of the potential solutions. What we can say is that extremism and corruption would not be rampant if there wasn't a socialization through something like clan based affiliations with a lack of local backstops. How or why those backstops are not present in such an example system would require further exploration of the topic and perhaps an audit of all cases/outcomes based on differentiators/variables such as race, religion, "local"/non-local, political affiliation, etc. to see if there are statistically significant differences. Once one determines that they can also utilize such cases to go back and review which officials are associated and what they may have witnessed and proposed. It could be as simple as a group of rogue actors/gang or it could be a much larger systemic issue. At least in theory. Thus, if you have it mapped socially/behaviorally who was involved in direct corruption and extremism upon review one might also find another mapping system to other members and/or same members through court related documents (i.e. witness statements, testimony, etc.). You would have a strong cases if one has 4 or 5 different sources of data on the corrupted officials and their extremist networks. People who knew such behaviors were going on for a long time are forced into silence for fear they will be retaliated against as well so the model is designed to avoid complete system default. Reviewing all of these data sources may allow one to go back and ensure that the testimonies, witness statements, etc. were accurate and not tainted. This triangulation and highlighting embedded networks becomes possible in a big data world which may more conclusively tackle corruption and extremism to minimize its influence on justice outcomes (assuming that is the goal as alternative objective may make some of this irrelevant in a Captain Kangaroo kind of way.).
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Predictive analytics allows businesses [Entity/Organization] to predict what is likely to happen in the future, by looking for patterns in the information they already have” (Witherspoon, 2024 para. 1)
At present in this thought experiment we can say we have a few associated elements of corruption, at least a few officials, lax oversight in judicial systems, extremist leaning behaviors, and a dunce like social group (most are good people but are easily manipulated by key actors). Worse it is well known that you can engage in these behaviors any time the social group wants because the perpetrators were never held to account (History has already taught us about the damage of segregation and those who continue to promote it.) What might tie these people together beyond simple social connections is a perception of value based on deeper nationalistic (vs. patriotic) perceptions of their roles and responsibilities. Thus, nationalism and hate appear to be someone associated and carries risks for people subject to local clan based systems. One might advocate for reform and a universal focus of our institutions to prevent a backsliding democracy. More importantly in these examples we learn how we have little understanding of extremism and corruption and a somewhat blind eye to crimes such groups commit and the rewards they gain. Each day perpetrators are pated on the back for a cleansing well done is another stone stolen from the once strong foundation that protected our democracy from backsliding. Miscategorization shouldn't be a new artform. Let us hope we find the courage and strength to put our hands together patch up the damage such groups have done and will do to our nation. We can create better mechanisms if we have a commitment to a free nation and people. That therein could be part of the problem. Preventing Extremism
The time to guard against corruption and tyranny is before they shall have gotten hold of us. It is better to keep the wolf out of the fold, than to trust to drawing his teeth and talons after he shall have entered. -Thomas Jefferson
To Sum this learning example we find that there are few to no backstops within the system, there is a struggle to understand domestic extremism as it relates to certain races or religions, and missuse of power and corruption have a corrosive influence on institutions. The victims become responsibile for the systemic failures of others. However, the silver lining is that the average American holds within their grasp the power to change our trajectory toward a more inclusive society based on the spirit of the law and not its misuse through work play and technicalities. The average Amercian has the capacity to vote and uphold the principles that keep this nation strong and growing. As an example thought experiment story we have not finished the ending and we do that collectively as a society. Every American has a word in our nation's future and when we work as an indivisible people to post our words publically we create our own narrative as an individisible people. Let us stay tuned for further discussion on a free and fair society and how sociological changes and technologigal advancements come together to push society to a universal democracy. We can strengthen our institutions against those who misunderstand their purpose so as to ensure the bell of liberty is heard from sea to shining sea. Don't be a sell out!
“Democratical States must always feel before they can see: it is this that makes their Governments slow – but the people will be right at last.”- George Washington
A few articles on corruption:
Anti Corruption Courts: Courts have been created to handle corruption.
Underlining Human Rights and Rule of Law
The Relationship between Human Rights and Corruption
Political Extremism, Crime and Criminal Justice
For the next article let us discuss some of the markers and characteristices of areas at risk for unchecked corruption and extremism so as to avoid such problems in the future...even if they could never happen!
*This is a hypothetical example for learning purposes. It is a type of thought experiment on understanding extremism and corruption by protecting freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the Constitution and our other social contracts. Take with a grain of salt. It meant to be politically neutral and constructive in nature to support our democracy.
Witherspoon, A. (2024). What is Predictive Analytics? Salesforce. https://www.salesforce.com/analytics/what-is-predictive-analytics/
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