The Difference Between Active, Passive and Indifference to Hate and Its Systemic Risks to Democracy

Most of you know my family and I have been targeted by a group of people whom I have no issue with but who owe blind loyalty to certain members of their social networks (They became an easily exploitable tool because they already held preexisting bias that could be radicalized. A small minority of members with corroded values could influence a much larger group to become supporters on one level or another. It isn't unique because its my family but it is unique because its a good example of how things might sort of work on a real granular level within our American communities. If it is true and common it creates system risks to democracy.)There are things I learned beyond the awareness of how quick you can spread rumors and act against "worthy" targets (Think back to when we did this at other times in history. ie. Tulsa massacre, Nazi regimes, Rwanda, Bosnia, Confederate south, etc..,  There are lots of them. Its called scapegoating and its dangerous and immoral. Its when the rules and laws are thrown out the window in preservation of a misaligned social order often based in perceived superiority of aggressors. The problem is that superiority is more a function of delusion than fact While they cannot compare on this level we can say that the same underlining mechanics are at play and with continued free hand someday we may find such behaviors growing. In many ways, I suspect if I was a different person it would have turned out worse and no one would have said a word. As of now it looks like most people know different aspects of what happened but everyone is now silent; spite a few who as of a few months ago continued to cause problems.). The power of words can be wielded to resolve issues if we hold closely to truth or they can be destructive when we cling to the profane and immoral (Notice how proper use of words can can create positive change while negative use of words can destroy. Our institutional leaders should know the difference between constructive forces and intentional destructive forces. They are not that complex in terms of intentionality. One doesn't need to be a genius to know the difference between love and hate and how they are mirrors of each other. Until we have insight into hate we won't be able to resolve future issues as they arise. Let us get to the process of learning. This is a good opportunity to tackle the free pass shortsightedness, improve the overall system while at the same time helping those who caused the problems.) 

Active Support of Hate: These are the individuals who launched their hate network for social and financial gain. They were embarrassed about their behaviors in the past (long stemming issues of spreading rumors and acting in personal and financial self interest) and tried to keep them hidden by projecting onto the targets. Long stemming racial and religious concerns resurface and become a decisive break (You have to protect our children and draw lines no matter how many people line up to get involved. Notice this word destructive. It confuses some of our politicians, judges and leaders as to how behaviors are inherent in each of us and there is no superiority based social structure but only superiority when the poo poo hits the fan and people can't rely on those social networks to support them. ). Some of the members of this clan acted on hate and were more than willing to violate laws (in many ways unaware of the law but their conscious should have guided them to a higher order.) in their attempt to cleans their community. Anyone within the system could be an active supporter of hate that includes, police officers (The vast majority are not like that.), college administrators, attorneys, and just about anyone else (While it has social roots it is still an individual choice to oppose wrong doing, step away and engage.). Such people are willing to act on their hate even when their behaviors are are grotesque (Remember they knew they were immune before they started. It would indicate a prior discussion and agreement on how the cleansing would occur and under what mechanisms. It appeared to have a smirky strategy that involved preplanning.)

Passive Support of Hate: These are the people who may know the behaviors were wrong but feel great social pressure to be participants in a community cleansing. They may be the ones who know it is immoral, don't want to get involved, but will make decisions to support their subconscious bias. They may or may not know always be aware of their feelings but through winks and nods, be transferrers and manipulators of false information and in turn give the social cues its ok (That may include judges, people who support hate but aren't aggressive themselves, those who know its wrong but agree with the premises, etc.. They are not evil people they are just people who have their own beliefs and when they can support those beliefs without doing anything that would get them in trouble they will do so. The  more sociably acceptable and normalized these behaviors, the more like you will find passive support turning into active support. This is why a free pass is the wrong approach and leaders must use their moral conscious.)

Indifference to Hate: There are those who are indifferent to hate. They don't have the experience and have not been on the receiving side of hate. They just don't understand how distorted hate and ostracization is and how crimes are often swept under the carpet. They don't know it can break the very fabric of society and likely will be the one thing that will push this country into second place (i.e. hyper politics, unaccounted hate, and perversions of law to protect networks, lack of opportunities, active harming of "less worthy" communities/people, etc.) They just don't know what they don't know and you can't really blame them. Is just not their issue until it becomes their issue and they may not understand what all the hub bub is all about (Hope they don't have a future child or grandchild that people in society love to hate and watch how quickly they will be aware of the bankrupt values of others. There are a few others familiar with who have had similar experiences like people screaming racial slurs under their windows and engage in acts of intimidation. All ok I guess if your a "local".). 

I would add Afraid To Oppose Hate: There are those who know that hate is wrong but they don't feel the social and personal power to stand up against it. In this case there were lots of people who knew what was going on and many didn't say a word. Some were extra polite and engaging (The good people). They also knew it was a large group of blind monkeys (they likely didn't know that term) acting unfairly and immorally against a family. They also knew the perpetrators and their histories of rudeness, loudness and "better than you" attitude but they know the consequences of having a moral conscious at the wrong time so they choose to be silent. 

Our laws may be written universally but it is often up to others to administrate those laws and they may have issues that they also are also struggling with. Sometimes they may not have the right information (intentionally false, hidden, covered, or misrepresented investigations and information), they may not have the knowledge to decide wisely (perhaps they don't understand hate.), or perhaps they may have their own political, religious and ethnic leanings (lacking impartiality based on closeness of social connection or affiliation with certain characteristics.). Or maybe there is something that we can't see from where we are at and in turn must be open to many other explanations (Always be open to alternative perspectives). 

The problem is that allowing certain behaviors to stand unaccounted does weaken our democracy as the laws and rules that were to apply to protect all of us is used as personal clan law to protect some of us at the expense of others. What happened here was highly immoral and dangerous. It was beyond sadistic and opened a major crack in society by exposing the hidden bigotries that were just beyond the surface (If you study language long enough you can follow the logic and underlining assumptions to understand the essential values of the group. An important question becomes now that they know they have these bias how will they act after? That would be a defining moment on who they are. So far it looks like the answer is also apparent. You can read a group language study HERE. Politics isn't just politics. There must be an anchoring to shared values and that is our freedom of religion and freedom of speech within the Constitution.) There were indications that it has happened at other times to other people and there was an attempt to shield those who did it against account or correction (See how behavior is repeated and spreads. Few people have the capacity to chart their own course. Most just follow pre-existing patterns of behaviors based in culture, family, and understanding. See Freud and Markov). That creates a long term risk against the target family (and others this group doesn't like) as behaviors have become increasingly normalized and protected as "acceptable" ways to deal with non-locals (Locals not defined by genetics in the area i.e. Native American or history  i.e. longevity of family lineage in area but by which people this group likes or doesn't like. It takes sacred things and gives those who do not have the capacity to understand them and have a history of violating them the power to decide the lives of other Americans. Its grotesque against some very basic rights. Yuck!)

If any of this is true even on the smallest level it would be a pretty big concern in a nation that is moving toward a higher state of development of a universal democracy with global appeal. If it is not a concern it is a hint that we are either stuck in our lower performing national development and/or a sense that democracy is backsliding (There are some international reports that we are backsliding.) Because we have seen this in history we must always guard against legal games that deplete the connection between morality and law (i.e. moral conscious and the poorer reflection in law. This is where the proof is in the pudding. It is either ok or perhaps its not ok?) as well as hold tightly to the rationality of law (theory and applied).

You have to decide, just like the people who supported hate, what type of person you are, what do you believe, what is your future for America, and who is invited to build our nation. If you are the type that America seems like is only for some then you might want to ask what happens if someone like you becomes powerful and can make decisions over others without checks and balances; even if your not qualified to make decisions. Read the ethics of might over right and its existential risks. Ask the initiators whether they feel remorse and embarrassment over their behaviors and if it seems like they will be chastised they will say nothing but as soon as they get within their clan it's all high fives. ...and then we should ask ourselves what values we should support as a people? Then our actions, choices and values become apparent.  Thank God there are still people who believe in freedom and justice.  For me it was a defining moment.

Do-it-Yourself Market Growth Expected to be Worth 1,278 Billion by 2030 (Boat Example)

On the docks. Unfortunately, it was
taken with cell. Professional camera
didn't save the pictures.

There are some people who like to work with their hands do things themselves because they enjoy the process of creating and fixing things. We have tinkered with our environment since the beginning of our species and it has led to some interesting discoveries and societal advancements. In recent history we have become more inclined to hire expensive technicians with specialized training versus tinkering to our own solutions. For some that trend is reversing and Do-it-Yourself market is growing rapidly. Let me tell you why through a story of my boat.

Do-It-Yourself Market Size:

First let us understand that the annual growth rate of Do-It-Yourself market is 38% and it is expected to reach 1,278.00 billion dollars by 2030. You can read more about that HERE. The market is imperfectly defined leaning heavily in housing repair as one of the most common do-it-yourself expenses. (It says the market study was published in 2022 but it seems a little older than that. I'm also not sure of its source but much of the material is cited and it makes sense. I would suspect this was a firms market study that was eventually released. Either way its relevant enough to get the point across. There is another study with some trends HERE) 

Sense of Accomplishment:

For me, I enjoy engaging in my own project because I like accomplishing something that comes with building, creating, and fixing something. There is a type of enjoyment that comes with the time spent figuring out a problem and researching the right products that create resolution (Matching of practice and theory.). Much of the process has to do with solving practical issues with everyday knowledge. Learning something new and developing my own handyman skills at the same time in a way in it can be practically applied to things I need to get done.

Sometimes I fail and that really stinks! So unless I take my time I generally do not fix anything that is critical for survival (As I do a lot of outdoor stuff and one mistake could mean its all over.). Anything that is critical to the functioning of safety would either be done by a professional or inspected by one after (i.e. electrical work or a major repair on a boat engine. I like to watch professional mechanics, and could likely do it if necessary with some additional study, but I know the risks so I minimize them by having someone who knows what they are doing. Everything else is fair game! )

Benefits of Do-It-Yourselfers

I think this market is growing and that is a good thing because 1.) knowing how to tinker and fix things leads to innovation when people have the skills to build something unique to their problem; 2.) Do-it-Yourselfers can save a lot of time and money in a way that makes people less dependent on specialists; and 3.)  these skills grow in the general population and are transferred into skilled trades. (Where I grew up in the Upper Peninsula we have a lot of people who do their own handyman work.)

Sailboat Stanchion Example:

The Anatomy of a Boat
American Sailing Association

A broken sailboat stanchion led me down some interesting paths of a project. I had a marina slip neighbor for a short period. Well dressed guy, big corporate attorney I think, a little bit of an attitude, had just bought a very expensive wooden toy (It looked painfully expensive). Of course he didn't know how to use his new toy so he ran it into my sailboat and broke my stanchion (Sailboat people are romantics and expensive speed boat owners more about image. I think I read that somewhere.). 

As a smart attorney he apologizes and brings someone from a local boat works to fix the problem so it doesn't need to be reported on his insurance. Great! I'm all for helping out my neighbor! Not a big deal I nod! (I don't mind if it actually gets done. In hindsight I made a mistake in being too nice. Just FYI.) Except, afterward the stanchion felt very loose and would wiggle under pressure (I would be afraid someone grabs onto it with their full body weight).  Furthermore, I noticed on more than one occasion a little musty water made its way into the room below so I tightened to no avail the the drainage hoses. 

Anyway, apparently he didn't pay these "professionals" very much because they did a seriously subpar job. I was left the options of either paying someone else or just doing it myself. I opted to take my time and take care of the job and be done with it (There is a lot of work that goes into maintaining boats so you either love it or you sell it! I been working on this one for a while and its getting close to completion. I would like to take it and sail up and down the coast maybe. Perhaps do some charity racing or plastics research. Figure it out eventually. Maybe I will just sit on it and have coffee. ⛾).  

Stanchion Bottom.
Bigger backing, strong topside base,
caulking, and bolts.
 I think I need to paint that ceiling.
Its storage but still the work never ends!

In general, I would say a job like replacing a stanchion would be about $1000 to fix correctly. Doing my own work saved a lot of money and it cost me $50 ($950 and my labor time was taken out of the market but likely to be spent somewhere else. i.e. home improvement, vacation, investments, dinner, gas, etc.). 

Before I started my project I did my research and watched videos, asked questions, outlined the holes on a piece of plywood, and did some simple planning. It wasn't as hard as I thought. I took out the old stanchion bolts (By the amount of effort I had to put it, the other guys apparently didn't take them out at all so I'm not sure how they really expected to fixed the problem. i.e. likely why it leaked.). 

Marine sealant UV topside, a bigger backboard to create additional stability, new bolts, marine grade caulking between the board and underdeck, and I was finished! Easy peasy! Of course there were measurements, drilling new holes, and the other boring activities like online research that goes into the project. The heavy rain the night after I replaced it helped me feel more comfortable the stanchion no longer leaked (Water off the deck runs right over the stanchion.). Problem solved!  

Not only did I do the job right, I learned a lot and saved money (I know someone out there is going to say I didn't do it exactly the way I should do it. Ok! That is the do-it-yourself market!) While I'm not an expert in do-it-yourself repair, I seem to do pretty well at it and things hold up (If they don't I do it again and do something different. It means I missed something). Knowing how to construct basic things and fix small items is important for people. Because of my northern woods background, love for outdoor adventures, and general need to know these things I take up the opportunities to do my stuff all the time. 

Post Covid I think people also have come to appreciate do-it-yourself activities and I would like to watch the trends a little to see if they continue to swing upwards. Having a college degree is great and having construction skills is also great. I came a little from both worlds half blue collar and half small business owner. Continue to learn and develop new skills in a way that not only saves you money but also allows you to take care of your own projects when its needed. 

Threats To Democracy: Hometown Hate and National Decision Making

American democracy was born based on the necessity of having a place on earth that one could live freely without the suppression of old Europe and the old way of thinking. The people who stepped off of the first boats built a nation that allowed them to have free lives where they could worship and raise their families in peace. Bouncing forward a few hundred years we find ourselves in the very same struggles for the soul of what we represent as a nation (Our need to be self reflective doesn't change). 

The U.S. has two fundamental rights within the Constitution and those include the freedom of religion and the freedom of speech. One is to allow men (as a general mankind term) to live free and the other to allow such men to talk about how to keep their nation free (freedom of speech is a mechanism to overcome wrong just like it is in this case.). 

Moving 400 years into the future and we find that hometown hate, with its preexisting judgements on which religions and people are free, has grown thereby risking the very security and foundation of our democracy through extremism (Just fyi some of us might discriminate even against the Quakers who helped launch this new free land. Notice how they find God in each person and thereby create values for each human being. That is why understanding different people's and religions lead to insight into the nature of our species and the institutions we built to protect our basic needs. This is also insight into why we need leaders with certain principles and values. We don't need the most connected as much as we need the best and brightest no matter what their background. That requires a shift to universal democratic values.).  How law is applied to whom, and whom is above the law, and how they function are all part of that very same question that leads to our long term viability. 

What happened during an attempted community cleansing is a moral failure that exposes a crack in our understanding of democracy and to which "Americans" it applies. In essence we have normalized the unacceptable (unAmerican) beliefs of hate in a way in which they could derail the mission of institutions (We normalized them even when they are horrendous and obvious.). If these values spread due to an inability to deal with them we may find our nation someday on a respirator. 

I'm not going to delve into all the details in this post because I have done so previously. I'm only going to say mental health launched a hate network among a group mediocre ex sports players from 25+ years ago and that include some (not the majority) of officers and officials. Once the rampage was completed (an attempt was an attempt) there are/were few mechanism to improve the system in a thoughtful way and/or hold those who cause the problem to account. 

This moral failure is on one end and the inability to correct the injustice afterward on the other (afterward is happening now) could indicate that the rot that weakens our values are also weakening our democracy by exploiting local level prejudice (I believe in this case our deeper values will overcome because a wider lens exposes the internal decision making and functioning of a good old boy system that have racial and religious influences within their definitions of "local". Not based in genetics in the area but whether or not a person/people is/are "accepted" as a "valuable" person by this group. Mob mentality doesn't give someone the right for anything. ). If these types of distortions to democracy are occurring in other places it could be pretty risky to turn a blind eye and not make corrections. (Pick a number 10%, 30%, 80%? There are lots of people complaining about some very fundamental things as they relate to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.)

I'm not a perfect person but I do believe I try and find as many win-win situations as I can because they are ones that people can accept and create practical steps forward. It can put current problems in the past. I suggest the initiators of hate receive mandatory mental health, adjustments and learning for local officers (how preexisting bias and mental health distortions can be used to manipulate them), adjust discriminatory hiring practices of a local college, taking sports bullying at a young age seriously so as we don't develop future groups of adult bullies and bigots, an audit of financial incentives, and a general American spirit of improvement take hold (That requires remorse and recognition. A free pass doesn't get us there.)

My approach is as it was in the past (I believe I had a pretty good understanding of what was happening while it was happening and new information hasn't disconfirmed that logic. It created more depth but hasn't indicated any major need to shift. I had about 4 different theories but quickly discarded most based on perpetrator/group activity.). To be polite but not passive. While for those who engaged in the hate they have no problem devaluing other people and putting them in harms way. However, I cannot take that luxury. I have children and someday grandchildren that I want to be free. If they choose to live in the area, which is solely their choice, or become part of the community then who are these people to choose otherwise? (Whether sheltering in place at our nations capital or having yourself and kids put in intentional harm's way based on someone else's extreme beliefs is a threat to the peace and security of our future democracy. Its is fundamental to the rights to exist in which all laws are based.) 

Universalizing the applications of our laws (most laws are already written universal) and the functioning of our institutions will help our American brand resonate globally as an enlightened society where our principles can be trusted to guide our decision making and many paths to ensuring our democracy makes its way into its next stage of development. As with everything in life our choices often lead to our outcomes. We have politicized our futures and our fundamentals. At a time in which we will need to function at our best as a nation with a mission it would be unwise to wait until hindsight awareness sheds light on the necessity of being our best every day (as a collection of choice within our conscious awareness).

A few vices are sufficient to darken many virtues. Plutarch

Cut River Bridge in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

You may enjoy this picture of a bridge. Very cleanly painted green with the colors in the background. It is an interesting one taken a few weeks ago in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. If you don't know the area it is pristine with small villages and lots of Great Lakes coastal access. Communities like Escanaba, about 2 hours west of this picture, are ripe for investment and have been receiving increased interest. The economy relies heavily on tourism but there are other industries starting to grow and develop as well. 

You may purchase as a digital print in the gallery HERE.

Two PRC Intelligence Officers Arrested and 13 Charged in Trying to Influence Global Telecommunications Case

We are in a somewhat complex world where all types of things are happening all the time and some of those activities are subversive by nature. Two nations have grown into super powers. Each with unique and shared supply networks. Trade conflicts have increased in recent years and there is a level of sizing, flexing and pacing to determine influence. I would suspect as competition rises so will the reliance on espionage and other hacking/digital methods increase. Ideas, science, inventions and development are worth a lot in todays world where such information is no longer being loosely spewed into the market in any old haphazard way (i.e. allowing for it to be collected for a long long time with no controls. We are now adjusting our data networks, increasing security and becoming smart on bringing back manufacturing.). 

I'm sort of looking at the case and wondering how $61K is enough to sell out one's country? However, I would suspect if you were leaning already in that direction the money might tip the scales for some. Others won't do it for any price. In this case, the person did the right thing and turned them in to authorities. That is how we clean house is by each person contacted to turn in the behaviors.

Two Chinese Intelligence Officers Charged with Obstruction of Justice in Scheme to Bribe U.S. Government Employee and Steal Documents Related to the Federal Prosecution of a PRC-Based Company

Pelosi's Husband Attacked in Home? Hope Full Recovery

An assailant broke into the Pelosi home and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer. I'm happy to hear that he is expected to make a full recovery. Like many in our nation we are wondering what actually happened and what might be some of the motivations. More importantly, how do we stop these things from happening again?

It appears the perpetrator had posted all types of conspiracy theories online and had some radical political leanings "Where is Nancy?". The nature of politics is thus that rationality is sometimes thrown out the window. We could minimize these conspiracy theories if our leaders stay focus on factual evidence based conclusions and solutions (Most do but a large percentage bank off of misinformation and chaos creation as avenues to power). 

Interesting questions arise that would help determine the nature of the attack. For example, the time the person broke in could be an issue, did they steal anything, were they looking at other things, what comments they made, why a hammer versus other weapon, age could be a factor, etc.

On the surface I don't think they were a professional unless they intentionally wanted to look unprofessional (Likewise, I would assume this person had no real exit strategy.). A hammer seems sort of a tool of convenience more then something someone might plan out in advance. Its just a brute tool (...weapon choice likely indicates state of mind and capacity)! 

Either way, we need to get a handle on crime and domestic extremism. I think we should learn to tackle this issue (I'm not sure we are doing as much as we should on a local level where we might first experience these types of behaviors among people who are familiar with the person. In some cases the precursor behaviors to these incidents are given wink and nod if serving a particular agenda or against a particular group. The risks to our democracy are on the local hate based level that often make their way onto a national level. i.e. Capital Riots. We are a social species so when leaders hype up the rhetoric to the point that we are looking at others as "less than" we begin to have increases in similar behaviors and that eats at the safety and security of society. If we believe in "...one Nation under God, indivisible...." then we must talk and act like it.) before we start looking like we have to spending significant resources protecting and defending ourselves from random lone wolves spurred by destructive political rhetoric of coming from some members of both sides. Once we start needed security everywhere go, we start looking different as a nation; things become more fatalistic like they do in declining nations. Let us not drag our feet on bi-partisan solutions. Its a current hurdle our nation faces and must be overcome to move into its next state of development where we are all rowing in the same direction (Using our unique backgrounds and political perspective to solve problems.).

(I'm a light R Republican and no matter the politics or the party we have responsibilities to maintain our sense of moral direction and national community and concern. I find the behavior of breaking into homes, this or any other, highly inappropriate and hope the Mr. Pelosi has a speedy recovery. There are certain basic things we all should agree upon and that is peace and safety are the seams that keep this country together. Whether terrorism, extremism, theft or mental health we all have the right within our local communities, homes, and across the nation to feel a sense of safety. There is no place for hate even if we don't like someone's politics, policies. race, religion, etc. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with trying to understand the mental health aspects of how these things come about on a local level and when track and solve policies might be helpful when someone is prone to the projection of hate based violence. Whether powerful or powerless, rich or poor, connected or unconnected, religious or not religious, etc. people have the right to live without fear that someone is going to "get rid of the problem" {Problem being subjective to the perpetrators misunderstands. )

October 20th 2022 Escanaba City Council Meeting: Things Moving on Development

It looks like things are slowly moving forward. I'm not going to comment very much about specifics of the video because I just look for overall trends and signs that certain adaptive adjustments are being made that will put the City in the best possible place. That requires understanding what is going on in the market and what is going on to meet those changes (i.e. changes with COVID and commerce and how that relates to my economic theory.). 

Escanaba has great unutilized potential as a development hotspot based on its ecological, economic, and strategic location as the U.S. seeks to bring back manufacturing, mining/metals, and innovation. Could Esky be an important place some day (Its already important but just making a point)?

No one really knows for sure but development potential has certain characteristics (I might also focus on developing the downtown by drawing new businesses from outside the area, encouraging custom small scale manufacturing, allowing development to enhance each other. i.e. my idea of a mallet manufacturer (and equestrian retailer) downtown with apartments on top and small scale manufacturing in the back. The store front is retained and used directly or as a rental. )

Its all a sequences of choices and activities meeting market need. The biggest questions being related to where to point a ship (market analysis and projection). To me, its always in the place that opens more opportunities and are likely trends to last for 30+ years. 

You can obtain the agenda HERE.