Saturday, February 2, 2013

Who Makes the Rules

   Sometimes you bump into a series of events that make you ask a question related to these different happenings. This happened to me recently. Here are the three events. There was an obituary of a former student in the paper this morning. I read a blog post this morning which ended with "We need a system." I heard a radio piece this week that dealt with Dr. Martin Luther King's well known civil disobedience stand.

    Chrissy, the former student, died at age 57. I had her in middle school and she challenged me, the principal, all other teachers and students. She pushed every body's buttons. She was part mischievous, part mean and very bright. Now some people might say that Chrissy was incorrigible and throw the book a her and throw her away and that would do some good and solve the situation.. Was Chrissy, in her unhappy way, telling us that our school rules left something to be desired? Many school rules are made for the comfort of the organization rather than for the students.

    The post I read this morning was humorous and made a good point. How are people supposed to behave? Is a set of hard and fast rules needed so that everybody knows how to play? My reply to the post was, "Can you make rules for a little random, chaotic, quibbler like me? Would your system bring out the rebel in me?" 

    Dr. Martin Luther King lead a civil rights movement that fundamentally changed a country. King had to work years to bring about change. King brought about attention to problems by civil disobedience. King had stringent guide lines for civil disobedience. He would break unjust laws and expect to be punished and accept his punishment. 

   So all of this made me ask the question,"Who makes the rules?" Now before I go any further I'm all for honesty, goodness, peace, order and respect. But sometimes I have to wonder about rules which impose some group's stringent rules on others. This week in Mali we found out that Extremist Islamists tried to impose Shia law on a group of people without their consent. Not too long ago Christians burned witches. These religions are also divided into many denominations which sometimes disagree with one another to the point of violence. The Irish situation is a perfect example of religious turmoil. Political systems disagree and go to war.  The world suffered a Hitler who in his demented mind thought some people should be exterminated. Political parties in governments argue to the point of bringing paralysis to their country. Type of clothing is sometimes directed by others. Men require women to be covered in a precise manner in parts of the world. 

    Why do people have the need to impose their idea of rules and regulations on others?  I hope all people will question proposals for rules. It is our responsibility to question proposed rules so that we get the rules we deserve. In many cases we have far too many rules and regulations...red tape. People have not been thinking about making things efficient for a society to function.

   Okay, there's my rant! By this time some of you have  closed your eyes and put your hands over your ears and gone on to another blog! My rules make it so that you can leave my blog and go somewhere else. I won't be offended. I hope you won't be offended but will go away and think about things.

    Serendipity. A Beatle's song just came on called "All together Now."

    

28 comments:

  1. you always make me stop and thin. you're a good man who can see all sides of things.

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    1. Well, thank you. It took me most of my life to learn this.

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  2. I live by the song trying to blend, but still remaining happy.I'm all together now.

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    1. And you listen to the Beatles too! I think we have to accommodate ...just how much is the trick.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. We now have far too many rules.
    Politicians are primarily to blame...they like to be seen to be doing something when often to do nothing is more efficacious. Religious leaders and communities are much the same.
    We have a harmless chap who calls himself the Naked Rambler....he spends half his summers in gaol. It's not just women who are forced into a dress code.

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    1. Your key word is forced which means against your will . Safety is an example, but I think safety has lost sanity too.

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  5. It seems the intolerance in the world is only increasing. Everybody group what so ever, thinks they have the wisdom how to live. The word freedom is far away for many people unfortunately. You analysed it very well.

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    1. Tolerance is something I like but as you say it's difficult for many people to achieve.

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  6. I agree that we have rules that sometimes make no sense. It seems to be part of the human condition that we do this, since it's been going on forever. But to take it to extremes, to keep others from life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness... it's definitely wrong. But until we humans evolve out of it, I believe it will continue.

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    1. If humans have to evolve You and I will never make it! I like your point about too many redundant regulations.

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  7. Mankind has started over and over and over again. We must really look quite silly to those "Aliens" that hover in our skies and study us. They're probably thinking most everybody on this planet is nuts. Politicians, rules, greed, war and hunger, illness, humility and pain. Haven't we almost been wiped out a few times from ravaging disease or virus - only to come back even worse. Great piece of work Red. I really enjoyed this. I vote for you :)

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    1. We've certainly had our ups and downs. Somewhere along the way we should start to improve or am I unrealistic.

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  8. Everyone wants control. Control equals power. I don't like it one bit. I must be a weirdo..or a whacko:)

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    1. You've hit the nail on the head. How do we balance the control, and power.

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  9. A very good rant, Red. There are several atrocities going on everywhere in the names of laws, rules, taxes, religion, culture etc. Those who are affected must realise and fight for it. Maybe we could bring about a change.

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    1. There's a lot of false justification in this world to cover up bad laws.

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  10. in America now the people want the government to make more and more rules and regulations and control everything for everyone. our individual freedoms are eroding right before our eyes...and it was done by popular vote...very disheartening. even the amount of soda a person can drink is regulated!!!!

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    1. My post was mainly on who makes the rules? I forgot to put the question mark in. I don't think we can through out all the rules. Rules just have to be more just. Now we have anybody standing on a soap box with wild eyes claiming they have what's right for everybody else .

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  11. I so agree with you, Red. And with your friends who have commented...sometimes I really wonder if and wen everything is going to blow up....

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
    http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com

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    1. Oh I'm not that pessimistic about things blowing apart. I'm an optomistic about things.

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  12. Red, you make an excellent point. I've always had respect for anyone who pushes against the "rules." Spent decades working on our local human rights committee. Sorry you lost a former student. She sounds like a special person.

    BTW, thank you for your visits and comments on my photo blog. I appreciate your attention.

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  13. A very thoughtful piece, which did make me think about the questions you posed. In some ways, as I get older, I become more of an anarchist simply because I have seen more and more examples of how people use rules to control others and enhance their own status. All rules should be made of rubber and able to bend to circumstances.

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  14. I often question the 'rule makers' within our society, who are they and why do they impose their way of living upon the rest of society as a whole? I've done plenty of reading, research and soul searching over this one. Bring of Aboriginal descent I once was infuriated with the ideology that the white mans way is the only way, I resisted this type of thinking, read and researched more and today I make up my own rules of how I want to play in this sandbox. Being a strong Metis lady I do as I please, believe what I choose to believe in and yes I choose to take the best of both worlds, the Euro-Western ideologies as well as my Ancestors ways. It's taken a lot of learning to get to where I'm at in life, but I'll be damned if this government of ours thinks that they are going to further assimilate me into a world where my blood becomes restricted.

    Yup, you've opened up an area I'm passionate about, who makes the rules? I would like to think that I do, but yes I conform to societal and/or Christian ways, but at least I know who and what I am today and what I stand for and who I represent.

    I admire this lady you mentioned, she knew what she was after and from the sounds of it she also played by her rules, challenged the system and hats off to her for doing so. May she rest in peace.

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  15. "Why do people have the need to impose their idea of rules and regulations on others?"
    You said it all with those words Red! Most to add politics and religion in their too.
    I always leave here thinking. :) Thank you.

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  16. I think most of us follow most of the rules most of the time but occasionally, most of us break them.. to suit our own beliefs. And from that sort of change, rules evolve. At least in our society. Sometimes. Great post, Red.

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  17. Hi Ya Red - will be offline for a few days, but hope to catch your posts here n there, probably not enough time to comment though - catch up with u soon. Cheers

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  18. I used to write the rules with the students. They'd do it in groups, and often come up with the ones I wanted. It was powerful.
    The kids want rules, they knew what was expected of them!

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