Crime

I watch the news on T.V. every morning and become very depressed about how many human beings inflict pain and death on their fellow man. Why are we like this? Is humanity so seriously flawed that even social mores and laws can't keep us under control?

We have to be able to justify in our own mind that what we are doing is acceptable to us. How does one justify raping a child or murdering an innocent bystander? The perpetrator, once caught, will first lie and then, when the lies don't work, cry about his/her terrible childhood. Then they will find a lawyer willing to fight their cause and this is why we have no respect for lawyers.

My sister-in-law was a lawyer before retiring and I've asked her how a lawyer can represent someone who is obviously guilty. She said that it isn't her job to determine guilt. But what about her moral obligations to her client's victims? I guess I'll never understand this line of reasoning.

Most of us conduct our lives to the best of our ability... working and supporting our families, paying our taxes, and trying to be decent people. But underneath that facade lies some degree of deceit and cruelty which we have to struggle to control. Self discipline determines whether or not we act on our inner selfishness.

I used to think the church was what kept us half way civilized until their leaders were arrested for molesting children. No one has come forward to explain to us how a guilty priest or pastor could justify his actions. Apparently practicing religion doesn't necessarily make us decent.

Criminals have all kinds of excuses about why they commit crimes. What it all boils down to is that they have no self discipline and have allowed their personal selfishness to take precedence over the rights of anyone else.

I know "good" people. But they're not perfect. And maybe that's the best we can do.