JOYFUL PIECE #127
Being incorruptible before corruption
Today marks the United Nations’ (UN) International Anti-Corruption Day1, established to raise public awareness of corruption. It calls us, ordinary people, to focus on things we can and should do to further the cause of justice, peace, and compassion, to change the climate of corruption within our society.
Corruption is global and pervasive in many aspects of our lives. We participate in it when we mindlessly accept the status quo and the words of those in power that would have us over-consume; overlook the plight of others such as the poor within our communities, the homeless, the persecuted refugees and immigrants; and trample the Bill of Rights of the US Constitution. We are called to stand with those at the margins in solidarity and protect them from those who oppress and exploit them: the oligarchs and other powerful forces, including our current governing regime in the US.
Each day brings us an opportunity to decide on dozens of options throughout our day. If we focus on the other rather than on ourselves, the outcomes tend to be less corrupt. Thinking along those lines, global warming, world hunger, oppression of the masses in the US and abroad, overconsumption, are things that we can influence in our own small way. Our actions, when multiplied by the 8.23 billion other human beings on this planet, can have a powerful cummulative effect on the overall picture.
Monday, December 8th, marked the 1980 assassination of English musician and activist John Lennon2. If we focus on the words of one of his timeless songs, Imagine, we realize how far ahead of his time his thinking was. But if we look further back, to the year 1968, we notice that it was a year marked by the assassinations of civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr,3, on April 4th; Robert F. Kennedy4, on June 6th; and Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, poet, social activist and scholar of comparative religion, Thomas Merton5, on December 10th.
Why do I single out these human beings? I do so because each of them faced the beast, the oligarchs, the military-industrial complex and chose to stand firm on the values of equality, justice, peace, and nonviolence. They are an example of courage before the mighty of this world. The names of Martin, Robert, Thomas, and John, and their influence live, and will live on, long after those responsible for their deaths are forgotten.
I do not claim to know the reasons why those outstanding human beings conducted their lives as they did— the references below will certainly give clues. But their resolute, firm stands against injustice make them immortal, memorable human beings.
There is quiet joy in doing the right things. Be joyful in doing them, standing for justice, peace, compassion, mercy, nonviolence. It brings hope for a better future for our world. Resist corruption.
I take great joy simply in doing the right thing. Thanks Manuel 🙏🏻💙
Corruption, cruel choice.
Compassion can climate change.
Caring carries strength.