Thank you Thursday thank you for the defunding I think?

    

  

Thank You for Thinking....I think?

experiencing  Peace and Joy. Is related to the input you  give your physical senses a and  the meanings you attach to  the sensations encountered.  Thast’s a bunch of  behavioral science babble for saying You see hear and feel stuff and taste stuff. And you feel certain. Feelings about that stuff.  Oh and  sometimes the meaning of that stuff comes naturally and sometimes you have to think about it a bit.  Oh, and if you are a cognitive psychology fan you’ll be sayi8ng...well that’s what we said and you might be right...however this entry is not some Freudian frolic debate and I won’t get into Jungian archetypical analysis  or unconditional  positive regard.  

Let’s just stick to the thinking thing for now.  

There has been a lot of  public  discourse about. “Defunding police” and I have seen  about 10 different  operational definitions  about this topic.  

I find it interesting that  a majority of these  constructions are more about re-thinking  what is needed to enhance public safety and perhaps. Educate  the professionals who. Work in law enforcement.  Why then  do people use the term “defunding?”   

These are my two opinions on that....

Some folks want to  show that they are ready to punish the police and its institutional  racial bias severely and thus. Somehow solve a centuries-old problem.  The problem  I see with this  is that the behaviors engaged in are happening. Daily, right now—they are not centuries old and punishing a few  citizens to change society is shunning  our responsibility to  listen, learn, and work together to build something.   If we  called this “defunding’  a cultural correction would people  understand it better?  Or how about  community-based  reconnection of public services—because  that’s what it will take.   Speaking  of “services” isn’t that just another word for shared expectations or responsibilities?  

For the first time in my lifetime and yours, pindividual and public  health became a public concern and a set of expectations was  developed.   The need to comply was fueled  by marketing  uncertainty as fear.  I am always slightly amused when death is used in the uncertainty equation.   Most studies to date show that  while cause of death  varies significantly and age of death varies, the likelihood  of it doesn’t seem to be ion much  doubt. Oh well back to “defunding.’  Now it seems we are. Selling the fear of lawlessness against the fear of more  prejudice-driven behavior within a partiucular occupation.   

Well if we are going to be doing some “defunding”—-why not defunding politicians who develop the laws enforced by. The law enforcement community?  How about defunding land owners who  exercise  unfair  housing practices?  YIou know by not permitting them to collect full rents or something and providing a social worker to their. Neighborhoods.  How about defunding  corporations that conceptualize human work as labor cost?  How about making it illegal for utility companies to advertise about how reliable they are and how much they care when many are still geographic monopolies?   Maybe utilities could be  smandated to pay for  the lighting and heating of public schools and buildings?   After all don’t these buildings  house the children and young adults who will work  it the utility industry and buy  its services?  Oh and  don’t get me started on insurance companies...

Anyway...I need to get back to being thankful for thinking... 

You see the discourse on “defunding” has reminded me  that No one person, no company, no religious group, no single entity or collection of them has the power to stop. Any one of us from  thinking. About creative ways to change  the ideas needed to change the behaviors and actions that will heal society and will lead to greater things for mankind.  Connecting, Listening and Thinking are purposeful acts that we all can  engage in... and I would say must engage in with some urgency in the process for seeking  peace and joy in these days.   

the next three days will be devoted to Thinking.... Connecting and Listening.  These are mental frames of references and there are skills  to be learned to execute them... the blog  will head in that direction starting  tomorrow.   For now be thankful for thinking on this “Thank You Thursday!”