The Consequence of Suppression: A Stronger Police Force does not Equal Less Crime

The other day I watched the movie Chappie. There was one scene that really caught my attention.

The city (and the premise of the movie) was based on the fact that the crime rate in this South African city was outrageous… 300 murders were happening everyday, people were being robbed, many civilians and policemen were being harmed, and the police force in place was not sufficient to handle the situation.

So then robots are created as part of the law enforcement department. Less causalities on the police side, as well as crime rates were dramatically going down.

*Spoiler Alert*

Then, mid-way through the movie- the robot police force gets hacked and a firewall gets put in, which basically stops them from working. The city is left without the robotic defense and all of a sudden, in one moment of this becoming common knowledge in the city – there is an uproar and the people take to the streets; riots ensue, there is burning of buildings, and stores, and homes. There is one scene shot from the sky as if in a helicopter, showing the drama happening in the downtown area, and it’s just like mad men finally set loose that have been caged for years. The destruction is over the top.

And this is what caught my attention. The consequence of suppression.

The crime in the city was suppressed through a robotic police force. There was no understanding of WHY people were acting the way they were or what causes it was stemming from. It was just simply accepted that as ‘human nature’ and attempted to force control and suppression onto the city and the people as a way of dealing with the situation.

And what happens when that control and suppression is removed? That which was attempted to be put down, smothered, in fact was slowing building, and getting bigger, and accumulating to the point where there is this so over the top acting out of dysfunctional behavior. The crime becomes much worse after the robot police fail to work, than before they were ever implemented.

And what does this reveal? 

Suppression or attempting to force control onto a situation such as high crime in a city does not work, as it does not sort/root out the REAL PROBLEM.

Which is also embedded throughout the whole move.

Money.

The lack of Money causes crime.

People commit crimes for money.

The desire for Money cause one to rob each other, to murder each other, to steal and abuse each other. 

All for the money.

Now, after seeing this, that this is what happens when one suppresses a problem, the solution seemed clear.

How about instead of creating a robotic police force, such as the scenario in the movie to be a solution to more and more crime, or a more military-like police force that enforces it’s mechanical hand onto the people - creating fear to control... one give the people the proper financial support to take care of their basic needs. 

Have a look - what would you be willing to do to ensure your own survival? Can you really condemn those that are stealing, lying, and cheating for more money so they can have a place to stay for the night, or to provide themselves something to eat? Have you put yourself in their shoes? What options are available?

Living Income.

A dignified living income, where if one finds themselves in a financial hard time, or in between jobs, or in a place where robbery or even murder come up as a potential option to make it through another day, they instead have the safety net of a living income. That is preventing crime as being an option for survival, as well as dealing with the REAL problem that cause crime and abuse in this world in the first place.

Lack of Money and Desire for Money leads to greed.

In greed, there is no compassion, empathy, or standing in the shoes of another. There is only self-interest and the drive for survival.

Investigate a Living Income by the Equal Life Foundation, as the Real Solution to the Crimes of Life happening daily. We don't need robots. We don't need stronger police forces. We don't need to attempt to control and suppress the problems manifesting daily at an exponential rate. We need to love and give to each other as we would love and give to ourselves. 

Let's stop suppressing, and trying to control ourselves and each other - let's root out the real problems and begin to address and heal the real issues we ALL face. 

Redemption and the Right to a Living Income

For anyone who thinks and believes that those that are unemployed, receiving assistance from the state or federal government, or living on the streets are lazy and no good, feeding off the system, I suggest you watch the HBO documentary, Redemption.

Here we watch people all over the streets of New York collecting bottles and cans as a way to survive. To them this is their full time job, walking block after block, day after day, going through trash that sits on the corner to collect all and any bottles or cans that can be recycled. Why do they do this? Because for each bottle or can, they can receive five cents. This seems hardly anything to be working so dam hard for, yet they are doing it. They are doing it with their children because they cannot afford childcare, and because they are extra hands to help out, they are doing it without sleeping, they are doing it to afford to live in a one bedroom apartment with seven other people. They are doing it because money matters in the fight for survival and is the only option available to them.

Before you assume to think these are people who put themselves in this situation, as if they deserved it,
think again and watch the documentary. These are people with degrees, who have worked for such companies as Microsoft, who worked at the World Trade Center, who fought in wars for 'our freedom', who cannot survive on the social security they receive alone.

These are people who are doing what they can to survive, because the harsh reality is that if you make one wrong move, you too can be put out on the street without a helping hand. And you will then see what it's really like to live for your survival. Money gives us a buffer, we do not see the extent to the consequence our system of life on Earth creates - because we did not pull the shorter stick.

Anyone who suggest that someone does not deserve a living income, a dignified life with the resource required to survive, simply because they are not working the job we define as 'acceptable' - put yourself in the shoes of another. What would you do to survive. Is your right to food, shelter, hot water, clean clothing more valid then someone who isn't working, or not doing a job we classify as normal? Would you be willing to walk the streets of New York, digging through trash bags in front of fine dining establishment, simply to ensure you can buy yourself a sandwich for the day? What does shame have to do with anything when it comes to survival?

I suggest anyone that has such a judgment on those that are down and out and willing to do ANYTHING to make a few bucks, to watch this documentary, to put yourself in their shoes, and to then ask the question, why are Human Rights not a RIGHT given to all, unquestionably?

Investigate the Living Income Guaranteed proposed by the Equal Life Foundation. The core principle is that all humans have unalienable rights to life - that means food, water, shelter, clothing, education. These cannot and should not be denied to anyone, whether you are not able to find a job, in between jobs, victim of layoffs, whatever - that no matter your situation, YOU have the right to a dignified life, and that you are not FORCED to sift through the rubbish of other humans to collect your income.

A Living Income for Difficult Times

Imagine yourself a young parent, with a child less than a year old. Your partner faces inner demons that drive them to abuse substances that create them to no longer be a supportive role in this child's life. They lie, cheat and steal for their addiction and you are put into a situation to make a choice. Stay or leave - what is best for the child?

You decide to leave and seek refuge with your family. They offer you a temporary  place to stay while you fight for rights to your child to ensure you are the one responsible for the child's well being and that until the other parent has proven to support themselves through the addiction and stable enough to support the child, you are the sole custodian.

Meanwhile you must continue to work. You are now a single parent, paying legal fees to ensure the child stays in the safety of your home, you cannot count on family for child care, as they are already given you a place to stay. You have to work so you have to pay for someone to care for the child while you work.

All the while, facing the internal struggles of what this situation is showing you - is there any hope for the future? How can you provide for the child alone? What is the main point within all of this... money. Money is the one thing that will ensure a stable process of finding you and your child a place to call home and your ability to pay for legal services and child care. You must also remember to provide food and clothing for yourself and your child, as well as transportation cost for all the required traveling. You are pushed into a situation where you are not free to move about and make the rational decisions that are currently necessary of you, as you are also faced with the emotional turmoil of losing your partner to addiction, while attempting to remain focused on the child's best interest.

What do you do? What do you do in a world where you are not given the proper support to walk through this transition period? You must not only focus on the child and their well being, and your stability in a living environment, and that you are the one responsible, legally, for the child, you must also ensure you have the Money to pay for this all, within also ensuring your own sanity in this whole thing.

Imagine now if there was a Living Income Guarantee that allowed you the financial support to do what you needed to do in order to get your life aligned to the best possible situation for you and your child. You would be given the resources you needed for child care, food, shelter and transportation. You would not have to worry about work and the time away from making sure all these other things are in place, as you are given the support to do that without having to work. It is a bridge of support, a temporary relief from any added stress so that you can handle and take care of what is necessary to get through a difficult time, without having to worry about where the money is coming from - it's here for you. Because as a human, you have a right to your basic human rights and the rights of your child. You have a right to take care of priorities without having to worry about the time you must put in to work to ensure you have the Money that, without it, wouldn't give you the opportunity to walk through this time in your life with as much ease as possible.

Why is this not a guarantee for all? Why does our money system say it doesn't matter what happens, if you don't work, you cannot survive, because you need money to buy your life. Why do we not unconditionally care and support each other to do what is necessary to take care of ourselves, our children and our family? Why do we not honor each other with that ability - the ability which is our birth right?

This is another situation that many have and are facing where a Living Income Guarantee would support. You are given the money necessary to take care of your basic needs of survival to walk the process to ensure everyone is stable and cared for. You do not have to work to make money through this stage, unless you see you are able. You can take the time you need to get support for your partner. The opportunity that opens up for the one individual is beyond what we have at the moment, not to mention the self-care available as the time for oneself to work through any internal conflict or struggles that happen in such a situation.

Our economic system should not put more stress on an individual, it should in fact be a life-support system that allows one the ability to live - isn't that what we strive for in our technological, social and economic claim of advancement - a better standard of living for all? If all are not having access to such a point, then we have failed in our "advancement" - we have only then re-designed the same pattern where some are kept in dire situations of worry, stress and fear, while others are ensured their life and living is comfortable and so any unexpected events, such as the one above, does not become a burden and an experience of hopelessness. We have come too far along in our history to have not yet learned that when all individuals in a society are supported to exist in a state of well being, which is supported through ensuring all their basic rights as a human, than you have a healthy society as a whole. It is a disservice to ourselves as a whole in not making sure money is used to support All life, through all situations and events, and not used as a weapon to keep people trapped, in fear and without hope.

Stand in the Shoes of Another, Imagine who you would be and what would best support you. Ensure that you could trade the lives of anyone on Earth and still live in dignity - Investigate the Living Income Guarantee, proposed by the Equal Life Foundation. Stand up for those that are not in a position to do so.