The Ruled Class
rules change
I get that
this is not a democracy
I get that
we can bite & complain
no one has a choice
we can’t force rule makers
to unmake the rules
we can’t force rule followers
to stop following
rules they have no control over
what they enforce
is not by choice
but by the mandate of others
others whom
we have voted into power
there is no even playing field
rules change
but usually not
in the middle of a game
of a fight
<>
we are responsible
for knowing what those rules are
for reading the fine print
for understanding the fine print
for being able to sense
what community standards are
even when we aren’t
a part of that community
if what is illegal there
is legal here
when the rules that apply to you
don’t apply to the rule makers
we have to find balance
because
even question their rules
is breaking their rules
I’m no longer an in-your-face nonconformist. I’m not crazy about wearing face masks but I do it – but I do it my way – no disposable green/pink/colourless surgical masks for me. Chances are I’ll wear them on public transit or when shopping even if the current pandemic ever gets under-control.
One thing that has become very clear is that the law is never applied equally. If one is rich enough, the right colour, race then laws are dispensed with which makes rules & laws unfair. To call attention to this inequality makes one an ungrateful cry-baby complainer who should know their place – which is obey without question.
Often though the rules are unspoken culturally approved codes of behaviour that often go unexamined until one travels to a different culture that has its own set of codes – that all too often are challenged & forced to suit the visitor – look at the history of Christian colonialism. My rules are better than your rules you ignorant uncivilized heathens whose cultures predate ours.
In the past decade many of these ‘rules’ have started to be questioned but not without resistance – look at the treatment of women in entertainment who are still shamed for being too …. you fill in the blank. The push to have characters played by people who are of the same race as the characters they portray, no more changing the race of a character to make it easier to cast or if you expect backlash.
TOpoet 