FLAYING JUDGE SISAMNES: WHEN CORRUPT JUDGES WERE PUBLICLY SKINNED ALIVE

"The Flaying of Sisamnes", by Gerard David.

The ‘due administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government’ and once that pillar becomes weak the whole structure of governance comes tumbling down. To maintain this pillar, the integrity and independence of the judiciary in administration of justice must be jealously guarded.  This means that the magistrates and judges who are at the center of the administration of justice must be honest and impartial; they must be like caeser’s wife, above suspicion and beyond reproach.

In the 6^th Century BC during the reign of Cambyses II, the King of Persia, as documented by Herodotus, Judge Sisamnes having been bribed gave an unjust verdict in a lawsuit. On being found out, the king ordered for his arrest. He was found guilty of prevarication. He was sentence to be strangled and flayed, and the chair on which he sat when pronouncing the unjust judgment be upholstered with his skin. The sentence was publicly executed.  

The king then named Sisamnes’s son, Otanes, to succeed his father as judge. The son, now as a Judge Otanes, was to perform his duties while sitting on his father’s seat upholster with his father’s skin, and the king recommended him to bear in mind the source of the leather of the seat upon which he would seat to hear evidence, deliberate and administer justice. This must have left a continuous lingering impression and maybe it ensured he set the bar of fairness higher knowing very well the consequences of corruption and lack of fairness.

In the 15^th Century, in the  1480s, the municipal authorities of Bruges wanted paintings in their justice-room. They commissioned David Gerard to make paintings that will inform the authorities of importance of integrity and honesty.  Gerard drew the painting known as “Judgment of Cambyses” which depicts the scenes of the arrest and fraying of Judge Sisamnes. The intention was to represent the scene of flaying of Judge Sisamnes with a sense of coldness and exemplary cruelty and acted as a stern warning to judges in the justice room against the temptation of corruption since, looking at the painting, its moral and horror cannot easily be forgotten.

"The Arrest of Sisamnes", by Gerard David.

A graphic detailed painting of a man being frayed alive hanging on a wall in a public place is by no means a pleasant sight to look at but if we consider the intention then we can perfectly congratulate Gerard for accurately picking the right historical event and depicting it in a painting that remains relevant in all human ages.

The painting perfectly portrays the giving of a judge a dosage of his own medicine. A judge being directly subjected to the pain and agony he subjects others when he dispenses unjust verdicts. A judge passing an unjust verdict may not understand the pain of injustice, as it has been well put by George Martin, that “The [judge] who passes the sentence should swing the sword [but when he] hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.” When the judge sits at the bench he may not understand the consequence of his crooked character. Gerard’s painting speaks a language that maybe the judges understand, a language that tells the judge “imagine this pain being subjected to yourself?”

It portrays a judge being subjected to the pains of injustice which he subjected members of the public by dereliction from his mandate of being fair, just, impartial and honest; a judge being subjected to the cost of forsaking his independence for a bribe; a judge being subjected to the consequence of forsaking his public duty for selfish personal gains.

Of Course, the Painting is not intended for judges alone, but to enable everyone empathize with others who are victims of injustice. It enables a person place himself in the shoe of a victim of an unjust sentence. It enables the public to be angry of the pains of injustice and take action against unjust actions. It gives the public a shared determination to wipe away corrupt judges. It enables the public realize that their action of giving, condoning and accepting bribes is painful and the painting does just that by creating a mental picture of anyone who is corrupt to enter the flesh of the victim of a corrupt judgment and feel the pain of an unjust and unfair action.

The judiciary is a creation of the society, for a judge to give a corrupt verdict a member of the society must have contaminated the independence of the judge. As John Marshall would put it, that “the greatest scourge an angry heaven ever inflicted upon an ungrateful and sinning people, was an ignorant, a corrupt or a dependent judiciary.” Society creates corrupt judges by either participating, condoning or not placing judges or judgments to account.

 The consequence of lacking an impartial and independent judiciary is that justice can only be bought by the highest bidder. It places a price on justice and creates an impression that laws and facts are not enough to balance the scales of justice unless money is added on the scales. It makes justice worthless and equality before the law is dependent on how mighty the wallet is. It makes humanity leap towards animalist character where might is right. Where as long as you can afford the price of justice you have no obligation to follow the law, you can kill, steal and destroy and remain untouchable. Society turns into a state of nature.

An Independent judiciary entails the passing of judgment based on facts and law and impartial Judges serve as neutral arbiters. Its impartiality enables ‘the rich and poor, the educated an uneducated, the strong and weak to stand without distinction in the leveling light of the constitution and body of law.’ When the justice lacks its impartiality and independence, people in the society lack avenue to report and address their grievances. The legitimacy of the government is eroded because who will observe a law if they know it cannot be enforced or used to protect them. Due to corruption an innocent man goes to jail and a guilty man walks free and  ‘the society will exclaim that it is immaterial to whether I behave well or ill; for virtue itself, is no security. And if such a sentiment as this, should take place in the mind of members of the society, there would be an end to all security what so ever. They take law into their hands; they become the police, the prosecutor, the judge and executioner.

The Judgment of Cambyses. Stained glass, by Dirk Vellert,
in the background his skin is upholstered on his son's judgment seat,

removes this legitimacy and predictability and the application of the law is dependent on who is the highest bidder. If someone with a greater price wronged you then you have no voice and the scale of justice will swing towards the one with the mightier wallet. This leads to creation of mafias in the society who can resolve the conflicts and secure the rights that government has neglected to protect and there and then disorder becomes the order of the society.

It can perfectly be said a corrupt judge is a threat to National Security because their unjust verdict has a ripple effect that when placed together with other million ripples created from other  areas of injustice they build a great wave that can sweep down all the Pillars of the society. A corrupt judge deprives people an avenue to peacefully and justly resolve their conflict. If this avenue lacks, people  stop observing the law and governance fails.

There is great truth in the statement of George Washington, the first president of America when he said in his letter to Edmund Randolph that “ impressed with a conviction that the due administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government , I have considered the first arrangement of the judicial department as essential to the happiness of our country and to that stability of its political system- hence selection of the fittest character to expound the laws, and dispense justice has been an invariable object of my anxious concern.” (Emphasis mine)

From the foregoing, I believe we share the same convictions and anxious concerns that the fittest characters are the ones who are to dispense justice and that the happiness of our system is determined by them.  And that we can always run to strong tower of justice ‘when constitutional freedoms and liberties are endangered, when expediency threatens justice, when fad menaces principles, and when whim diverts consistency, it is an independent judiciary that strikes the balance and sets all things right. The judiciary must be free to decide matters before them impartially, on the basis of facts and in accordance with the law, without any restrictions, improper influences, inducements, pressures, threats or interferences, direct or indirect, from any quarter or for any reason.’

Judicial independence is a matter of character. In all our actions may we always keep in the forefront of our minds the painting of “Judgment of Cambyses” knowing very well that the pains of injustice are gruesome and it is upon ourselves to maintain an impartial, accountable and just system. As Pericles would put it, that “If Athens shall appear great to you consider then that her glories were purchased by valiant men and by men who learned their duties.” If Justice is to appear great in our society let all men know and do their duty.

SIR THOMAS MORE: THE BATTLE TO DEATH, PRINCIPLES VERSUS POWER

Sir Thomas More

‘When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses’ but ‘Sir Thomas More offers the fundamental lesson of flight from success and easy compromises in the name of fidelity to irrevocable principles’. History is full of people who place profit before morals, of people who betrayed their country for a pay cheque, of a disciple who betrayed his leader with a kiss on the cheek for thirty silver coins, politicians who stole hospital development funds for their healthy bank accounts, of business people who sell poisonous food, to fatten their bank accounts and the list goes on. Once in a while we see people who stand for what they believe in and they change history forever, Sir Thomas More is one such person. And as G. K. Chesterson would write that Thomas More “was above all things historic; he represented …, a turning point and an ultimate destiny. If there had not happened to be that particular man at that particular moment, the whole of history would have been different." In short, Thomas More changed the course of history.

The year is 1529, King Henry VIII, King of England is in desperate need of a son to inherit the throne. His current wife Queen Catherine of Aragon is likely past prime child bearing years, presumably barren and the King is unwilling to leave the throne to a female, his daughter Princess Mary I. The sons Queen Catherine had birthed were either stillborn or died at early age.

The King, maybe out of lust or desperation came up with a plan to declare his marriage to Queen Catherine unlawful and therefore null. By so doing his daughter will be illegitimate, therefore disinherited the throne. Secondly, the annulment of the Marriage will enable him to marry a new mistress,Anne Boleyn and maybe get a son with her to inherit the throne.

The king decided to question his 18 year old marriage to the queen. He claimed that since Queen Catherine was initially married to Arthur, his elder brother; that’s the reason God was punishing him with no son. To support this, King Henry VIII quoted the bible, the Book of Leviticus 20:21: "If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an unclean thing...they shall be childless."

 

King Henry VIII

At the time the King married Queen Catherine of Argon, the Catholic Church had a great say in the Kings Marriages. To allow King Henry VIII to marry his Brothers alleged wife the Catholic Church has issued a dispensation from the injunction found in the Bible's Leviticus on grounds that Catherine had been briefly married to Arthur but the marriage had not been consummated. Therefore, Pope Julius II blessed the marriage.

Now, King Henry VIII was again approaching the Pope, now Pope Clement VII the successor of Pope Julius II who had since died, to dispense and annul the same marriage the Church had issued a dispensation and blessed. The Pope was uncomfortable with this since it would make the church dispensation to appear as a switch which could be turned on and off the provisions of the Bible to meet an individual interest. The church refused.

Since the Pope refused to issue a dispensation and actually affirmed the marriage to Queen Catherine as valid, the King was outraged and decided to declare himself "the sole protector and supreme head of the English Church and clergy." And due to the church refusal to annul the marriage, the King aggressively and directly attacked the authority of the Church. With his authority as the supreme head of the church, the church would only exercise its authority with the consent of the King. With his new authority, the King declared his marriage to Anne Boleyn valid.

To secure his authority, The Act of Succession was passed that required all people in the realm to take oath and declare that they acknowledge the marriage to Queen Catherine as invalid and that King Henry VIII “most dear and entirely beloved lawful wife Queen Anne, begotten and to be begotten… to the heirs of our said sovereign” and that the King is Supreme head of the church. Anyone who failed to do so was considered to have committed a treasonable act and the penalty was death.

Sir Thomas More was Lord Chancellor of the Realm and was widely respected and influential in the Kingdom, due to his unfailing moral integrity, his constant ‘fidelity to legitimate authority and his unconditional and benevolent dedication to justice’. He placed his service to the public especially to the weak and poor that his fellow citizens called him “Patron of the Poor”. He was a firm and staunch believer in the Catholic Faith. He was a rare combination of a powerful public servant and spiritual human. He portrayed a harmony of the supernatural and the human, of political commitment and moral conviction. He believed that ‘when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties they lead their country by a short route to chaos’ and that government is above all an exercise of virtue.

 During his tenure as Lord Chancellor, he viciously and vigorously pursued and persecuted heretics who spoke against the Catholic Church. But he  resigned, when his principles clashed with the powers of the king due to King Henry VIII continuous attack on the church and the King’s marriage to Anne Boleyn

 

Thomas More Defending the Liberty of the House of Commons

 The King needed Sir Thomas to take the oath due to his former position as Lord Chancellor, his wide respect and influence. His great reputation as a honest man made him the prominent figure to promote and sanctify the King’s agenda. By Sir More taking the oath would act as ratify the oath as lawful and right and it would face minimal resistance among the people in the kingdom. Sir More was therefore summoned to take the oath and on reading its content, he refused to take the oath. When asked to disclose the reason of refusing the oath he said “his conscience would not allow him to take it”. Even after ‘much cajoling and threats of imprisonment’ from the commissioners for failure to take oath he said he refused to betray his conscience.

Sir More considered that the oath required him to state that he recognized the king to be Supreme head of the church, implying that the Kings authority supersedes that of the Church  and  that the marriage to the mistress was therefore right. Sir More considered taking such an oath a betrayal to his principles and conscience. He questioned the authority of the King to enforce laws that were inconsistent and violated the teachings of Christ, law of God, Universal Catholic Church, the Magna Carta that provided that “that the English Church shall be free, and shall have its rights undiminished, and its liberties unimpaired” and the King’s Coronation Oath.

To Sir More an oath, was not something you take to please the authority and silently disregard. To him an oath was a definite contract, ‘an invitation to God, an invitation that God would not refuse to act as a witness and judge’ and that a man ‘takes an oath when he wants to commit himself quiet exceptionally to the statement, when he wants to make an identity between the truth of it and his own virtue, he offers himself as guarantee.’ Therefore, Taking the oath was repugnant his principles and conscience.

On being persuaded to take the oath a friend brought a list of names to him and said, “look at those names… You know those men! Can’t you do what I did, and come with us for fellowship?” the man was telling him to just compromise and sway with the public opinion to please the authority and take the oath and it does not really matter his personal view on the oath. More answered, “And when we stand before God and you are sent to paradise for doing according to your conscience, and I am damned for doing according to mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?” He was arrested and imprisoned in The Tower of London; the most terrifying and horrifying prison in London at the time.

 His family including wife and children took the oath but not Sir Thomas More, he could not be swerved from the path of truth and virtue. In matters of conscience Sir More was more burden to be loyal to his conscience than to any other thing, even on the face of death. 

He was offered pardon before trial would start if he would repent and revoke his “willful and obstinate opinion” but he graciously declined and said that  God would grant him “good, honest and upright mind even to the last hour and extreme moment “ of his life.

Sir More would stand a trial for his life that would test his all legal experience as a lawyer, judge and Lord Chancellor. The trial was before a jury that guaranteed a guilt penalty since it was made up of relatives of Kings Mistress, Anne Bolyne; all who has strong interest to convict Thomas More.

‘Finally, the sentence was pronounced on the man of unbreakable conscience: it read that ‘More should be "drawn on a hurdle through the City of London to Tyburn, there to be hanged till he should be half dead; then he should be cut down alive, his privy parts cut off, his belly ripped, his bowels burnt, his four quarters sit up over four gates of the City and his head upon London Bridge."

On the execution dated, saying his last words, he said ‘he was the King’s good servant, but God first.’ He  knelt down, laid his head upon the block, and stretched his arms out in front of him. One blow of the execution's axe took off his head. The executioner raised the head for the crowd to see: and said "Behold the head of a traitor!” A traitor who was loyal to his conscience and principles.

Sir Thomas More with daughter after Sentence to death

In October 31, 2000, Pope John Paul II Proclaimed, Sir Thomas More a Saint and Patron of Statesmen and politicians. The Pope said that “What enlightened [Sir More] conscience was the sense that man cannot be sundered from God, nor politics from morality… And it was precisely in defense of the rights of conscience that the example of Thomas More shone brightly.” He is venerated as an imperishable example of moral integrity.

In 1999 the Law Society of Great Britain's Gazette featured Lawyer of the millennium, to recognize outstanding and a most distinguished lawyer. Sir Thomas More topped the Lawyers’ polls as ‘the most significant legal figure of the second Millennium’. Others who came close to such a reputation included, Lord Denning, Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Henry II, Sir Edward Coke, William Blackstone and William Wilberforce. Sir More is celebrated as the freedom fighter for Freedom of religion and primacy of individual conscience over the power of the state.

We may not all be celebrated the day we stand for our principles or conscience but Sir More set the example to all people, that we can all create the seldom moment when Morals and virtue triumph over Profit, conscience over public opinion and fear, truth over power, integrity over corruption and Goodness over utility and for sure our actions will be the small hinges that turn the great doors of history towards a society that does not compromise its sacred principles.

In this battle between principles and powers there is no neutral ground every inch of ground claimed by principles is counter claimed by profit. The war is waged in your mind and conscience, you can try and hide from it and say ‘I don’t pick sides’ but at some point life will force you to pick a side. Decide beforehand so that the day someone will ask you for something that you want to keep, you know what you can fight or even die for.  As John Bunyan would say, “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience”

GEORGE JUNIUS STINNEY JR: WHEN JUSTICE FAILED, A 14 YEAR OLD BOY WAS ILLEGALLY EXECUTED

“George Junius Stinney Jr., we find you guilty on the charge of first degree murder and you are sentenced to death. You shall ‘be electrocuted, until your body be dead in accordance with law. And may God have mercy on your soul.’”  The judge read the judgment to the accused.

On the 16^th day of June 1944, Stinney, a 14 year old boy was removed from his cell by the prison officer; he placed his bible under his armpits, and walked slowly with tears running down his cheeks as he was escorted to the execution chamber to meet his death.

At the electrocution chamber, Stinney was placed on the electric seat where many have met their death, and today was his date. He was so small to fit and so short for the electrode head piece apparatus to be placed on his head, so they took the bible under his armpits, placed it on the seat to act as a booster. Then they strained his legs, arms and body on the electric chair. He was asked if he had last words to say and His father moved closer to listen but Stinney couldn’t talk he just shook his head and his small legs, though strained, daggled as if trembling with fear.  The prisoner officer covered his face with a large death mask and walked backwards placing his back on the wall and faced the accused. 

After a few seconds, he signaled a person who was on the other side of a glassed wall and the executioner flipped the lethal 2400V electric switch, the lights in the room dimmed and brightened momentary, maybe to allow the angel of death do his job. Stinney body convulsed as electricity pumped into his body, two more jolts of electricity were
added totaling to about 5,300V. The death mask covering his body flipped off his face exposing his burning scalp, his eyes were wide open, tears running down his cheeks and saliva foam around his mouth and saliva dripping to his chest.

Three Minutes and 45 seconds later the switch was flipped off. The execution chamber was filled with smoke and reeked with burnt flesh. The body of Stinney sat on the chair lifeless. The prison physician approached the body, placed the stethoscope on the left side of his chest and declared Stinney as dead. “Justice” had been served.

In 2014, about 60 years after the execution, the blood of Stinney still continued to cry for justice from the grave and the court would pass a judgment that “a violation of the Defendant procedural due process rights tainted his prosecution … and that the courts [had] failed in a capital case to discharge their proper functions with due regard to the constitutional safeguards in the administration of justice. Based on the forgoing I hereby vacate the defendant’s conviction” the judgment read. In short, George Junius Stinney Jr was ILLEGALLY EXECUTED!

What had led to the overturning of this illegal execution was that, in 2004, a historian, George Frierson would come across a newspaper article on this case and did a research on it. Some Lawyers got an interest on his research. They filed a motion for a new trial and a petition for writ of Coram Nobis in 2013, because they knew “there wasn’t any reason to convict the child and this is an injustice that needs to be righted” and this is an “opportunity to make a difference and correct a wrong that’s been there for 70 years” and that the “the conviction was based on numerous and serious errors and omissions denying Stinney fundamental due process.”

Stinney had been accused of the Murder of two girls, Betty June Binnaker, 11 yrs and Mary Emma Thames, 7 years. The two  girls had passed around their property looking for Maypop Flowers and had asked Stinney and his sister  where they could find some of the flowers and they told them they did not know.  The bodies of the two girls would later be found in a ditch with head injuries.

The police would arrest George Stinney on the suspicion of the murder based on the account that he was the last person to have had information on them and took him to custody.  He stayed in custody for about 81 days. He was not allowed to see his parents until his trial and conviction and had no support from anyone during the whole trial process. In custody the police interrogated him alone without his parents or a lawyer. The police would later give evidence in court that the boy had confessed yet no confession statement signed by Stinney would be produced in court and Stinney would later say that the arresting police “starved him and then bribed him with food” and due to fear, exhaustion, hunger and intimidation he relinquished his innocence and gave a confession.

During the trial, the Court appointed a defense counsel for Stinney, who was a tax commissioner campaigning for election to a local office. And due to the popularity of the incidence and trial, may have just taken the case to gain him popularity and influence more votes from the locals.

During the Proceedings, the defense counsel did not challenge the production of the police offices confession statement as evidence or cross-examine them, which was the only evidence they had against Stinney. There was no other evidence whatsoever linking Stinney to the murder. On the accusation that Stinney might have attempted to rape them before or after murdering them, the medical report indicated there were no indications of sexual assault and both girl’s hymen were intact.

Stinney defense counsel on the other hand did not call any witness or even the sister who had been with Stinney  on the said day and would give an alibi evidence, he did not bring in the doubt of how practical and logical a 14 year old of only 5.1 feet(1.6M) and 95 pound(43Kg) would overpower and  murder a 11 year old and 7 year old girl and carry them to a ditch because there  was no sign that the bodies were dragged to the ditch and even if he had carried the bodies, due to the bloody nature of the murder,  then blood or any physical evidence would have been left on him. But the defense attorney offered no defense.

Stinney who was a black American was convicted to death by an all-white jury within 10 minutes of discussion. The court did not hesitate to give the Judgment. On his conviction the defense counsel did not even bother to file for an appeal and request for stay of execution.  Therefore, Stinney was executed.

George Stinney case is an illustration of what happens when the whole system of justice fails. When the community uses Race to determine who is a suspect. When the police arrest anyone without compelling evidence, subject the arrested person to psychological torture and denying him right to counsel or guidance, obtaining a confession through duress, torture and deception. When the prosecution is more interested in obtaining a verdict of guilt other than guiding the court to reach a legally and fact supported judgment. When the defense lawyer undertakes his works for selfish purpose of publicity and totally dereliction of duty to ensure evidence and the legal process is followed and the rights entitled to the accused have been followed. When the jury does not represent a fair cross section of the community and unable to speak the truth and give an impartial verdict and base their judgment on racial basis. When a judge does not guide the jury on the legal aspects and ensure the matter has been proved beyond reasonable doubt, when the judge does not appreciate the uniqueness of a case and weight and balance the offense and punishment and ends up giving a punishment that is unproportional to the offence. And ‘innocent Blood’ was shed on an electric chair to warn future generations of the dangers of having a broken down system of justice.

Around the world, many people languish in jail because of a broken down system. This is a system all of us are in or can find themselves in as a suspect, public, Police, Defense counsel,  prosecutor or judge and we all have a duty to play to ensure no innocent person goes to jail. As members of the public let’s view each other as humans; Issues such as wealth, race or religion should not be used to single out a suspect. As Police let’s do our job, ensure everyone arrested enjoys his right and law is followed. As prosecutor as much as the demand to proof the case beyond reasonable doubt is on us lets bear the burden with integrity and fairness not just to aim at reaching a conviction of Guilty. As defense counsel do your job, the law and evidence presented should be followed and the rights of an arrested person jealously protected. The question of “what if a guilty person is released because of your brilliant defense?” should be converted to “is justice being delivered after the law and evidence has been followed?” for the judge the scale of justice should always balance.

This case may have happened thousands of kilometers away but in one way or another it part of the humanity history and as Martin Luther would say while at Birmingham jail that “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”  And this case gives us an opportunity to learn from history and  to correct an injustice where possible and to look our current status and see if there is any eminent threat to justice in any form in our system and to look forward with a constant reminder of the dangers of having a biased system of governance.

(Photos credited to:Global Exchange, Findagrave.com, Washington Post, Movie:83 Days)

LUCIUS QUINCTIUS CINCINNATUS: THE FATHER OF CIVIL VIRTUE

Photo: britannica.com
Cincinnatus being informed of his appointment as a Dictator

 The Year is 456 BCE, the first and the youngest republic on earth; The Roman Republic, was under attack from their neighbors, The Aequi. The Roman Army sent to defend and stop the invading army had been trapped and held under siege by the enemy and if something was not done with speed, the invading army would match to the city of Rome and cause havoc.

The Roman law required that in times of extreme emergency, they would appoint a Dictator, with unlimited, total and absolute authority to make quick decision and protect the Republic for at least six months. But there was also a deep fear on this provision; what if the appointed dictator after defending the republic and would exploit this excessive power bestowed upon  him to make himself King and descend the young republic back to a monarch system? Who could be trusted with such great power? As Rome was full of power hungry individuals? And as Lord Acton would say that, “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men…” what Lord Acton meant was that people may be of great virtue and character, but when given power they reveal their vices and demons and for sure “if you want to test a man’s character, give him power” said Abraham Lincoln

Regardless of this eminent and potential danger of appointing a Dictator, the Senate appointed Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus as their dictator because “in him were the courage and resolution equal to the majestic authority of the office.” Cincinnatus was a retired Senator and was having financial difficulties since he had spent most of his wealth to bail out his son from potential prosecution and the son was now in exile. A delegation was sent to inform him of his appointment and they found him plowing his humble farm.

On being informed of this appointment he immediately left his plow lying in the field, donned his senatorial toga, rushed to the city, made a proclamation to suspend all public and private business and requested all men of military age to present themselves fully armed and ready for battle.

Once the Army was ready, although the Romans were expected to lose, he moved with swift and led it to a victorious battle against the Aequi at the Battle of Mount Algidus. He won the heart and loyalty of the army he was leading and when the news reached the Rome City, people were happy and gained glory and dignity. Cincinnatus was welcomed back to the city with a Great  Triumph, the roman people urged him to maintain his power and remain permanently as their dictator.

Everything was in favor of Cincinnatus to remain and maintain power, the army and the public were on his side, he would use his power to bring his son out of exile and even acquire more wealth and come out of his financial hardship. This was a life time opportunity for Cincinnatus.

In the midst of all these advantages and opportunities to acquire more power and wealth for himself and hence solve his many personal problems, Cincinnatus immediately after the Celebration of the Victorious Battle and 16 days (even before the 6 month period was over) after being appointed a Dictator he relinquished his power back to the Republic  and went back to his farm and lived a silent life.

He would later be appointed Dictator again to lead an army; he did the same again and returned to his farm.

He always served his Republic with great skill and efficiency; he would lead an army to victory, return stability in Rome and out of duty and loyalty relinquished his position as dictator and return back to his farm.

His actions demonstrated what civil virtue is all about. A  Loyal citizen must place the matters of the state over his own interest. Cincinnatus actions of leaving his plough lying on the farm during a sowing season on being informed of his appointment and duty and not minding the danger of subjecting his family to starvation if farming was not complete in good time as the crop would be ruined dur to the prolonged absence, and relinquishing his power before time, in order to end dictatorship and return the City back to a republic, forgoing riches, shows his caring more for the good of the republic than his personal advantages and prestige and financial benefit.

Sure, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely” but Cincinnatus is evidence that character and virtue can dictate how power can be channeled for the benefit of all, so power does not really corrupt people it just reveals who they really are.

Cincinnatus actions would act as a model of virtue to other great leaders. More than 2000 years later, George Washington, would lead America to Independence from the British. George Washington was offered to be King of the new Independent America and establish a monarch but he strongly preferred the New Country to be a Republic and served as the First President.  Washington stepped down to allow another Person to take over the Presidency. Having In mind at the time there was no Presidential Power Limit but he still relinquished his power as the President earning him the name as the American Cincinnatus. Washington life and action was greatly influenced by Cincinnatus having being the President of the Society of Cincinnati.

Photo:Flicr Depicting George Washington,
 with a plough behind him, like the statue of Cincinnatus

George Washington action to step down created a custom of peaceful transfer of power and two-term limit of Four years each in the USA. More than 240 years later after the first presidency the customs still exist to date.  Constitutional mechanisms such as Checks and Balances, equal but separate arms of the government were latter developed to ensure no one person or arm has absolute power and this Mechanisms are found in almost all constitutions and republics in the world.

In Africa people like Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, relinquished their powers, releasing “the reins of power so that the office may evolve with public interest” but in some countries in as much as there are presidential power limits the people in power find means to either amend or maneuver the same and remain in power.

Photo:britannica.com
Statue of Cincinnatus

Civil Virtue is the ability to lay down your personal interest for the greater good of the public. Civil Virtue should find space in everyone’s life regardless of how small or big the position is. It is ability of a class prefect to list all noise makers and not favoring any because of friendship, is the ability of not receiving or giving money to corrupt your way to any position, it is the ability of voting in for the right leaders not based on nepotism, tribalism or amount of bribe given, it is the ability to sell quality and safe products disregarding the quick profit margins because of doing otherwise, It is continuously doing the right thing placing public interest over self-interest. We should all act with civil virtue in all our actions.

Cincinnatus portrayed virtues such as “modesty, leadership, selfless service, lack of personal ambition, humility and dedication to public service” and even when “granted great power and accepted it, he only kept it as long as necessary to serve his country.” He is a model of Civil Virtue. And who knows maybe Republics would never exist if it was not to his action.

PLATO CAVE ALLEGORY: DO YOUR DUTY

If Evolution theory is a fact, then maybe as man was rushing out of the cave to finally land on the moon, he might have moved so fast that he left his brain lagging behind trying to catch up with him. In short, our technological advancement does not reflect our social advancement, as Isaac Asimov puts it “the saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom." We have gained so much information that can direct us to the truth but we have lacked capacity to apply it in our lives.

Plato in his allegory of the Men in the cave illustrates this. In this allegory, four men sit in a cave; they are chained in such a way that they can only face and gaze at the wall and nothing else. Behind them, is a flame emitting light and between the flame and the chained men there is a platform where people walk through carrying some object. When people walk on this platform, due to the light of the flame, the shadows of the object they carry are cast on the wall the chained men are looking at.

When the chained men see the shadows, they engage in an act of naming every shadow that passes before them. They even award each other to the one who names the most shadows. To them the shadows are real objects, the shadows are their reality.

One day, one of the chained men becomes free and his chain fall off from him and is able to get out of the cave. He discovers that the shadows are not real but manufactured reality; that the shadows are just a blurred image of the real objects. He discovers all that he deemed to be true all his life (since he knew no other life) was a shadow. He gets out of the cave and sees the sun, the source of natural light, the brightness of the sun hurts his eyes as they are not used to so much light after being in a cave for so long. Finally he is able to see clearly and see the real things as they are.

He then decides to go back to the cave to free the other prisoners so that they can also see the light. But the chained men protest, they refuse to believe him, they consider him a fool, crazy and they laugh at him and even conspire to kill him.

A quote wrongly attributed to Harriet Tubman an American who escaped slavery and made immense effort to help other people escape from slavery says "I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if only they know they are slaves". No man is a monopoly of wisdom and in one way or another we are in a cave of some sort and we may not be aware of our own ignorance. To get out of the cave we must accept our own ignorance. We may have accepted something as facts and they have survived without questioning, things regarding our view of  justice, democracy, economy, Culture, religion, money, education, fame, love etc. and have viewed their shadow as the reality due to how they have been projected to us by various entities. And when we are told the truth we never bother or we get annoyed and yet it is the truth.

But the good news is that, in one way or another, all of us have come out of the cave in a given aspect of life. Our uniqueness, our individual world view are our information out of the norm and we have a duty to share this knowledge and subjected it to debate and its validity tested. For years people believed the earth was the center of the solar system saying otherwise was considered blasphemous. It took courage of a handful of people like Nicolas Copernicus to break this chain of thought, it took the stubbornness of people like Martin Luther to question the necessity of the sale and purchase of the prayer of indulgence which was a misuse of the moral authority of the church, it took the persistence of people like William Wilberforce to question the justness of slavery, it took to steadfastness of people like Wangari Mathaii to safeguard every single tree.

In modern times entities like the media, government, education religion, culture and others have tended to project shadows to our mind and chain people's minds to make them view things in a particular way. This is normally called "Brainwashing". They have vilified the truth. Telling the truth is seen as a rebellious and revolutionary act worth punishment for disturbing the status quo. People like Socrates were sentenced to death in the process on questioning and telling the truth as far as they understood it. In Modern times Things are seen from the lens of competition to get richer or more fame or to satisfy greed by all means including destruction of the environment, selling food and consumable products laced with poison, causing violence and instabilities to accumulate power, stepping on other people to get ahead and seeing people as pawns. Majority of this selfish agendas have led to squandering of opportunities making them scare, living mediocre and meaningless lives and nobody realizes how much more can be realized outside this cave of shadows, greed, delusion and illusion.

we all start from the cave, but we must not stay there, as Thomas Paine says "it is the duty of every man as far as his ability extends to detect and expose delusion and error" and to question and punch holes to any assumption made so that a glimmer of light may shine on them and cast them out with truth. We are all in pursuit of truth. It’s our duty to break out of the cave, get out of our comfort zones, own up our ignorance, discover new and unique solutions to solve our problem and we shall have made one giant step for humanity. We must cause trouble today so that our children will live under truth and justice, for fear is always a creation of ignorance and delusion. "To the captives, get out! To those in darkness, be free"(Isa 49:9, NIV)

PART III - MAN: AN ARCHIVE OF THE FUTURE

Humanity can choose the other road, the road less traveled and we shall tell with sight of the great difference it shall make.  This road will lead humanity to place where it shall place its portrait on the hall of fame as the Sapiens that engraved the gene of character, justice and truth on every descendant who shall live on earth.  

The present Sapiens shall be remembered as being aware of their individual responsibility to choose prosperity for their descendants;  As the Sapiens that made choices, though small they acted as the small hinges that open the great doors of our history and ushered in future generation.

The choices we make daily either give the future a chance or destroy it. We can make a choice of upholding the highest level of humanity by protecting our environment to give future generation a chance.

 Failure to take care of environment is a crime that future generation should prosecute us. With each environmental distraction, we endanger their lives and consequently  they will never know how fresh air smells like, how clear and fresh drinking water tastes like, how a beautiful green nature looks like. Our destructive choices are making the world a huge “ Nazi Extermination Camp” where we facilitate and guarantee the death of future generations.

We need a change of heart and change of mind. We can uphold values of Justice. Justice is the cornerstone in every undertaking. Every society from days of old have always found ways to come together to achieve justice by setting laws to take them there. Pursuit for justice has been the inherent nature of humanity. People have consistently acknowledged that they are intertwined together by the thread of Justice. Every society from days of old to present have always endeavor to have justice.

When People join together and continuously seek the face of justice in every endeavor and turn away from any other means, then the world will know justice. And together we will cloth the destiny of humanity in a strong fabric of justice that even the gates of Hades will not tear through it. Things like environmental protection, greed, self-interest will fall at the face of justice. Injustice is when people think solemnly of themselves and disregard the duties the own to others. In law it is figuratively stated that “my right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins” that our right to do whatever we want on this planet ends at the moment we begin destroying life of our future generation.

At every cross road we can always use our moral compass and the needle will firmly point the path of truth and justice.

On this path of justice and truth we shall inaptly spur each other and our children to this values and set foot steps to guide future humanity. And humanity shall continuously draw near to this future with assurance of reaping a harvest in due time if we do not give up on this values.

Society is made up of individuals and if each individual makes the right choice then the society is right. That is why your own resolution to stand for truth and justice today is more important than any other thing.

Therefore, since each of us has the future within his grasp lets hold firmly on making just and truthful choices in our every individual undertaking. Each day sets before us two choices; life and death, prosperity and destruction may you walk the road less traveled and your descendants will pick up the pace to live and have life and life in full without fear of anything.

PART II - MAN: AN ARCHIVE OF THE FUTURE

A look into the future, unlike the past, where we have a route to follow as we saw on our past blog: Man: An archive of History, the future is uncertain, unpredictable and nobody really knows how things will turn out, but one thing remains constant that the future is determined by choices we make now. The choice can only have one out of the possible two outcomes of between good and bad, life or death, prosperity or destruction, right or wrong, evil or righteous.

Of course, choices are determined by many factors such as; environmental, culture, historical period we live in and to determine the outcome of a choice, a choice should be looked through these lenses. That  explains,  why currently we scoff at the superstitions and irrational choices that most people held in the 15^th century, but in their time their choice was considered a truthful and rational choice and in the same way, future generations of the 45^th century will scoff at the choices of the current 21^st century because the factors that affect our choice continuously changes with the advances man makes in various aspects. And therefore the “truth” of today may be the false of 300 years from now.

Humanity will always find itself on a road diverting into two, and they will have to make a choice because they can only travel on one.

From history men have traveled

the road that is short sighted and selfish to meet a temporary moment of happiness. Issues of greed, societal indifference and individual callousness are deeply rooted in our human imperfections and these elements can be traced in our moral underpinning.

For instance, man since creation has continuously modified and invented weapons of mass destruction from weapon of stones to sophisticated weapons such as the atomic bombs. Man has made the world a great battle field and has engaged in world wars. Our scientific progress has been pushed with intention to improve, modify and invent weapons of mass destruction. Look at any technological instruments, like computers, mobile phones, cameras, landing on the moon and you realized they advanced quickly due to their connection to some military activity, with the intention to be ahead of an “enemy”. That may explains why in most countries military budgets are almost the highest.  With this giant steps of technological progress we have directed droned and missiles to pin point accuracy to cause havoc, chaos and destruction to distant lands but we have been unable to make accurate choices to lead humanity to even one step to the future.

Countries are living in inactive wars in the name of peace and yet seated on a nuclear time bomb that can erupt on just pressing of a button by a “leader” who just wants to feed his  ego and with the slightest provocation he will press the red button to show case his military super power.

Humans in this century are engaged in environmental massacre. We torture Mother Nature to fulfill our greed and selfish needs. ‘We sink mine shafts into her and drag out her entrails… all for a jewel to wear on petty finery’. We clear a whole forest just to manufacture a piece of paper and empty gallons of toxic substances into our water bodies. Now Mother Nature has begun to retaliate. Natural disasters are becoming so common; Hurricanes, heat waves, floods, earthquakes, landslides, water crisis, mudslides, Tsunamis and the list goes on. If this continues humanity has already placed its neck on the guillotine and the razor shall fall. We have repudiated from our duty to use and utilize the knowledge we have to live together with Mother Nature, therefore we shall all perish like fools.

Due to our continuous destructive environmental activities, maybe billions of years from now humans will be extinct. New intelligent specie will evolve or maybe aliens from far galaxies will visit our planet and they will place our fossils and skeletons alongside those of dinosaurs. The aliens will wonder what happened to the human species that whipped the whole population from the surface of the world.  They will speculate that we died of starvation but the reality was that we never took care of mother nature and it destroyed us , they will say we got extinct because of a massive comet strike that hit the planet, but the truth will be , we developed weapons of mass destruction that killed all humans, they will even develop theories that our specie evolved to another specie, but the truth  is we as human race just raced to outdo each other  with materialistic gains and in the process we killed and slaughter each other to extinction.