In the annals of the looney in the last few weeks we’ve had Kha-Daffy and his testimonials to the surreal, Imelda supporting him in his pursuit of the light, the true and the dead (Not them no, never. Bad weeds don’t die, just their constituents), Charlie Sheen and his nonsensical ramblings (My drug is Charlie Sheen!) and to that we can now add our very own Chavit Singson.

On ANC’s Headstart, Karen Davila took on the enviable (ha!) task of interviewing Kha-Daf…I mean Chavit Singson on his son’s trials and tribulations (and how the habit is coming along). And oh did he have some surreal comments and quotes. I came away from the interview almost thinking I truly was watching an alternate reality. I was half expecting William Bell to show up (geek joke).

Among the tastiest of comments, or for me the oddest moments, came when he seemed to proudly proclaim to all that he practically supported and ordered the mutilation of that poor guy. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure he said: “He deserved it.” All the while smiling. Honestly, is that our country? Do people like that actually believe that it’s admirable to attack and mutilate others?

Of course the continuing cherry on top is his proclamations that his son is a victim, of the system, of Congress, of gremlins on the plane. I guess tiny little cocaine devils that magically placed the vial in his undergarments. Or, if Chavit is to believed and he was holding it for a friend on the flight, must have been a very good friend.

If anything the only one who Ronald is possibly a victim of, is his father. A man who proudly proclaims that he has his children followed, their lives investigated (seriously? That’s all kinds of creepy and paranoid) and hints that when someone crosses them he crosses body parts off. With finality.

It was a rambling, slightly scary and more than a little disassociated from reality interview. Especially when he proclaimed he had never protected a jueteng lord. Ummm…excuse me, wasn’t the whole impeachment case against Erap built on your testimony as a bag man and collector on his behalf? Looney. Tunes. And the sad thing is, I bet people have forgotten the part he played in Erap’s downfall. Or at least, they’ve forgotten the wrong he did, only to hail him erroneously as a hero of the people.

I can only commend Karen Davila for handling an obviously difficult interview subject with equanimity and aplomb.

From one man who I think operates in a different world from the rest of us, to someone else who is peddling delusions, namely the Ombudsman. So far she has defended her less than stellar record with a litany of excuses: My dog died, my cat died, we don’t have enough funding, I ran out of time, I don’t have enough investigators, I have too many cases, I don’t have enough funding, the dog ate the funding (that’s why he’s dead), and the cat ate the case files (that’s why the cat died). And I’m sure the reason why those poor animals were so damn hungry was because the office didn’t have enough funding to feed them.

Thank goodness there are a still a few bastions of investigative journalism in the country. The PCIJ has done a four part series investigating the Ombudsman and putting their claims to the test (which…you know, the government should be doing):

The Ombudsman’s budget has tripled from P392.08 million in 2003 to P1.33 billion in 2009 during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the wife of Gutierrez’s law school batch mate, then First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo. In five years under Gutierrez, the Office’s budget grew by an annual average of 21.35 percent, or twice more than the usually allowed increase in the budgets of most other government agencies.

On top of this, the Office has also received not less than $7.2 million or P316 million in four different foreign grants and assistance, including funds committed to her predecessor,  Simeon V. Marcelo, between 2005 and 2009.

Among the Office’s fund infusions from abroad was a $6.5-million grant that was its share from the $21-million Philippine Threshold Program under the U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Oh would you look at that, since she took over in 2005 she has had more resources at her disposal, domestic and foreign, than her predecessors. Why that means she should be doing much better than them, right? Right? And of course, that is exactly what she has claimed. Yet…something doesn’t sound quite right. If that was the case, why on earth have generals, fertilizer fund scam-artists, ZTE-Broadbanders and so on been basically getting off scot-free? Ah, maybe the PCIJ can shed some light on that:

This figure would slide drastically to 33.6 percent in 2009, and further down to 12 percent (according to the Sandiganbayan) in 2010. Still, from 33 percent annual “conviction rate” for January-December 2005, the Threshold Program’s records show that the Ombudsman achieved a cumulative conviction rate of 55 percent from January 2005 to March 2009.

The article continues on and points out that her supposed success rate of 73% in 2008 was based on wholly fudged data. If you look at her success rate over her term, it slides to 55%. Lower than her predecessor. And if you investigate further, the data indicates that multiple counts of graft and corruption were filed against individuals, and each one of those counts was treated as a separate decision in the tallying. So, basically, each individual count was treated as a separate case, even if they were all against the same person. Which basically means, the Ombudsman could load up counts on a smaller fry, while allowing the bigger fish to slink away into the night and maintain a reasonable ‘win’ percentage.

What this comes down to is, as is so often the case, the protestations to the contrary of individuals with something to hide usually fall apart in the glare of investigation and deep questioning.

Or at least the use of a modicum of common sense. Something that has been long absent from the national scene.

The problem is, some of them have become so used to peddling and living lies, that they have lost track of reality; of what is quantifiable and accurate. They don’t even know how to tell the truth anymore, they have built their lives on so many untruths.

Is this what our government has become: A house of cards built on a foundation of lies, a refuge for the delusional? In other words, a trash bin badly in need of cleansing.

The Aquino administration launched their vaunted 23 priority bills the other day; a hodge-podge of regulatory oversight bills and tweaks to existing measures. Hardly ground-breaking stuff, but fairly consistent with the stated goals of the Aquino administration. Again though, hardly anything that will change the fortunes of the country and really get down to human resource development (except for the education bill). But, on the whole they are welcome.

And sure, there is some much needed tweaks there in the realm of anti-trust and anti-monopoly measures. Though, that it is highly ironic that he recently met with businessmen, among them acquisition-oriented (It’s mine!) guys like Manny Pangilinan (MVP! MVP!) who has stated he’s on a buying spree and Danding Cojuangco (Coco-farmers can suck it!), who has turned a food and beverage company into…something. I think it’s a sort of conglomerate that now has its fingers in power, land development, telecommunications, infrastructure projects like tollways and railways and beer. All in less than five years. Wonder how they did that?

Business in the Philippine remains a highly top-heavy patronage based affair, especially in the realm of utilities. There are a few conglomerates that control the majority of utilities in the country; not to mention the accommodations that are reached with LGU politicians. Counter-acting this systemic defect is paramount.

The land and maritime bills are good to see. Land rights are one of the major problems within the Philippines. And anyone who has had to deal with land deeds knows how screwed up that department is. It’s incredibly easy to falsify deeds and get away with it. With 25% of land in the Philippines remaining untitled, you can just see how politicians of the past have utilized the disreputable state of land rights in the country to enrich themselves. A good, high profile recent example, is Manny Villar. Along with the illegal conversion of agricultural land for commercial development. Fixing land rights goes to the heart of land reform and asset allocation measures in the country. It can also redound positively in anti-corruption practices.

Not to mention the fact that one of the major developmental problems in the country is unequal asset allocations (which goes right back to the land and monopoly problem).

Maritime stuff, well yes, we only have 5% of our original coral reef cover left intact. The majority of our waterways have been polluted beyond recognition. From an environmental standpoint, this is a disaster of immense proportions that barely gets a mention in the main.

And other anti-corruption stuff like the whistleblowers act and improving AFP oversight are well and good.

But, let’s be honest here, without enabling private sector oversight and counterchecking all of these measures matter little. And by that I mean, where the hell is the Freedom of Information Act?! 

Transparency was supposed to be one of the cornerstones of the Aquino administration; I remember Lacierda even saying that the Aquino administration was planning on issuing an executive order implementing key provisions in the FOIA. That went nowhere fast.

At the risk of being more than slightly bombastic: Why? What is the government hiding? Is this a case of getting into power means that transparency becomes secondary? It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened.

One of the chief criticisms of the Philippine government is not that we have bad laws, it’s that we don’t implement the laws on the books. So, while it is great that these needed small tweaks are being offered, we have to question adherence and application of the laws.

One of the best ways is to enable structures and mechanisms that allow the private sector to evaluate the performance and adherence of the government to its own laws, rules and regulations. 

Corruption flourishes where it is sight unseen. And it will continue to do so. Measures remain unfulfilled promises unless they are implemented and adhered. The FOIA allows the people to make sure that their laws are being complied with. Now, maybe much like other bills they are going to push this through their allies in Congress, since it’s already out there in the public sphere. But, you would suspect that such an important measure would garner something of a mention, somewhere. 

Until transparency and development policies are actual pushed and implemented, the priorities of the government remain similar (though thankfully not exactly the same) to what has come before.

From Newsbreak, the sworn statement of Clarita Garcia, wife of General Carlos Garcia:

The income received from these businesses was not reported as a basis for tax liability. The two corporations IJT MANGO ORCHARD, INC. and IJT KATAMNAN CORP. were incorporated on March 22, 2002.

My husband Carlos Garcia (Two Star General in the Armed Forces) was assigned to the Comptroller’s Office until April 4, 2004. He receives a salary that is declared as income for tax purposes. In addition, Carlos receives travel money and expenses in excess of several thousands of dollars.

I often travel with my husband on business and my travel, expenses and shopping money in excess of US$10,000 to $20,000 is provided to me. He also receives cash for travel and expenses from the businesses that are awarded contracts for military hardware. These businesses are in Europe and Asia.

Not even delving into some of the other illogical statements made, there are no tax laws in the Philippines that allow you to not declare income such as this. Looking past how they set up these two companies, and even a daycare center that supposedly brought in $10,000 per month.

She follows with:

He also receives gifts and gratitude money from several Philippine companies that are awarded military contracts to build roads, bridges and military housing.

Essentially, she just admitted to graft and kickbacks on behalf of her husband. More to the point, she did this without coercion and only attempting to reclaim part of the $100,000 that was confiscated by the United States Bureau of Customs.

It seems that statements such as this should and could be used in questioning the source of unsubstantiated wealth.

Click on through for the rest of the transcript.

It’s in the Filipino DNA in truth; this attraction to mass movements and communal action. On much smaller scales we see it during fiestas; the annual Black Nazarene fiesta in Quiapo. There millions of Filipinos throng the streets in celebration. It’s found in preparations months in advance, saving, scrimping and getting for town fiestas. We love a good party, we love to celebrate en masse. We are a communal people.

It was this spirit that was captured so perfectly in EDSA I: Four days where the religious and the secular were one in goal and spirit. To the streets some people brought their iconography, their rosaries, their faith in God. For the nuns and the faithful who stood before guns and tanks, it was their shield. For others who did the same, love of country acted the same. All brought their faith in country and each other. They shared that spirit, and were strengthened by it. It helped overcome fear and steady a people in their purpose.

Writers like Anding Roces called it our fiesta revolution; because there was a communal sense of experience. Instead of consecrating the rites and rituals of faith and expression to an icon, the icons were along for the ride. They were another expression of the feeling that circulated through the streets that day.

It was…spiritual.

What was above was the Filipinas of our heroes. What was within was the Filipino we’ve always wanted to become. What we congregated to recognize was the opportunity to become, to create and to find a new dream, a reborn hope.

There is one thing I will always remembering hearing about EDSA growing up: What was beautiful was not the four days, it was the fifth. And unlike that old joke that God rested on the seventh day, after creating opportunity with four days of labor, Filipinos on the fifth day did go back to the streets. To clean. For those who saw it, yes the four days were beautiful, the fifth day was a miracle.

This is the forgotten side of EDSA. Not the four days of togetherness in the brotherhood of Filipino. We’ve been trying to find that at every turn. It was the fifth day, when Filipinos tried to start rebuilding, that we must remember. That we have to recapture. The first four days were about creating opportunity, the fifth day was about nation-building.

The tragedy, as so many say, about EDSA is that we are forever chasing it’s ephemeral feeling. If anything, one of the things that has undermined EDSA I are attempts later on to recapture lightning in a bottle. With EDSA II and III, we went to the well one too many times. We keep trying to recreate the utterly unique. The more we reach for it, the more it slips through our fingers. In the process, the more we lose and the more opportunities pass us by. We’ve grown up thinking that EDSA I is what has to be recaptured: That feeling of togetherness needed to depose a dictator and create chances for greatness.

In truth, what we should remember is that fifth day. When Filipinos came together to clean up dirty streets, to sweep away the dirt and filth and trash. In other words, the detritus of a revolution and the leavings of a dictatorship.

We cleaned up the streets. But forgot to finish the job. We missed what was left behind when the heads of government took flight. Remnants of the system remained, echoes and ghosts capable of wrecking havoc. The cronies survived. And eventually, they came out of the woodwork and returned to prominence; in some cases, they never left the spotlight.

The clean up should have continued on the sixth day and beyond. And it should have been comprehensive. Rebuilding cannot be half-assed. It was to be as comprehensive as the revolution itself; else a country misses that chance to move forward. The brilliant thing is we still have that opportunity. We haven’t frittered away our chances to truly rebuild, to truly recapture the essence and spirit of EDSA. In a sense, that is a testiment to the resilience of our people. We survived Spain and America, fought the Japanese, and died doing so. We remain, albeit slightly rudderless and wayward. Our history and its lessons somewhat forgotten. Our identity slightly damaged. But, we remain.

While we have made gains in areas, we can do so much more. We have the freedom to express ideas, to change the system and make sure that gains felt by some, are felt by all. EDSA was the People Power revolution. The importance of power is remembered by some, the people remain forgotten. We have to retrace our steps, in a sense. To re-anchor ourselves to our history. To remember, that no matter the background, the creed, the color, we are Filipinos. With all the inconsistencies and potential that entails. That was the dream of our heroes in the 19th century, in the dark days of the Occupation and during the fall of Martial Law: To be free Filipinos. We’ve somewhat lost that sense from our day to day lives; we’ve forgotten that rebuilding takes steps and has no shortcuts. It takes time, it takes cleansing and it takes remembering.

For that’s the true lesson of EDSA 25 years after; the forgotten lesson. Not that a people can rise up and reclaim a country. But that people can, together, clean up a nation.

There are a lot of things going through my head concerning the purported suicide of Reyes, chief among them that this better not derail the continued investigations into the on-goings (followed very closely with innocent men don’t kill themselves, they fight to prove their innocence). As with other things that have been going-on in the country since investigations into the last few years began, the timing is curious and suspect. Especially since there has always been a reticence on the part of people to come forward with knowledge of systemic corruption.

For me, there are some more than lingering questions:

• Why were close friends calling up newspapers to announce the ‘suicide’?
• Some reports indicate that his aides and family were with him when he shot himself. No one tried to stop him?
• Within less than an hour it has been definitely announced that he shot himself, in the chest. No ballistics?

Taken outside of the political rigamarole we have in this investigation, the apparent suicide of a high-ranking general of questionable integrity would still elicit some suspicion. However, occurring at the height of an investigation, with him one of the key figures in the tangle of graft and corruption, his death should come under even more scrutiny.

It might be callous to speak like this, but I cannot help but wonder. Yes, a family has lost a father and husband and that is their tragedy, for the country a worse one will be if this serves to derail the investigation.

ellobofilipino:

I must agree with you my friend. And in the Philippine networks, the news on the Senate and House of Representatives hearings hugs the spots. I am not saying that they are not important, they are. And I do watch them out of a seething anger knowing that the people’s money are given to general’s as freebies. But I hope the national newsrooms would also give due importance to the floods in Caraga and Sulu. Lives and property are getting lost in these places.

Yup, I can well understand the need to focus on the drama of the AFP hearings. Especially since it’s almost made for TV with emotional and driven witnesses, recalcitrant and diabolical villains (I will not incriminate myself) and overmatched patsies who are watching the shit hit the fan. Like you, I’ve been caught up in the proceedings as well! It’s very hard not to be.

What the hearings are doing is giving us insight into a failing system that left Filipinos behind in their own country. It should not though be overshadowing the suffering of Filipinos, who are victims of this graft and corruption in very obvious ways. Those who are losing house and life and the actual representation of what has been going on in the halls of power in this country. It’s not the money or the properties stolen. It is the lost opportunities to help Filipinos, to build the necessary infrastructure and put in place the wholly needed training programs and technology to save and protect in times of crisis.

While the tears of a whistleblower are dramatic and the reticence of a corrupt man anger-inducing, the continued suffering of Filipinos should be wrath worthy. They are the true victims of the generals and their patrons.

Lost somewhat in the hullaballoo over Reyes, Garcia and the continuing announcements and accusations of Heidi Mendoza is the source of the commingled funds. In this case, funds were sourced from the United Nations and the United States (via the Balikatan fund).

One of the serious issues that is rarely remarked on when it comes to foreign aid is that unless the aid is properly tracked it can easily be lifted and utilized for private purposes. This is well substantiated by the machinations that the Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines went to repurpose the funds for personal use. The most glaring examples comes with the $5M disbursement from the United Nations. The check was picked up and cashed from the United Nations, but not used for it’s stated purpose. Instead the funds ended up in the pockets of some generals and their wives. The question that we haven’t asked is why didn’t the United Nations audit the use of the aid? That the AFP will use whatever source of funds they can get their hands on is unsurprising. That the UN did not know where their funds ended up is disconcerting. Because the fact is what is on-going here is by no means a unique case. 

The United States helps fund the Balikatan joint exercises. Part of that funding was rerouted into the PCDA and handed over to various generals at will. Again, that the US is helping fund is laudatory, that they are not following up on the use and ultimate destination of their funds is disturbing.

Developing countries like the Philippines, especially in the non-profit world (an arena I fear is going to be negatively impacted by news like this), are reliant on international fund and support. The fact is there is just not enough capital within the country to support a lot of aid programs. However, just because aid is provided does not mean it should disappear from mind. The fact is that kind of lax oversight on the part of the funding entity allows corruption like this to flourish. I am not blaming the funding agencies, I am saying that their lack of oversight contributes to the domestic problem of graft and corruption. When these entities become willing partners, not through conscious decision but through lax and non-existent follow-up and audit procedures, it allows impunity to additionally flourish. The fact is, when a system supports malfeasance through faulty systems, people will take advantage. Corruption in aid is both a domestic and international issue. While we are trying to fix our issues, as well the international agencies should be evaluating how they track funding.

We are always hearing that the developed world has a responsibility to help the developing world. In this I actually agree. However, there has to be a level of responsibility as well in the disbursement and tracking of the funding. Absent that, they are actually contributing to impunity in the developing world. As well, this is hardly fair to the constituents of the United States and the United Nations (in this instance). This is but a small example of an issue that probably exists elsewhere in much larger quantities. As someone pointed out, if that is going on here, imagine how it is in other countries that have even worse oversight than us.

In the process of trying to good, new problems are being created.

Former President Fidel V. Ramos called on the present administration to put a stop to the “pabaon” system within the military, as exposed by whistle-blower and former military budget officer George Rabusa.

Ramos, in an interview at the sidelines of the 20th Philippine National Police Foundation Day on Monday, said President Benigno Aquino III should immediately identify and act on those in-charge of perpetrating the supposed military tradition.

There are a couple of things I’m always going to remember about Ramos:

1. His classic answer to the question of “Where did the money from the sale of Fort Bonifacio go?”: “It’s there.” Where there? Just that it’s there.
2.  His loving and full embrace of ‘free trade’ and ‘globalization’ policies that under cut and destroyed domestic manufacturing and shunted funding away from domestic agricultural development (not to mention set the Philippines up for a delayed reaction to the 1997 East Asian Crisis as well as the disastrous devaluation of the peso)
3. And finally, his use of the military for political gains through the ‘militarization’ of civilian government. By that I mean, his continuous placing of ex-generals in high ranking civilian government positions. He continued the politicization of the military that began and accelerated during Marcos’s time.

“During our time it was always combat operations, we did not have the chance to focus on such things. We have a contingency fund under the control of the commander at each level. As you go down to the field, the fund gets smaller. But that’s not send-off money, that is for those on the field and civilians affected by the fighting,” he added.

Yeah, they just got it up-front ‘back in the day’. Right Mr. Ten Percent?*

Though, I do agree wholeheartedly with his sentiments; I just wonder why the military did not become more professionalized during his tenure as president.

*His nickname during Martial Law because of his cut per contract.

With the testimony yesterday of Lieutenant Colonel Rabusa, a former member of the AFP comptroller group, we’re finally getting a picture of the chain of corruption that pervades our military. As he pointedly said, this system is nothing new, he (they) inherited from the previous commands. Which, should come as no surprise to anyone who has watched the military and government since the imposition of Martial Law. Yes, it does trace back to then, something we do need to come to terms with.

Among the more interesting allegations of Rabusa are:

• Reyes receiving Php50M, on top of purportedly receiving Php100M over a 20 month period
• General Garcia ‘converting’ Php1 billion and disposing of it quietly and mysteriously (I’m betting in a dark trench coat in a parking lot)
• Rabusa opening up an account at Security Bank that swelled to Php200M (should be easily verifiable)
• The Chiefs of staff receiving millions of pesos in undisclosed payouts
• The release of salaries for 120,000 soldiers, when they were only 100,000.
• The subversion of the PCDA fund, which as well helps inform where the funds for the modernization of the military have ended up.

One of the big mysteries (not really but let’s just say that) is how generals and those in command were able to subvert the system for their patrons and personal benefit. Rabusa is providing insight into that system of payouts; insights that should help inform investigations into the military command and procurements structure. While his testimony is compelling on its own, it really does need substantiation through investigation. Something that previous administrations have failed to do; which is why whistleblower testimony has never really gone anywhere.

I remember the Garcia prosecutors lamenting the fact there were no witnesses out there to corroborate the accusations leveled against Garcia. It was one of the reasons, they said, for the plea bargain. Well, here we go. Eye-witness testimony from someone who was potentially deeply imbedded in the system of graft and corruption that has replaced the chain of command in the AFP.

Much like the GOCC expose of last year, and the on-going testimony of Heidi Mendoza, we are now beginning to see how the politics of patronage infiltrated and subverted almost all government functions. In the case of Mendoza, it appears she actually does have documents to support her claims (though they are stuck with the Ombudsman) and with Rabusa we have a man who claims to have first-hand experience in acting as a bagman.

As I mentioned before, none of this is surprising, or at least it shouldn’t be. We have long known that the AFP is corrupt. What is surprising is the quality and detail of information that is being provided to substantiate the claims. Details that should be easily verified and vetted, if that is truly what the powers that be wish. The Aquino administration is getting their wish: They are being provided with ample opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to rooting out graft and corruption. I still wonder if they have the will and ability to see it through.

In related new, I suspect we have another connection to the bombing earlier this week. I still find the value of the bombing suspect if connected to separatist groups in the South. Not so much if there was another reason for it.

Early and later reports (and major headlines to boot) have pegged the bus incident yesterday along EDSA as a bombing, with 5 now reported. Reports now indicate that an 81mm mortar shell, remotely detonated by a cell phone, was used.

Conspiracy theorists, and most everyone actually, have been making a big to do that it occurred on the birthday of President Corazon Aquino, which when coupled with the recent rise in major crimes becomes disconcerting. Whispers along the way are pointing to attempts at either destabilizing the Aquino administration or instilling an atmosphere of fear and not so subtle threats of retribution for government and civil society aided crackdowns. That these are coming on the heals of a major moves to clear up government up and down the line is used in support. I can’t help but find some merit in the thought. If we are moving towards a country that honors and respects the rule of law; that upholds the constitution and defends individual civil liberties; that cracks down on malfeasance, there will be growing pains. The status quo, that morass that we’ve found ourselves in for decades, is going to be difficult to break because so many of power and influence benefit.

One of the major cases that was making the headlines prior to the bombing was the Dominguez brothers carjack and killing. On the surface the work of the police was exemplary; within two days they had identified, arrested and charged members of the Dominguez gang. Yes, great job and all. Except overlooking the fact that over 20 times were Dominguez brothers picked up and released on suspicion of carjacking and other related crimes. A serious issue with our peace and order situation in the country is the accommodations that are made between so-called agents of the law and law-breakers. The Dominguez case is a prime example; they were known carjackers (even suspected murders), picked up repeatedly and every time released.

Now we have our congressmen arguing for the application of the death penalty for carjacking crimes; a clear example of band-aiding if I ever saw one. Or at the very least over-reacting in an attempt to look important and pro-active (all the while some are likely benefitting from the degraded peace and order situation in the country). Death penalties and such are band-aids, they do not in any way target the socio-economic and political realities that drive government and civil society crime. To address those requires a whole-sale rejiggering of our government policies and various forms of interventions and support.

Punishment only becomes effective deterrent when there is belief that the system is fair and support of all, impartial in application and wholly capable of backing up its rhetoric. Try as we might, you cannot legislate away inequality and crime. We cannot continue to substitute grandstanding moves and moments for nation-building. Instituting the death penalty would just be another in a long serious of grandiose and ultimately ineffectual moves. But even then, the line between a police state and a society that values peace and order can become blurred. At the same time, those resisting change are doing whatever they can to undermine and create a situation that breeds fear.

When fear reigns, how free are we really?