THE MESSAGE:

Is there such a thing as the 'PERFECT SOCIETY'?

Throughout history we have seen so much civil unrest within national borders and international conflict between nations. The causes are many and varied, difficult to understand and almost impossible to reconcile. Economics, religion, influence, and imperialism are often at the root of conflict.

Could it be that those human beings who are selected to lead our societies are by nature overly obsessed with self-preservation, legacy, religion, power and greed? Do they lack a genuine sense of empathy for their fellow citizens or subjects?

Certainly the political regimens of Democracy, Communism, Socialism and Dictatorship are far from perfect.

Regarding multi-cultural societies, why is there so much misunderstanding, hatred, jealousy, impatience or resentment? Is this what humanity is all about?

In our western societies, Libertarians resent 'big governments' that interfere with the freedoms that have been bestowed by Constitutions or Charters. We all have little patience for criminal activities. Most of us understandably decry murder, rape, mental or physical abuse, abduction and other heinous activities.

According to Blacks and Latinos, egged on by wolfers like Jackson and Sharpton, racism is systemic and rampant in the U.S. I believe that the problem lies with poor schools, weak teachers, youth gangs, fatherless homes, bad attitudes and behaviours, a general mistrust of police, a lack of job opportunities and the rewards gained from a life of criminal activity.

CANADA

What are we to do about the 'First Nations'?

Many Canadians resent this term because of a belief that: They continually demand restitution for their 'land'. They accept money from international organizations to fight our country's efforts to develop infrastructure that would benefit all Canadians. They demand investigation into the disappearance of aboriginal females that have been preyed upon mostly by people they know (42%). They insist upon a lack of fiscal transparency regarding monies receive from the Federal Government.

Canadians have stepped up to the plate to welcome refugees from Syria while some Americans refuse to allow any refugees from entering their country.

THE WORLD

DOES GOD REALLY HATE THE WORLD?

Sunnis hate Shias, Christians mistrust Muslims, Arabs hate Jews, North Koreans hate South Koreans, ISIS hates everyone who doesn't agree with the cause, Saudi Arabia hates Iran, radicalized youths hate their lives, Russia fights a war of words with the USA, Greenies hate Fossil Fuels, Conservatives clash with Liberals, the US President fights the Congress, Yankee fans hate Red Sox fans, the Leafs hate the Stanley Cup.

EXAMPLES OF IMPENDING HOPE

HOPE IN HAIFA

An Elika Party

In the Israeli City of Haifa, a Liberal Arab Culture Blossoms “Haifa is a centre for Arabs, like Tel Aviv is a center for Jews,” said Asil Abu Wardeh, the Elika patron who practices a performance-based form of psychotherapy. “There is a cultural movement. There is a youth movement. There’s a kind of freedom here. We have our own parties. Our own places. Our own discos. We dance. We drink. We do it all in Arabic.”

Arabs make up a fifth of Israel’s population of eight million, and in recent years, they have grown more assertive in expressing their Palestinian identity, allied with their brethren in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

But their public life in Haifa is a striking secular counterpoint to the conservatism of many of Israel’s Arab communities, where sex before marriage is taboo, and single men and women rarely date and tend to marry at relatively young ages, in matches often arranged by their mothers.

One bar owner in Haifa, Mr. Asakleh, sums it up, “I am for people’s freedoms, social, personal and individual, and you can’t divide that up,” explained. “You can’t just not accept queer people. I believe in freedom for the Palestinian people, so we also have to support personal freedoms.”

It would be awesome if this philosophy could spread and dominate the countries of the Middle East!

THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

Governor Dannel Malloy met with some inmates to announce a new job-training program for those close to being released from jail. He declared, “We’ve got to develop a society that’s a little more forgiving and you’ve got to fly right.” Under his leadership, the Connecticut has repealed the death penally, legalized medical marijuana, and passed extremely strict gun laws. He continues to push for government transparency, societal mercy and individual responsibility.

Will any of this work? It’s still too early to know the effect of many of the recent reforms, but earlier efforts are already paying off. For example, after lawmakers raised the age of adult criminal responsibility to 18 from 16, the number of people between 18 and 21 behind bars dropped by more than half. Overall, crime in Connecticut is at a 48-year low, and falling faster than almost anywhere in the country. The state’s prison population is under 15,600, down from nearly 20,000 in 2008, allowing for the closing of three prisons so far.

THE QUESTION: