Part 7 of a Series
In this upcoming elections in the Philippines, what are the agenda of the presidential candidates in relation to issues and concerns of our criminal justice system? We hope that as voters, we include these concerns as we choose who will lead our nation.
---- Social learning theory suggests that criminals justify their criminal acts even before acting on their criminal behavior. They have cognitive scripts, also called Techniques of Neutralization, that, in their mind, will excuse themselves from the moral guilt of offending. For example, thieves will say: "it is okay to steal since everyone is stealing," "it is okay to steal since government officials are corrupt," "it is okay to steal because there are no consequences." These cognitive scripts are learned from observations in the public sphere where, indeed, they see plunderers get re-elected in office. They see corrupt families capture the political limelight again and again. These cognitive scripts are also learned from "readings" in social media where propaganda arms of the successful plunderers excuse their actions, such as, "it is not me who stole, it is just my dad", "yes, I stole some but I also gave a lot to my fellowmen and women", "yes, we stole some but that was a long time ago", "yes, we were thieves but people who replaced us were also thieves!", "yes, we were thieves but others are rapists and murderers." In some instances, they even use biblical verses to justify electing thieves, such as, "you who are blameless, please throw the first stone" (suggesting that since we are also sinners, then we should forgive thieves and elect them). They lash out to people who call them out and counter label them as "hypocrites." Thus, electing thieves is normal. Electing thieves is acceptable. Electing thieves even become a badge of honor and proudly say so in their Facebook pages. But by electing thieves, we justify stealing. It will teach the young generation that morality and decency in government is irrelevant, that it is lawless to be lawful in a lawless country. By electing thieves, we are morally compromised-- we become part of the thieving. It will break open the floodgates for more stealing. Suffer thy people.
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