Wen Tzu - Verse 122, Part II

from Verse One Hundred Twenty-Two

Harshness means arbitrary execution resulting in the death of the innocent. When those who practice the Way are punished, then people who cultivate themselves will not be encouraged to goodness, and evildoers will readily violate the law. Favoritism creates treachery, harshness creates disorder. Treacherous and disorderly moves are the fashions of a moribund nation.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

We still have the death penalty in the United States. We also have an unfair justice system. Consequently, if two people commit similar heinous crimes, you are more apt to be executed if you are poor or a member of a racial or ethnic minority group.

What's even worse is that, over the past few years, many innocent people on death row have been released because advances in science have proven that they are innocent of the crime they were convicted of. In our rush to seek an "eye for an eye" revenge, we too often heap our scorn on the wrong party.

But this problem isn't one borne solely by governments. How many of us have "executed" a friendship or a partnership based on nothing more than gossip, innuendo and suspicion? We mete out the ultimate punishment to those in our most intimate circles and, too often, the "condemned" are innocent.

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.