Lao Tzu and Justice

Hello, all. I know it's been a while since my last post, and I'm sorry for that. I have been covertly maneuvering for a position of power inside the existing structure so that my actions may be more effective and my words may be heard over greater distances. I am hoping that once I am able to gain sustained capital, I will be able to use said capital to actually assist the movement on a greater scale by providing shelter, food, and communications with the outside world that would normally not have it. That is my long term goal, and I hope that you all will support me in it. In the meantime, I will be posting periodically thoughts, stories, and such.

The following is a story that was relayed to me by a friend. I believe it is vital to our movement to share it with you all.


Lao Tzu & Justice

"Lao Tzu was a true revolutionary. He was guided by the inner-light and wisdom. Once, the emperor invited Lao Tzu to be his chief minister.

But he rejected that offer stating, "This will not work out, for it will be hard for us to agree on any issues. You live by the principles and norms set by your ancestors, and I live guided by my conscience."

But the emperor was unable to accept Lao Tzu's rejection and said that he was certain that it would not cause any complications to him. On the very first day of Lao Tzu accepting the responsibility of the chief minister, a theft-case came to the court. The person accused accepted that he did rob from the wealthiest man in town. In response, Lao Tzu pronounced his judgment on the case. He sentenced the thief to six months in prison, but he also sentenced the wealthy merchant (from who the thief stole) to six months in prison.

"What did I steal? I am the victim! Why do I get punished? Are you mad? Has it ever happened in history where the person whose property is stolen was also punished?" the flustered merchant exclaimed.

Lao Tzu explained very patiently,"Truly speaking, I should have given you a bigger sentence than the one I gave to the thief. Since I am very kind at heart, I did not do that. You have amassed the entire city's wealth.Tell me, how did you accumulate so much? Did it all rain down from the sky? Who is responsible for so many people becoming poor and for changing some of them into thieves? It is you. What you have done is the bigger crime. What the thief has done does not appear to be much of a crime to me. Truly, the wealth that you have amassed by making so many people poor so that you can accumulate more and more is a much greater crime."

The wealthy merchant thought Lao Tzu was mad, so he humbly pleaded for an audience with the emperor. Even the emperor, when in crisis, borrowed money from the merchant, and so the emperor gave him audience. When he met the emperor, he explained what had happened at the court. He further cautioned the emperor,"If you allow Lao Tzu in the court to remain longer, you too may some day end up behind bars. He might question how you have amassed so much wealth, and if I am seen as a criminal, you may then be seen as a bigger criminal."

The emperor understood what Lao Tzu had implied earlier and he spoke to him. "I feel what you had said earlier about how we would be unable to come to the same conclusion on issues on coming to agreement to be true. Yes, it would be difficult for us both to reach an agreement on most issues. You are relieved from your responsibility of being my chief minister."
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     So, who belongs in jail, reader? Those of us who may have resorted to less than legal means to earn a living, or those who preside over us, ripping away our ability to survive and outlawing or taxing our ability to gain raw materials to use? Should we imprison those who shoplift and sell illegal things to make a living, or should we imprison those who make it impossible to make money for those who do? Think: if one cannot grow food on land because it "belongs" to the government, cannot shoot or trap small game because of some abstract law attaching heavy fines to it, or afford to go to the store and pay for food because they haven't found a job in this horrible recession, should we fault them for doing what they have to do to in order to survive?