Homophilosophicus has given me permission to blog all of his posts during the crisis. He lives in Ireland and is taking part in the demonstrations against the government austerity measures and loan guarantees to the European Union. I’ve gone back to the beginning of the crisis which by his blog would be the 30th. So, I’ll reblog all of them in order. For convenience sake, I’m going to number them. This is more for me than you. I want to get these up in the exact order.
James Pilant
This is serious stuff. Homophilosophicus is on the front lines in the Irish debt crisis. That means on the street. That takes guts. He is blogging regularly. I would like you to go and read his stuff as long as the crisis continues. He has very kindly given me permission to reblog his writings. I’ve just sent a further request to reblog all his posts while the crisis is ongoing.
This is stuff that will never see in the media. This is very close to the events as they are happening. You should read this. These opportunities do not come often.
James Pilant
My previous post (actually about twenty minutes ago) discusses the Irish debt crisis. But I am not on the scene, I don’t live in Ireland. But homopilosophicus is a citizen and writes from there. Here is his take on the crisis. It’s intelligent and it’s a person, not a media company, not a corporation. He’s not selling anything or wanting you to do anything except understand.
James Pilant
I recommended this on Facebook. I quoted a paragraph with pleasure in another entry on this blog.
It’s not enough. I’ve waited a long time to see this kind of writing and here it is – Christianity with teeth, not some Bible thumping loon talking about the innocuous undefinable “family values” while safely giving a pass to the rapacious businessmen in his congregation. I say to you that he has his reward.
I am honored to, once again, pass on these words.
James Pilant
Homophilosophicus writing in his blog quoting the Prophet Amos. (Jeremiah is my favorite.) The first decades of the 21st century are truly the years of the Old Testament Prophets. All around us, uncertainty, stupidity and greed flourish.
“They do not know how to do right, says the Lord, those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds (Amos 3:10).”
Those of whom the writer of Amos speaks are not merely petty criminals, for they live in strongholds. Amos is referring to those who rule from their unassailable citadels, who fill up their treasuries with the wealth they have taken from the powerless by violence and theft. It is evident that this relationship between the powerful and the powerless has not changed; in fact it has become enshrined within modern economic systems. There are those who, by virtue of their monopoly on power alone, assert the right to grow fat from the labour of the powerless. In Ireland we have seen that the government have stolen from the people. They have taken tax from the people and they have failed to provide for the welfare of the people from that revenue; this is nothing other than theft. Without proper consultation with the people the government has gambled and lost billions of euros from the community purse, and have successfully lined their own pockets. This also is theft. By maintaining systems of injustice they have demonstrated their violence against the vulnerable and the weak. Ignorance is not an excuse for what they have done, but it would seem to be the case that “they do not know how to do right.” Each and every member of the present government of Ireland comes from a privileged background, a background that has taken wealth for granted and considered the accumulation of money the highest virtue. It stands to reason then that these people have suffered from a severe form of political myopia in their regard of the poor. They have consistently failed to take the needs of the poor into account when they have made decisions ‘for the good of the nation.’ What ‘good’ in this context actually means is that which is ‘economically good for the wealthy.’
Doesn’t this sound like a Minister of God with brains? All we got around here is an editorial writer explaining that the Medal of Honor has become feminized!
James Pilant
I met Jason Michael McCann online. He teaches in Ireland. He is a philosopher. Here he is commenting on my blog post – “No More X-Rated Searches!!@!” (He has a wonderful blog, homophilosophicus, and if you don’t read it you are missing out on the works of a learned and thoughtful man.)
As Christians also, Dear James, we have a moral obligation to preserve the dignity of others. Without doubt there is the question of a trade-off between the perceived need for security and human dignity. My fear is that this too may be related to the circle; a refusal on the part of security keepers to acknowledge respect to the human person may fuel the need for security.
Jason Michael
He is absolutely right. There is a Christian duty here. We have a duty to God and man to act with respect and kindness to blameless others. We are failing in this.
These searches are indicative of a wider malaise in our society. Our willingness to accept any means to thwart a possible terrorist attack is turning us into shadows of human beings. We are so frightened we are unable to say stop without being attacked for “strengthening” the terrorists.
These searches are wrong.
These searches are an example of this nation losing its way.
We are better than this.
Tell me, if there is a terrorist attack at a grade school, are we going to pat down every six year old, run them through a magnetic resonance machine? What about at a federal building, the Statehouse, the Governor’s Mansion, County Courthouses? Are we going to get “felt” up everywhere we go? every bank? every factory? Where does the fear end? ever?
Should we start building bunkers in our backyards, stocking up a years supply of canned goods?
Is that where I live? Is that the moral fiber of my fellow citizens? To be led around by the nose like cattle because we’re afraid?
Are we like the cowardly lion, possessed of a half trillion dollar defense, but never feeling safe?
When do we start living with courage?
We don’t have to live like this.
James Pilant
This guy can write! I was scanning the net for business ethics sites and came across it. He writes with intelligence and passion. He’s often very indignant and appalled at what is happening in his country (similar to some one we know, right?).
I want to meet this guy. Like me he teaches. He talks about it with the same passion I bring to it. Read his stuff.
James Pilant
Pilant's Business Ethics Blog 
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