Theft

According to MSNBC, $30 billion of retail goods are stolen annually in the U.S. in a relatively new phenomenon of organized retail thievery. What does this say about a society which overwhelmingly declares itself to be religious? What does it say about religion? Black markets in the U.S. are thought to be worth $460 billion.

One of the most popular stolen items is baby formula. What does this say about parenting in the U.S.? What kind of parenting goes on in homes where baby formula is stolen, rather than being purchased? What does this forecast for ethics in the future America? Those of us who actually pay for our goods pay the price of this theft. It is wrapped into the cost of the products at drug stores, food stores and department stores.

As a humanist, I strongly believe in the rule of civil law. A society which surrenders to petty crime soon corrodes from within. As crime increases, civil rights are more likely to be abused by both criminals and police.

While the U.S. spends trillions of dollars protecting "freedom" in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, the homeland falls prey to crime and corruption. At the same time we are being bankrupted by war, we are being fleeced by thieves at home. Where is law enforcement? Where is the protection of our rights as taxpaying citizens to domestic safety and peace? Perhaps those in Washington who are concerned by our budgetary woes could pay more attention to internal homeland  security on our streets by reining in our military in favor of better policing in support of the law-abiding here at home.