The in-the-moment principle. Every
person is different from every other. Every circumstance is unique to
that individual, in that location and at that moment in time. The application
of law must respect this uniqueness. No longer can we blindly adhere
to "the letter of the law," regardless of when, where and
to whom it's applied. Courts must abandon the concept of precedence.
They must look at the person before they look at the code.(more)
Man does not live in isolation. We
are responsible for the actions of our neighbors. When one of us screws
up, it means we all screwed up. If one of us must be punished, it's
a punishment for everyone. Community leaders must be willing to step
in and take that punishment. This might include paying a fine, or even
going to jail, when one of our own is guilty of wrongdoing. Jurists
themselves, as responsible community members, must be ready to give
up their own freedom in the place of someone whose freedom they would
take away. (more)
The pursuit and control of money dictates
the shape of society. This fact is clearly reflected in the workings
of our judicial system. The importance of money must be reduced, if
not eliminated, in judicial matters. We can no longer allow bankers
and debt collectors to use the courts as a vehicle for achieving their
pecuniary goals. The amount of money we pay lawyers must be dramatically
reduced. Jurists will look more favorably on cases where a lawyer works
for a minimum fee, and most favorably on those where lawyers work pro
bono. (more)
Court decisions arrive by way of a
strictly objective examination of the facts. The Character Principle
introduces a factor that can conceivably countermand all factual evidence:
the character of the litigants. Moreover, the character of the prosecutors,
attorneys, witnesses, and the jurists themselves will be taken into account. Determining character
is a delicate exercise that only be carried out by uniquely gifted,
and spiritually evolved people. The Community Conscience Advocate fulfills
this role. He or she is committed to the community as a permanent, grass-roots
leader and spiritual elder.(more)
A great deal of time and energy is
spent in determining truth. Jurists rely heavily on sworn testimony,
administering oaths, and issuing severe penalties to those perceived
to be lying. Free Expression turns this paradigm on its head. No longer
will oaths be administered. Neither will people be required to "tell
the truth, the whole truth," etc. Rather, you will be encouraged
to speak in whatever manner you're accustomed to; to express yourself
as you naturally would, including to flat-out make things up. Dissemble,
recant, obfuscate, and lie, without ever any pressure, or fear of rebuke
or punishment. (more)
All issues affecting the community
must be decided with the unanimous assent of the decision makers. Unlike
a jury, there can be no hung-jury mistrials. If a matter is important
enough to merit the attention of the community's leaders, they must
all agree on the correct course of action. The more critical the decision,
the more important it is to have full consensus. For issues where there
is some hesitation or gray area, recourse to astrology (e.g., Vedic
jyotishis) is recommended. (more)
After Spirituality, Force is the most
important of the Community Law principles. The administration of law
and justice must move dramatically away from reactive, punitive measures
and in the direction of prevention and education. In a small community
this could mean dissolving the police force entirely and closing the
jail. It could mean a moratorium on residential evictions. Rather than
dispatching armed deputies to, for example, force a community member
into court, we will simply invite that person to appear, as if he were
coming to dine with family members. (more)
Local authority is supreme. This is
the bottom-up principle. Decisions affecting the community and its environment
must be made by community itself. They have precedence over the mandates
of supposedly higher authorities (e.g. state, federal). Neo-indigenous
settlements will be established where the culture is legitimate; meaning,
it emerges from a permanent, committed "tribal" group whose
leaders are highly evolved in a spiritual sense. Judicial decisions
may be appealed to higher courts, but the community is not obligated
to obey the orders of those higher courts. Cultural and spiritual integrity
at the local level outweigh of any sentiments of nationalism. (more)
|
