Solomon's Private File #297
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 29 in this story, in the Spring of 2055.
Solomon's Private File #297 "Governments In Trouble"
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I shifted to an office in central Africa. The President of the
country said, "Solomon!" I said, "I knew that. You seem to be in a
little bit of trouble." He said, "I am. My family must leave. The
rebels will take this city soon." I said, "Why are they rebels?" He
said, "Some of them wanted a bigger voice in government." I said, "And
why did they want that?" He said, "I think for personal power." I said,
"You're not being completely honest with me. You have caused your own
problems, by doing what you say they want to, who will probably do just
that, that others did before you. If you cared more about your country
than increasing your personal power, and the desire to give that to
your family and friends, who were obviously not competent to acceptably
do the necessary work their positions required, you might not be in the
position you will soon be in; a refugee with a price on your head." He
said, "You will protect us?" I said, "No. While you're a leader of a
country, I'll protect you from being killed. Not when you are a fleeing
criminal. You know history! You've seen this before. You should have
expected this."
He said, "I understand your words. Will my successor be better?" I
said, "Probably not. Tribal societies and national unity rarely are
compatible. You don't actually believe in nations, only tribal
ascendancy. Until your society changes, this cycle of rebellion will
continue, and people will be harmed and killed by selfish people who
just don't care about that. I can't stop it. If I remove all your guns,
you will use knives. I will protect those of your family who are under
the age of 18, who don't hold a gun, until you and they reach another
country that will accept you." He said, "Thank you!" I nodded, and
shifted out.
I shifted to the kitchen where the rebel leader was having a meal. I
said, "I would have scheduled this visit when you were not doing
something, but that doesn't seem to be happening." He grinned, and
said, "Solomon! Be welcome!" I said, "Do you think the people are with
you?" He said, "I know they are!" I said, "They say that, when asked by
people holding guns." He looked a little odd. I said, "If you ask them
as a weaponless friend, they will tell you they don't care one little
bit who is in power, as long as they get what they want from the
government, which is often more than they deserve, who usually get less
than they need. And they want to have no interference in their lives,
while they interfere in the lives of others as much as they can. They
all think they know how the government should be run, and the most
ignorant of that subject, have the loudest voices. All want more than
everybody else, and know they deserve it, who least deserve it, who
want those they dislike to have much less. Don't think this is unique
to this land. It's all over, including other worlds."
He stared at me for a while, and then nodded. He said, "I
understand." I said, "And then there is the other end of this. People
rise to power by promising to give the people something better. Ever
hopeful people may support them, usually in desperation, or in hope to
profit from it. Then there is conflict and a change in power. Then they
can't deliver what they promised, most of which was impossible, which
they had not actually intended to deliver. Then there is
dissatisfaction and complaint, and the whole process starts over again.
At the core of this system are people who want more, and don't care how
they get it. More power, more wealth, more of what they view of
success, more of their family and friends with them in that, and they
cause more poverty, more abuse, more killing to get it and to keep it.
A very few start that process with a noble purpose, but quickly succumb
to the lure of power by any means. Some convince themselves that it's
necessary, that they are not the monsters that they are accused of
being, but they lie to themselves. Worse, they don't see that they drag
their family and friends down into that pit of evil, with themselves.
All the people of the land suffer with this, this ever repeating cycle
of power and suppression. Will it ever end, and lasting peace come to
the land? Not when there are men who desire power, who care not how
they achieve it."
He tried to hide his tears, and said, "I have no choice now. The
government is dissolved, and those who were in it, are hiding or
running." I said, "And now you must be who you created. Even though you
may know better now, can you be any different than who you were going
to be in power? Will what is, let you? Those who came before you
discovered that to gain power by force of arms, caused them to need to
keep doing it. Winning through the letting of blood, doesn't cause the
losers to accept their defeat, but to desire all the more to reverse
it. You will never rest easy in your victory. They won't let you, just
as you didn't let that happen with the currently fleeing President, and
he, the one before him. Will you be able to create a good government?
Not likely, just like the past President couldn't. He had to give those
who had helped him, what they wanted, or they would have turned on him,
who had no skill in their jobs. You will do that, too, or have a bullet
in the night from who you thought was your friend. Pay your guards
well, for you will only be able to buy your friends of the moment, you
who may never trust another person ever again." He was sobbing. I
hugged him.
He said, "Is there anything I can do to change things?" I said, "Very
little. To try, would make it worse. This cycle is so much a part of
this society, that you and they are locked into its strangling grip.
Once securely in power, if you relax your grip, you will lose it. You
could try to initiate slow change, but those in power with you will
resist it, and maybe even with violence. You know that." He nodded. I
said, "It is still possible, with my help. IF you come to deserve it.
If you assume the power here, I will protect you and your immediate
family from being killed, as I do for others in that position. Beyond
that, what help I give to other governments, will be given here as
requested, deserved, and as I choose. It will be some time before that
is earned, if ever." He nodded and said, "I will try to do my best for
my people." I said, "Who are your people?" He said, "I know what you
mean. They are ALL of this country." I said, "All who live in it. You
MUST protect the foreigners, if you want their help, and the help of
their governments." He said, "I have to agree. Thank you for the
reminder."
He said, "Are the President and his family under your protection?" I
said, "I'm not going to answer that." He said, "A test!" I said,
"Interesting, isn't it?" He said, "I will tell my people not to harm
them." I said, "Will they obey? They didn't in Libya." He said, "True.
I will try harder. If they are killed?" I said, "Traditionally, leaders
of nations are not to be killed, even in war, if not on the
battlefield, for then, who can surrender? And leaders tend to be, while
contentious, something of a peerage. Kill one of them, the others tend
to have some negative reactions to that. Will any of them trust you?
Same for ambassadors." He said, "I see what you mean." I said, "You are
beginning to understand that being the leader of a country has
responsibilities that involve the world, and not just your people." He
said, "More work!" I said, "And more learning. Hire the best, if you
want the best to happen." He nodded, and said, "I see that I didn't
deserve any help from you. I hope I can change that." I said, "I hope
so, too." I nodded, and shifted out.
Daren said, "I wondered when you were going to do something like
that, but I didn't expect it that way." I said, "None are more blind
than those who will not see. That will always be true." He said, "Yes.
Are you going to go public with that?" I said, "Not at this time. It
was personal counseling, not so much political advice. I'll give it a
while, and then do a broadcast of a similar alien action." He said,
"Oh! Very useful for us, those." I said, "Yes. Recycling is good, as
long as you don't have to pedal uphill." He groaned.
I shifted to the office of the President of Bolivia. I said, "There
have been three attempts on your life since you assumed office." He
said, "There are people who are unsatisfied with my government." I
said, "And why is that?" He said, "They want more services, but won't
pay for it." I said, "Is that all of it?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Is
it the people who are protesting, those who won't pay for it?" He said,
"Yes." I said, "Lie to me one more time, and I will withdraw my
protection. Hmm, my mother is listening rather closely now." He was
VERY nervous, and said, "It is the rich people who won't pay their
share." I said, "And is it they who support your Presidency?" He said,
"Yes it is." I said, "How are they not paying?" He said, "They claim
less money than they have, including in foreign banks. They cheat on
tax forms. They transfer money to family members unlawfully. They bribe
government workers." I said, "Are you afraid that if you succeed in
making them obey the law, they will withdraw their support from you,
causing you to be unable to afford to run for reelection?" He said,
"Yes I am!"
I said, "Do you think the people are aware of all this?" He said, "I
think they are not, and would not believe me if I told them. The rich
help the poor, but with much less money than it looks like. Very much
less than they would pay in taxes, that could help the poor more." I
said, "Are the various churches helping?" He said, "They are, and with
real help, but they don't advertise it like the rich do." I said,
"True. Is what the rich are doing, in avoiding taxes, and deliberately
influencing the poor in their favor, and against your government which
is? They're ruining their own country that they built! So, officially,
they are conspiring to work against the government, and committing many
crimes to do that?" He said, "Yes. I have to say it, that is what they
are doing!" I said, "Many countries have asked for my help in criminal
situations. Would your country be of the very few that has not?" He
said, "No. I request your help for this situation. I see no other way
to keep our people from very bad times."
I said, "Those who have broken the law have a lot of resources to use
to help them leave the country." He said, "Please prevent that." I
said, "Yes. Any other requests?" He said, "A list of crimes, and
supporting evidence?" Boxes appeared all around the office. I said,
"There are duplicates, and there will be updates. This also includes
government workers who are taking favors and bribes. Some judges are
among them. Because of that, you may not have enough acceptable judges
to try the cases. If other countries would offer you some, after they
are educated in your laws by crystals, would you accept them?" He said,
"Wow! If you certify them as competent and fair, I will push hard for
that!" I said, "I will arrange for how they are paid."
I said, "Now another part of this. What should the public know?" He
thought a little, and said, "All this conversation, to start." I said,
"You did say a lie." He said, "I was wrong. I have to admit it." I
said, "Your bravery should be respected. There are companies who have
also not paid all their taxes, and some have disobeyed regulations in
paying their people not enough for the work they do, and requiring them
to work too many hours." He said, "Please give us a list of them and
what they have done wrong, with evidence." I said, "Now we have some
decisions to make. Some of these crimes are easy to prove, and should
result in prison time. What should this country want more, those people
to do better, and work for a better country, or spend very unproductive
time in prison? And if they were to pay twice what they owe, so they
from what they owe, instead of prison." He said, "That is a very good
idea!" I said, "Time will tell on that one. I will say this now, and
all should know it. After that one time in the beginning, you have not
lied. To have my help, you must not lie again, in your capacity as the
leader of this country." He said, "I swear on my honor!"
I said, "The United Nations has a special section for legal matters.
I will ensure their judges are qualified." He said, "I didn't know they
had that service!" I said, "I have been working with them to create it.
Oh, there's a lot of yelling in my mind now. I didn't tell my people
about this." He grinned. I said, "I like to surprise them with things
they should have thought of. Wow!" He laughed. I said, "Worse. One of
me is at home, right were they can find me." More laughter. Then he
said, "Please give the UN a copy of what you have given us, on these
matters." I said, "Done. They were waiting for it. I try to plan rather
completely." He said, "You do! Oh, I have just thought of something.
You work for God. Has He ordered this?" I said, "Not specifically, but
in general, yes. I am to provide evidence of crimes, where my not doing
it could harm a lot of people. This is not a political thing, but a
basic human service." He said, "Does this mean that those who would
appose this, go against God's will?" I said, "Yes, with what I'm doing
here, and before. They have sinned. They knew that to sin was against
God's will. Telling them that going against what I would do in His
name, is against His will, won't make any difference to them. Well,
except this time, I'm doing something about it. If this isn't corrected
soon, your country will be in bloody ruin." He said through his tears,
"Thank you, Solomon!" We hugged. I shifted out.
At the same time, I was with the Director of the UN Legal Assistance
Division, showing her the action. She said, "We're ready for when they
need us." I said, "It may be some time. Many in the government will
oppose this, but they won't be doing it privately, no matter how much
they want it secret." She grinned. George said in my mind, "We're ready
said, "So was I, for on site coordinator. And not just because he's
asking." I said, "Same name?" He said, "Common, so, yes." I said,
"Here's crystals. He needs my help, he'd better ask." He chuckled, and
coordinator on this, but I will be on call when needed." She said, "You
are too busy?" I said, "No, that's not possible. Our people NEED to
help, so I let them do it whenever I can. Good for training and
personal improvement, too. Oh, here he is." He grinned and bowed. I
left them talking about their plans.
I released the meeting I had with the Bolivian President, to the
media. That caused a LOT of discussion, and some serious concern in a
lot of countries. That's causing some people to change what they had
been doing, and that's being noticed. Paolo held my star and just
grinned his face almost in half. I sent him a shot of love.
Mom said, "You held back on us! I said, "Sure. If I told you
everything, we wouldn't have time for anything else." She said, "Don't
do that." We laughed, and hugged and kissed with love.
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Grant
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