THE DEATH OF INNOCENCE
by Loren Adams

Waking up to the realities of the world is not a pleasant experience.  
As 
youth, we were indoctrinated into the gospel of Cinderella, Sleeping 
Beauty 
and other such happy-ending tales, where the bad guy gets theirs in the 
end 
while the good guy moves up `happily ever after' to the castle -- of 
heroes 
and villains, of clear - strong morals, of right makes might.

Now we are entangled in a system which shatters our childhood dreams 
into a 
thousand pieces -- a rude awakening.

Humanity has somehow always been caught off guard.  "Surely they won't 
invade 
Austria!" was the naive European perception of Germany 1938.  But they 
did.  
Yet Europe was still asleep.  "Surely they won't invade Poland!" was 
1939's 
fallacy.  But the Führer felt no compulsion to honor Europe's delusion.  
Chamberlain was made the fool.  "Surely they won't exterminate whole 
races 
and religions!" was the thought even at mid-war as Adolf's henchmen 
forced 6 
million to gas chambers.

"Surely not in America!-- is the contemporary thought as schoolchildren 
are 
shot by the thousands and terrorists blow up buildings filled with 
unsuspecting innocents -- as the government uses catastrophe to 
gradually 
seize more control and gnaw at individual liberties.  What's shocking, 
however, is the shock.  We should know better by now, but don't.

"Surely they will honor the contract they signed!" is the presumption 
of the 
innocent.  But because labor laws have been watered down for corporate 
interests at the hands of corporate congressmen under the influence of 
corporate lobbyists, labor contracts are without teeth to a large 
degree.  
Sure, we can wait for justice (arbitration settlements) years down the 
road, 
but perhaps by then we'll either be retired or in the grave.  Justice 
delayed 
is justice denied.  Corporate giants laugh all the way to the bank.

Most fail to see the "Big Picture."  The root of all evil is the same 
now as 
in the days of the Patriarchs -- "mammon," an ecclesiastic term for 
money, 
the love of which equals GREED and all other transgressions which 
follow.  
Money is what fuels everything in this world; always has.  None dare 
call it 
conspiracy, but it is.  The Illuminati was not an illusion.

There is legitimacy for managers who pass blame onto higher ranked 
officials. 
 The system is designed so no one has to take responsibility.  If 
subordinates fail to follow orders (policy set by some unknown 
bureaucrat 
hidden in a distant office) they get demoted or worse.  It's not their 
fault, 
therefore, when they must follow unethical directives.  Where does the 
buck 
stop?

On surface, we can detect that local supervisors / managers do not have 
the 
actual authority to do what's right.  They are between the proverbial 
rock 
and a hard place.  Supposedly, their superiors give marching orders 
they must 
obey -- even if it's blatantly wrong and they know it.  (They've got to 
make 
a living, so what should they do?)  Then, where does this trail lead?

The higher-ups in district office, we discover, are also under marching 
orders -- to sidestep contracts and use heavy-handed tactics against 
the 
workforce.  Who gives them marching orders?  The Area Office.  The 
trail 
leads us several hundred miles further and, surprise!  The Area Office 
does 
not have that "authority."  Where does the trail lead next?  To 
Washington.  
After arriving in DC, we discover L'Enfant Plaza does not make policy 
and we 
ask where the trail leads....to the Board of Governors.  Next we 
inquire only 
to discover the Board of Governors does not have the authority to 
circumvent 
contracts and mistreat the workforce.  But where does this trail lead?  
To 
whom do they answer?  Then it hits like a ton of bricks......corporate 
interests influence who is appointed to the board.  But what and who 
are 
these corporate interests?  Large international corporations.  The 
trail 
doesn't end there.  Corporations are controlled by principal 
stockholders who 
demand a profit from their investments.  Who are these major 
stockholders?  
The moneyed class in America, the 1% who control a vast majority of 
wealth in 
the world, the privileged class who control elections, determine tax 
policy, 
hire lobbyists to do their bidding, and the powers that ultimately 
determine 
whether this nation goes to war or not to defend their economic 
interests -- 
paid for with the blood of the lower class who have little or no 
economic 
interest.  The "Big Picture," we discover, is built on economics; the 
forces 
stemming from it affect us all.

Have you heard of a major political candidate winning an election in 
recent 
times without a pile of money?  No?  The amount of money a candidate 
holds is 
directly proportional to the election outcome in most cases.  It's a 
sure bet 
that whoever stockpiles the largest amount of cash wins the election in 
November.  We are locked in a political system with no voice for the 
people.  
Only money speaks.  Do you think average middle-class citizens ever are 
invited to political fund-raisers?  Ha!  No, only the wealthy.  Who do 
you 
think were the 1500 at the last major political fund-raiser (April 
2000, that 
took in $23 million -- $153,000 apiece) in one night?  Do you think 
they gave 
that amount to expect nothing in return?  It's far more important for a 
candidate to attend a fund-raising event than be seen greeting voters 
on the 
street.  Why?

"But what does this have to do with my injury claim being denied?" you 
ask.  
Everything.  Your employer is more concerned about the loss of money 
than 
your welfare; wake up!  The "Big Picture" should open your eyes.  Why 
is the 
Postal Service dysfunctional?  Why is the common worker so closely 
scrutinized while indiscretions committed by high-ups go ignored?  It 
has 
been determined at the trail's source that, for economic reasons, the 
Postal 
Service is to be privatized.  There are big bucks to be made for the 
moneyed 
class.  How will corporate interests influence Congress to repeal the 
Express 
statutes?  Privatization must be justified, of course!  But how? Create 
a 
dysfunctional, unfair and unjust environment in the service to show why 
it 
should go private.  Violate the contract at will.  The end justifies 
the 
means.  So what if workers die from homicide, suicide or some other 
work-related injury?  So what if they lose their homes and livelihood 
-- 
their future?  The frustrations, conflicts, violations, and resulting 
employee stress have a reason.  These are necessary sacrifices laid on 
the 
altar of greed.  Deny claims, violate contracts, and cultivate a 
climate of 
conflict -- all in the name of justification for privatization.....and 
conduct this "secret" campaign so the moneyed few can lay claim to one 
of the 
largest money-makers in the world:  the U.S. Postal Service.  The 
corporate 
raid of the new millennium.

"Surely they will obey FMLA law!" a few naive souls assert.  But at 
every 
turn, the employer unilaterally interprets the law how it wills -- many 
times 
contradicting its own prior interpretations to benefit its pocketbook, 
squashing the rights of the employee.  Still surprised?

"Surely the employer will respect the vets who risked their lives for 
their 
country!"  From across the country, the answer is "Not so!"  Though 
they 
nearly sacrificed their lives so others could live in freedom, these 
vets, 
many disabled, are treated worse than second class citizens.  One vet 
writes 
from Tampa, "I am a disabled vet and can tell you from experience the 
USPS 
hates anyone with any sort of disability, injury or limitation.  The 
USPS is 
good at helping you out the door if you are disabled.  You go from the 
letter 
case to the curb!"

Certainly not all disabled vets are treated in such fashion, but the 
pattern 
is generally the same minus a few exceptions.

Another vet from California writes, "While the manager was on good 
speaking 
terms with me, he stated, `I have to hire them [veterans], but nothing 
says I 
have to keep them.'  This type mentality exists throughout the entire 
Federal 
employment system."

Another veteran writes from Louisiana, "Hiring and firing disabled vets 
is 
common practice around the country.  By law they have to hire them, but 
it 
doesn't say for how long.  Most are given jobs they can barely do.  
Soon they 
burn what few sick and vacation days they have then they get the boot 
for 
absenteeism.  I've known vets getting disciplined for getting chemo at 
the 
VA; the poor guys don't have much time left anyway.  But still no 
mercy!"

We all remember the accounts of Agent Orange and the Gulf War Syndrome.  
Protecting money is more important than protecting the ones who fought 
and 
were permanently crippled so managers could have their high-paying 
jobs.  
"Surely they wouldn't do that," claim the naive.  But it's history.  
The very 
ones who claim to be so patriotic are the first to bail when it comes 
to 
respecting vets' rights.  They only grant lip service but never actual 
support. 

"Surely they will honor the Golden Rule and respect us!"  Got any more 
superstitions?

The union's is a moral battle indeed.

"In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at 
heart."
-- Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl, July 15, 1944, just preceding 
her 
march to the concentration camps and ultimate death