Authority Principle Enforces Systemic Racism

The persecution of a black veteran, Mr. Wright, who climbs buildings and takes pictures, is systemic racism at work. See: A Rogue Climber Running From the Law Was Fleeing His Own Trauma. His crime? Climbing a few buildings, taking pictures… He was proposed to choose between admitting to a felony (as a felon he would be blocked from most quality employment thereafter) or going to prison twenty-years… For a crime where most white people in the USA would not be even arrested from (yes, I know builderers, and may have even practiced it… long ago; excellent training for Yosemite’s smooth walls…)

How is systemic racism enforced? Through abuse of the Authority Principle. The Authority Principle is necessary in an army, because the army depends upon acting as a single individual with sacrificial elements (unless when the AP conflicts with military and international law… even the Nazis respected that one. When a German soldier refused to obey illegal acts, such as shooting captured US commandos, they would discharge the soldier from the army, as the Nazis did not want to risk a trial and then attending publicity; starting in 1944, the US military code was changed [1]).

The Authority Principle should not be used in civilian society, except proportionally to the seriousness of the situation (for example ordering people to be vaccinated should be an OK application of the AP).

The AP enables someone in a position of authority to demolish an inferior (which is, by definition, someone not in authority, and without protective connections, a web of powerful friends, family, or tribe). The Authority  Principle is often used just for keeping it in shape, and to have everybody be reminded of it. Mr. Wright, a black veteran, endowed with special forces training, having experienced Post Traumatic Stress, from all the friends and people he saw killed, was moreover disposed of, as soon as he got injured in training. So people in authority decided to make an example of him, punishing him extremely hard for nearly nothing. Such a wanton punishment should bestow respect for authority to the next blacks serving in special forces. Thus works the Authority Principle. The Nazis had something close to that, the Fuhrerprinzip, the principle of the guide, according to which those in authority had to be absolutely obeyed, no matter what. Authority Principle and Fuhrerprinzip do not recognize humanity and common sense, just blind obedience. Blind obedience to authority is perfect, then, to violate both humanity and common sense. Systemic racism couldn’t do without it.

Patrice Ayme

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[1]  Army had amended the war code manual in 1944, and at the time of Wehrmacht 3 star general Dostler’s trial it stated that an individual who violated “the accepted laws and customs of war may be punished.” However, it made more precise, “The fact that the acts complained of were done pursuant to order of a superior or government sanction may be taken into consideration in determining culpability, either by way of defense or in mitigation of punishment.”

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P/S: Mr. Wright took the picture above… Some white climbers have made a profession of “buildering”, worldwide, including in the USA. However being white made them apparently much less dangerous… to the Authority Principle

Buildings occupy the landscape. They may be on “private” property, but they force themselves upon everybody. Why could not then be climbed, absent extraordinary reasons not to? In any case, buildering is a crime akin to crossing a street away from pedestrian crossings: the main risk is to the perpetrator. Thus destroying the life of the perpetrator in the guise of saving it should fool no one: it’s systemic racism.

Tags: Authority Principle, Buildering Photography, systemic racism