LAW, ORDER AND THE YOUTH

1. REPORTED BY: CAITLIN SUMI L. DE LEON

2. In the world's pursuit of peace, one basic
issue and of utmost importance is the
recognition and respect of the rights of every
individual, regardless of creed, color or sex.
This resolute regard for a person's right is the
key to civilized and humane behavior.

3.  To the youth, what really is puzzling and confusing
even threatening is the idea of freedom. D.H.
Lawrence, the well-known writer once said : "Men
are less free than they imagine, ah. Less free! The
freest are perhaps the less free."
 Is freedom to accept or reject a law a mark of
growing up? A sign of immaturity?

5.  As youngsters, the youth listen to their elders
admonishing them not to this or that because its
against the law of the society. Later, they hear
warnings not to do this or that for reasons of
health, for aesthetics, for what is good or bad
things others will say. They look forward to that
age when they think they are now free to do what
they please. They can smoke, stay out night as
late as they want to, marry whomever they profess
to love. They feel the "fogies", the "olds", don't
really understand the hearts and minds of the
young.

6.  But the youth must be made to understand
that for order to exist in the world, there are
laws and rules to follow and obey. They are
non-negotiable. They cannot be "bent"
according to needs or circumstances. Such
laws set up by the people thru their chosen
leaders thought-over carefully, are approved
and accepted by (and for the good of) the
many.

8.  The Financial Times (FT)
newspaper ( widely read
and well known for it's
insightful observations) say
that in today's world the key
to happiness is freedom not
income. Apparently, once
you have sorted out
problems on where to get
your next meal, the secret
of happiness is freedom.
This is from data recently
published in Jacobs
University in Bremen and
the University of Michigan in
the United States.

9.  Laissez-faire economies, where non
interference (freedom with limits) in
economic policies reigns, are happy spots
such as Australia and United States,
among others. What these countries have
in common are not merely policies, but
institutions: democracy, social tolerance,
the rule of law and freedom