Escanaba City Council Meeting (August 21, 2025) They Love the City! New Housing!

This was definitely another action-packed city council meeting! Escanaba is becoming a true pearl of the U.P., drawing interest through investments, tourism, boating, its deep-water port, rail lines, airport, arts, entrepreneurs, community engagement, and all the other good things that make economists smile.

Today’s focus was housing. The city needs more of it, and a developer has expressed interest in purchasing several properties to build new homes. Since vacant land represents lost tax revenue, it makes sense that the idea is being explored.

This town is full of great people who really support each other. As the testimony of new people to the area says, "They Love The City" and I don't blame them! 💁 Good peeps and place.

Now we wait to see what happens next…

August 21, 2025 Agenda

Why It is Important to Elect Non-Partisan Judges (Philosophical Questions)

We see in our society a growing partisanship, and that has become a concern for a large percentage of people. While it may not trouble the leadership of either party, it has a real impact on those caught between competing narratives—and on the people who create those narratives. Such narratives often lead to poor decisions and misguided choices. As we move forward, it is important to elect non-partisan judges and officials who can serve in positions of authority with fairness and integrity.

Let me share a hypothetical and philosophical story for learning purposes. A clan-like network, made up of homogeneous members, began to feel entitled to the outcomes of certain institutions because of their close associations with officers inside them. Most of these officers were good people serving their communities, but within tightly knit circles, they started shielding friends from wrongdoing. At times, they misused the law to excuse poor behavior, tainted investigations, and undermined the community for the benefit of their friend network (...dubbed The Clan).

Now imagine witnesses, whistleblowers, and victims being targeted simply for speaking out. No safeguards existed to stop these secretive lists, fostered by partisan decision-making. False complaints were filed, human rights violations occurred, and victims—whether survivors of exploitation, minorities, intellectuals, sexual assault, or even officials—were ignored. The more victims came forward, the more justice itself became warped to protect their network and their beliefs.

Gross negligence and partisan bias carry enormous risks. It provides the wiggle room that poor actors need to engage in misbehavior. They erode trust, embolden crime, and allow misconduct to be celebrated openly. They are also unfair—to the many good officers and officials who faithfully serve, to the public who rely on impartial judges, and to future generations who will inherit the mess created by partisan governance. We should all be on the same side working for the greater cause together.

Too often, people vote and rule within narrow parameters, creating “lots of unfairness but not a whole lot of solutions.” Reducing partisanship means holding officials accountable when they use their positions to push extreme beliefs, reversing the damage done by those who have dehumanized others, and avoiding the election of candidates motivated purely by self-glorification or self-benefit. We should not vet leaders from the top down but from the bottom up. Political parties should serve the people—not the other way around.

At present there are no checks and balances in some systems and the respect for the purpose of law weak.

There are responsibilities that outweigh partisanship. Freedoms of speech and religion, human rights, and civil rights do not belong to any political party. They must not be jeopardized by judges or officials who hold extreme partisan views. When backstops fail and victims are ignored, society itself risks collapse. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but the day after as poor decision making undermines the pillars that have existed since the beginning.

It sounds grim, but we can learn from stories like this. They remind us how society should be run: in the best interest of the people. We can also change and choose a different future path....but that might require a fresh way of looking at things.

A Few Philosophical Questions

1. What kind of leadership do we need, and how might partisanship limit their abilities?

2. What checks and balances should exist when partisan judges or officials undermine our social contracts and rights?

3. Should hate crimes be defined by perpetrators or by victims? Who would better understand their nature—scientists or partisans?

4. If we fail to find mechanisms to remove partisan judges who protect crimes and if we cannot limit partisanship in governance, what might that mean for our future?

*This is a hypothetical, philosophical, theoretical learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. It is ok to disagree or propose a different set of solutions. 

Celebrating Labor and Their Contributions to Our Nation

Celebrating Labor
Thank You

Labor is not always fully appreciated. We often focus on notable people but often ignore the collective contributions of many hard working men and women. The focus has often been on the big names, politicians, and those who spend a lot of money. Yet, every nation depends on labor, and America’s strength and greatness have always been built on it. We will continue to rely on labor just as much in the future as we have in the past. Skilled workers, professionals, artists, investors and scientists have all played a vital role in shaping our society (Many hands and labor has one of the biggest). They are the supporters of our democracy at its root.

Today we celebrate labor and simply want to say: thank you for all that you have done. In my own family, I have relatives who are executives, some who were laborers, and others who chose their own path. Together, as a community, we recognize that everyone contributes in their own way-and we focus on the community. Without everyday people like us, we would not be where we are today. Let us continue to support skill development as a vital pathway to a strong and thriving middle-class life.

This was Rock the Dock in Escanaba. The community came out and enjoyed the day. The History of Labor Day

The Second Week of Dear Camp by the House Band. Facebook The House Band

Gladstone Fishing Pier and Lighthouse at Sunset

Two pictures I thought were nice are being offered as artwork. This is more of a hobby for me, and I try to give away most—if not all—of it to different charities and activities. My original goal was to keep about half of the proceeds for supplies and donate the other half to charity, but I don’t really make much from it. As a result, the vast majority ends up being given away.

Feel free to browse the whole gallery at  The Walking Path Gallery

Gladstone Fishing Pier at Sunset Picture

This picture is of the same lighthouse but a different direction. A couple of different versions Gladstone Lighthouse Notebook

Hate and Corruption as a System: When Bad Acts are Incentivized and Victims Have No Recourse (Philosophical Learning Story)

It is important that all systems operate for the benefit of society as a whole, particularly in the best interests of the average person (catering to the connected or wealthy isn't want we want to see). Hate and hate crimes are deeply destructive phenomena. It is one thing for bad actors to engage in coordinated hate, but it is another when there are inadequate checks and balances within the system to deter such behavior. What happens when hate and corruption are openly protected and no longer function properly for all of society/communities?

Let us consider The Story of the Clan. This is a hypothetical, philosophical, and theoretical thought experiment in which race, religion, politics, etc. are used to shield serious human and civil rights violations and further the interest of corrupt officials and their friends. In this scenario, clan based officials (not representing the whole) by ignoring reported sexual exploitation, dismissing hate crimes, extremism concerns, and stripping away the rights of victims in order to protect perpetrators and their networks from accountability as more victims were created (i.e. conflicts of interest).

In such a system, justice defaults entirely, and any hate narrative or misapplication of law can be used to justify almost any crime. In such systems it doesn't matter who you report crimes to as they default to help perpetrators. ...and these became realized as a pattern. The victims have no rights and no recourse as bad actors are immunized, protected, and incentivized. This is why it serves as a learning story—as we know everyone acts with integrity when they are in an official role. Right? 🤔

Philosophically, we understand that a closed clan system may tip toe into hate and corruption cannot expect to maintain trust.The vast majority would never go into those dark waters but some embrace it (There are incentives to falling in line.). In this example, trust quickly erodes. Where hate and corruption are challenged, however, clear social and economic benefits emerge. Protecting perpetrators to shield friends, colleagues, or networks only deepens the harm. It is incumbent on every societal member to report crimes, challenged hate and corruption, and encourage higher moral conscious when wrong doing is present and notmalized.

Some may make a mistake and that can be easily forgiven if misled but they must still learn and change. There is a greater role and responsibility in it. The bigger must be more important than the smaller. Partisanship is the best friend of hate because the majority of solutions are never seen.

At the same time, we must acknowledge the many good men and women who serve their communities with integrity every day. Most have done a great job. Their work should be applauded and supported. Yet there must also be mechanisms within the system to correct intentional, coordinated crimes against victims based on race, religion, politics, or other differences. Without such safeguards, reform becomes an absolute necessity. People engage in hate and corruption because they benefit from it, but using taxpayer resources to protect the “immune” is no solution. In this example the judge misused their position to enrich their friend networks and feed their bigotries. Law became a tool of the corrupt and they had no problem selling out our long earned freedoms. So easy for some ideologies.

Philosophical stories like this help us reflect on what truly matters and what is most beneficial to citizens, communities, and the nation as a whole. We have learned what it might look like to put in place some corrections, how the hate narrative works, what are social contracts, importance of supporting good officials, and how dehumanization fails to offer corrections or protections for future victims. A closed clan system. We are going to write a positive end based on what we have learned that improves economic and social resilience through professing in our hearts what we say on our lips. When we stop changing and growing we start backsliding so let us march on down the path.......

This is an interesting study to think about. 

Hate as a system: Examining hate crimes and hate groups as state level moderators on the impact of online and offline racism on mental health

*As a learning story it is ok to come to any conclusion you want, change around the actors, or dismiss outright. Each person will see what they believe and that is often deeply rooted in their value systems. If they see one thing it says something about them and if they see another it says something about them.

Norway MI. Little Fairs and Lots of Fun!

 Norway MI. puts on a pretty nice fair. Lots of fun and just the right size about 45 minutes from Escanaba. 

The Story of the Clan: Justice and the Fragility of Systems (Philosophical Thought Experiment)

Justice is a cornerstone of society—the glue that holds communities together. Some officials uphold justice with integrity, while others undermine it, often influenced by their social, racial, religious, or political perspectives. How they view the world, others, and who they believe deserves access to taxpayer-funded institutions shapes their actions. When hate and corruption take root, reasoning disappears, law loses its higher purpose, and the system itself risks default. Let me introduce to you The Story of the Clan......

Representing a philosopher 
teaching that the law must have 
high moral conscious. It is to serve
the needs of communities and not
social or political networks.

Let us explore what a total justice default might look like. In such a world, the central principles of society are abandoned. Inalienable rights are eroded, wrongdoing is celebrated, and the powerful shield themselves from accountability. Children are endangered, the elderly manipulated, public resources siphoned, human rights violated, hate crimes normalized, and courts used to protect the corrupt. All the bad stuff you can think of. 🙈🙉🙊😬

The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philosophical thought experiment designed to explore what happens when moral conscience collapses and authority is abused. It offers insight into how criminal and unconstitutional behaviors might undermine institutions meant to protect the people. It also reminds us of the urgent need to confront corruption and hate at their root before they metastasize. Gross negligence cannot be our chosen path.

In this learning scenario, victims are silenced, whistleblowers targeted, and witnesses harassed to protect a corrupt network. Clan-based courts gag victims to preserve extremist agendas. Justice is denied because lives are dehumanized—and once that happens, nearly any atrocity can be rationalized. A possible precursor to more collectivized hate.

Consider a modern parallel to the Milgram Study: ordinary people following corrupt officials who instruct them to harm others. Such obedience can be magnified when racial, religious, political, or cultural divisions are exploited, turning good people into bad people and bad people into good people through narratives. Knowing full well that mechanisms of accoutability are wholely intentionally inadequate.

Doubting the power of prestige: obedience to authority beyond institutional and research justifications

In this climate of corruption and hate, more victims emerge while perpetrators act with impunity. Yet, concerns grow. Communities begin to reject compromised officials, sparking movements for reform. The lack of institutional checks and balances forces ordinary citizens to take responsibility, and gradually, change emerges. Those elected to positions and those entrusted with preserving certain values frightened in reporting or standing up to poor actors within their networks. Community protectors had to do the heavy lifting while some officials stood by and created obsticles.

“The beginning of wisdom is a definition of terms. ” Socrates

This is, of course, a philosophical exercise—not a prediction. Still, it raises important questions worth reflecting on:

1. What would a complete justice default look like—locally or nationally? History offers examples, and uncorrected local breakdowns may foreshadow larger national failures. If we accept it at one place why would we not accept it in other places?

2. What checks and balances can protect the public? How do we strengthen the many good men and women who already act with integrity so that corruption does not flourish unchecked? There are good people serving with integrity but it only takes a few toxic personalities to warp cultures and develop secret unwritten rules (i.e. these unwritten expectations are designed to keep crimes against the public quiet. Not making a distinction between accident and on purpose.).

3. How can communities hold officials accountable? Through voting, recalls, oversight, and activism, how might citizens ensure that no one remains immune from consequences? Keep in mind official reports of misbehaviors were shared among perpetrators and the witnesses, victims, and whistleblowers were openly targeted or silenced. Perpetrators were then sheilding by the courts to protect their misbehaviors. Their negligence led to new victims. 

4. What level of dehumanization allows officials to ignore victims? How many lives must be harmed before complaints are taken seriously, and how can we prevent witnesses and whistleblowers from being silenced? Why do they keep defaulting to a hate and corruption based agenda? Is there something about those who hate and are willing to misuse their authority that blocks them from understanding their behaviors (A more cognitive and personality approach.)

5. What does a highly functional justice system look like? How might institutions foster growth in diverse communities by applying universal values equally to all, ensuring accountability at every level? Consider that some swore oaths to protect certain liberties and the country in general and there are some that will undermine that to help their friends or beliefs. Is it important to remove bad actors when they have been left in the same positions to commit more crimes or who believe protecting such misbehaviors is a higher calling then protecting the public? What happens if there is a general wider concern about "immunities" and "higher than the law" in some social networks? Especially if additional victims were created from those illegal protections.

We like to think such a collapse could never happen because officials always act with integrity—or so corrupted officials claim and so is the assumption (The vast majority do the right thing but it would not be wise to assume everyone does.). But philosophy urges us to ask deeper questions: What is the true purpose of law? How do we prevent its corruption? And how do we ensure that justice serves all people equally? What types of checks on power, or separation of powers, might help?

Law is, at best, a shadow of higher truth—a framework striving toward fairness but never fully reaching it. Philosophy helps us reimagine that higher standard, challenge complacency, and chart a path toward systems worthy of the people they are meant to protect.

“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.” Socrates

*The Story of the Clan is a hypothetical, philsophical, theoretical, learning thought experiment so take with a grain of salt. Consider alternative perspectives. We will eventually write in a positive ending. This is also a way of teaching ethics.