this post was submitted on 19 Oct 2023
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“When I came to this bureau ... I knew it was not without its moral complexity and moral compromises, and I made myself a promise that I would stay for as long as I felt … the harm I might do could be outweighed by the good I could do,” Paul wrote on LinkedIn. “In my 11 years I have made more moral compromises than I can recall, each heavily, but each with my promise to myself in mind, and intact. I am leaving today because I believe that in our current course with regards to the continued – indeed, expanded and expedited – provision of lethal arms to Israel – I have reached the end of that bargain.”
Gutty. Well thanks for trying to change things from the inside, it's a shame things are set up the way they are. Not to mention having the strength to stick to your morals and leave when you realize there's no more good you can do.
I dunno. It sounds like he was a state-sponsored arms dealer. Was he really "doing good?"
It does sound a bit weird. On the other hand, if he can influence the choices positively, he does have a point. If not him, someone else would take the job. I would have drawn the line somewhere else but I can understand where he is coming from.
And the fact that he resigned means that he has and likely had some moral compass guiding him.
It reminds me a lot of the situations where Law Enforcement Officers won't follow along for what they know is not right when everyone else is doing it, despite knowing that if they leave that's one less person to stand up to the unethical, there is a point when you can no longer even associate with the group because of the very real blame you'll start to share, and rightfully so. And in the case of LEOs if you're not going along with the rest of the gang, you could very well be in danger.
Exactly what "the bad apple spoils the bunch" is about, and it's constantly misquoted by people defending the police forces. The problem is not the bad apple. The problem is the system designed to corrupt new recruits, attract only the easily indoctrinated, and drive away anyone trying to do anything about it. Thus the whole bunch is spoiled. You have to get rid of the system or you continually will only have spoiled apples.
I agree with a systematic approach to problem solving, especially when so many of the large problems are systematic in nature. I don't personally believe too much can be done from the inside, but I'd love to be wrong and have progress come from wherever it may, and I know my way is not the only way. Not gonna spend my time trying to work from the inside though.