EDITORIAL - Crime thrives in the vaccum of moral courage

Violence and criminality are major concerns of government, whether national or local. And despite limited capabilities and abilities, it is heartening to note that the law enforcement sector is doing everything within its means to address these twin concerns.

Unfortunately, there is simply too much focus on the aspect of law enforcement as a means of addressing crime and violence and too little about dealing with the factors that contribute to this unwanted situation in the first place.

For example, crime and violence are often the offshoot of a sweeping breakdown in morals and values. A growing segment of the population has lost its sense of right or wrong, of good or evil. And none more starkly illustrates this than snuffing out a human life for a cellphone.

But why have growing numbers of people been losing their sense of right or wrong, of good or evil? It is because the moral guardians of the people have not only been remiss in their duties, they are also not admitting their shortcomings. Worse, they blame the slack of others.

Other sector that cannot escape responsibility for this slide to crime and violence are public officials and community leaders. Expected to lead by example, they are often the ones who show how to do things the wrong way and act as if it is the right way.

Then there is utter failure of government to address the twin problems of poverty and rapid population growth. These twin concerns feed on each other and thus exponentially explode into greatly unmanageable proportions in a short period of time.

Believe it or not, but it was only yesterday when the Philippine population stood at 80 million. Now we are 90 million and pushing 100 million. Yet efforts to haul the poor out of their misery, as well as initiatives to slow population growth, have been puny and ineffective.

It is easy to factor in corruption to this unwanted environment. And it is just as easy to blame religious influence for the strategic retrogression. But the truth of the matter is, there is no more palpable culprit behind this abject failure than the lack of political will.

There is no living leader today willing to sacrifice political and personal fortunes and seize the bull by the horns. It is not corruption or religious obstructionism that is blocking the way. It is the lack of moral courage to do what needs to be done, come hell or high water.