The Law According To Moses
Kick Ass and Take Names
By Ambrose Moses, III
The Introduction: To “kick ass and take names” means to defeat your opponent and hold the necessary parties accountable for their actions. Over the years, the phrase has been used by community activists, police officers, and military personnel.
The Call to Action: I challenge you to kick ass and take names in 2014.
The Discussion: Here are a few thoughts about how to Kick Ass and Take Names.
Give a damn. Quite simply. Before you can protect or fight for your rights, you have to care about them. If you don’t give a damn, you are a non-factor and simply a pawn to be used and abused by others. Nothing more. Nothing less. (Question: Did you vote last month (November)? Was it any less important that November 2012?)
Don’t just speak about it . . . Be about it. We all know people who talk a good game but who never do anything about the problem. So, take action and be about it. Everyone does not have to be on the front line, yelling and carrying a banner. You might provide financial support, information, and strategic advice and guidance. Maybe you are in a position to influence or implement legislative, policy, or rule changes. There are many different (and very important) ways to take action and to be about it.
Be your brother’s (and your sister’s) keeper. The “I-don’t-care.-That’s-not-my-problem.”-attitude that some people live by is played-out. Help someone else. Think about it, if no one helps another, who will be there to help you? The opponent thrives on the people being selfish individuals with little to no concern for others.
Put your money where your mouth is. Sometimes your best and strongest support is to contribute $5 to help the person who is speaking up and taking action. If 1,000 supporters each give $5, suddenly the advocate who is fighting has $5,000 of support and the comfort of knowing that he or she is not alone. This is especially helpful if you, your community, or your business will benefit from that person’s efforts. Provide financial support.
Think. Don’t take everything at face value. Folks used to say, “Believe half of what you see and none of what you hear.” That was before the digital age. Now you have to question whether what you see is really what it appears to be. Evaluate the facts, the law, the rules, the people involved, and the motivations of the people involved. Don’t let someone else think for you.
Read. Your rights, the law, and the rules are often written somewhere. Find them. Read them. Understand them. Start with the three branches of government – Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. You can find out more by reading the United States Constitution, the state constitution, and your city’s charter (i.e. the federal, state, and local levels).
Ask Questions. If you don’t know, ask somebody. Ask to see the rule, the law, or the regulation that supports their decision. What was the decision? Who made the decision? Did they have the power or authority to make the decision? When did they make the decision? Why did they make that decision? What is the official process or procedure for reaching the decision? Is there a higher authority to which you can appeal that decision?
Speak up. Somebody has to say what needs to be said. Ask yourself a couple of questions. If not you, then who? If not now, then when? You may need to think, read, and ask questions first. That is okay. When you speak up, you may become a target. So be prepared.
Don’t give up. Often times your opponent is bigger, stronger, and wealthier than you. You may get knocked down. Do not quit. Do you have any supporters or allies? You are probably not the only person facing the identified challenge. Connect with, learn from, and gain power from joining forces with others.
Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. Sometimes, the right thing to do is simply the right thing to do.
Be the change that you want to see in the World. There is no need to look for someone else to change the world. You can start with the man or woman that you see in the mirror each day.
The Call to Action: In 2014 will you commit to “Kick Ass and Take Names”?
For more information contact Ambrose Moses, III, an attorney with Moses Law Office. Email: info@MosesLaw.pro. Telephone: (614) 418-7898.
Reprinted from www.ohiombe.com/1212013/1212013.pdf
