"I am deeply concerned that we are facing a moral bankruptcy of leadership in the Office of Investigations. Persons in power seem truly to believe that their authority and leadership derive strictly from the position they encumber, rather than from the integrity, knowledge, experience and dedication that you find within the heart and mind of the individual, and not in any position description. Leadership must be kept strong by strong people, not weakened by cronyistic appointments and incompetence."

cronyism - favoritism shown to friends and associates (as by appointing them to positions without regard for their qualifications)

Is cronyism a result of systemic authoritarianism?

authoritarianism - A political system where the administration of government is centralized. The ruler's personality may play an important role in maintaining the system and advancing the notion and practice of extreme authority as a political virtue. It is characterized by the curtailment of individual freedoms; excessive reliance on actual, and the threat of, violence and punishment; virtual unaccountability of government officials; and the aversion of the decision-making process to consultation, persuasion and the necessity of forging a policy consensus.

And so it goes in this agency - it's not what you know and how you live it, it's whom you know, and white folks have more power. It's old news, but heartbreaking nonetheless. It's old news that is important every day, because people, not just institutions are damaged.

Hispanics and other minorities are organizing because racism is systemic. I understand the strategy of organizing within one's own community, but in the same breath, am wondering how people of all color are organizing to confront the authoritar-, er cronyism in the agency. My father, a white guy, could have written the correspondence Bill Conroy shares with us in Chapter Four.

The border patrol has always been directed by mostly, white combat veterans, and in the mid-80's declared militarization, when they declared the drug war. The drug war pushed immigrants to harsher regions of the dessert, and it appears historical record, a flood of corruption followed in the sectors of the Sonoran desert of Arizona/Mexico.

I think it's everywhere now. Disease spreads, and people sick at heart -- no matter what the reason - war or betrayal - are sick. The mix entire in federal law enforcement -- from the cronies to the embittered front-line civil servant -- is enormous.

"Are we only good enough to be subordinates and not leaders?" The Hispanic agent asks.

What are all the sentiments behind such a question?

I know that people that serve their governments mostly do so, because they take great pride in citizenship. They trust their leaders when they sign up - be it military service, or border service -- any government service.

What happens to the civil servant, or soldier who finds out their leaders have betrayed them? According to trauma specialists -- it is a life changing experience - not for the good! New in trauma research are recent conclusions regarding political betrayal, or leadership betrayal.

Betrayal trauma occurs when the people or institutions we depend on for survival violate us in some way. Repetitive betrayal, even in the 'grown-up' leads to chronic conditions that run the gamut of neurophysiological response. Dr. Judith Freyd has written a number of books on it, and currently leads Oregon University's Psychology Department.

For more on political betrayal and trauma, visit my latest notebook entry at http://narcosphere.narconews.com/story/2004/3/1/19 2648/9938. And thanks, Bill for another revealing chapter on law enforcement corruption.  A subject, sad to say, dear to my heart, the definition of 'dear' this instance: Costly!