What's a Buddhist to do when we see a problem in the world, when a person, system or government or group or family or business or any situation is screwed up, SNAFU, corrupt, unfair, wrong, inefficient or even crazy?
Work on ourselves.
Yep, that is the reason we saw the issue what ever it was and that is the reason for the issue whatever it was, to illuminate our own lack or failing and give us reason to correct it. It really is all about us. Life is short, it is unlikely the chance will come again to have this level of awareness and opportunity for growth, opportunity to learn, opportunity to be what we have the potential to be - our Buddha nature is waiting for us to uncover it.
So we have the directions pretty clearly delineated in the Dhamma, the Eightfold Path. The canon - even with translation problems, reveals the Buddha's extremely practical and thorough advice. We also have the tools of meditation and mindfulness to develop discernment so that we can figure out what he meant despite the problems with translation, and apply the teaching to our daily life.
The most direct and powerful path for most of us is Speech. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that applying the principles of skillful speech to all media is essential but it does take effort, determination and persistence. I have a habit of spouting off and waiting to see what reaction occurs, a risky business and not recommended by the Buddha. Skillful speech is reticent, very reticent, and employs patience, compassion, wisdom, I think it is among the hardest things in the world to practice. So I am not very good at it, but I will keep trying and that is what we can do, often when we turn compassion on ourselves the ripple effect softens the world and warms the beings around us. This is the way I believe Sensei teaches to address issues like those listed above.
Try and try again. That's why we call it practice. :-)
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