October 3, 2021- Every so often, a low rumbling emanates from the people I call the Truth Seekers. Some of these come from a place of deep spirituality; others, from a humanistic place of ethics. I have yet to see any Truth Seekers derive their findings from a place of pure self-interest. A crusader who veers off into partisan politics ends up tarnishing the platinum of the original cause.

Such a low rumbling was heard today. A group of journalists, reporting in the Washington Post, presented a summation of what they titled The Pandora Papers. Most of us are at least passingly familiar with the curious Pandora, of Greek mythology, who opened a chest and released all manner of demons and ills upon mankind. The present day Pandora, however, is releasing truth that was intended to remain under wraps.

It is all too easy for a human being to become beguiled by material wealth. The more money that is offered to many, especially those who have simultaneously amassed power and influence, the more is desired. This can happen to both individuals and to institutions. It is usually, in the end, the undoing of both.

Those who took the time and energy to open offshore financial accounts, and thus hide their fortunes from legitimate tax collectors, will now begin to see those efforts unraveling. By some estimates, there is enough hidden wealth in those offshore accounts to cover the costs of a slew of social reforms and improvements-worldwide. It goes without saying that this would do my heart good. Having gone through three years of pleas, from one whose needs could be met by a mere millionth of that hidden wealth, I say let the collection and redistribution begin.

Those whose fortunes are relatively modest-even multimillionaires, in many cases, but who pay their taxes and honour the needs of the less fortunate, should retain their well-earned gains. The others, many of whom are mentioned by name in The Pandora Papers, need to own up-and pay up.