After the Dust (Asbestos) Settles

As the congratulatory and appreciative statements and proclamations pass through the vacuum which are the media and the island’s political forces, the most salient, damming indictment must remain forever present in the minds of the citizens: it took the arduous efforts of a citizen and a citizen’s group to do the job that the government we pay dearly for did not do, and refused to do.

So as we laud the efforts of the city government in a near sycophantic fervor for effectively and efficiently (albeit questionably) handing out code violation warnings for such immensely serious problems as a barking dog, consider what the government and the majority of our elected officials missed – and fought hard to negate.

These groups that place a check on the powers and actions (and in this case non-action) of government are owed a world of gratitude. Whether one agrees with these organizations or not, they are doing all citizens an immeasurable service.

It may be just a matter of egos or politics to see this fact of democracy clearly. Our founding fathers saw the importance quite clearly - that is why they included the right to petition in the constitution.