To the editor: “When did it become OK?” — seeing this statement from someone frustrated over “smash and grab” robberies and who voted for President-elect Donald Trump because of crime raised many bigger questions.
When is it ever OK to smash and grab public documents and facilities? To lie and present alternative facts that deceive? To provide corporate executives with exorbitant rewards?
When did it become OK to demonize people over skin color or body condition? When did it become OK to be so greedy and ignore the needs of workers or dismiss the consequences to our planet?
These and similar actions are not OK and won’t change until more folks honestly engage in civil society. We can’t have police on every corner. So, what is OK?
It is OK to call your elected officials and express your concerns. It is OK to attend and speak at local government and community meetings to understand what can be accomplished with available resources. It is OK and absolutely necessary for leaders and constituents to engage with one another if we want a more just society.
Civil society is a fragile and dynamic balancing act. This article gives us all reason to consider what has been gained, lost or misplaced in the era of “smash and grab.”
Cheryl Collart, Ventura
