http://www.newsday.co.tt/letters/0,165887.htmlStand up for good governance
Thursday, September 6 2012
THE EDITOR: When are we going to be able to hold our politicians to a higher standard?
Are we always going to be the politically immature and ignorant people who compare governmental ineptitude and malfeasance between regimes, giving our side a free pass because the other side did it too?
Are we forever going to be the people who put party before country, and care nothing for the future generations, our children and grandchildren?
There is none as blind as the person who refuses to see, none as dumb as the person who refuses to speak, none as deaf as the person who refuses to hear. Ignorance is not in itself as shameful as being unwilling to learn. Let us reflect on the words of Lysander Spooner who said: “All governments, including the worst on the earth and the most tyrannical in the world are free governments to the people who voluntarily support them.”
If we allow ourselves to be sheep, and swallow whatever we let our elected officials shove down our throats, we will beget a government of wolves. Plato admonished: “That those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.”
How do we get better government? If we learn to unite for betterment, and not be divided over race and political affiliation, we stand a chance of better government.
If we stand together to demand accountability from elected officials, we stand a chance of getting better government. If we can realise that we are the reason they have been given the mandate to lead, and we hold the true power, then we stand a chance of getting better government.
If we can bring ourselves to realise that presently it does not matter who we vote for, the political parties are only representing a very small percentage of the population, and we demand referendum, then we stand a chance of getting better government.
When we stand as a collective and say enough is enough, fulfill your promises, do as you have been mandated to do, we stand a chance of getting better government.
When we refuse to offer muted or vociferous defence of misfeasance or corruption but instead demand justice, we stand a chance of getting better government. When we can demand excellence from ourselves as we demand from others, then we stand a chance of getting better government.
Gershwin T Stephen
via e-mail
