Friday Tips: Honor Righteous Authority

Last week, the Friday transportation tip was "Question Authority." As Americans, it is a patriotic duty to question those in power whenever one suspects the government or a special interest is abusing its authority and not honoring the values of the people they are supposed to represent. Bring such matters into the court of public opinion for debate. The situation happening in Moreno Valley, exploiting CEQA law to capitalize on the Perris Valley Line, and the abusive federal financial fiasco at the U.S. Department of Labor under President Obama are a prime examples. There is positively nothing wrong with having constructive debates on controversies, but there is a line between questioning authority in the public arena and becoming outright disrespectful and disobedient.

Drawing the line

It is an absolute fact that every person living today is under some type of authority and it is our duty and responsibility to obey everything that is righteous and lawful to this authority. Yes, we and many fair-minded individuals would like to see the mandatory peak hour tolls and FasTrak transponder mandate abolished for 3+ carpools on the 91 Express Lanes with its outstanding debt paid off through tax revenue under a robust economy and responsible state fiscal policy. However, here's where the line is drawn. Even though, we at The Transit Coalition question OCTA's toll lane usage policies, we will continue to obey the rules and mount the FasTrak transponder before using the 3+ high occupancy lane to bypass traffic congestion.

Likewise, the good folks in Moreno Valley are exposing potential abuse and developer pandering in City Hall. They are taking the matter to the public square through peaceful protests and social media. Their message is clear: "No" to worsened pollution. "No" to urban sprawl. However, the line in this example which should never be crossed is obstructing traffic during protesting or infusing personal attacks or threats on Facebook. Thankfully, the residents are behaving themselves and we've not ran into any major reported incident.

On the other side, elected politicians also have the responsibility to honor the values of the people they represent. Judges have the responsibility of interpreting the law impartially. Californians should hold those in power accountable by their votes at elections and the power to recall fundamentalist politicians and biased state judges.

Lastly a tip for those who are raising children:

Resolve to take full responsibility of your children and youth to keep them out of the gang, crime and drug cultures. Be their leader, protector and their provider. Spend more time with them and be with them throughout their lives. Teach them to honor righteous authority through proper discipline. Be a mentor for a child who lacks caring parents, especially to children who lack fathers. Work smartly to provide for the needs of these children so they can grow up, learn the skills to compete in the American marketplace, and become responsible and selfless leaders when they assume a position of authority.