Do the right thing, law or no law

You know the right thing to do. I know you do. So don’t wait for someone else to do it first and don’t wait for a “law” to tell you to. Do it now.

I’m reminded of the Clovis Hobby Lobby shoppers this month who tripped up a shoplifter.

Instead of watching the thief and thinking to themselves “That’s awful, someone should do something about that,” they took action and did the right thing.

Thieves don’t fear the law as much as they fear being stopped in their tracks by the only people who can be counted on to be right there when they attempt to carry out their attack.

That is you and me, folks. If we once again make up our minds to always do the right thing, we will be an insurmountable wall holding back the few bad guys living among us. The risk of being an attacker or a thief must be raised back up where it belongs.

The same need for personal accountability is reflected in a recent letter to the editor concerning speeding. Do the right thing yourself and, one person at a time, things get better. Most people drive at the speed they are most comfortable with, and consequently the speed at which they are the safest (ignoring for a moment the speed limits that are not based on anything but arbitrary ideas of what’s best for everyone).

Those who actually drive faster than they should will not be made responsible by laws. In fact, they may get a double thrill by not only driving faster than they should, but also in feeling they are rebels as long as they don’t get caught.

The answer is not more enforcement but more responsibility. Don’t let a rude driver on your bumper force you to go faster (or slower) than you think you should, and don’t feel guilty for blocking his path. And for goodness sake, teach your children to stay alert, aware, and out of the streets.

Need more ways to take action? If you think it is right for people to pay more taxes, don’t wait for the tax rate on your neighbors to be increased by law; write a check out of your own bank account payable to the government right now.

The responsibility to govern yourself and to be accountable in all your actions reaches into every corner of your life. If you know someone who is in need, step in yourself to help. If you can’t help, find those who can. Don’t lay the burden on the “taxpayers” by handing that needy person over to some government agency. Getting a person caught up in the welfare and entitlement web is not helping them, but harming them and destroying the future of their children as well.

Reaching out to the government and expecting them to take care of things through more laws, tougher enforcement or welfare is the opposite of being responsible. You have the ability within yourself to make things better. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

Kent McManigal is a freelance writer who sometimes offers commentary under the username of “dullhawk” on our websites. Contact him at:

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