"When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty." -- Thomas Jefferson
Since I retired from the Daily News two months ago, I've learned one thing above all others from email, comments and community meetings: The people of L.A. are afraid that City Hall willl trample on them at every turn.
That's what led me to this quote from Thomas Jefferson that speaks straight to what I believe is the only way to change L.A. for the better.
So many people who have worked so hard for so long for their communities believe that their government is their enemy, that even voting, sending emails and letters of protest, organizing their neighborhoods will not make much of a difference.
In Jefferson's terms, they fear their government. And that is truly tyranny.
That's what I have believed personally for a long time. I did what I could to show the truth of it in stories and editorials at the Daily News. I believe there has been some change over the years, most notably the LAPD is no longer a militaristic army at war with the people, particularly the poor and minorities.
But for the most part, the public gets lip service to their grievances while City Hall continues to serve itself and the special interests.
What keeps coming up for me is that only drastic action -- a campaign of civil disobedience -- can possibly change things.
Already, there are signs that others feel as I do.
Ron Kaye