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An Informed and Active Citizenry
Nov. 25th, 2009 09:56 amAt World Fantasy Convention (WFC), when I came down on the Sunday morning to meet friends for breakfast, I noticed police in the lobby although I thought nothing of it. I mean, I see soldiers all the time around here, and cops, whatever; I kind of don't notice in part because Hawaii is so heavily militarized (compared to the average place in the Mainland, that is) and in part because the Honolulu police force has a pretty benign and even laidback reputation.
My friends, however, said that there had been an Incident, and that a friend of theirs had actually made an attempt to intervene.
There are two posts about that incident, the first coming hard on the heels of the actual event, and then second, a very interesting follow up some weeks later. Read them in order.
For me, this is a textbook case of how a country with an informed citizenry and responsible institutions ought to work. It doesn't always, of course, but sometimes it does, and that's a valuable thing.
My friends, however, said that there had been an Incident, and that a friend of theirs had actually made an attempt to intervene.
There are two posts about that incident, the first coming hard on the heels of the actual event, and then second, a very interesting follow up some weeks later. Read them in order.
For me, this is a textbook case of how a country with an informed citizenry and responsible institutions ought to work. It doesn't always, of course, but sometimes it does, and that's a valuable thing.
