Think and / and,
not either / or

Before Black Tuesday, citizens often had to choose between either/or in making personal or civic decisions. We could have either airport security or convenient travel, but not both. We could have either robust tourism or a healthy reef at Hanauma Bay, either vigorous law enforcement or strong privacy rights, either secure military bases or the free flow of traffic -- but, in each case, not both.

In this new era, perhaps we should strike a new balance and think of ways to have and/and instead of either/or as the fundamental formula or model for making choices. We should strive for airline safety and efficient check-in, for the rigorous enforcement of the law and an equally rigorous protection of civil rights and privacy, for sufficient security on military bases and the speedy passage of cars and trucks on the nearby highways.

Some of this would require a greater expenditure of tax or private funds but mostly it would take thought, imagination, and courageous civic and political leaders.

--Richard Halloran

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