Bipartisanship, trust, cooperation, compromise and respect are some of the first principles to live by if we want any kind of positive change, no matter which group or historical era we belong to. These are natural laws. Only they can produce peace and justice. We break these laws at our own peril.

When we act with these principles as our top priorities, with each breath and each thought, then, and only then, will we be able to get and keep peace and create a sustainable, just society. If we can’t live by these principles in a free, democratic America, justice and peace for all will forever elude us.

Whenever we react negatively to our fellow citizens without checking for understanding and clarification of their words and intent, we ruin our chances of success. The alternative is conflict and bloodshed, and those who reject these principles will be to blame.

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These principles must take precedence over demanding our personal rights, having a healthy economy, climate, every issue we face and especially our ambition for power and control. We can’t afford to reject these principles just because they are too hard to live by. The more we work at it together, the easier it gets, and the sooner we get what we want.

We all make mistakes along the way, but the most fatal mistake of all is to dismiss these principles as pie-in-the-sky fantasy. We have already gone too far down the wrong path. If we really care about the issues we say we care about, we will get back on the right path. Hopefully it is not too late.

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Bob Sweigert

Tahoe City