The Daily Pilot (Newport Beach, CA): Seek the consent of governed

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Seek the consent of governed

March 30, 2006

Civil disobedience has a long, rich history in the United States. Henry David Thoreau, author of "Walden" and "Civil Disobedience," famously protested America's war against Mexico.

In "Civil Disobedience," he wrote: "The authority of government, even such as I am willing to submit to -- for I will cheerfully obey those who know and can do better than I, and in many things even those who neither know nor can do so well -- is still an impure one: To be strictly just, it must have the sanction and consent of the governed."

Americans since have demanded that consent of their government. During the past few decades, the Civil Rights movement, led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., stood peacefully and strongly against racism. The peace movement of the 1960s and early '70s protested the Vietnam War.

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What the protests do show is that the immigration issue, besides dividing the Republican Party in Washington, is no simple slam-dunk for Costa Mesa leaders who are trying to make the city the first in the nation to have local police enforce immigration laws. The students' marching -- not to mention a gathering planned for Saturday that is being organized by the same people who brought together 500,000 in downtown Los Angeles last weekend -- should make it clear that going ahead unilaterally is an unwise and unsound move. At the very least, Costa Mesa city leaders should realize they do not have the full "sanction and consent of the governed" when it comes to this issue. They would do well to continue seeking that backing.

http://www.dailypilot.com/opinion/story/41913p-62778c.h...