Righteous anger is your feeling when you know you are not being treated fairly. Many have encountered it in their lives – an unhealthy dose of injustice, discrimination, or oppression. Righteous anger is a tool all of us should learn to use.
If something seems wrong, we should question it. If it seems really unfair, challenge it. If we know it is wrong, we should fight it.
This is what Annamaria Baldacchino, a Sliema resident, did. She is angry and frustrated at the authorities’ tolerance of the illegality of a catering establishment that has occupied a public pavement area illegally for years.
Baldacchino applied for permission to take up public land herself against payment, to return the area to its rightful use as a public pavement.
Her lawyer, Claire Bonello, argues, “All the authorities prefer to accommodate long-term lawbreakers but do not allow citizens to apply legitimately to pay to use the pavement for what it was intended – a pavement.”
People are understandably angry at the endemic lack of political will to enforce perfectly sensible laws and regulations to protect the common interest. We are increasingly experiencing an escalation of the us-and-them polarisation of society.
The ‘us’ comprises ordinary people who expect the authorities to look after their interests as and when necessary. Then are those with an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement who seem to enjoy the protection of politicians.
They use this protection to prevent law-abiding citizens from exercising their rights on public land use.
The proliferation of encroachments on pavements, especially in areas frequented by tourists and local diners, is hindering the well-being of many residents.
Parents with pushchairs must manoeuvre their way around restaurant tables and chairs on public pavements. At times, older adults with mobility challenges have to leave the pavement and walk dangerously on the road to get to where they want to be.
This injustice results from incompetence, political expediency, or even corruption as law enforcement authorities are too often prepared to close an eye to outright abuse of people’s rights to private land use.
Sadly, the major political parties are not ready to take a stand to ensure that the arrogance of a small, entitled minority does not shortchange the silent majority.
People are increasingly prepared to voice their anger through social media, protest marches, boycotts, and relaying their grievances to politicians, local councils, the police, and other public organisations leaders. Anger is a powerful political motivator. Political parties must never forget this if they want to restore the trust
of those who no longer believe the democratic process can improve their lives.
We have to stand up for what is right. We have to demand justice, fairness, and equity. Like all rights afforded us in the country, we must affirm them. We must demand them; otherwise, we risk giving up these rights.
This is why Baldacchino’s action should be emulated by many who want to protect their rights as citizens of a democratic country.
Sometimes, we have to fight for what is right. It is something that we should teach our children. We must act whenever we see injustice, no matter how small it may seem.
If we stand up for what is right and refuse to ignore injustice, we will live in a much better country.