The answer lies in looking out for each other as well as ourselves. By working together for a common purpose, citizens find mutual support, wellsprings of energy and goodwill, and the confidence to succeed. That's the positive force behind the creation of community. Just as in so many other fields, environmental laws can be unevenly applied. Ordinary people with less time, money, and influential contacts often are cited more readily than wealthy and politically-connected big polluters and despoilers.
Government can be inaccessible, unresponsive, and inflexible when dealing with citizens.
It is possible, with some historical perspective, to see the roots of today's property rights rebellion. Self reliance and independence are fundamental values in our culture. America is no longer a frontier. And by 2050, the estimated U.S. population will be about 400 million. So our democracy now requires more than ever that citizens participate in a process of give and take.