If a fixed-route taxi driver smokes, you have two options: either to be silent or reprimand the driver. If you choose the second option, the driver has several options: 1/ to quietly extinguish the cigarette (less likely), 2/ to complain about the life, fate, government, red lines and speedometer by extinguishing the cigarette, and finally 3/ to send you very far. In the latter case, you have two options: to send the driver far away to the same destination in return, or getting off the car, register the plate number and complained to the City Hall. The second type of the behavior in Armenia is considered “cissy”, despising and inappropriate for our nation.
In vain. It is time to switch from “backyard”, community, ghetto and false “underground” stance to a thinking of a state citizen. You might say, the municipality is not a municipality, the police is not a police, the court is not a court and, generally, the state is not a state. I agree. But people like you and the fixed-route taxi driver are sitting in the mentioned state institutions, who just like us, are facing the same dilemmas. Someone should put an end to these “self-respect”, “heartily”, “human” outdated and Asian ideas.
If you are ill-treated, do not try to get revenge, to call a “backup” or contact a familiar police officer who would try to solve the issue problem offhandedly (often, with money). There are public authorities whose duty is to deal with it and you apply to them. Do not be afraid to getting the reputation of a “tip-off” or “snitch on”. These institution, yes, are corrupt, do not have proper preparedness and professionalism, and sometimes, it is better not to apply to anyone than to deal with them. But the alternative of it is increasing and multiplying the arbitrariness and illegality.
Later, the “authoritative guy” who helped you, during elections, most likely, will ask you to “work” for him (just for him and not for the power). The “heartily policeman” who has helped you will continue to take bribes from you and very possibly, from the one who violated your rights. To apply formally and demand the functionaries to perform their duties, this is although the difficult but the only true way. And the demanding tools, certainly, are the civil society and the media.
Read also
… In the West, when people see someone on the highway is driving the car with breaking the law, they record it and send to the police. In our perception, such people are “tip-offs”, while in reality, it has a different name – a citizen.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
