If the Democratic National Convention clearly communicated anything to our nation as a policy for moving forward, it was “joy.” The entire event was a communal celebration of “joy!” Their repeated word by most of, if not all the speakers, was “joy”! Joy, joy, joy …!  Meanwhile, during the convention week, I was dealing with yet another challenge related to our increasingly lawless nation. A trespassing stranger ran over my water well, and immediately fled the scene. Fortunately — you’d think — the crime was caught on film. So, with a video and license plate number of the “suspect,” I proceeded to “try” and do the right thing! I contacted the California Highway Patrol and filed a report, and I tracked down the guy’s insurance company. The CHP officer, sincerely downtrodden, let me know that, most likely even with the guy’s information, there would not likely be — and there has not been — any recourse, or consequences for his unlawful actions. It would go on his record, and I could “try” to pursue him legally, but it would most likely be a fool’s errand! The officer strongly encouraged me to go after him through his insurance company. I tried. For five days I attempted to communicate with the auto insurance company. Most of my time was wasted listening to messages voiced by the retired NBA basketball player Shaquille O’Neal. Repeatedly I was disconnected after extremely long waits. On day five, a human — only the second I’d been able to actually speak with — told me, “The man had stopped paying his auto insurance three months earlier, and his policy had been canceled.” Hence, zero consequences for temporarily destroying my family’s water source in the middle of Southern California’s hottest heat wave on record. And thousands of dollars to repair! Welcome to California. Or more accurately, “Welcome to America.” Everyone knows what starts in California, never stays in California. And the joy of lawlessness is spreading fast. One only need to visit — you can do it right now — the FBI crime statistics page, cde.ucr.cjis.gov, to explore how crime is pandemic in America. Or just follow how utterly absurd our news is. On Aug. 27, I read in the New York Times that, “The MTA is worried about fare invaders on buses.” According to the Times, “1-million people” use the mass transit in New York, “every day, without paying!” Also, according to the Times, “The transit system needs that revenue.” You think? My family, as do most, also needs water. However, when society fails to practice law and order on just a base level it truly does not matter what people need. And the sky is the limit with the heights of lawlessness that can, and will be felt eventually by all, in a nation that fails to enforce laws, and protect those who follow them! Disorder, rather than order, also known as anarchy, prevails. One might say, “It’s just a bus ticket!” But just think about the fact, that, “1 million people daily” feel emboldened to break the law in New York City. One million! Every day! In just one American city! Embarrassing. And scary.  And this is just one example of how the new pandemic is thriving unchecked in our nation. And no amount of government-enforced shots, masks, and curfews forced upon on us, will protect us. Again, anyone can right now, visit cde.ucr.cjis.gov and pick your crime of choice, your location, and see for yourself how the new pandemic is devastating your community. Meanwhile, our leaders — Republican and Democrat — get to have the best security taxpayers can buy, unless you are Trump, and live behind walls we’re told are not needed for “our” safety. We the citizens unfortunately live very differently than our leaders.  There is also a difference between happiness and joy. Happy implies a “happening,” an event or moment in time. Like the Democratic National Convention. But joy, however, suggests an ongoing and lasting feeling. Anyone witnessing the DNC could clearly observe, and I will add, even feel the happiness of that celebratory event. Tragically, though, unless our leaders, Democrat and Republican, do something to truly address the out-of-control lawlessness that is defining our nation on all levels, joy will never be a true and lasting feeling delivered by any politician or party. As long as the new pandemic is not being addressed with the same vigor as COVID, there will never be lasting joy in America. Duane Smith Agua Dulce The post Duane Smith | Joy of Lawlessness, New Pandemic  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.