Supervisor Monthly Message ~ District 5 ~ April, 2022
The Importance of your Voice
One positive outcome of the past couple of years has been a reawakening of many to the concept of political involvement and advocacy.
For decades we have generally believed that politics was to be engaged in by…”that group in DC or in Sacramento.” Other people who were interested in being involved in “that sort of thing” would take care of the political side of life. We generally ignored or trusted our news outlets and our elected officials to tell us the story and make the difficult decisions. For our part, we would do our civic duty and check the boxes for our representatives each election cycle…well about half of us would, anyway. Political scandals of late, the 24-hour news cycle and, especially, the fallout from the COVID-19 shut-downs, school closures, distance learning and mental health effects seem to have caused a shift in our thinking. That may be a very good thing.
Many who once lamented “my vote doesn’t matter” are now considering how mistaken they may have been. Some are beginning to recognize the incredible importance of their vote, their voice and their participation. The people we put in office to represent us need to know and understand the effect their position on issues will have on the people they represent. That is best accomplished by having a dialogue with our elected officials. Phone calls, e-mails, texts, social media messaging, virtual calls and in-person meetings must occur to insure each representative understands firsthand how their policy decisions can change the lives and livelihoods of their constituents either positively or negatively.
Those who live and work and shop and recreate and do business and raise children and go to church and community activities in a given area need desperately to be involved in the political process at every level. National and State offices, County and City Boards and Councils, School and Hospital Boards, Community Service Districts, etc. All of these need participation by the stake holders of each community. You may possess special skill sets, knowledge or input that nobody else has been able to bring to the table. Participation could mean running for office but it may mean becoming familiar with the issues and voting according to what you have learned.
Some may choose to organize groups of people to advocate for and vote for specific legislation in order to amplify their voice. It may mean supporting a candidate with your time or your donations. Whatever method you choose to participate will likely have a bigger impact than you could envision. I want to encourage you to get involved or to ramp up your involvement in every level of government and community. Please believe that what you say and what you do make a bigger difference than you probably realize.
Your voice matters!
Dennis Townsend
District 5 Supervisor