Two-hundred and forty-two years ago, an outgunned and outmanned group of colonists determined to lay down their lives for the right to govern themselves.
Taxation without representation was considered heinous enough to force a revolution against England despite the fact that, at least on paper, there should have been no possibility of victory.
After gaining independence, the Founding Fathers of this country were adamant in establishing a representative democracy where popular sovereignty would reign supreme.
Inherent in exercising popular sovereignty is that the people vote for those who govern.
Wyoming is the Equality State due to the fact that we were the first state to allow women the right to full suffrage. Granted, the reason we did so was to be able to reach the population requirement in order to petition for statehood, but certainly the ends justified the means.
Over the years minorities and women have fought for the right to vote as it is the fundamental right of being a US citizen. It is what gives us a voice and a say in how our society functions, but it seems to me that many of us have lost sight of the importance and privilege of exercising this precious civic duty.
We like to complain about our elected officials, laws and injustices that exist in our society. However, we often adopt the attitude that our vote doesn’t matter when it comes to election day.
The truth is that anyone who doesn’t go to the polls has voluntarily abdicated their right to popular sovereignty. Therefore, they have waived their right to complain about the state of our government.
Coming up on August 21, the constituents of Weston County have the opportunity to let their voices be heard in the primary election.
For the last several months candidates have been campaigning and social media has been blowing up with varied opinions on who should and should not be elected into office at the local, state and national level.
As a social studies teacher, I love the fact that a midterm election is garnering this much attention from folks in Weston County because historically when there is not a presidential seat up for grabs, the voter turnout tends to be less than satisfactory.
However, this year it seems that trend may not play out, because up for election at the local level are a few offices that residents of this county feel very strongly about regarding who should get the nod.
The opinions on this crucial issue have been divisive and determined on one side or the other as people are calling for change.
While I appreciate the discourse I have observed on Facebook and Twitter, I wonder if the many people who have voiced their opinions on social media will go to the polls and express those opinions where it really matters.
I wonder if they will research the candidates and their stances on issues so that if they do vote, they are making an educated choice.
I wonder if they will exercise the right that people fought and died for from the time this country began.
I am cautiously optimistic that they will indeed cast their ballots and make their voices be heard next week.