As I think of our service men and women who have given themselves to preserve our democracy, country, families, communities and the whole American experience we cherish, I am more convinced of the need for all of us to step up to be involved in our communities. Be it a local club, a board, a public commission, street cleaning, highway pick-up, nonprofit organization, or just going to public meetings to hear and be heard — we need to be involved.
Sitting back as the silent majority doesn't cut it, in my opinion. As we raise our families we need to show them what it takes to keep local essentials going. Where does the water come from, who turns the lights on, how are the vegetables grown, how do the roads get there, what is a county, city, state, anyway? Blame seems to be so easy to place on the people responsible, people who have stepped up to the plate to serve the community, but where were you when the City Council met? Board of Supervisors meetings? Hmm. Why are we so cowed into doing nothing? Why are we afraid to be part of an active community life? That is the whole thing that our young people have gone into service to possibly be injured for life or die for us.
It's not comfortable to sit through meetings, expose your thoughts, advance some idea, campaign for change, or sit on some council, board, or office. Courage comes from believing in something and doing something about it. I applaud all of our supervisors, council members, committee members, officers, firemen/women, planners, county workers and all the others I've left out without meaning to.
This Memorial Day, I'm spending on some public service, but then on my tractor, free and alive in San Benito County!