Let your voice be heard. Why writing to your congressperson is good for your farm.
I expect the first response from many is:
Why would I? I did not vote for them.
Fair point. I’ve felt that way too.
Yet I’ve come to realize that even if you didn’t vote for your congressperson, they still represent you. This is how representative democracy works.
Like many of my friends who are veterans, I believe in the right to protest. Their sacrifices remind me that they fought to protect that right. But if you truly want to effect change, protesting is only the beginning. You must follow it up with more action.
Elected officials are accountable to everyone in their district, not just to the people who voted for them. Your voice is part of their job description. When you are silent, this is interpreted as agreement.
When you speak up, especially in writing, you are creating a record of descent. Staffers track these messages. If enough people make their voices heard, priorities shift. So congresspeople must listen if they want to keep their job.
For much of my life, I remained silent. Mostly because I thought we were generally headed in the right direction, regardless of who was in office. Of course, I didn’t always agree. But I could mostly understand why things were happening, especially when I took time to do the research.
This is no longer the case.
So whatever your position or party, let your voice be heard. I will and hope that those who care about their communities, environments and neighbors do the same.
Because if you care about your wife or your daughter, your son or your brother… the education of your children or the children who will come after them… and your health, your ability to enjoy life, or the future we’re all building together…
Then staying silent isn’t an option.
Here are the top issues I am educating myself on, talking about with organizations on the front lines, and regularly bringing to the attention of my elected officials:
These issues matter to me. What is important to you, your family, your colleagues and your friends are probably different. That is okay. We live in a complicated and complex world, and we all have different challenges and needs.
The truth is, no one makes it through life without the help of others. Yes, this includes dependence on our government (regardless of what people might say).
I leave you with something I saw on social media. This is not a new saying or one that can be attributed to any individual that I know of. I also don’t care why or who created it. I simply want the message to be true and more people to act in this way. It’s from @TheConverseCowboy and reads, “If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence.”
I expect the first response from many is:
Why would I? I did not vote for them.
Fair point. I’ve felt that way too.
Yet I’ve come to realize that even if you didn’t vote for your congressperson, they still represent you. This is how representative democracy works.
Like many of my friends who are veterans, I believe in the right to protest. Their sacrifices remind me that they fought to protect that right. But if you truly want to effect change, protesting is only the beginning. You must follow it up with more action.
Elected officials are accountable to everyone in their district, not just to the people who voted for them. Your voice is part of their job description. When you are silent, this is interpreted as agreement.
When you speak up, especially in writing, you are creating a record of descent. Staffers track these messages. If enough people make their voices heard, priorities shift. So congresspeople must listen if they want to keep their job.
For much of my life, I remained silent. Mostly because I thought we were generally headed in the right direction, regardless of who was in office. Of course, I didn’t always agree. But I could mostly understand why things were happening, especially when I took time to do the research.
This is no longer the case.
So whatever your position or party, let your voice be heard. I will and hope that those who care about their communities, environments and neighbors do the same.
Because if you care about your wife or your daughter, your son or your brother… the education of your children or the children who will come after them… and your health, your ability to enjoy life, or the future we’re all building together…
Then staying silent isn’t an option.
Here are the top issues I am educating myself on, talking about with organizations on the front lines, and regularly bringing to the attention of my elected officials:
- Impacts of new legislation on small and mid-size farmers, access to an agricultural workforce, and incentives that support commercial agriculture and horticulture research.
- Supporting legislation that assists my communities with access to healthy food programs supporting rural and urban committees, the underemployed, those in need, and children while at school and home. These programs almost always equally benefit American farmers.
- Pushing for legislation that goes beyond subsidies favoring large commodity crop producers, so that small and diversified farms (fruits, vegetables, local markets) aren’t left behind.
- Protecting public lands and their resources for generations to come. This includes the water resources that Americans and American farmers rely on.
- Educating myself on ways to strengthen Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid for seniors, the disabled, and those with financial need now and well into our future.
These issues matter to me. What is important to you, your family, your colleagues and your friends are probably different. That is okay. We live in a complicated and complex world, and we all have different challenges and needs.
The truth is, no one makes it through life without the help of others. Yes, this includes dependence on our government (regardless of what people might say).
I leave you with something I saw on social media. This is not a new saying or one that can be attributed to any individual that I know of. I also don’t care why or who created it. I simply want the message to be true and more people to act in this way. It’s from @TheConverseCowboy and reads, “If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence.”