In my travels and work throughout my life, I have never been in an area where there is so much stupidity. I would have said ignorance, but ignorance can be eliminated by education. Not stupidity.
Doesn’t anyone in a leadership position see the downward slide of this area?
After examining many locations in other states my wife and I years ago chose this little town with all its bountiful amenities for comfortable retirement. But due to poor leadership, over the decades we seem to have slipped back in time. One can scarcely purchase anything in this locale from outlets that are locally owned, other than dinners at restaurants. I realize there is a nationwide trend in which retail is dying and everything is being sold online, but we should be doing everything we can to buck that trend. Nothing can replace the experience of walking into a small, locally owned shop and buying something from a person we know, our neighbor perhaps, who talks with us a bit as we hand over our money. It’s sad to see so much of that disappear, to be replaced by automated self-checkouts or (even worse) UPS drivers and someday drones dropping things on our porches while we huddle inside, hunched over our smartphones.
This area has been and is supported by a welfare economy, from top to bottom. People resent the idea of welfare and food stamps for the poor, but don’t mind a generous government check going to those that need it the least and have no clue as to leadership.
It seems we adhere to a motto that is correct in every way: It won’t work and can’t be done. That has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In another example, of poor leadership, our elected officials are afraid to even mention, much less support, a tax for fear of losing their welfare positions. Here’s a simple analogy: If the roof leaks, it needs shingles. That is a tax.
To build a structure, or a community, you need a solid foundation. Without that, the structure will not stand. The people that settled this area had vision and a can-do attitude. We, on the other hand, seem to be overcome with cataracts. As the saying goes, meetings didn’t build the meeting hall. If I were a leader I would be ashamed of a position at the bottom of the ladder and never thinking of looking up.
As a starting place I would comfortably lean toward the sheriff ’s request for funds for more deputies to keep the peace, investigate crimes, and yes, give out a few speeding tickets. I myself have had a few. Too much mouth, not enough couth.
The sun has set to bed I lay How grateful I am that I was able to help someone today.
Try it, it will make you feel good.
Galen Larson writes from Montezuma County, Colo.
