Part of being a parent, I feel, is teaching our children my favorite saying, which my kids are "sick and tired of hearing": The bad in the world is perpetuated by good people who do nothing about it. I get so sick and tired of hearing people complain about the nation's state of affairs, but don't even bother voting. And if they do vote, they never bother telling their politicians what they want or INSIST upon for their tax dollars. I was recently asked "but what in the world can ONE person do?". Well, you can make calls, write letters to politicians, newspapers, magazines, etc. In other words, drive 'em nuts until they listen. That's what I did with the mayor here. And it DID work! Here is an example of one of mine. The results are in the next chapter.

Dear Mayor Goldsmith,

As a tax paying citizen I am quite concerned about public safety issues of my community. It is my understanding that part of your campaign promise included the implementation of Community Policing and take home cars for our city officers. How can you have one without the other? Where EXACTLY are my tax dollars going?

I want to see patrol cars at the schools, at our churches, in the store parking lots and at local businesses. I want them parked in the neighborhoods where I live and work. It is a statistical fact that this deters crime. I do not want to be told by the media that they are out there on the streets. I WANT TO SEE THEM! I want to see that there is an officer down the street or around the corner from where I live or work. My tax dollars are NOT at work efficiently if the city patrol cars, which I pay for, are parked on city property or at the roll call sites. Get them out into the community to which they belong! If this is truly a city of growth, as you claim, why do I not see any more officers or cars than I did ten years ago? If you insist on more tax dollars annually from me, then why do I feel no safer?

If we want our community to continue to grow, it MUST be a safe place to work and live. I thought you were the Mayor to accomplish this. If you prove me to be mistaken, I shall remember this fact during our next election, and will remind EVERYONE with whom I should ever contact, of this same fact!

Very Sincerely,

I not only mailed this letter certified mail to the Mayor's office, but also sent copies to every newspaper and television station in the county. I made a hundred copies of it, unsigned, and gave it to anyone who would accept it. Within two weeks his office was calling me thanking me for my concern, but telling me to "lay off!" So I sent 500 more copies out! They were all being mailed to his office with new names.....new citizens who were likewise as angry. And we got our new cars.......over 300 that very year.

We all must be rebels at times. And I think it's important for our children to see us properly channelling our frustrations to make a difference, rather than growing into old nags or participating in "road rage". Whether we had gotten the cars or not, at least I had tried; I had done SOMETHING, even if only sharing my opinion. And at the same time, I had annoyed the very person who controlled the root of my frustration. And as a voting, tax paying United States citizen, that is my right.

God Bless America!

�1994 Senati All Rights Reserved

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