Courage...

"Courage is knowing what NOT to fear!"

Senator Anthony Hensley
KS Senate Minority Leader

Representative Paul Davis
KS House Minority Leader

On February 26, 2011, I helped make history! I joined nearly 500 democrats in front of the capitol building in Topeka, Kansas in a rally to save the rights of Unions! On a day when the temperature was a mere 25 degrees (keep in mind South Dakota, in Kansas, this is mere), the sky was cloudy, and the air was mist-filled...nearly 500 people flooded to the steps of the Kansas Capitol building and stood their ground! Holding signs, chanting phrases,and singing songs about the importance of keeping this union, a union! We listened to many different speakers including the Senate Democratic Leader and the House Democratic Leader, a school teacher, a security guard at the state prison, and others. 


These people understood and were here because of what Plato said: "Courage is knowing what NOT to fear!" Your state government is not something to be afraid of! You have to be able to stand up to them, voice your opinion to them, and believe that your voice is heard! The policies that Governor Sam Brownback wanted to implement were not approved of by the Kansans that I stood with! The way in which Governor Sam Brownback wanted to eliminated Unions was not approved of by the Kansans I stood with! The Koch brothers, who highly supported Governor Sam Brownnack in his campaign to become governor, are not high on the good list of the Kansans I stood with! But the Kansas I stood with knew that he is not someone to be afraid of! They knew that those legislators inside the beautiful building we stood in front of are not people to be afraid of! They put them in there, and they can take them back out again! These people understood that their voice was one that needed to be raised, needed to be heard, and needed to be remembered! 

"...needed to be raised, needed to be heard, and needed to be remembered!"

I think this is a lesson that many people need to remember! I know I have said it before, but I stress the importance of it! Your voice is important! Whether you think so or not, every voice counts! If one person calls a legislator on the phone, or one person stands outside the capitol building holding a sign, they remember you! But you make an even greater impact when you join together and several people call, or several people stand outside in the freezing cold telling these lawmakers that what they are doing inside the building is NOT alright, and as a citizen of that state, you will not tolerate it! Who knows, you may be that one extra voice that something needs! You may be the one voice that changes that legislators mind! You may be the one voice that changes everything!

Kansas Capitol Building
Topeka, KS