Election Day is special and should be one of our most celebrated “national days”. If the Fourth of July is when we celebrate the founding and proclamation of our freedom, then Election Day is when we act as stewards of that freedom and ensure its preservation. No fireworks or Bar B Que on Election Day. We celebrate it personally and quietly without pomp and without fanfare. Simple citizens, we stand in line and, contemplatively, wait for our turn at the voting machine. We smile at others in the queue, exchange pleasantries and, maybe, have a chat, understanding that members of this assembly may not support the same candidates or issues. We have varying ideas about government and what it should be but that’s O.K. That difference is why we vote. Finding a path forward despite varying philosophies is why our founders championed elections. We may promote disparate causes or candidates, but we speak with one great voice when we vote. With fellow citizens, we proclaim our right to self-government and the goal of guiding our own destiny.
Public engagement is another bastion that protects the will of the people. We can appeal directly to government or use the media or both to voice our thoughts. During a recent lowcountry debate, hundreds of residents spoke out in favor of trees. The SC Department of Transportation unveiled a plan to widen Ashley River Road (SC Highway 61) in Dorchester County. The road is a National Scenic Byway that is the primary route to Magnolia Plantation and Garden, Middleton Place Plantation and Garden and Drayton Hall Plantation, all important lowcountry historic sites. The two-lane rural road is also renowned for its overhanging tree canopy that bespeaks the locale and its history. The road and its tunnel of trees occupies a special place within the hearts and memories of locals and visitors alike.
To widen and improve traffic safety on the road, the SCDOT proposed removing hundreds of trees within 6.5 miles of public right of way in Dorchester County near Summerville. Area residents appreciated the need to improve safety along Highway 61 but not at the expense of trees. Citizens understood the environmental, economic, cultural and psychological benefits of the roadside trees and made their feelings public. Nearly every day over several weeks, op-ed pieces and letters to the editor appeared in the local newspaper that urged the SCDOT to be creative and improve safety without removing trees. Over 400 comments of similar conviction were written directly to the DOT. Environmental groups joined historic preservation groups, tourism promoters and state and local politicians all the way up to Governor Henry McMaster in encouraging the SCDOT to challenge themselves and come up with an improved plan. To the great credit of SC Transportation Director, Christy Hall and her staff, they did. The width of Ashley River Road will be widened but not as drastically as originally planned. New and improved lane markings will be installed. The speed limit will be reduced from 55 MPH to 45 MPH and, at the Governor’s urging, the SC Department of Public Safety has agreed to step up enforcement. NO TREES WILL BE REMOVED.
The public forum offers many methods and opportunities for us to influence our future. The ballot box allows us to vote for candidates who best represent our values. It’s also a reminder to those politicians who don’t share our beliefs, that our powerful voice may be raised against them. Media, in its many forms, lets us share and integrate our thoughts with others and formulate a group position. Letters and emails sent directly to policy makers and bureaucrats are powerful levers that can pry them away from stalemate and into positive action. The public forum is available and effective. The voice of the people can be declarative and persuasive if they choose to speak.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”
Margaret Mead
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