To the Elected Officials and Citizens of Torrance County

The following preface was written in collaboration with others who, like me, also signed the open letter of support for elected officials at the end of this preface. We are just some of the many ordinary community members promoting integrity in our elections.

We write to you today knowing that our country was built by men that stood for their beliefs in the face of massive opposition. They were anchored to their principles, unwilling to waiver from what they knew to be right. These men pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to rid themselves, and us, of tyranny. Many of them lost two of the three.
I’m sure you have heard the quote from scripture that states, “Don’t muzzle the ox as he’s treading the grain”. Our founding fathers established this republic because they understood principles like this. Biblical principles. As citizens, we spit out phrases like “God given rights”. What does that mean? Turning to scripture, God did not create man to have dominion over one another. Interesting how that word correlates to the growing concerns of our election systems and the state of our nation today.
Our founding fathers created a system of government built upon representation of the people. We The People elect our officials be our voice, as that is how our constitution is designed. Their powers are derived from the consent of the governed.
The people of this community, county, state, and country are treading the grain. The people are devoting their time, energy, and resources into fighting the obvious corruption that has manifested itself in our election system and in our government. Right now, the people are muzzled because of one excuse after another, all stemming from the overreach of unconstitutional authorities. I bet it is not difficult to think of one excuse that was used world-wide over the last couple of years. However, at the end of the day, right is right and wrong is wrong. The majority of Torrance County and citizens throughout this country know this. Excuses that complicate a moral obligation to do what is right have no place in any decision and should not be allowed to take root in any society. When someone gives their word, it is their oath, it is their bond. Period. How one chooses to stand on the commitment to do right and honor that oath will be the moral fabric on which our society will function. It is said that the culture of any society or organization is always shaped by the worst behavior the leadership is willing to tolerate.
We The People will be relentless in the preservation of liberty. Fifty to sixty years from now, we don’t want to be explaining to our children and grandchildren why we didn’t do everything in our power to stand up and fight for their freedom while we still had the chance to make that stand. Thomas Jefferson once stated that “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”. The signers of the Declaration of Independence knew that liberty is worth so much more than safety and security.

To our elected officials in, specifically:

We the people of Torrance County do not address you today to change your system of beliefs or your moral code. We don’t need to. We know you all. You are members of this community just as we are. We know without a doubt that you stand for these same things. This is not a lesson on right and wrong. We simply address you today to let you know that we believe in these things too, and we are here to support you in doing what’s right. We expect you to be our voice. We need your courage to mirror ours.
The citizens of Torrance County are blessed to have elected officials that listen to their constituents and are truly representatives of We the People. Regarding the status of overreaching authority from our state and federal government, much work needs to be done. A special thank you to our County Commissioners, Ryan Schwebach, Kevin McCall, and Leroy Candelaria for taking the concerns of their constituents seriously and allowing our voices to be heard. We would also like to thank our County Clerk, Yvonne Otero, for her openness and transparency while fulfilling her duties. Our Torrance County Manager, Janice Barela is as solid as they come and performs her duties with the highest level of integrity and professionalism.
Odds are, what we are asking of our elected representatives during these unprecedented times will not be easy, but it will be worth it, for us and for future generations. Our county’s courage will be contagious. They say Torrance County is the heart of New Mexico. We are proving it.