The voice and concerns of the people
I was born in Oklahoma City and lived in Yukon until moving to Tiger Mountain when I was four. We lived with my grandparents until we got our home built at Pierce so though I have a few memories of living in the city, most of my childhood memories are all associated with growing up on a farm and in a small town. Having attended Checotah schools from kindergarten through ninth grade and then on to a private school, I am very familiar with small town ways. Then after serving on our Chamber board for a few years I am also very familiar with small town politics and the pros and cons of living in the small town of Checotah. So here’s my opinion of the two.
Some of the pros of living in a small town is usually people are friendly, mostly honest and often have similar old-fashioned ideas like you do. Ideally, small towns feature close-knit churches, organizations and communities that boast of one-of-akind landmarks, offer popular hometown festivals that become annual traditions and attract repeat visitors by word-of-mouth and local newspaper promotions.
Many small towns have a distinctive charm about them with fewer crowds, common beliefs and a slower pace of life. Though they might lack some of the amenities or opportunities found in larger cities, small towns are great for people who want to escape the hustle and bustle of big-city life and live in a more peaceful environment.
However, this is where the cons can come in also. With small towns comes limited access to different resources and a lack of diversity which means limited access to goods and often services which makes you have to wait weeks out to get into the eye doctor or get a hair appointment or even get your car repaired.
There’s definitely limited job opportunities, along with limited educational opportunities. Plus even though it can be nice that everyone knows everyone in a small town, it’s not so nice when those same people begin gossiping or trying to manipulate others with their voted-in positions.
Yes, I’m talking about those small town politics where others use their powers of position to regulate and try to rule over you. I guess I have just lived in the country too long to be told when I need to cut my grass, what I can sell out of my own yard that I pay taxes on and who I need to answer to because my neighbors have a problem with what I’m doing on my own property. I also have a problem with the fact that many of the people that voted in by the majority seem to be more concerned with their agendas than they are with what’s good for ALL the people. The last time I checked, people that are voted into public positions whether they are the mayor, the judge, the sheriff, the chief of police, the city council, the planning and zoning committee, the CIDA, the school board, etc. are ALL subject to the same standards that “we the people” that voted them in are. These small town powers are to be the voice of the people for the people. They are to represent what the majority of the people stand for and respect even what the minority believe in. They are not put into positions of authority to rule over the people but instead to help better the community as a whole. Yes, there will always be rules and regulations because, unfortunately, society as a whole needs stipulations because they often lack standards. However, I choose to live in a small town because for the most part I believe that a small town is better than any large city. However, we better choose our leadership wisely and attend our city council meetings, planning and zoning meetings, CIDA and any other government decision- making meetings to ensure that our standards are being upheld. If you don’t stand up to voice your concerns in community then don’t be surprised when your privileges and rights are taken away from you, even in a small town.
