After a lot of reflection, and against the advice of great friends, I’ve written a letter to all of my local, state, and federal representatives. The discourse in national politics has become untenable. I hope you will consider writing your representatives as well. I’m just one guy, and my influence is very little.
Letter To Representatives
Dear <name>, My name is Cory Collier. I'm a father of three, expecting my fourth child this September. I was born in 1979 and I have lived in Florida my entire life. I currently own a home in the 7th Congressional District of Florida I have never written to my representatives in the entire time I have been alive. Simply put, I've always had faith that smart people and calm minds would come to rational solutions to issues facing my city, state, and country. As of this writing however, I cannot escape the fear I have that an angry irrational mob is taking over all systems of government and society. I recently deleted all of my social media applications, because the barrage of anti-government rhetoric there has become nauseating. However, it feels like I'm burying my head in the sand while the world crumbles around me. To be clear - I am a civil libertarian. I believe in freedom. What I see from the loudest of voices on news and social media isn't calls for freedom. I see calls for revolution. I do not believe that a socialist revolution is in the best interest of my family, my neighbors, or the country. In this day and age I have to qualify my concern by revealing that I am a white Christian heterosexual male. For this reason many of those who are calling for revolution claim my voice should not be heard. I don't know if my voice should or should not be silenced. I empathize with the lamentations of those who feel the oppression of government authority. There are many causes being loudly championed today that I can agree with. * Ending civil asset forfeiture * Abolishing the “three strikes” law * Decriminalizing and retroactively expunging drug offenses * Abolishing mandatory minimum sentencing laws * Eliminating all fees and surcharges within the criminal-legal system and forgiving outstanding court debt These points were selected, purposefully, from the published text of the "BREATHE ACT", sponsored by Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib. I suspect this message to you will be one of thousands of other possibly conflicting messages you receive from constituents with differing opinions on a wide array of topics. My limited education of history teaches me that when the pendulum of change swings far in one direction the natural reaction is for that pendulum to swing equally far in the opposite direction. While I worry that calls for a Marxist revolution in the country might succeed, I also worry that the detractors of this movement will successfully build an authoritarian nationalist government to retaliate. Neither one of these movements benefit me. They do not serve my family. Socialism and Fascism are not good for my neighbors. I'm writing to you, imploring you to be outspoken for the need to calm local, state, and national rhetoric. "Truth is the offspring of silence and meditation. I keep the subject constantly before me and wait 'til the first dawnings open slowly, by little and little, into a full and clear light." - Sir Issac Newton Representative government should change and adapt to new concerns and needs of its constituents. That change should be clear of emotion though. Change should be slow, sober, and clearly thought out. To this end, it is my belief that calls for the overthrow and dismantling of the government is treason. I recognize this is a serious accusation and I do not take it lightly. I do not want an authoritarian government cracking down on the speech of individuals. However, I also do not want elected representatives publicly calling for the end of our republic. Respectfully, Cory Collier
Note: When trying to write my local house representative, Stephanie Murphy, the online form won’t accept my letter. I hope someone on her staff helps resolve that issue.
I know many of you disagree with me on a variety of issues. What I hope we can agree on, is the need to approach these topics with respect for each other. Where there is anger and vitriol, there is no resolution.
To quote the awesome Ozzy Osbourne song:
Everyone goes through changes
Looking to find the truth
Don’t look to me for answers
Don’t ask me, I don’t know
Ozzy Osbourne.
Watching the back and forth over Independence Day clarified something for me: While I don’t have the solutions for the country I do know what is not the solution.
I’ve written before about the need for humility in debates and conversations. I stand by that statement. I see lots of arrogance about the virtuousness of a cause or position.
I hope each of you will demand three things of each other and our society:
- Let’s all require civility and reasonability. There is zero reason to call for revolution in the most prosperous country in the history of the world.
- Major news media outlets must stop activist journalism.
- Elected politicians must stop divisive rhetoric.
- Stop driving slow in the left lane.
