I have always been opinionated. Often, when my granny would see me fired up and going on about this or that, she’d tell me, “Now, Sis, you need to go along to get along.”
I can still hear her saying those words. She and I didn’t agree on much, but I still appreciate her wisdom. Her advice served me well in some situations, and it is ringing in my ears as I sit down to write and share my opinions right now.
Living in a tiny town is like living under a microscope. Because our county’s population is small (fewer than 15,0000 residents), participation in local politics somehow seems more important now than it did before we moved back home. But participation in local politics can also feel like standing in front of a deer spotlight when my opinions contrast with the widely-held status quo.
The Old Dominion has seen a lot of ugly divisiveness lately. Local counties have co-opted language that was originally used by the left to symbolically declare themselves Second Amendment “Sanctuary Counties.” There was the January 20th gun rights rally in Richmond where citizens gathered to protest Governor Northam’s proposed gun regulations (which passed both the Senate and the House afterward). Residents in Kentucky, one of our neighboring states, have also ridden the gun rights rally train to glory. Locally, county governments are also proposing, and, in some cases, passing militia resolutions.
The proposed militia resolution in my county is what motivated me to attend the most recent Board of Supervisors meeting. What I saw and heard there made my head spin. I listened to people as they begged for our county to repair their roads. I listened to folks ask for gravel because some of our county’s roads aren’t even paved. I listened to representatives from agencies that assist our elderly population ask for additional funding. I listened to a gentleman who is trying to plan a county fair ask for financial assistance. There was a request for funds to replace lighting in front of our county courthouse. The audience and Board members listened respectfully to everyone’s requests.
When the meeting was opened to the public for comments, I listened to questions about natural gas meters and an announcement about a meeting to promote local artisans. I heard people mentioning taking Jim Justice and Jerry Falwell, Jr. up on their offer to annex our county to West Virginia, the state that currently ranks 50th in the nation for infrastructure and economy, 48th in health care, and 44th in education. There were also comments from the local III Percenters who had attended the meeting in support of the local militia resolution. There were comments about the “Muslims and Communists” taking over our country “without firing a shot” from a gentleman who said that our First Amendment rights had already been taken from us. Those comments were met with shouts of “Amen, Brother,” applause, and cheers of support from the audience.
When a few brave folks – folks braver than I am – stood up to ask the Board to NOT use funds to pay for concealed carry training for citizens and they attempted share ideas for how that funding could be used to help our county – clearing ditches, litter control, infrastructure improvements, and funding for community libraries were some of the ideas mentioned – there were shouts and jeers and interruptions from the audience. Folks who spoke in opposition to the proposed resolution were put on and held to a timer, even though the audience’s interference made it difficult for them to get their points across.
Historically, militias have been formed in opposition to and completely separate from all levels of government. That’s pretty much the point, as far as I understand. The idea that local governments in our area are passing official resolutions that appropriate funding for private citizens to take concealed carry classes and using language from the Second Amendment – including the word “militia” in their proposals – to justify this funding is hard for me to square. Conservatives are finally okay with folks getting something for free, as long as “something” is a class that qualifies citizens to carry a concealed weapon. It feels very Friends of Coal to me, except instead of a multi-billion dollar industry telling us that people who want clean land and water are to blame for a declining industry, now it’s the NRA (with the support of local government agencies) telling us that anyone who supports gun control is the enemy. And that feels much more dangerous to me.
I hope that local leaders have prioritized the best interests of all of our county’s residents. I hope that everyone who reads this considers how resolutions of this type are moving the pieces on the national chessboard, as explained here by journalist Bruce Wilson.
Lastly, I would very much like it if our little county doesn’t entertain West Virginia’s offer. Wild and Wonderful is a beautiful state, but the state’s quality of life indices are quite dismal. I think I would contact Letcher County, KY to seek refuge there if Vexit goes down. I’ll take WMMT, good Kentucky roads, and a local recreation center over Jim Justice any day.
The Homesick Homecomer 
I am with you Sarah, we need you to be a reporter to accurately tell the news. Good job.
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I’m not sure what organization asked for money for elderly assistance, the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens was giving an informational briefing to our Board, not asking for money.
The gentleman asking for gravel will have his gravel when he needs it. He stated that he didn’t need it yet.
The request for courthouse lights was approved 5-0 and fully funded.
I would hope twisting and turning around of works and the context of a meeting is not your goal here.
In regard to the militia ordinance, this is very important to many in our county, the preservation and sanctity of the 2nd amendment. I have been contacted for that issue as much or more than I have folks wanting free gravel. Which is astonishing.
Just as you are passionate about ditch clearing, elderly assistance, and courthouse lights, these people are passionate about their Constitution.
I would challenge you to put a name and face on your blog so that we may sit down together as adults and let’s find ways to move Dickenson County forward together.
Josh Evans
Willis Dist. Representative Dickenson County Board of Supervisors
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Hello, Josh. My name is Jennifer Smith. My face is all over my Facebook and Twitter accounts, from whence I share my blog posts.
My home is not in your district, which is why I have not reached out to you directly, but it’s wonderful to see that I have readers from “both sides of the aisle” who have recently visited my blog.
It might have been tough to hear at the January BOS meeting, as the room was very crowded and the sound system seemed to not be fully working. I know it was certainly hard to hear at the back of the room where I was sitting. However, I do recall the lady who presented briefing for the Appalachian Agency for Senior Citizens mention how great it would be to have a larger location in Clintwood during her presentation. As you and I are both aware, property usually costs money, and I think it goes unsaid that AASC could use every bit of the financial support that the county can offer. I am passionate about supporting any cause or agency that helps to create a better quality of life for our elderly citizens.
I thank you and the rest of the Board for approving the expenditure for the courthouse lights. I’m not very passionate about them, but they are a beautiful addition to our little town, and it was nice to see our elected officials vote to support something that all of our community would like to see restored.
I can assure you that I am not trying to twist or turn anyone’s words, but to publicly offer a viewpoint from someone who doesn’t support the militia resolution.
I love The Constitution. The First Amendment is what allows me to write this blog and express my own opinions. And I have no problem whatsoever with people who exercise their Second Amendment rights, either. My problem (as I stated in my blog) is that, in concept, militias are entities that are completely separate from any government organization, so using the word “militia” in a resolution that would appropriate taxpayers’ money to pay for private citizens to take concealed carry classes twists the “independent” nature of what a militia is. It also produces a tune of “fear-mongering,” like what we have seen in the Virginia and Kentucky rallies (for lack of a better word) at their respective state capitols. My biggest concern, however, is that there are so many places that money for concealed carry training could (and should, in my opinion) be spent that would benefit the people of our county. I assume that it could also lead a muddying of the waters as far as potential liabilities are concerned, but I’m certain that that’s a conversation that you and I could sit down and work out together.
Speaking of muddying the waters, at present I am deeply passionate about ditch clearing, given this week’s torrential rains and resulting flooding, especially with more heavy rains headed our way in next week’s forecast.
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My number is 276-220–5284 i would be happy to meet with you any time on ways we can improve Dickenson County.
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I love having kids not indebted to school for their meals. I love having a rescue squad that can operate and save lives. I love having a ditches cleaned out so my neighbor’s house won’t flood. I love our senior citizens having meals and necessities they need to live a life they deserve. I love our community having a well funded library that doesn’t have to scrimp on purchasing daily necessities to provide for the public. I’d love to see our local businesses be able to supply Naloxone for our growing overdoses in our county. I’d love to see a vigorous reuse/recycle program along with cameras stationed at popular litter sites.
What I don’t love is the BOS putting funds toward a concealed weapon training class. Take care of the hungry, the poor and the needy. Guns will be just fine.
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Please tell me where and who needs the $1,500 and I will welcome the need. No organization that needs money for elderly, the library, or anyone else has been turned down???
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