I Pledge Allegiance, do we really? This is a question we all need to ask ourselves.
Recently our Governor, Mark Gordon took action to continue the State of Emergency he declared at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, this is one of the requirements to receive Federal dollars.
The comments on social media have reflected a variety of views, some positive a lot negative, not unusual on social media.
What comes to my attention is this misconception of the role our Federal Government plays in our State Government.
There are many it seems that have the opinion we are not just a state but a standalone autonomous government with the constitutional right to control our every move. Nothing could be further from the truth.
The truth is our Federal and State Constitutions are intricately interwoven together. These are documents that tie us together in the strongest contracts that can be written.
I am sure the authors of both not only agonized over but debated on every word and phrasing in these documents. Words matter.
There is a reason for each and every one. The Great State of Wyoming and the United States of America are forever in a Partnership. We are bound together by our Constitutions.
Across the broad spectrum of thought and political philosophy there are some that promote outlandish conspiracies.
I will take this opportunity to digress to a personal soap box. Some of these conspiracies in my opinion cross the line of freedom of speech by crying Fire in a crowded theater.
One is that we as a State can succeed from the Union, an idea that the Chairman of the State Republican Party was giving ear to, another is that our former President will be reinstated in August by a Supreme Court decision after Mr. Pillow presents his irrefutable hearsay evidence.
What this type of talk is really promoting is a hostile takeover of our Government, they are promoting a Coup, that would result in a very short-lived Civil War. This idea is not Patriotic nor is it American, it is Anarchy trying to hide behind a Patriotic mask.
There are fringe political organizations promoting these extreme fairy tales as the truth with their followers believing these fabrications.
They begin their meetings with an invocation to the God of All creation to bless their meetings then follow by reciting The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. I agree with both actions to open meetings.
I do listen very closely to the invocations where ever they are given to see if I agree with what is being asked of God to bless, is it something I can say Amen to, being translated to Let it Be, or just remain silent and not endorse.
I do not take this action lightly as I am giving my stamp of approval on what is being asked of God. I also take the Pledge very seriously. I have been Pledging my Allegiance to our Flag and Nation since I was in 1st grade at Cactus School in Campbell County, Wyoming, a one room schoolhouse with grades 1 thru 8.
I am a citizen of the United States and live in the Great State of Wyoming. I love them both equally and agree with both Constitutions. Whew, now I feel better after getting that off my chest.
I see the State and Federal Constitutions have similarities to the Old and New Testaments, the fact you need them both to understand and validate the Truths held within each one.
I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation, under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All.
How we can recite this pledge and dedicate our hearts and minds to these precepts and at the same time see our own government as the enemy is beyond me.
We have a Constitutional Republic set up with Senators and Representatives both in the U.S. Congress, State Legislature, Executive and Judicial branches. We need to support and rely on these institutions to ensure our rights are protected.
These people that we elect, once elected represent all the citizens not just those that voted for them. That is a very difficult job.
The checks and balances of our election system was put in place to make sure our Constitutional Rights are preserved and protected.
I believe it is important to give our support and encouragement to our elected officials so they can better serve us the “electorate”. (the difficulty is practicing what I am preaching concerning the Biden Administration, call it a work in progress).
Governor Mark Gordon is responsible to ALL the citizens of Wyoming. Part of that responsibility is a good healthy relationship with our Federal partners.
Just because he has that relationship some like to ridicule his actions by saying he is doing Wyoming a disservice by receiving assistance, bailout or being propped up from our Federal Partner. That is a misguided perception and completely wrong.
We have a Partnership that allows give and take. It would benefit every citizen to better understand the parameters of our Partnership with the Feds myself included. With that knowledge then maybe, we would not be so easily led into the conspiracy trap.
I have supported and voted for Governor Mark Gordon from the first time I meet him in 2018 at the Wyoming State Republican Convention in Laramie Wyoming.
I gave my support because I believe he has the best working knowledge of how this State/Federal Partnership works. With His time spent as State Treasurer he gained the intricate knowledge of the funding model of our State.
He is a brilliant man with a compassionate heart for every person in this Great State. He and Jennie have endured the harshest of criticism while conducting themselves with the utmost integrity.
In summation Wyoming accepting Federal program funding as a result of Governor Gordon declaring and maintaining the State of Emergency is just one more example that we have a steady hand at the wheel that knows how to operate in this permanent partnership with our U. S. Government.
I write this in response to comments on social media and conversations with friends (yes you can remain friends even with differing political views) that ridicule our Government and our Governor.
We either support our Governments both State and National or we don’t. Not a lot of grey area.
I am still working on honoring my pledge and disagreeing with our present administration that does not seem to honor the Pledge of Allegiance or even see’s the need to Stand for OUR National Anthem.
I believe All of our elected officials especially the Republicans need our support to maintain our firm foundations, our Constitutions.
Thank You
Doug Camblin
