Welcome to Lake St. Louis

Dear Visitor: 

 

Welcome to Lake St. Louis!  My name is Jeff and I am a Community Organizer here.

First, I want to acknowledge that anyone who cares enough to come out and voice their opinion on an issue (as you are today) is someone with PASSION.  I respect that and you and I have that in common.  We both are trying to bring attention to problems we see in the world.  Too many are too apathetic. 

Second, I want you to know that I am a libertarian.  That means I applaud your freedom of speech and peaceful assembly and will support your lawful right to be heard.  Beyond that, my love of Liberty means I am very sensitive to your concerns about government infringing on your rights.  We all know that sometimes government oversteps its bounds.  That is unacceptable and I am with you.

The current system of municipal courts and small cities collecting revenue and not caring about the citizens they serve must change.  I was happy to see the Missouri legislature provide relief and I look forward to more changes.  I would love to see that system dismantled.  On that issue you and I agree.       

              

We may disagree about skin pigment.  I don’t think anyone’s skin pigment makes any difference whatsoever and I am tired of hearing about it.  It tells me nothing about anyone’s character.  It does not tell me your values or creativity or intelligence.  But…I know some people care a GREAT DEAL about skin pigment.  If you are one of those, then my eyes might glaze over as you talk.  I don’t care.

I believe in free markets and competition and capitalism.  I think people should own property and trade goods as they please.  I think contracts should be honored.  You may disagree.  You may be a socialist or whatever and I respect that but my eyes will glaze over again if you want to quote Bernie Sanders.

My love of Liberty also means I support reform of cannabis laws in Missouri.  Too much money and time is spent on law enforcement to catch people and then to incarcerate them sometimes for a ridiculous amount of time.  Rather than helping, these actions are hurting and breaking up families and hurting areas like Ferguson much more than Lake St. Louis.  It is time for change.

I believe in education.  We must start educating ALL of our children.  I must say I am appalled when I see a kid get beat up in your community for making honor role.  I cannot understand how some people think being stupid is a virtue.  That culture of stupidity must end.

We cannot change the culture without raising good kids and we cannot raise good kids without strong families.  Too many fathers are abandoning their children and we need strong role models to set an example and do the right thing.

I am sick of the killing spree going on in St. Louis.  I am sick of kids being shot in North St. Louis.  It must stop.  It will not change until we change the culture, the mindset of the citizens of your community.  You need a new paradigm.  I realize it is easy to get angry and blame others.  You may look at us here in Lake St. Louis with our lakes and shopping and quality education and lack of murder and get angry.  Perhaps you feel it’s unfair that we have a nice peaceful community when you face a completely different reality.

 I suggest that rather than being angry and jealous you perhaps take a look at how you can change your reality to be more like ours.  It makes no sense to attempt to bring down other communities.  Doing so will not help you.  We cannot fix the problems in your community.  Only you can help you.  And you have to want to change.              

I don’t care what you believe or what you do or who you love so long as you do not infringe on the life, liberty, or property of others.  I don’t think others should infringe on your life, liberty, or property either.  I want small government and individual liberty and personal responsibility and free markets.

But I know people will disagree.  For example, neighbors may have a dispute about loud noise or dogs barking.  A city should have clear ordinances that are uniformly enforced.  But we all know there are no perfect communities and as a Community Organizer this is exactly the type of thing I battle on a regular basis.  The city actually does pretty well.  I attend the BOA meetings and talk to a lot of folks and generally speaking we are a pretty happy community.

BUT ENOUGH ABOUT US.  Why are you here?  Did you come out here to help us with a dispute about barking dogs?  Are you here to seek our advice about how to run a city? 

I will listen to you but I would ask a favor – please don’t look at me and see “male” or “white” or “old” or whatever label you care to apply.  I am not a label any more than you are. Also, I ask that you respect life, liberty, and property.  Please respect property that is not yours and respect the liberty of others to go about their business. 

And finally, if you agreed with any of the above would you please consider that you may want to look at those ideas and who shares them.  Specifically, the politicians you are electing.  I am pretty sure the people you are electing are not helping.  

Peace.

Twitter: @RakestrawJeff

The Random Thoughts Blog: RakestrawJeff.Blogspot.com

Facebook: Jeff Rakestraw