In a little over a week, we will be celebrating Independence Day; a day to memorialize the signing of a document that is arguably the most important in American history. This was the day when a relatively small group of common rural folk, who had found themselves far removed from the halls of power, stood up to the greatest empire in the world and said, “Enough is enough!”

These country folks began their Declaration by stating their values in plain, easily-understood terms. Those phrases are the ones that echo in the minds of all Americans today: “All men are created equal”, “They are endowed with certain unalienable rights”, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”.

Next the founding fathers cited a long list of grievances. These were mainly centered around a lack of representation in the halls of power. They felt that their government, located far across the ocean, had lost touch with them and with their unique local needs. They took issue with the fact that the colonies had no real local authority to influence and affect the actions of their remote government.

Finally, the document asserts the God-given right of the People to separate themselves and to take back the power of government which ultimately belongs with them.

Thus reads the Declaration of Independence; a world-changing document that opened the door to bringing this great nation into being.

To be sure, not everyone at that time was fully behind this turn of events. Some feared that to venture so far out from under the nurturing wing of the mother country was unwise. They worried that the confederation of small states would not be economically viable on its own. They feared that the sacrifice in perks and benefits that came with being part of the great empire might be too great. Others who had long made a healthy living in the long association with England and its trading partners feared for their own livelihoods. Many also feared for their lives in what they anticipated would be a swift and violent reprisal from the great and powerful empire.

Imagine what would have happened if these many fears had been allowed to govern the direction of the colonies. Where would we be if those with short-sighted doubts and fears had persuaded the men of that day to cower in the corner and do nothing?

Fortunately, those with broad vision did not falter. Armed with the truth, they pressed forward in the conviction that government by the People would be worth the sacrifice. Of course, they could not anticipate every future problem that would arise. These men did not yet know, for example, of the great work which lay ahead in forging the U.S. Constitution. Nor could they fathom the terrible cost of the bloody, brother-against-brother crisis of the Civil War. They could not have foreseen the monumental challenge of the Great Depression or of any other of the many difficulties that lay ahead for this country. But they remained optimistic that an independent nation, where the power of the government belongs to the people, would be empowered to face any challenge that came its way. And they were right!

Over the next week, the Moapa Valley community is in the very early stages of an endeavor which bears many similarities to this story. There is currently a group of volunteers working hard to gather signatures to a petition that would request information on the viability of the Moapa Valley becoming its own city. If enough signatures are gathered, the community may eventually commence the process of considering its own separation from the county government.

Like our kindred colonists of 1776, we are a relatively small group of simple folk who have recognized that our rural values and priorities are not being shared, or represented, by our remote urban-centered county government.

Our grievances are similarly centered around issues of inadequate representation. Because of our relatively small population, the still droplets of our local votes have repeatedly been drowned out by the vast noisy sea of our urban neighbors. As a result, our elected county officials no longer seem to feel the obligation of representing us, or our values, at the county level. We don’t even have enough influence with them to be allowed to select our own local town advisory board representatives.

Many of the local members of county staff, which have operated with an understanding of our unique rural idiosyncrasies, have, over the past year, been pulled out of our community and re-assigned to urban areas of the county. One by one, we have lost far more than our fair share of local county support.

The most recent example occurred just last week. It was announced that the Northeast County Liaison; a position which has, for more than 15 years, been chosen from one of us and has served as our main link of communication with the complex urban county bureaucracy; has been eliminated. The duties of this vital rural position are now being folded into the work-a-day responsibilities of two over-tasked urban bureaucrats who are, through no fault of their own, largely ignorant of the ways of our unique rural communities.

So again we find that we have less representation than ever before. Given how far removed our county government has become from us, it seems clear that a break might be in the community’s best interest. Taking back the reigns of local government might be the best way to preserve our treasured rural values.

Of course, not everyone is in favor of this concept. Some fear that this community, left to itself, is destined for failure. Can a tiny City of Moapa Valley actually survive? Or would formidable economic challenges prove to be its quick undoing?

These types of questions are altogether appropriate. They truly get to the heart of the matter and they ought to be asked by all thoughtful voters. But we also ought to actively seek the answers. The tough questions will not be answered by our becoming immobile with fear of the unknown and by then doing nothing.

Contrary to a widely held fear, the petition being circulated is NOT a final Declaration of local Independence. It is NOT a vote of support one way or another. It is NOT a final decision.

The fact is, the people of this community are not yet ready to make a final decision on this matter. We simply don’t have enough information at our disposal to do so. Thus, the petition is merely a request to gain more information. It expresses a desire to have these types of questions answered once and for all.

When that information is made available to us, then, as an informed community, we can begin to review, discuss and debate the propriety and wisdom of incorporation. Only then may we be ready for a final decision by a formal vote from the people.

But right now this community desperately needs to become a well informed electorate. We should not let short-sighted fears rule the day. There is nothing to fear from seeking reliable information; from actively seeking the truth. And the first step on the road to doing so is to complete the Petition for Incorporation and to obtain the information that we need.

Whatever one’s position on incorporation, it must be admitted that it is better to be armed with the truth than to be held captive by short-sighted fears.

There is only a week left before the 90 day deadline. There are still about 150 signatures needed for the process to move forward. This is the chance and it may not come again. If it is important for us to be informed voters, now is the opportunity to show it.

Go and sign the Petition for Moapa Valley Incorporation today!

Registered voters in the Moapa Valley may sign the petition in the following locations: Moapa Valley Progress, 145 S. Moapa Valley Blvd; Napa Overton Auto Parts, 111 N. Moapa Valley Blvd.; Qualheim Insurance, 289 S. Moapa Valley Blvd.; Curves, 263 S Moapa Valley Blvd. Moapa Valley Chiropractic 1170 N. Moapa Valley Blvd. Or call 397-2008 to arrange for someone to bring the petition to your home.

Published in the Moapa Valley Progress on June 23rd, 2010