Tahlequah Sets an Example
At the recent Chamber of Commerce city reopening event I had the chance to visit with Mayor Sue Catron. I complimented her on the good job she was doing and told her it is too bad other cities across the country didn’t follow the example set by her and the people here in Tahlequah.
We are bombarded with negative stories about riots, tyrannical elected officials, biased news media and general mayhem in cities across the nation. It is time those who are doing a good job at keeping people safe while recognizing our freedoms and upholding the Constitution are recognized.
Many years ago, when I served as the director of the Tahlequah Chamber of Commerce, I would often tell visitors we were lucky because we had a sort of oasis tucked away in beautiful northeastern Oklahoma. I find that statement to still be true, and much of that is due to our leadership.
The tone of leadership is set at the top, and here that comes from Mayor Catron. Her example of listening to the people and communicating with local residents is extraordinary for a city leader. She has proven to be a leader who listens to all sides and makes decisions based on facts and not simply on partisan political winds of the moment. Sometimes those decisions are tough, but that is her job and she does it well.
If someone states they are a strong supporter of our U.S. Constitution, they have to support the rights and freedoms of all, regardless of the side of an issue someone may be supporting. In a recent article, I discussed the fact that peaceful assembly was a right guaranteed under the First Amendment. That was upheld this past week by another Tahlequah leader, Police Chief Nate King.
When a protest was announced for Tahlequah this past week, many residents were concerned about rioting and vandalism, especially local business owners. From what has been happening in other cities, their concerns were warranted, and many contacted Chief King about their concerns.
King reacted in a calm and cool manner befitting a local police chief by having a large presence of his officers at the event to allow the protest but to keep things in check. Unlike many chiefs, he was there himself to ensure things remained peaceful. In an article covering the event, King mentioned that he would support the First Amendment rights of any person or any group so long as the events and actions remained peaceful, as required in the Constitution.
One final shout out goes to Ms. Rebecca Rasmusson, a 17-year-old high school student who helped organized the event last Thursday.
While we often hear about the youth of today in a negative light, Ms. Rasmusson is a shining example of true and responsible leadership. She felt the need to do something and went about organizing the event in a proper and responsible way. She also wanted to allow local residents an opportunity to express themselves here without having to drive to an area that could be more volatile or dangerous. That showed mature responsibility.
In full disclosure, I have known Ms. Rasmusson for several years, and I can attest her caring nature and responsibility is nothing new to me. For many years I have seen her example of leadership and care for others.
We each should lead by example, and many here in Tahlequah do exactly that. If other cities would follow Tahlequah’s example, our nation would be in good shape.
Randy Gibson is the CEO of RDG Communications Group, LLC, and the former director of the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce and the Texas State Rifle Association.
