The primary election is over, and there were a few disappointments.  But, there were some good things that happened.  I preached a sermon last Sunday about the importance of being involved in more than just voting.  I emphasized getting involved in the Precinct Conventions, which follow the election on the same night.

Several of the folks from our church did indeed follow my exhortation to get involved and attended their first ever Precinct Convention.  Several of these are now going to attend the County Convention later this month, and I’m excited to see them get involved in this level of influence in the political process.  As a matter of fact, my son-in-law, Rory Gallagher, attended his first Precinct Convention and found only two others there.  He has now become the Precinct chairman of his precinct.  (Way to go, Rory).  If we can keep educating people and stirring people up to involvement in various ways, we can make a difference, and that’s what I long to do in my life.  I want to make a difference.  When the day of my departure from this life comes, it would be a wonderful thing if it could be said of me, “He made a difference.”  

I’m just not one geared to sitting back.  I cannot picture me being retired from the ministry and involvement in some way, working to change things for the better as much as I can.  It doesn’t compute with me to think of “giving up” or “sitting back”.  I can’t let George do it.  I must be active and vocal.  I hope you have a similar passion.  

This afternoon (March 1, 2010), I will draw 2 names from those of you who have read the blog and entered your name for the tickets to the upcoming Gaither Homecoming concert in Lubbock.  They will be in concert there on May 1st.  Get your name in TODAY for a better chance of winning.  I will begin announcing tomorrow that I have the tickets and will allow the radio audience to enter their names.  Your name will be retained, if you don’t win this drawing, for the drawings on the radio.  Call us at 359-8855 or toll free at 1-800-525-5737, or respond at the contact button on this website, or send an e-mail to kjrt@kingdomkeys.org.

I hope everyone reading this blog will participate in the precinct meetings which follow the primary election a few minutes after the polls close on Tuesday.  At the precinct meeting, you can vote yourself in as a delegate, or vote someone else in who thinks like you do.  It’s usually not hard to get voted in as a delegate.  Although hundreds of people vote in a precinct, often there aren’t more than a dozen or so at the precinct meeting.  Delegates and possibly alternates get the opportunity to go up to the next level of participation in the governmental process.  When you see those delegates on the floor at the Party’s conventions, remember they started at the precinct meeting.

In the precinct meeting, you can introduce resolutions which could become a part of the Party platform.  Ask some friends or neighbors who are in the same precinct to attend with you and take it over so you can exert influence in the Party.  Feel free to call me if you want to ask for additional information on the precinct meetings.  It’s a way to do more to influence government than just voting.