Friends and neighbors,
I hope you all had the opportunity to enjoy the long weekend and celebrate the freedom we all are blessed to have in this great country, the United States of America.
Independence Day, or the 4th of July as we usually call it, is the birthday of our incredible independent nation and this year marked the 245th year since our independence was declared from the British in 1776.
As we all return to work and I head back to the Capitol to wrap up our work for this Special Session, I’d like to take a moment as a community and reflect upon how great it is that we are able to live in this nation.
Freedom is not free. It never has been and to this day, people like you and me have to fight every single day to ensure our freedom is not taken away as a country or as individuals. While we have this privilege, many others throughout the world do not. People in harsh countries like Venezuela and North Korea cry out for freedom and are met with silence from their elected officials. Their hearts ache for freedom from their government to live the lives they wish to pursue without excessive government oversight or confiscation.
Our founders heard the cries of people, begging for freedom of their religion, economy, press, and so much more.
Our US Constitution is the longest lasting in history, trying to make sure that the rights for generations to come are not infringed upon by the government. This document has stood the test of time. We cannot be the first generation to give up on our founding principles. They serve an important purpose that is timeless and those principles will support each and every American now and in the future.
When doing my work at the Capitol, representing the incredible people of District 30, and fulfilling my oath upholding the Minnesota Constitution and US Constitution, I like to think back to the words of a great American Founding Patriot, Edward Everette Hale.
In a poem, he encapsulated my feelings of being a Legislator and how important it is to continue to build your communities and freedoms. He said:
I am only one.
But I am one.
I cannot do everything.
But I can do something.
And I will not refuse to do the something that I can do just because I cannot do everything.
This is why I serve in office, clean up neighborhood ditches, and read history to learn from the past. While I cannot do everything at once or on my own, I can do something. I can bring others in to help and eventually, as a team or community, or nation, we can get things done. We can bring the changes we want to see to our communities by using every resource we have – each and every one of you.
I will continue to do everything I can at the Capitol to ensure a strong, free life for all of Minnesota. As we are wrapping up this Special Session, I would encourage you to reach out to me by email at Sen.Mary.Kiffmeyer@Senate.MN or by phone at 651-296-5565. Together, we can make Minnesota the greatest, strongest, and freest state for all of its residents.
Sincerely,
Mary