Health Officers should convince citizens, not coerce

When driving down a highway, it is extremely dangerous to be overly afraid of the oncoming cars. Inexperienced drivers who do this can veer into the ditch. Experienced drivers take both threats seriously, and so stay safely in their proper lane.

The same balance needs to be maintained when dealing with any response to COVID-19. Responses that take into account only medical considerations—without considering the threats to spiritual and emotional health, economic health, and the health of the Republic itself—will be wrong. They risk doing more harm than good.

The need for a proper balance is the very reason for representative government. Our founding fathers knew that no single person can know everything about any situation, but that whatever a person does know can easily crowd out every other consideration. “Give a young boy a hammer and he will treat everything as a nail.” They also knew that both the well-meaning and the malicious can abuse power.

“Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive,” said C.S. Lewis. He explained, “[T]hose who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” Governmental checks and balances are designed to prevent such excesses.

According to a Facebook post, Dr. Ed Zimmerman, former Washakie County Health Officer (CHO), imposed a county-wide mask mandate against the expressed will of the elected commissioners. He was not the only one. During the previous week, 21 of Wyoming’s 23 CHOs imposed mask mandates. Many, if not most, ignored the protests of the citizens through their elected commissioners. Zimmerman explained his decision, “It appears to me the masking mandate was overwhelmingly supported by the members of the community.”

However it may appear to an unelected official, only the elected ones are answerable to the general public. Because public policy involves the balance of many considerations, county commissioners and mayors across the state were outraged.

In a grand shell game, CHOs pressured Governor Gordon to impose a statewide mask mandate through his State Health Officer, Alexia Harrist. Gordon, instead, wanted the mandates to be up to local jurisdictions. When elected county commissioners across the state declined his request, 21 CHOs circumvented them and sent variance requests to the state. In the end, every mask mandate is unilaterally imposed under the signature of Harrist.

For the record, the question is not whether there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The question is whether masks actually address the problem. The mask orders cite only one six-month-old scientific study.  “Chu, et. al. found that Face Coverings could reduce the risk of transmission...” It concluded: “Robust randomized trials are needed to better inform the evidence for these interventions.”

Luckily, three such robust studies were released in November. The New England Journal of Medicine published, “SARS-CoV-2 Transmission among Marine Recruits during Quarantine.” This rigorous study followed 1,848 Marine recruits through 28 days of lockdown, strict mask protocols and sanitary practices. During the study 51 (2.75%) of the participants tested positive for COVID-19. By comparison only 26 of 1,554 non-participants (1.67%) did. While not statistically significant, the raw percentages report that there was less spread among those who interacted without masks.

The Annals of Internal Medicine published “Effectiveness of Adding a Mask Recommendation to Other Public Health Measures to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Danish Mask Wearers.” This randomized, controlled trial was undertaken in Denmark with 6,024 participants randomly split into two groups. Of the 3,030 in the masked group, 42 (1.8%) tested positive during the course of the trial. By comparison, 53 (2.1%) tested positive from the control group. Again, the researchers concluded that the “difference was not statistically significant.”

Then, on November 20, Nature Communications published “Post-lockdown SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid screening in nearly ten million residents of Wuhan, China.” Although it found 1,174 close contacts with asymptomatic cases, it found no—zero, zip, nada—new cases spread from contact with asymptomatic carriers.

Every single Wyomingite wants to slow the spread of COVID-19. But the sheer desire to see an outcome does not make a mask order effective toward that end. Citizens deserve explanations, not edicts.

On October 12, the Wyoming Department of Health released “COVID-19: Data and Studies Relating o Effectiveness of Face Coverings.” All seven of the laboratory studies cited studied the effectiveness of masks in reducing droplets. None studied the effectiveness of masks in reducing infection rates.

Now that the WDH has the benefit of three robust studies focussed on the infection rate, it should incorporate this scholarship into its overall assessment and update its recommendations accordingly. Wyomingites will do the right thing if they are convinced it is right.

Health officers should convince citizens, not overrule them.

Also published in the Cowboy State Daily, 11/29/21.

County Mask Mandates raise serious concerns

Yes, I believe that COVID-19 is an uncommonly dangerous virus. No, I don’t believe it is fake. Yes, I acknowledge that when I have my turn to combat it, I may die. No. I do not believe that the genie released from Wuhan, China onto the rest of the world will ever be put back in the bottle—not even by a vaccine.

Nor am I unsympathetic of those who have been affected by the plague. I, too, have had close family members and friends severely sickened by it. Some of them have had it twice already. I have watched helplessly as a friend died deprived of contact even from his closest family. I have personally been deprived of visits to my children, my grandson and my aging parents as cross-border travel was penalized.

It is simply not true that anyone who questions the prudence, legality and constitutionality of bureaucratic responses is simply a rustic simpleton and a science denier. I believe the simplistic thinking is, rather, on the side of those who can only see one threat at a time.

When driving down a highway, it is extremely dangerous to be overly afraid of the oncoming cars. Inexperienced drivers who do this veer ever closer to the edge of the road and often run into the ditch. Experienced drivers take both threats seriously, and so stay safely in their proper lane.

The same balance needs to be maintained when dealing with any response to COVID-19. Responses that take into account only the fears of epidemiologists, without considering the threats to spiritual and emotional health, economic health, and the health of the Republic itself will be wrong. They will, likely, do far more harm than good.

The need for a proper balance against every danger is the very reason for representative government. Our founding fathers were possessed of a healthy realism about human nature. They knew that no single person can know everything about any situation, but that whatever a person does know can easily crowd out every other consideration. “Give a young boy a hammer, and he will treat everything as a nail.”

America’s founders also knew that human beings always tend to relish power. Unchecked, they will wield whatever authority they have to impose their own ideas on others. “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive,” said C.S. Lewis. He explained, “[T]hose who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.”

Governmental checks and balances are designed to prevent such excesses. Elected officials who are directly accountable to the public are given the task of bringing all aspects of a problem to the table and balancing them to the best of their abilities. The answers are never satisfactory for all, but they do take into account the perspectives of all.

When power to make policy is withdrawn from the general public and given entirely to the members of one profession, this oligarchy may satisfy itself with its answer, but it will be unsatisfactory to virtually everyone else. To dismiss those legitimate voices as the “ultra-vocal minority” who would never understand anyway, is to infuriate the very constituency it should be persuading.

This is precisely the situation created across the state last week. Approximately 15 different county health officers conspired to impose “mask mandates” in their respective counties. Although they discussed their plans with one another and with their county health staff, many made their plans without so much as notifying their county commissioners, or the mayors within their jurisdictions.

That is not right. I will let the lawyers wrangle about whether it follows the letter of the law. Regardless, it does not follow the spirit. Our own county health officer made his unilateral order in the hope that it would help our community come together. It did not. Rather, it further fractured our community.

First, county health officers that unilaterally imposed mask orders, later learned that many County Sheriffs and City Police would not enforce them. This would have been important information to know ahead of time. Without enforcement resources, new laws only create more difficulties for local businesses.

Uinta’s County health officer mistakenly thought that the order would help businesses. But the opposite is true. For months businesses have had the right to make and enforce mask mandates upon their customers. None have. Instead, many have merely requested their customers to wear masks. Now that Dr. Harrist has signed multiple orders, businesses are legally liable. Those that refuse to use force on their own customers face crippling fines and the threat of closure by the Wyoming Department of Health. How does this help businesses?

Second, the unilateral mask mandate was based almost entirely on an appeal to authority and went contrary to actual studies. The question is not whether there is a problem that needs to be addressed. The question is whether masks actually address the problem.

Aside from two bald statements and one recommendation from the CDC, the mask order cites only one scientific study. “Chu, et. al. found that Face Coverings could reduce the risk of transmission...” To strip constitutional rights based on the words “could reduce” is outrageous. This is especially so in that the study itself concluded: “Robust randomized trials are needed to better inform the evidence for these interventions.”

Guess what. On November 11, 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine published one of these necessary trials. “SARS-CoV-2 Transmission among Marine Recruits during Quarantine” was undertaken by two score researchers, followed 1,848 Marine recruits through 28 days of lockdown, strict mask protocols and sanitary practices. These were not haphazardly enforced as would be true among the general population. These were marine platoons--each with six enforcers tasked to ensure compliance.

After a 14-day quarantine before the trial, 51 (2.75%) of the participants tested positive during the ensuing 14 days. By comparison only 26 of 1,554 non-participants (1.67%) tested positive over a similar 14-day period. The extreme measures taken by the test subjects did not reduce the spread of COVID-19 by any statistically measurable rate. In fact, the raw percentages report that there was less spread among those who interacted without masks.

On the day that many county mask mandates were imposed, November 18, the Annals of Internal Medicine published “Effectiveness of Adding a Mask Recommendation to Other Public Health Measures to Prevent SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Danish Mask Wearers.” This randomized, controlled trial was undertaken in Denmark by 22 researchers. Over 6,000 participants were randomly split into two groups: 3,030 were assigned to wear masks and 2,994 were not.

Of the masked group, 42 (1.8%) tested positive during the course of the trial. By comparison, 53 (2.1%) tested positive from the control group. This “difference was not statistically significant,” they found. The authors concluded, “The recommendation to wear surgical masks to supplement other public health measures did not reduce the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among wearers by more than 50% in a community with modest infection rates, some degree of social distancing, and uncommon general mask use.”

If the county health officers of the state want to attenuate the spread of COVID-19, every single citizen is in their corner. But the sheer desire to see an outcome does not make a mask order effective toward that end. In a meeting of the Uinta County Commissioners on Friday, November 20, concerned citizens were given statistics about hospital beds, infection numbers and positive test percentages. They were not given any facts about the effectiveness of masks.

Rather, the Uinta County health officer twice repeated that a mask mandate was “easy to do” and that it would only be for an unspecified short time. “Easy to do” is not the same as effective and, “only for a little while” doesn’t mitigate the tyranny in the slightest.

Fifteen unelected health officers acted in unison not only to bypass county commissioners, but also to put pressure on Governor Gordon. I hope that he is wise enough to instruct his state health officer to lead with facts, rather than drive with power. Wyomingites will do the right thing if they are convinced it is right. Convince them.

WTE: It is time to unite around the truth

Multiple filings in state and federal courts alleging election fraud constitute the most momentous election news in two decades. The 2020 election has the potential to be the biggest scandal in the history of our nation. By November 6, all three members of Wyoming’s delegation spoke in support of President Trump’s call to count every legal vote and discard every illegal ballot.

John Barrasso, Wyoming’s senior senator and Senate GOP Conference Chair, said: "As vote totals continue to update, Americans deserve confidence in a fair and transparent election. The President is right to ensure all legally cast votes be observed and counted."

Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming’s first woman senator, emailed through her spokeswoman, Kristin Walker: “Where there are instances of fraud, we must root them out, correct and hold those responsible to account. Anything less is a complete affront to the American rule of law and election integrity.”

Liz Cheney, Wyoming’s lone congresswoman and House GOP Conference chair, wrote: “Every legal vote must be counted. No illegal votes should be counted. The counting process must be transparent, and observers must have access. It’s the responsibility of the courts to apply the laws to resolve disputes. These things are necessary so that all Americans can have confidence in our election process.”

Nevertheless, the Associated Press reported that “top Wyoming elected officials refused to say Friday if they agreed with President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Democrats are trying to steal the presidential election.” (Top Wyoming Republicans dodge question about Trump remarks, Mead Gruver, Nov. 6). This characterization bears little resemblance to the actual statements.

How can calls for a full counting of every legal vote be anything other than agreement with President Trump? It’s hard to read such misreporting as anything but a deliberate attempt to drive a wedge between Wyoming’s D.C. delegation and voters. Simultaneously, it props up the false narrative that Trump’s claims are “baseless.”

In a state where President Trump received 11 percent more votes than his 2016 victory, and which had the highest margin of victory of any state (69.9 percent), accusing a national politician of tepid support for Trump is certain to damage the relationship between representatives and constituents. While this misrepresentation may have been deliberately aimed at President Trump and Wyoming’s delegation, deception also causes collateral damage among the general population.

Lies disrupt communication. As a direct consequence, they destroy community. That is why everyone should be alarmed at the massive uptick in fraud and obfuscation that we have seen in the mainstream media and on social media in recent weeks and months.

No doubt the media outlets that conspired to hide the facts of Spy-gate, Hunter Biden’s laptop and President Trump’s legal claims were only trying to sway the election. Likely, they were not trying to dissolve friendships or split families. Nevertheless, they were far more successful in doing that than they were in swaying voters.

That is criminal. It should enrage every citizen. The Fourth Estate—the free press—is supposed to unite communities around the truth, which enables them to hold their governing officials accountable. When the press becomes so partisan that it deliberately suppresses the truth in a bid to shield a politician from accountability, it divides and disenfranchises the community. In so doing, it has become the enemy of a free state and of every good citizen within it.

Truth is the bedrock upon which we stand as a united people. It holds us

together as families, churches, communities and nations. We are called to discover the truth, not invent it. It exists quite apart from personal perceptions or opinions. The more people there are who understand the truth, the more united is the society.

The upheaval we are witnessing in this year’s election process is far beyond the bounds of partisan bickering. Community-minded citizens from both sides of the aisle need to recognize that foreign governments, global media corporations and monied interests are openly attacking the community that is the United States of America.

Deliberately hiding factual reports and otherwise gaslighting the American public, their intent is to divide and conquer. Broken friendships, feuding families, deteriorating communities, and even divided churches, are only collateral damage as far as they are concerned. Power is their goal. Falsehood is their weapon.

But they cannot win if you stand for the truth. It is the job of every patriot of every political party to make truth, integrity and justice the highest priority. We must be more loyal to the truth than to any man. We must be more determined to find the facts than to win any election. We must be more willing to punish evildoers than to protect favored players.

Led by lies we cannot win. But united around the truth, we cannot lose.

Also published in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, November 20, 2020.

It is time to unite around the truth.

President Trump’s multiple filings in state and federal courts alleging election fraud are, hands down, the most momentous election news in two decades. If even a fraction of the allegations is proved in a court of law, it will be the biggest scandal in the history of our nation. For this reason alone, Wyoming voters are highly interested in the developing story.

John Barrasso, Wyoming’s senior senator and Senate GOP Conference Chair, said in a statement, "As vote totals continue to update, Americans deserve confidence in a fair and transparent election. The President is right to ensure all legally-cast votes be observed and counted."

Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming’s first woman senator, issued a statement through her spokeswoman, Kristin Walker: “Where there are instances of fraud, we must root them out, correct and hold those responsible to account. Anything less is a complete affront to the American rule of law and election integrity.”

Liz Cheney, Wyoming’s lone congresswoman and House GOP conference chair, released a statement on November 6: “Every legal vote must be counted. No illegal votes should be counted. The counting process must be transparent, and observers must have access. It’s the responsibility of the courts to apply the laws to resolve disputes. These things are necessary so that all Americans can have confidence in our election process.”

Nevertheless, the Associated Press reported that “top Wyoming elected officials refused to say Friday if they agreed with President Donald Trump’s baseless claim that Democrats are trying to steal the presidential election.” (Top Wyoming Republicans dodge question about Trump remarks, Mead Gruver, Nov. 6). This is confusing, at best. Some may even call it deliberate deception.

Mead Gruver, AP reporter

Understandably, many Wyomingites have been concerned about the stance of their D.C. delegation. President Trump drew 193,559 Wyoming voters, an 11 percent increase over his 2016 totals. Wyoming tops all fifty states in margin of victory, with 69.9 percent of the vote going to the President.  The enthusiasm of Wyoming’s Trump voters is obvious.

Social media memes are asking why the Wyoming delegation has remained silent. There’s only one problem. They haven’t. Rather, hostile media has used deceptive analysis to hide the actual support that the delegation has voiced for a full counting of every legal vote and the disqualification of any fraudulent votes. Such misreporting is bound to damage our delegation while propping up the narrative that Trump’s claims are “baseless.”

This instance of manipulation is only one snowflake in a blizzard of falsehoods. I use it here as a case study for the results of deception. While deception and bias may be motivated by the lure of political power, its effects are personal and profound. In the first instance, it intentionally damages the relationship between representatives and constituents. In the second, it damages relationships between people who are getting their information from contradictory sources.

From the perspective of a pastor, the second is far more consequential than the first. Media bias has been a problem for longer than I have been alive. But in recent years it has become a crisis, and in the past month, it has become criminal.  

Twitter and Facebook have attached unwanted content to the personal thoughts of millions. Thus, they have coerced the speech of users. When that failed, they colluded with all but a few national media outlets to black out true reporting of legitimate information. They have even gone so far as to de-platform the President of the United States and block the sharing of testimony and evidence that has been submitted to courts of law under penalty of perjury. 

The effect of such iron-fisted censorship has not been helpful--either to their cause, or to the American people. Rather than prevent the dissemination of the information in question, the mainstream media has only discredited itself and precipitated an avalanche of viewers flocking to One America News Network and NewsMax. Simultaneously, it has been a boon to the small and struggling social media platforms like Parler and MeWe.

Those who were savvy enough to invest in these companies a month ago, have probably made enough money to retire early. But such a financial boon for some comes at a high cost to America.

In living rooms across America, the seeds of dissension and distrust are sown by talking heads on a lifeless screen. On nearly every issue of importance today, there are two completely different narratives being told. Those who have absorbed the one cannot find common ground with those who believe the other. No longer can shades and nuances in storytelling be reconciled with one another. News has become a great “either/or.”

In one sense, it is not the fault of the viewers. At the time most people developed their viewing habits and network loyalties, there was a general respect for the truth, and parity in presenting it. The change from objective reporting to editorializing on the front page to the full-on suppression of contrary facts has been gradual. For many it has gone unnoticed.

As public reporting imperceptibly devolved to this low state, the corresponding increase in the rancor of public discourse was obvious. Friendships are dissolved. Families are split apart. Communities are divided. Even church life is disrupted. The winning candidates of this election cycle will serve their terms and retire. The tearing of America’s social fabric will have longer-lasting repercussions.

This article is written as a plea to every citizen to know and understand the connection between these two realities. When you find your relationships strained as never before, do not dismiss friends, family or neighbors as irreconcilable. Recognize rather that at the root of every disagreement is a failure mutually to understand reality. Recognize further that this failure is not a natural occurrence. It is rather an alien intrusion inculcated by deliberate lies.

People who want to use your vote for political gain are willing to lie to you in order to get it. But their lies do more than gain your vote. They also destroy your relationships. For the sake of the people in your life, it is your responsibility to ferret out lies and reject them. Don’t merely assume that your source is true and all others are false. Put every claim you hear to the test.

Truth is the bedrock upon which we stand as a united people. It holds us together as families, churches, communities and nations. It exists quite apart from personal perceptions or opinions. The more people there are who understand the truth, the more united is the society. We are called to discover the truth, not invent it.

The fact is that there are thousands of independent citizens claiming to be eyewitnesses to specific instances of election fraud. Each claim will be judged on its own merits. Either it is true or it is false. The fact remains that there are numerous candidates (not only President Trump) who are claiming that the election fraud in their district was momentous enough to change the outcome. Each one is either right or wrong in this claim.

They will press their cases and we should cheer them on. As Wyomingites who watch the litigation play out in other states, we need to understand what is at stake. Certainly, the presidency is at stake. So also are numerous local races.  

More important than both of these, is the integrity of the system itself. If local, state and federal institutions are incapable of assuring you that your vote has the same weight as every other, America has a dark future, indeed. But above all, if we lose confidence in the truth, if we give up on the quest to discover truth as it exists and give in to those who manufacture “truth” by raw power, we will lose community itself. Now, more than ever, it is time to unite around the truth.

WTE: The legacy of Roy Edwards, a Wyoming man

Roy Harlie Edwards, (R-HD53) was laid to rest on November 7, in Gillette. People from all over the Cowboy State came to grieve with his loving family and to pay their respects. Our little town with long streets owes Roy a debt of gratitude for his service. He made Wyoming a better place.

Roy was a true son of Wyoming living his entire life in the town where his forebears homesteaded. There he raised his family. Beginning his career as an employee of the Farmer’s Co-op, he ended it as the owner of Edwards Tire Company.

Dedication to his wife and children led him out of the house and into the community. For Roy, that meant, first, service in his church. Whether as deacon of Central Baptist Church or traveling across the world to distribute Christian printed material, he was always eager to tell people the reason for the twinkle in his eye and the smile on his face.

Roy’s faith in Jesus was not privatized. It led him into public service. Twelve years on the Gillette City Council led to eight more on the Campbell County Commission. In 2014 he was elected to Wyoming’s House of Representatives. That is where I came to know him as a friend.

After three and a half decades in public office Roy’s warm smile and firm handshake remained genuine. Roy was not a gladhander, but a bold leader. He masterfully worked behind the scenes building coalitions, clarifying complex issues, and encouraging colleagues.

He was the epitome of quiet leadership. Even now his humble leadership lives on. Tomorrow, as House Republicans meet in caucus, the alternatives before them are largely due to Roy’s forethought and leadership.

Roy led with a clear vision. At the heart of it was a passion for individual liberty. He had a deep understanding of how easily true freedom is mistaken for mere individualism. He could see more keenly than most that even the smallest growth of government disproportionately reduced the citizen’s ability to build community.

This principled stand often drew unfair and underhanded criticism. People ignorant of his intellect called him a simpleton. Even at his funeral, unscrupulous media attempted to politicize his cause of death. While they debased themselves, Roy’s good humor always handled it with aplomb.

Roy legislative legacy can be seen in the bills that he sponsored. Of the 14 where he was lead sponsor, three removed unjust tax burdens from Wyoming citizens and were signed into law. He also helped sponsor seven pro-life bills, three of which became law.

He got less traction on three attempts to move some of Wyoming’s rainy-day fund into precious metals. These, too, showed his passion to leave a better Wyoming for those yet to be born.

Tax repeals, precious metals and pro-life legislation may strike you as a strange mix of legislative concerns. For Roy, who was deeply imbued with the thinking of America’s founders, they were a natural blend. He allowed his faith to penetrate his politics deeply. This allowed clarity of vision to address the practical and material needs of people as one with their social and spiritual needs.

That, I believe, is Roy’s greatest legacy. For seven decades, we have been propagandized to believe that the “separation of church and state” is a constitutional principle. It is not. It is, rather, a slogan that ideologues use to drive people of faith out of the public square. This is alien to America’s founding principles.

Conservatives who are unaware of this history censor themselves and leave their most powerful weapon in its sheath. They fight for a better community and state with their right arms tied behind their backs. Then, they wonder why truth, justice and goodness continue to lose ground to lies, corruption and evil.

Roy Edwards was not burdened by this false idea. He was unapologetic about his Christian faith and he fully integrated it into his public life. Community service, for him, was not a distraction from his faith. It was the life of faith itself.

In the face of opposition from right and left, Roy had the quiet confidence to stay the course. His principled conservatism was unshakable because it was not rooted in shallow slogans, but in a deep understanding of the human condition.

Roy was a man of Wyoming because he championed its values, not simply because he was born here. By God’s grace we were given many years of his faithful service, and an example to follow into the future. Like him, let us exude the quiet boldness of people who know where we come from and where we are going. That is the legacy of one Wyoming man. 

Also published in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, November 13, 2020.

The legacy of Roy Edwards, a Wyoming man

Roy Edwards

Roy Harlie Edwards, representative of House District 53, succumbed on November 2, after a brief illness. Wyomingites from all walks of life, and from all over the state, were sadden by the news. Condolences are extended to his wife, family and all who mourn his loss.

We also owe them our deepest gratitude for supporting Roy in his tireless work to make our little town with long streets into a better place. It is fitting that we mark Roy’s passing with reverence and gratitude. His life of service gave voice to the common man and served the entire state.

Roy was a true son of Wyoming. His ancestors homesteaded in the Gillette area and that is where he lived his entire life. Graduating from Gillette High School, he was blessed with a loving marriage and a faithful family. For three and a half decades he traveled from ranch to ranch for the Farmer’s Coop, servicing equipment. Then, he founded Edwards Tire Company and continued his passion for serving people.

His dedication to his wife and children led him out of the house and into the community. For Roy, that meant service in his church, first and foremost. Whether as deacon of Central Baptist Church or traveling across the world to distribute Christian printed material, he was always eager to tell people why he lived with such a big smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

Central Baptist Church, Gillette

Roy’s faith in Jesus was not privatized. It led him into public service. For 12 years he served on the Gillette City Council. After that, he served 8 years on the Campbell County Commission. In 2014 he was elected to Wyoming’s House of Representatives. That is where I came to know him. I first admired him from afar. More recently, I came to know him as a friend.

One might think that 34 years in public office would make a consummate politician out of any man. But Roy’s warm smile and firm handshake were not an act. He could talk to anybody—and often went out of his way to do so—but he never spoke a disingenuous word.

Roy’s success was not a function of following the crowd. Rather, his brand of politics was to speak boldly and create a following. For this reason, he was often dismissed as a hayseed simpleton. Those who made this mistake not only missed out on his friendship and wit, they also missed out on his profound wisdom.

A master of working behind the scenes, Roy built coalitions, persuaded people on the fence and encouraged colleagues to take the lead. Hardly anybody knew how hard he worked or how sharply he could perceive any situation. But for those who did, he was the epitome of humble and unassuming leadership.

Roy in his element

Even in death his humble leadership is still being felt. As the Republicans of the House of Representatives meet in caucus next Saturday, they will be voting on the last project of Roy Edwards. During the final months of his life, he was the driving force that assembled one of the slates of house leadership that House Republicans will have the option to choose because of his forethought and leadership.

Of course, leadership without a vision does little good. At the heart of Roy’s vision was a passion for individual liberty. He had a deep understanding of how easily true freedom is mistaken for mere individualism. He could also see more keenly than most the connection between true human freedom and fiscal policy. The more that individuals control their own spending, the more communities thrive.

Roy’s colleagues tell me that he was consistently one of the most nay-saying legislators in Cheyenne. He voted against far more legislation than he supported. But that does not mean he wanted government to do nothing.

During his time in Cheyenne, Roy was the lead sponsor of 14 bills. Three of these, “Wyoming Legal Tender Act” (2018), “Ad valorem taxation” (2017), and “Senior center meal sales tax exemption” (2016) were signed into law. All of these removed unjust tax burdens from Wyoming citizens.

Roy also led three unsuccessful attempts to move some of Wyoming’s savings into precious metals. His constant concern was to be faithful with the resources God has given to the state today in order to leave a better Wyoming for those born tomorrow. In fact, Roy’s heart for the unborn can also be seen in his co-sponsorship of seven bills to protect the unborn. Three of these were signed into law.

Tax repeals, precious metals and pro-life legislation may strike you as a strange hodge-podge of legislative concerns. I assure you they are not. Roy was deeply imbued with the thinking of America’s founders. Like them, he allowed his faith to penetrate his politics deeply. This allowed him fully to integrate the practical and material needs of people with their social and spiritual needs.

That, I believe, is the greatest legacy that Wyoming has received from Roy Edwards. In our day ideologues are intent on driving faith out of the public square. For seven decades, we have been propagandized to believe that the “separation of church and state” is a constitutional principle. It is not. It is, rather, alien to America’s founding principles and illegitimately imported into American political discourse.

By internalizing this poisonous thought, conservatives often enter into public discourse with their most powerful weapon left in its sheath. They fight for a better community and state with their right arms tied behind their backs. Then, they wonder why truth, justice and goodness continue to lose ground to lies, corruption and evil.

Roy Edwards was not burdened by this false idea. He was unapologetic about his Christian faith and he fully integrated it into his public life. Community service, for him, was not a distraction from his faith. It was the life of faith itself. If this made him appear unsophisticated to some, that is their loss.

In the face of opposition from right and left, Roy had the quiet confidence to stay the course. His principled conservatism was unshakable because it was not rooted in shallow slogans, but in a deep understanding of the human condition.

Roy was a man of Wyoming because he championed its values, not simply because he was born here. He was an ardent defender of a way of life that settled this land and made her communities good and wholesome. By God’s grace we were given many years of his faithful service, and an example to follow into the future.

The Wyoming flag has been flying at half-mast all week. This is an honorable and fitting remembrance of Roy Edwards. When it is again hoisted to its full height, let us carry on with the quiet boldness of people who know where we come from and where we are going. That is the legacy of one Wyoming man.

WTE: Political power makes policy, Personal relationships build community

The Creator of the universe remains in charge today, as always. Kings and countries are set up and taken down by the same God who woke you up this morning. So, while happiness and disappointment are good and natural reactions to the results of elections, fear and anger have no place in a wise and understanding heart.

When we blame our neighbors for electoral disappointments, we are putting them in the place of God. This faulty thinking only leads to division. Instead of blaming others, we should thank God for the good outcomes that we don’t deserve. And we should humbly accept His chastening judgments as right and just. This both calms anxious hearts and enables genuine love for political opponents.

A democratic republic has many blessings. It also is a heavy burden. When every citizen is called to participate in voting, it puts all of us in the position of judging others. The vote helps every elected official to be held to account. But that blessing comes at a high price.

It means that for months now, friends and family, pundits and politicians have been trying to persuade one another about what to say and how to vote. The rancor reaches a crescendo on Election Day. As we learn how little control we truly have, desperation grows. Words become sharp and cutting. Neighbors injure neighbors. Friendships become strained. All of this is the result of people attempting to exert power over one another.

So, one of the blessings of the post-election season is that the citizen’s responsibility for judging candidates and persuade others has largely come to an end. Laying aside that burden lowers blood pressure and eases conversations.

Today we are freed to put the spotlight back where it truly belongs. Judging others always carries with it the threat that we are distracted from judging ourselves. While the judiciary must now do its solemn duty to judge disputed races, we are free to return to the work of self-examination and self-control. That task is what self-governance is truly all about.

Now, it is time to focus on what we—not others—should do to make this a better world. We have far more power over self-control than we ever had over the votes of others. Not only that, but every success in self-control will be a thousand times more rewarding than controlling others. Therefore, everything that we have been trying to persuade others to do we should now focus on doing ourselves.

With this general principle in mind, allow me to suggest three specific actions.

Start with a simple act of hospitality. Think about people who disagree with you and take them to lunch. The purpose is not to change minds. It is simply to humanize them. People meeting face-to-face in hospitality give the gift of self. Such personal conversation cannot be matched by emails, social media posts—even hand-written letters. In short, it builds and rebuilds personal relationships based on a common humanity.

Speaking of rebuilding, here is a second post-election activity. Now that the pressure is off, you have the gift of hindsight. Think over recent weeks and ask yourself if you wrote, re-tweeted or shared anything that you regret. In the heat of efforts to persuade others, it is always easier to feel attacked than it is to notice your own attacks.

Guided by self-examination, go to people face-to-face and apologize. Just apologize. Don’t remind them of what they first said to you to deserve it. No “buts,” “ifs,” or “maybes” are allowed here. A sincere and unqualified apology has power beyond your wildest dreams.

Finally, while you are reflecting on your angry words don’t kid yourself into thinking that other people caused your anger. Your anger is your own. Don’t blame the victim. More often than not, that anger is caused by the media you feed yourself.

Talk radio, cable news and social media are designed to manipulate you with “rage porn” in order to gain market share. They cynically poison your relationships for profit. Turn it off and tune it out. Refuse to be turned against your friends and family for the financial gains of others.

After months of trying to control things that are out of our control, today is a day to step back and see how we ourselves have been controlled. As the fog clears, we can see more clearly and renounce the power of manipulation. That opens the way to the power of love.

If building a better world is your goal, you won’t get there by controlling others. The greatest power for changing the world is to control yourself.

Also published in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, November 6, 2020.

Political power makes policy, Personal relationships build community

The Creator of the universe caused you to open your eyes this morning. That fact alone makes this day special. It means that you have been specifically selected to be right here, right now. It means that you have purpose. It means that you matter.

Your life is not random chance, but a renewed gift from God every morning. This ought to give you confidence to live without fear. After all, the One who has provided everything needed to get you to this very moment is surely capable of guarding and protecting you in the moment. Whether raising your family, doing your job, or just being a good citizen, you have no reason to fear.

Notice that the confidence, joy and freedom of this day are not determined by its being Election Day in America. The same things that make this day great for you also make this day great for everyone on the planet. But while your confidence and joy do not depend on the election, they certainly change the way that you approach it.

First, you can have utter confidence that no matter the outcome of any national, state, or local race the Creator of the universe remains in charge. Kings and countries are set up and taken down by the same God who woke you up this morning. So, while happiness and disappointment are good and natural reactions to the results of elections, fear and anger have no place in an understanding heart.

When we blame our neighbors for electoral disappointments, we are putting them in the place of God. This faulty thinking only leads to division. The fact is that we don’t deserve any good from God. Every good outcome and all good governance is sheer grace. We should thank God for the undeserved goods. And we should humbly accept His chastening judgments as right and just.

This not only calms our hearts and answers our fears. It also enables us to love one another—rather than blame one another.

While a democratic republic has many blessings, it also has some hidden drawbacks. When every citizen over the age of 18 is called to participate in the common governance, it puts all of us in the position of judging and controlling others. That is the great strength of America’s governance because it holds elected officials to account.

But for the human heart, it is a great burden to carry. With this great blessing of having a say in governance comes the illusion that we can actually control other people. For months, now, friends and family, pundits and politicians have been trying to persuade one another about what to say and how to vote.

As with every election cycle, the rancor reaches a crescendo in the run-up to Election Day. As we find that we do not have as much control as we would like, desperation grows. Words become sharp and cutting. Neighbors injure neighbors. Friendships become strained. All of this is the result of people attempting to exert power over one another.

So, one of the blessings that make this such a great day is that we can put this season behind us. The universal impulse to use rhetoric, logic, shame, insults, greed and fear to control the words and voting of other people can blessedly come to an end. Today, the pressure and responsibility of citizens participating in governance are greatly relaxed.

This frees us to put the spotlight back where it truly belongs. Judging others always carries with it the threat that we are distracted from judging ourselves. Today it is time to return to self-examination and self-control. That is what self-governance is truly all about.

Now, it is time to focus on what we—not others—should do to make this a better world. And the same things that we have been desperately trying to force others to do we should even more zealously force ourselves to do.

We have far more control over self-control than we ever had over our electoral efforts. Not only that, but every success that we have in self-control will be a thousand times more rewarding than merely forcing someone else to do the right thing. With this general principle in mind, allow me to suggest a few specific actions.

Why not start with a simple act of hospitality. Think about people who disagree with your electoral politics and invite them to dinner. The purpose is not to change minds. That pressure is off for the immediate future. No, the purpose here is to humanize. Learn about their background and their aspirations for the future. Find out what makes them tick.

People meeting face-to-face in a hospitable environment give the gift of self. It is human conversation in a way that emails, social media posts—even hand-written letters—can never be. In short, it builds and rebuilds personal relationships based on a common humanity.

Speaking of rebuilding, here is a second post-election activity. Think about your communications over the past month or two and ask yourself if you wrote, re-tweeted or shared anything that you regret. Look, especially, for personal attacks. In the heat of conversations trying to persuade others, it is always easier to feel the attacks of others than it is to notice your own.

Now that the pressure is off, you have the advantage of hindsight. When you remember an attack on someone, an attack that you later regretted, go to that person face-to-face and apologize. Just apologize. Don’t remind him of what he first said to you to deserve it. No “buts,” “ifs,” or “maybes” are allowed here. A sincere and unqualified apology has power beyond your wildest dreams.

Finally, while you are reflecting on your own angry words and thoughts ask yourself what prompted them. Don’t kid yourself into thinking that this or that person caused your anger. People only bring it out. They don’t cause it. Seething anger in our hearts is caused by a steady diet of hatred and scorn for others that we ingest from television and social media.

Look seriously at the news-sources that you choose. Ask yourself if they are designed to make you despise other people. Television, radio and social media regularly use rage in order to keep you watching. Be smart enough to realize that a steady diet of rage can lead you to say and feel things that you will regret. By turning it off, you simply refuse to be turned against your friends and family for the financial gains of others.

After months of trying to control people and powers that are out of our control, today is a joyful and hopeful day. Today is a day to realize all the ways that we ourselves have been controlled. Today is a day for renouncing the power of manipulation and returning to the power of human love.

After months of trying to build a better world by controlling others, today we are reminded that the greatest power for changing the world is to control ourselves. Where rage and angry words had no effect but to strain relationships and entrench viewpoints, self-control has the power to rebuild a culture of civility and respect.