23 years I have been on this roller coaster.  23 years I have searched for a PLACE I can call home…  A place I can raise my kids, feel safe at night, know the locals by name, walk the streets at night, send my kids to the park, PLACE.
Swansboro is my place.
Well, enter the bully.
Just about 2 months ago, I found out a large scale retailer was on the hunt to invade my home.  On the sly, under the radar, surreptitiously…they bought land under another corporation, applied for building permits and proceeded to try to slide in and change MY TOWN.
Yup, I call it MY TOWN.  Why?  I bought a house here, I pay taxes here, I vote here and doggonit, I am raising my FIVE precious blessings here.  So, you bet your bottom dollar it’s my town.  I’ve chosen to support the local economy wherever & whenever I can and I am highly invested in making sure that the economy and the character of the town that supports it remain intact.
I have attended every town hall meeting I can, and spoken out in support of maintaining this quaint, fantastic little town that I am blessed to call home.  I wanted to walk away from tonight’s meeting feeling confident, feeling certain that the democracy we have founded our country on will play out in favor of our town.
But.  I. just. don’t.
Why?
Well, I’ll tell you why.  Big box retailers have BIG, DEEP pockets.  They make serious sport out of scaring small towns like Swansboro into turning tail and running in the face of expensive opposition.  They weigh the cost of the legal battle against the long term gain of decimating and destroying the local economy.  Then they determine if the little town will have the cojones to take on the fight.  Guess what?  99% of those little towns just cave & take the hit.  And they topple over like a house of cards, succumbing to the idea that growth is inevitable and we just don’t have a choice.
Guess what?  We DO HAVE A CHOICE!
This is our town.  Do you hear me?  OUR TOWN!  Fight for what you believe in!  Fight for the character of this place you have chosen to call home!  Fight for PROPER growth, grounded in common sense and continuity with the character and vivacity of our town!
As someone who has spent my life searching for home and finally found it, I can promise you I will NOT give up without a fight.
The city of Swansboro has a contingency fund for just this reason.  If we don’t fight for who we are now, we may as well just roll over & play corporate. dead. America.
Tell your commissioners you want to fight!  Show up next Tuesday, July 15 at the town hall meeting and state it loud and clear!  We don’t want to follow the herd and NO, change isn’t inevitable.  Fight for what you believe in, Swansboro!  Hold true to our motto…
Swansboro, the Friendly (little) City by the Sea.