Owner voting rights - why so personally important?
Many of my community friends have asked me why the right of owners to vote for all HOA directors, is so important? Southern Highlands is a great community. Surely, the small monthly fees paid to our association are not worth the effort? Your fight with the “system” is certainly not worth the financial and personal risk, they comment. You must know taking on the powerful people with deep pockets and well placed friends, all resolute in silencing your efforts, will not be easy? Besides, few others appear to care. So why?
On June 25, 1996 I was packing my clothes, headed home in a couple days having nearly completed my tour as the Deputy Operations Group Commander at King Abdulaziz Air Base (“Dhahran”), Saudi Arabia. Around 10 p.m. that evening, Khobar Towers, were all those stationed at Dhahran Air Base were billeted, was rocked by a massive explosion. Nineteen (19) airmen, twelve (12) I had flown with while at Dhahran and previously, while assigned together in the 33FW, Eglin AFB, Florida, were killed. More than 350 service members and civilians, 105 from the 33FW, were injured.
The sting of the loss, events of that evening, and pain that followed, fades for me over time. I rarely speak of it. But when I see Americans taking their incredibly valuable and hard fought right to vote so casually, or worse, so freely giving it away (as our legislators did in passing our inexplicable HOA laws of Nevada, among others) my mind returns to Khobar Towers.
The catastrophic events of September 11, 2001 overshadows the attacks of Khobar Towers, Beirut barracks, Cole, and more. Most Americans have no idea these events occurred. But for me, given my direct personal connection, I return to the price paid by the airmen at Khobar. I feel a debt is due.
I also see our rights to free elections too often taken for granted or attacked on multiple fronts while our judicial system is being "manipulated." These are essential pillars of our democracy that can not be allow to decay.
The airmen of Khobar and the many others who have willingly served in our Nation's military before and since, have paid dearly for the right we as Americans are so envied around the world- to freely vote for those that govern us.
Neither my story nor ongoing fights for this American liberty are unique. Nor does it singularly account for my motivation. But it did and continues to shape my values.
