Dear Editor,

In school we learned that the United States is not governed under a true democracy, but as a democratic republic where the people elect public officials that represent the peoples’ interests in passing and administering laws. We learned that the people would elect their representatives who would work with other elected representatives to pass laws that the majority of the people would approve of.

At least, that’s how I thought it worked, but in reality it doesn’t work that way.

Alabama law delegates zoning power to the municipalities. The elected officials of the municipalities can decide upon the zoning issues on their own. So far, the Vincent mayor and four of the council members do not acknowledge that the majority of the citizens of Vincent do not want a rock quarry in Vincent. I have even been told that if the majority of the citizens wanted a rock quarry, but the town council did not think it was a good idea, then there would be no rock quarry in Vincent.

We have to remember that democracy is a gift we are we are entrusted with from generation to generation. But democracy, like virtue, has many enemies, and each generation must defend democracy in its own way and in its own time, or it cannot pass those freedoms on. We should never sit quietly by and permit a minority to force its will upon a helpless majority anywhere.

That’s where the citizens of Vincent are today. A helpless majority that will have the will of a minority forced upon it against its will.

Will our town council listen to the majority? Does the town council realize that they are selling our freedom? Based on their actions since March 31, 2009, it does not appear that they care what the majority thinks. They have done everything they can to suppress any opposition to the quarry and do what they can to bring it to Vincent.

What a shame that it doesn’t work like they taught it in school.