Caucuses showed that people care for country

On Jan. 3, we had the largest caucus turnout by far that I have seen in the years I have participated in the process. These people came, we will be told by the media, because this right was given to them by the government. That may be partially true, but that is not why they came.

Some will believe that we are given this right by those millions of us who put on the uniform to defend this right, with many who died defending us. This may be true but that is not why they came.

Some will believe that we are given this right because we pay taxes. Although this may have at one time been a requirement of being eligible to vote, it is not a requirement today.

The people who participated in the caucus may not even realize why they came, but I know why. They came and gave their hearts and minds to their country because as much as ever and maybe even more than ever, their country needs them to stand together and show the world that this is a country of the people and not just people of the country. And to show our leaders that we care for this country and that, if we select them as our leaders, they had better care for this country, too.

Richard E. Retz

Manchester