Arizona
A lot of people have been talking recently about how the “Media” is selectively reporting stories and only letting out certain views to the public. Rather than being unbiased and only telling the facts as they occur they sometimes don’t even let certain stories get out. One great example of this is a subject dear to my heart, The National Day of the Cowboy. The proof of my previous statement is that very few people know about or have even heard of this “Proclamation.”
President George W. Bush stated at the time this legislation went by him “We celebrate the Cowboy as a symbol of the grand history of the American West. The Cowboy’s love of the land and love of the country are examples for all Americans.” How many people do you know that are aware that July 25, 2009 is the Day of the American Cowboy and that July 23, 2005 was the first day to recognize the American Cowboy, July 22 2006 was the second time, July 28th, 2007 was the third, July 26th, 2008 was the fourth and that this July will be the fifth year that there has been a day set aside for this celebration. Not many people I am sure! I have not seen this subject in any major newspapers nor have I seen any network TV news shows carry it.
On the other hand I bet you will see examples in those news shows and papers of some….. “Shepard’s” acting as Cowboys hugging each other in a cold tent, or Trace Atkins showing his ponytail on an episode “Celebrity Apprentice, or how about President Barack Hussein Obama mentioning several times over the last eighteen months that this “Cowboy Attitude” must desist when it comes to a behavior he deems in appropriate, or how about if Bull Riders should wear helmets, Roughstock Cowboys wear flack jackets. That kind of Cowboy stuff will make it to the first few stories of any newscast but what about a soon to possibly be a Cowboy National Holiday that needs a little boost to get notoriety. Something positive about Cowboys, Ranchers or and agricultural way of life. No way! No how!
In June 2005 the National Day of the Cowboy Organization was founded. In 2006 our own Governor Janet Napolitano was the first Governor to sign a proclamation for the Day in Arizona. In 2008 thanks to Congresswoman Gabriel Gifford the Day achieved passage in the Arizona State Legislature and Gifford is now sponsoring a resolution in the United States House of Representatives but not a word in the media except for our own hometown horse paper, Bridle and Bit.
The organization is run by a woman with no “Quit” an endless amount of energy and focused like few people I have ever met. Many times out of money, with no support other than her family and a few close friends Bethany Braley managed to keep the organization and idea going and growing. There have been recently, across the country and even at “Greasewood Flat” events that have raised needed money to keep the dream alive. In my opinion all that is needed now is for every Horseperson to tell everyone they know about the Day. I do not have enough space to get you all the information you need but you “MUST” go to www.nationaldayofthecowboy.com and find out all you can. Oh yeah, read the proclamation you’ll get goose bumps. There is also a beautiful flag made to celebrate the Day that I have carried horseback in Grand Entries at some Arizona Rodeos. This flags had the good fortune to be on the Discovery Space Shuttle to the International Space Station and not a word from the mainstream media. The web-site contains all the information you need to talk about this subject, donate money and buy merchandise that will show your support for the hopeful Holiday.
Maybe if enough of us find out about it, talk loud enough about it, be passionate enough about it we will see it carried in mainstream media avenues and become a full blown National Holiday.
In closing I would like to thank all of you who have sent hundreds of e-mails to my web-site and also many letters for your kind words and thoughts on the presence of “Food for Thought” in this publication. I in turn wish to thank Tracy and Rex Wager for their continued support and friendship. Adios…………….
God Bless and Keep Riding
www.RoccoWachman.com
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