Election Day Results--Prop B Decision

After staying up late watching the polls my finger nails are now worn down to nubs and my nerves are shot. I watched the polls as they slowly rolled in, anxiously watching what Prop B would do.

I check my computer and the "No" votes are winning by a landslide. It updates and the "Yes" votes start creeping closer. It updates again and again and again...we're neck and neck. Watching, waiting, hoping, praying I bite and chew my nails until the taste of blood forces me to remove my hand from my mouth. Impatiently, I watch as the little white counties turn green, one by one, signifying they have finished counting.

The vote runs neck and neck. A few more yes votes then a few more no votes, then yes, then no. It stays split down the middle while I sit, raking my hands through my hair because I'm out of nails to chew.

Then, as yet another update hits Prop B is at a dead tie, 50/50 split right down the middle with only one county left...the waiting is torture. My nerves have been on a roller coaster ride ever since the polls closed. Weeks of campaigning, blogging, emailing, calling, talking to friends and family explaining the issue, I just want the final word on it...whatever that may be. However, the updates have slowed to a near stop.

On a lighter note, the "Should Prop B pass?" poll ended with 55 votes. Not bad for my first blog poll. The results are promising. "Yes" got 9 votes, "No" received 12 votes, "Hell NO" dominated with 32 votes, and 2 voters were undecided. It is safe to say "No" won by a landslide, too bad that doesn't count for anything.

Another update just hit, St. Charles county is in...Prop B "yes" votes just jumped up by half a percent. It looks like we may lose this battle after all. Now, only 3 percent of the state remains. St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and Bollinger only have half their numbers in; Ray County has nothing. STL is all for Prop B, so we know there will be no help there, Bollinger is against Prop B. No one know were Ray County stands, the

vote is so close that one county could make the difference. Finally, with the votes being too close to call, I shut it down and go to bed.

Early this morning I wake and flip on the tube. Coincidentally, the first thing that I hear on the news is Prop B passes by 60,000 votes. I hang my head and kick myself for not campaigning earlier, for not educating enough people, for not agvocating sooner. There is a light at the end of this tunnel. We got Jay Houghton in office and I trust him to do everything possible to keep this bill from hurting Missouri.

There is a lesson to be learned in all this. Our stories, that of farmers and breeders, need to be told. We have always trusted people to use common sense. Too many of us thought people would never believe the lies spread about farmers and breeders but we were wrong. Radical groups have been out there besmirching our industry and we trusted the people to see through the lies; however, we forgot it is our duty to educate those detached from this line of work. Only 2 percent of Americans farm, we took our knowledge for granted.

Farmers, breeders tell your stories. People have lost touch with their roots and it is our duty to remind them. Let the people know that the cruelty that happens and the abuse plastered on YouTube is not the norm. Let the people know that we care about our animals and the environment. Let the people know what you do for a living. If you think your story is not worth telling...think again. We all have a story worth telling; so get out there and tell it, people will listen.