It was famously observed about Indiana, “I don’t know what it is about Hoosiers. But wherever you go, there is always a Hoosier doing something very important there.” This saying is one that is used often by Indiana leaders and locals alike, but as I’ve learned in my past two years traveling the state, it’s often used because its words are true.
I’ve learned and noticed many things on the campaign trail, but one stands out as particularly important to this point in Indiana history: Our rural communities are home to the people doing the very important work famously referenced.
Our small towns are incubators for small business formation, the hallmark of Indiana’s robust agriculture industry, and above all, the place where our Hoosier values are on highest display. It’s the spirit of community and the expression of faith, family and freedom that make the most compelling case against the sad trend of “leaders” letting our rural communities die.
For too long, the 2 million Hoosiers who live in our small towns have been forgotten. Politicians have neglected the very way of life and the very people who do much of the important work that represents the very fiber of our state. Government actors have tried to steal resources from rural communities to transport them to urban ones. They have taken land from the family farms and failed to protect our agriculture industry. They have let our historic downtowns crumble and decay. Public servants have forgotten the very heart of their calling to “serve” by ignoring the voices of rural community residents and failing to address the struggles these communities are facing.
