On March 16, we will celebrate James Madison’s birthday.  He was the fourth president of the United States and played a significant role in ratifying the Constitution and is considered the father of the Bill of Rights. 

Madison stated “knowledge will forever govern ignorance, and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”

Madison’s words remind us of the importance both of open government and of public participation in that government.  The public’s right to know what their government does on their behalf has long been a cornerstone of the great American experiment.

This week, newspapers will recognize “Sunshine Week” to promote a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.  It will be an effort to remind the public, and those elected to public office, about the importance of transparency at all levels of government.  Demanding transparency is one step in keeping government accountable to the people, but citizens must arm themselves with knowledge through active participation – especially at the ballot box.

Parts extracted from the Kerrville Daily Times Opinion Page

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