By Neal Lemery

(published in the Tillamook County Pioneer, 9/14/2026)

            In Texas, there is a saying to describe a person: “All hat, no cattle”.  I’d take that to mean, “all talk, no action”.  

            As we approach another election cycle, there’s a lot of talk, a lot of rhetoric, and a lot of political chatter and propaganda being voiced, dominating social media, the “regular media”, and most conversations. You can’t seem to escape it.

            Frankly, most of what is being said is simply hot air, a lot of noise, and “all hat, no cattle”. Most of opinions and verbiage won’t be changing a lot of decisions on who we vote for, and won’t really have an effect on community life, except to stir people up, increase animosity, and inhibit people from having a meaningful, thought-provoking conversation that will move our culture forward and truly bring about change and healing.  

            We can talk a blue streak, or we can strive to truly make a difference. Each of us has that choice.

            Jimmy Carter said “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have, to try to make a difference.” 

            Carter built houses for homeless people, and taught others to learn those skills, to build more homes and communities and, at the end of the day, to better people’s lives. Dolly Parton took action, putting books into the hands of children, empowering them to be lifelong learners, and changing young lives. Not talk, but action.  

            President Carter and Dolly Parton changed attitudes, and called upon us to be of service, to model real change, to truly make a difference.  Each of us can do that, too.  

            Rather than ranting and raving, isn’t it better to be the builder, the one who teaches, who provides the tools, and who takes the effort to encourage, nurture, and support others?  If I have spent my day venting my anger and frustration on social media, or “going off” at the latest political news with my friend over coffee, I wonder what I have accomplished, other than raised my blood pressure and practiced my political rhetoric skills.  I probably haven’t changed my friend’s political views, or changed the politics of those who read my social media posts.  Have I changed my community culture, have I been the tool provider to someone who wants to improve their lives? Have I been a builder? 

            Have I truly made a difference? Can I be a person who isn’t known as being one with “all hat, no cattle”?

9/14/2026