Across the state of Oklahoma, there is an astonishing number of people that, because they've never been informed, believe they are unable to visit their state capitol - the same building that was constructed using early Oklahomans' taxes and has operated ever since using the same method of funding.
I can remember vividly the first time I visited the Oklahoma state capitol just a few years ago on a school trip. We walked into the doors, stepped through a metal detector, and that was it. We were at the heart of Oklahoman democracy. I looked up at my teacher, astonished, and said: "Wait, I can just show up at the capitol?"
I was oblivious to the fact that where I was standing, one of the most historically significant locations in all of Oklahoma history, belonged to me. Like so many other Oklahomans, I failed to make the connection that the state capitol wasn't just a state capitol, it was my state capitol. It was our State Capitol, and you can visit it almost any time you'd like because it belongs to you.
Show up at your legislators' office just to say hi and ask them about their day. Give them a kind smile and they will smile back. We all have so much more in common than what could ever make us different. They aren't robots. They aren't monsters. They're people who want to make a difference.
As I meet people all over the state from all different parts of the state and try to teach them a little bit about something I'm so passionate about, I always hear the same thing: "Wait, I can just show up at the capitol?" The answer couldn't be more simple. Yes. The answer is yes. Go wander the museums. Go appreciate the absolutely breathtaking architecture. Ask the staff about the craziest stories from the House of Reps and the Senate. Spoiler alert: there are some doozies. Heck, you can even dress nice and look official. Or not. It's your building. Dress how you want.
