Arizona was the only territory that took more than 20 years to become a state because it was the embodiment of the demands of the Granger/Progressive movements of the late 1800's. According to the US government at the time, Arizona was an ungovernable territory that had to be ruled by a territorial governor who was the equivalent of the governors installed by the English king to quell colonial discontent. Why? Because settlers in Arizona demanded that governing laws included the initiative, referendum and recall. Now election deniers and those who want to limit Arizonans' rights and freedoms are seeking to end the very substance of what made Arizona. It's true that Americans ignore history. This time what Arizonans may ignore may be to our peril.
Barbara Benjamin
Foothills
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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