LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

	Go Vote!
	The Voter’s Decision
	*SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR*


	Go Vote!

	The primary election is next Tuesday, June 8. I urge you all to exercise your right and privilege to vote…if you are registered to do so. If you are not registered, please get that done before November fo the general election. We, as a free people, have the responsibility and the right to elect those who would represent us at the state and federal level. “Represent” is the important word here. We should vote for those candidates whose ideas most represent and look like our own ideas. Just because a person is running for office, don’t assume that they are smarter than you or that their ideas are better than yours. If you don’t agree with their ideas, don’t vote for them. We profess to believe in certain things. These bgeliefs should show up in our voting. 1) We believe in the sanctity of life “from conception to natural death”. 2) We say that, even though we believe in forgiveness, people need to be responsible for their own actions and choices and decisions. 3) We believe that a good God has created us basically good. That our need and desire to help others is given to each of us by that good God. Knowing what we know about life, our good God and the ten commandments, I believe that we are all smart enough to decide how to live our lives, what to teach our children, how to spend our hard-earned money and protect our own property. These should be our decisions. Read up on those who are running for office. You are probably getting the junk mail everyday. Try to figure out what they believe in . If you can use a computer, there is a web-site address on every political ad; whether it comes in the mail or over the T.V. Try to figure out if these people believe the same way you do. The sample ballots came in the mail almost two weeks ago. I hope you still have it because this is important. Do your homework. Check these people out. Then vote for the candidate whose beliefs are most like your own. Party should not matter. What people believe–that matters! Go Vote! Jeanne Crayton Posted June 2, 2010 Back



	The Voter’s Decision

	When we stop to think about it, I think we can all agree that we want men and women in office who 1) have good character of high morals, 2) have a solid education, and 3) desire to use his gifts and abilities for the welfare and freedom of our country, and not for their own personal gain. That would lead us to ask three questions: What does it mean to exhibit high moral character? What would a good solid education look like? How can I discern why they really want to be in office? Webster’s 1828 defines character as “the qualities, impressed by nature or habit on a person”. In other words character is to live in such a way that is embedded into the bedrock of your person, to possess and own it, to live it by example. Moral is defined as: “Conformed to rules of right, or to the divine law respecting social duties.” Therefore, to have good moral character is to act privately and publicly consistent with divine law, or principles. This is not to say that they are perfect in the implementation of such, but that they are firmly fixed in their determination and direction to live by truth and principle; having a deep understanding of them because of his or her education. Not only do they themselves personify this virtue, but they also teach others to do the same. In examining the life of our candidates, what would this kind of education look like? What education would enable this fruit on the vine? What principles were they guided by? I think we would agree that we can look to our Founding Fathers as men who exhibited this kind of virtuous character. What taught them how to think in order to be able to deliberate together to be able to forge a document like the Constitution? Setting aside the Higher Power that enabled their success, is there a pattern or consistent principles we can use to recognize this kind of Liber education? One such man named Oliver DeMille had such questions. His book “A Thomas Jefferson Education” teaches how to gain a Liber Education that enables a person to change the world, because they know how to think and how to lead for the benefit of society. So what good is this in helping us know how to best place our vote? When I listen to a candidate, I listen for these principles and I watch to see if they personify them in their character. One of these principles is “Inspire not Require” alluding to the principle of agency, or choice and accountability. One way I see that this principle would apply to our current situation is in prevention not cure. To see the solution we must ask the right question. The answer is not in law enforcement. The right question is: what can be done to create the environment where people want to obey the law? This leads us to prevention, instead of cure. Writing more legislation is a form of cure. Education is a form of prevention. For the long term answer, we need long term solutions instead of more legislation and band aids. If you are not registered to vote, please do so. The system was never meant to work without you. If you are registered to vote, please do your best to make an educated decision. Principles will lead us to freedom and welfare. Legislation and short sided problems solving will lead us to more problems. There is much more that could be discussed on the matter, but that’s all the time I have for today. By Pennie Rumsey Posted June 2, 2010 Back