Baudette Region - Our View - Comments

Having served as an elected

Steve Wymore — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:48:14 -0500

Having served as an elected official in another community, I am aware of the time commitment an elected position takes. By filing for office it demonstrates your commitment to the position for which you will run. The hardest part of transitioning to an elected position is that as a commissioner, councilor or board member you still only have one vote and the majority rules.

I have yet to work with an elected official who didn't work for the greater good of the constituents in the jurisdiction they serve. Decision making is not easy when you know that such decisions impact people's lives. The good news is that, as an elected official, you are not alone and the collective knowledge of the elected officials for a jurisdiction really do serve the best interest of the largest majority of constituents.

We need committed individuals to run for public office as a public service to our community. It will be challenging at first but can evolve into the most rewarding experience you may have in your life. It's knowing that you made a contribution to your neighbor's well-being.

I also appreciated the comments in the opinion piece, "This Year Is Your Chance To File." Thank you for encouraging our citizens to run for office.

"The Misguided Ripple

Sandstrom — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:51:44 -0600

"The Misguided Ripple Effect" in this weeks letter to editor said it well about efforts of the Church to make legislation for the private life of people. We are seing two growing and vocal groups in our country, those wanting to use the rule of law to force their spiritual beliefs on others and people who support our consitution and wish to keep separation of religion and state. I'd love to see both sides spend some time looking at our nations military war costs, our nations lack of health care and a health care system where everyone pays a different price and the uninsured pay the highest,or how about the failed 30 year old war on drugs where drugs are more available and gangs/cartels have gotten rich and drug addicts(alcohol,tobacco,RX and street drugs) requesting treatment are often denied that due to the cost!

Regarding the Church request

Sandstrom — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 11:57:35 -0600

Regarding the Church request to change the law to make Baudette "pornography free...to make it clear we value our children and the blessings of marriage..." Our nations past hundred years has shown without any doubts that prohibitions are not effective ways to change behavior....examples include the alcohol prohibition from 16 January 1919 to 5 December 1933; during this time use increased....and most recently our nations 30 year old war on drugs has shown itself to be a failure; drugs are cheaper and more available while gangs got rich and deaths to cops and others are still on the increase due to this prohibition.....but maybe a change in behavior is not what the Church wants? Whatever the Church wants I suggest it should not be done by rule of law, as Church and State should remain separate and in fact the right to freedom of religion is so central to American democracy that it was enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution....and as for CENSORSHIP which is what this Church request is about I see that too as the Church wanting to be part of the state....I wonder has the Church tried to outlaw alcohol or how about tobacco and how do those drugs effect the family? My point is I hope the city supports the constitution of the United States.