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Sure. I guess there will always be differences of opinion about what is
a "civilized tone and a polite manner", though electronic
communications seem to have a way of downgrading the tone of a lot of
comments.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:ABragg7393@aol.com">ABragg7393@aol.com</a> wrote:
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<div>All</div>
<div>I like it when others "speak out". Many of us do not have the
resources, education, experience to run for public office, but that
does not preclude us from having an opinion and voicing it. This is
America, right?</div>
<div>If Don wants to invoke his freedom of speech rights, why should
he be accused of "attacking" the status quo?</div>
<div>From what I have seen, Don does more volunteer work in the town
than many residents and I would call that an active role and not
"sitting and complaining". I would think the governing officials
hearing what he thinks would take that in stride and under advisement
and be happy to hear some feedback and use it their best advantage.
Often, they don't know what the public thinks, so this could be a good
thing. There are many ways to let our officials know what we think or
what ideas we have. One, of course is going to the meetings but it is
not the only way and if one chooses to use a different method they
shouldn't be chastised for not going to the meetings. As long as we
keep a civilized tone and a polite manner, there is nothing wrong with
voicing our opinions.</div>
<div>Audrey</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In a message dated 9/2/2009 9:16:38 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:regina@kreger.net">regina@kreger.net</a> writes:</div>
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style="border-left: 2px solid blue; padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;"><font
style="background-color: transparent;" color="#000000" face="Arial"
size="2">Don, it's great that you want to be involved in town
governance. You've <br>
got energy and ideas and a can-do attitude. If you find our elected <br>
officials complacent, then why don't you run for office? Every race in <br>
town was uncontested this last time. If your response to elected <br>
officials not acting to your satisfaction is just to "speak out", to <br>
"point out the lack of stewardship", it sounds pretty similar to "just <br>
sit and complain". Not to negate your volunteer service in the town, <br>
it's just that this line of attack seems singularly unproductive. If <br>
there is something specific you think town officials should do, suggest
<br>
it. Go to work sessions and advocate for your point of view. If they <br>
don't act to your satisfaction, try to replace them. That's called <br>
"democracy".<br>
<br>
Don Lynch wrote:<br>
> <div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family:
-moz-fixed">Hello,<br>
><br>
> I would like to acquaint everyone with Melissa and myself.<br>
><br>
> We chose to live here because it seems that this is one of the
last <br>
> places untouched by the corruption of developers.<br>
><br>
> A bit about my past...<br>
><br>
> My father fought in WWII and had the misfortune to be captured by
the <br>
> German forces and was a prisoner for eight months. He was forced
to <br>
> work in strategic factories that were daily strafed by allied
forces.<br>
><br>
> Of all the hardships he endured, the one event that stood out in
his <br>
> mind, was what occurred at a soup kitchen line in the prisoner
camp. A <br>
> Russian soldier was given the task of dishing out soup to both <br>
> Americans and Russians. The German soldiers were not kind to the <br>
> Russian soldiers , and in this instance, a German soldier shoved
the <br>
> Russian prisoner into the mud while he was serving soup to his
fellow <br>
> prisoners.<br>
><br>
> The Russian soldier picked himself up and continued to serve the
soup…<br>
><br>
> My father survived this ordeal and came out a Disabled Veteran and
<br>
> later was the head of the local chapter of the DAV in the
Washington, <br>
> DC area.<br>
><br>
> He worked for the Department of the Navy and established many <br>
> apprenticeship programs within the Navy department.<br>
><br>
> My older brother was an auto mechanic in High School and my father
<br>
> asked the Montgomery County School system about opportunities for
an <br>
> apprenticeship in auto mechanics, the response was “there isn’t
such a <br>
> program”.<br>
><br>
> Well, my father didn’t like that answer and so he started an <br>
> apprenticeship program in the Montgomery County School system.<br>
><br>
> So, when I feel that there are important occurrences going on in
this <br>
> town that should be addressed, I hear my father’s objection to “it
<br>
> can’t be done”.<br>
><br>
> Responses like “we should just look both ways at railroad
crossings”.<br>
><br>
> If people would just examine the laws, they would realize there is
<br>
> much we can do as a community.<br>
><br>
> There are laws in place that allow a town to demand a railroad to <br>
> reduce the use of train horns in our township.<br>
><br>
> Certainly, there is much more in the area of public safety and 60
mile <br>
> an hour trains roaring through our town at “at grade” crossings.<br>
><br>
> I’m not one who just sits and just complains…<br>
><br>
> As some of you know, I have put in many hours of community
service, <br>
> including, the Holiday Festival of Lights, the ArtsFest, the
Memorial <br>
> Day event, and created, along with our fantastic fire department,
a <br>
> new July 4th celebration, in addition to five months of
volunteering <br>
> at the farm market.<br>
><br>
> So, I can’t sit still when I hear a public official say “ there’s
not <br>
> much I can do”.<br>
><br>
> Everyone in this town can do something about what is going on.<br>
><br>
> Complacency, well, I won’t stand for it and I won’t let any
elected <br>
> official in our town sit back and do nothing.<br>
><br>
> I will continue to point out the lack of stewardship that is
essential <br>
> in our leaders of this community.<br>
><br>
> There are some who will criticize me for speaking out.<br>
><br>
> I will just pick myself out the mud and continue…<br>
><br>
> Don<br>
><br>
><br>
> </div><br>
><br>
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