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Editor:

The approach taken in last week’s letter to the editor section was fascinating. One minute the author stroked Mr. Blackstone with compliments like “smacks of common sense” and “from what I can gather, Mr. Blackstone is a fine man” then attacking him with lines like “sugar high” for anyone politically passionate and outspoken about their beliefs that apparently run contradictory to this “author’s” and proclaiming Mr. Blackstone’s opinions are “……..deeply damaging to the important process of finding common ground…” without any facts or examples to prove it. It is curious to figure out how to find said “common ground” if we don’t exchange ideas, perspectives and points of view as we the people have FREELY done since our country was founded.

The final paragraph was the most fascinating of all when referring to Mr. Blackstone pointing out that there were people trying to silence him. The author chose a broad, sweeping, unsubstantiated, scathing remark that Mr. Blackstone’s claim was “typically false and inflammatory…”. (Typically??? Really???) And then the grand finale, “How can it be good for our community to fan the flames of divisive national politics in our local paper?”

Who can’t see that the author of this diatribe just shot himself in his own foot! In one sentence he calls Mr. Blackstone a liar about people trying to silence him and then turns around and attempts to SILENCE HIM by asking the community to help him SILENCE HIM. Oh the irony!

Freedom of the press and freedom of speech are staples of our Republic, locally as well as nationally. It seems this person believes that Mr. Blackstone and others like him are incapable of having political views that differ and still be quite willing and joyful about helping their neighbors, participating in group community functions, etc. in a civil, non-political manner. Ridiculous. It happens every single day up and down this valley. SILENCING Mr. Blackstone won’t change that one bit.

And in contrast, I have read Jim Elliot’s column in the Sanders County Ledger for decades that deals with divisive national politics as well. I disagree with his viewpoint most of the time but it has never, ever occurred to me to attempt to SILENCE him or even hint that his column be REMOVED thus SILENCING him.

If your sensibilities are too fragile to read views opposing your own, I have to wonder why you keep reading Mr. Blackstone’s column since it agitates you so much. Perhaps you could just skip over it so that others can continue reading and considering Mr. Blackstone’s well researched perspectives instead of campaigning to SILENCE him.

Mary Wood,

Trout Creek