18+ General Discussion Forum

I have been a Legislator. I have a very clear understanding of why you (and, admittedly I) have these feelings towards those elected to represent us. But, I must also tell you that I have found most elected officials to be extremely passionate, and dedicated public servants who try desperately to move us to a better position. Yes, there are many who seem to thrive on manipulating the devisiveness of the debate.

Fortunately, it is out of their nefarious attempts that sometimes a better solution is found. We may not have what we want, but if both sides could just realize that the final result is a better position than we once had, that would be progress.

"Hot topics" such as you list are not only devisive; they are terribly important to us all. We tend to shy away from those which don't land on our own doorstep, which only serves to intensify the problem for all of us. I do understand the medical realities that the abortion issue usually fails to address. But, where is the middle ground, and why is that not our intention? It seems to me that, much rather than creating a solution that makes us "happy" (or at least happier), we refuse to come to the table unless we can walk away knowing we were "right" on a subject. That serves no one. We are a better people than that. We are a better nation than that. It seems to me these, and so many other issues, would be much better served if first we would remember those truths.

Thomas Jefferson said that "you can determine the health of a society by merely looking at the condition of its weakest member." I've never found error in that thinking. Identifying the "least" among us is one thing. Combining our efforts and our resolve to help them improve their condition is not merely an honorable thing: it is a necessary thing if we are to live out what it is we say we truly stand for. I hope we will.

Write Well!

M. B. "Bud" Fields, Jr.
Clarksville, Indiana USA


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