Independent Editor,
In this country, we don’t go to court to testify “against” someone. We are duty bound to testify to the truth. That truth may be helpful or harmful to a party, but that is how it works, or should. Likewise, in an election, we only vote “for” a candidate.
I stood for election in this county four years ago for judge. I am proud everyday that I was chosen by the people of this community. It was an intense and hard fought election process, but all parties maintained their dignity. To my opponents and me, it was pure relentless stress. But to the public, it was a positive campaign. I think it was an example of how the process should work.
This may sound a little immodest but I think our community, Shiawassee County, is a little better than a sampling of the nation at large. We have a higher voter turn out than the nation and we care about our races. That’s why I think we deserve the chance to choose our elected officials based on what they will do for us. How we do that is very subjective. But we are entitled to more than negative grievances, real or imagined. We hold our head up high as an electing body and we are entitled to the dignity of a positive election.
We can disagree; nobody is elected unanimously. And we, as individuals, are free to take our personal dislikes with us into the voting booth. But if you are contributing to the public discourse, let’s hear about what a candidate does, or will do, to deserve the job. The name calling is beneath us, as a community.
Thomas J. Dignan