Having been a resident of Hamilton for four years now, I have become accustomed to reading the reactionary sentiments that are so often submitted to the editor of the Hamilton JournalNews.
Here are the most common themes typically expressed:
• Barack Obama and his policies are socialist.
• “Illegals” are destroying America by taking all the jobs and speaking Spanish.
• The recession is the Democrats’ fault.
And so on.
Generally, however, most people who write or call in are supportive of the deeds of their fellow citizens (so long as they do not pertain to politics).
So it came as somewhat of a surprise to me when I picked up the June 21 Hamilton JournalNews to find a call-in disparaging a local teacher for participating in a charity fund-raiser that benefited people of another country — a fund-raiser for which she was awarded a free tandem sky-dive at a local airport.
As I thought about it, I felt my ire rising in a way that typically does not happen any more when reading letters to the editor. I have to wonder — are there no limits to the bitter reactions that people express toward actions that differ from their particular set of values?
For the record, the teacher being criticized is Missy Mefford of Edgewood High School. The caller should know that Missy is a person who has chosen to spend a career serving special needs students who live among us. She is held in the highest esteem by her colleagues, as well as the people of the community in which she works.
Moreover, she is a veteran of the U.S. Army who voluntarily served her country out of a sense of patriotic duty to the flag. So when such a person decides to dedicate her energies toward helping people in genuine need from other countries, perhaps the appropriate response is to give accolades, instead of criticism.
The common theme that seems to run through a great deal of the reactionary sentiments so often expressed here is that they all lack true depth of understanding. If people would simply take the time to engage in a little unbiased research, they might uncover some facts that would cause them to reconsider their words before writing or calling in.
Even better — it might cause them to engage in the one beneficial activity that is becoming increasingly rare in our society: Thinking.
Benjamin Peterson
Hamilton
