Viewpoints
Opinions and freedom of choice
By Charles Edwardson
December 19, 2007
Wednesday AM
I would like to open by saying I have always respected and admired
Kevin Murphy I know part of his history through commercial fishing
and by just living here from day one 44 years ago. I simply have
a different opinion.
Kevin chooses some very interesting
terms "freedom of choice" and "form your own opinion"
in his last letter. There are differing opinions to the subject
of sprinklers for home fire protection and that as Mr. Murphy
correctly stated is our right of freedom of choice to express
our Opinions.
When do ones own opinion and freedom of choice end?
When several people believe that their opinion is more correct
than yours, they make it an ordinance making it law. Thus denying
the holders of an opposite opinion to 'choose' what is right
for them.
There seems to be a contradiction in positions here, our freedom
of choice is being systematically infringed upon by those who
believe there own opinion is more valid than mine. Government
needs to set limitations on just how much of there opinions are
imposed on the general public. At some point the local government
will have to accept you cannot just keep passing ordinances on
your opinions and you cannot regulate tragedy away and fix everything
with yet another regulation. there are many opinions and studies,
and resources and references that can be applied to any issue
for or against your own opinion.
Freedom of choice is the most
relevant comment out of the last commentary by Mr. Murphy
Opinions... certainly express them by all means, and argue for
them by all means, but do not implement them in mass into public
policy with out proper research. And if you are formulating your
policy (city council) through Sitnews and the few advisors you
are exposed to then you are not doing your own "opinions
"Just as you are not researching them to all of our benefit.
Sitnews is a public medium for citizens to express their opinions
and vent frustration, or satisfaction in our community. It is
one step above the National Enquirer, and is meant for communication
of these frustrations or satisfaction in this community. It is
not a council chamber and it is not responsible for public policy
implementation, so I have a great fear that if this is where
we are getting our information through Sitnews and a few advisors
and implementing it into public policy we are in a sad state
of affairs. I have urged the city council through unanswered
emails to research each and every issue on their own, get two
sides at least to every story. Go outside of their tight circle
of advisors and look at the issues objectively. Without emotion,
or compassion. I have not had any response from the council to
my emails via, one council man, with the request to forward my
communications, so either I sent it to the wrong place or my
opinion does not affect their daily decision making so my freedom
of choice is riding on their decisions on public policy. Without
hearing what I have to say.
Have compassion for who you are governing and emotions will always
be a part of our public officials, if they were not I would be
worried. But leave both of these qualities at the door when you
enter council chambers, and implement policy on facts. "All"
the facts that you can possibly obtain for or against your own
"opinion" so you can make your decisions rationally,
if you do not understand an issue fully do us all a favor do
not vote on it or postpone through a Table of the issue a table
only needs a second to make non debatable . And a table of a
subject can be revisited at the next regular meeting by the person
tabling the issue. So do not be pressured - there is no issue
that has to be rushed through by the next meeting unless it is
a funding issue. Just look at the borough, they just keep passing
the veneer mill off the table. Things can wait until you all
understand the issues you are imposing on to us the voting public.
Charles Edwardson
Ketchikan, AK
About: "This time I am speaking for myself not for any organization
or group."
Received December 18, 2007
- Published December 19, 2007
Related Viewpoint:
 Form
your own opinion of residential sprinklers By Kevin Murphy
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