EDITOR:

When we were kids, it was common to yell “I’ll kill you!” at the slightest playground provocation. We then progressed w/age to it meaning “I’ll kill you at sports, racing, playing cards… etc.” Neither taunt was physically implemented, and were rarely taken with any seriousness. As we became full-fledged adults (in age, if not mentally) and made the threat after something like a “road-rage” incident or barroom confrontation, the possibility of escalated violence and deaths could result.

Most parents admonished their young to not use threats like that hopefully providing moral leadership. I believe that parental/educational/social pressures prevent death-like threats from becoming a standard for rebuttals. Evil sociopaths didn’t take the hint and harbor these thoughts today and in some aberration of righteousness propose to carry out the threats. I believe poor parenting has a lot to do with this.

We now have a serious situation resulting in death threats created from the ignorant and childish interpretation of conduct by local elected official. These petty protests have been going on for two years and likely contributed to by the whiney malcontents present at every county commission meeting. Commissioners performing their assigned duties have been threatened. How has it come to this?

Crime requires motive, means and opportunity. Means and opportunity are situational… motive in this case seems to closely follow the timing of the recall election. Again, the motive seems to be a mental convolution of a perceived right that some self-appointed guardian of the public good can and will violently interfere in the decisions and actions of a duly elected body (County Commission). When legitimate decisions and actions are challenged with threats in the name of “righteousness” petty biases, false statements, character assassination and now death threats occur.

A quick and powerful condemnation is expected by our community. While there is no direct connection between the death threats and the Delta Co. Citizens for Ethical Leadership (three of their members are seeking to recall the threatened commissioners) one of their members, Kelli Van Ginhoven (running against Chairman Moyle) offered a tepid and generalized condemnation of the incident with “warm regards” relative to the threats (Powerful?…nope!). So far, there is silence from Myra Croasdell and Matthew Jensen, both seeking to replace (if recalled) sitting commissioners. Is their lack of comment a tacit acceptance of this threat? May we have their thoughts on this?

Let us not forget, while only voters in the contested districts may vote in the upcoming recall/replacement, the result affects all (Yes… All) of Delta County’s future. Not every voter may vote in this recall, but we will all be bound by its outcome. I have yet to hear any statements regarding how these people will govern, their policies regarding such issues as land use, housing, crime, drugs, recreational opportunities and lots of “etc’s” unknown. In fact, how many readers actually know the persons involved, or their backgrounds, qualifications or positions?

Consider before you vote, it affects us all.

Michael A. Glass

Nahma