Readers urged to “Speak out!”

 Dear Editor,

The ViewPoints page has become a very good feature of the Red Oak Express. It is interesting to read the editor’s column, two other contributing columnists and letters from readers. The material is well written, informative, amusing, sometimes confrontational and maybe controversial.

Occasionally, I have written letters to the editor. They are written from my viewpoint as a moderate Democrat residing in an area of Iowa that consists of both a conservative Republican majority and way too many non-voters. My writing expresses concern for the paths our country has taken since 2000.

Readers have contacted me with both positive and negative feedback regarding letters I have written. I rarely mention anything that I write unless a reader approaches me.

Each week a message on the ViewPoints page invites readers to Speak out! Write a letter to the editor! Some readers respond, but of course, most will not. They may not be interested, or they could be intimidated by the thought of negative reviews from people who expect everybody to be exactly like them.

There is an old joke about a young boy who never said a word to anybody. The years went by and he still didn’t speak. Then one day as a young man, he suddenly spoke out. The truly amazed onlookers asked him why had he not said anything up to now? And the young man replied, “Up to now, everything been okay”.

“Now” has arrived.  Everything is not okay. It takes a bit of courage to speak out; even so, we need to exercise our freedom of speech or others can speak for us.

Ruth Marsh

Stanton