Stand for truth, honesty, courage

I am sympathetic to your recent view article questioning the value of our present two-party system to our election process. The criticism can apply to either side. The parties gain total control by holding the purse strings and thus keep things in uproar as an easy way to generate funds. In this game, money talks loudly.

The whistlestop train campaigning may be too outdated, but the undergirding of what we stand for may still be there. Namely:

1. That truth is the most sustainable way to keep us free, safe and fair in our interactions.

2. That honesty is the most reliable way to gain truth no matter the means of science, faith, art or argument.

3. That the goal of winning no matter the cost is bound to lose over the long haul.

4. That courage is essential for any virtue or value to be effective whether you need to defend, sacrifice or compromise for the best workable result.

5. That understanding and cooperation should be attempted before picking up a gun or using the legal system to coerce unfairly.

Then, the big controversial issues that demand sides be taken and that battles be lost or won might be more likely to bring the reform, change, support or acceptance to solve these problems and avoiding the dangerous frustration that brings pointless violence.

Things will change only for the worse if we keep taking each other out, making any workable solution impossible. The stakes are definitely too high for this.

Sharon Robinson

Shelter Bay