An Open Letter to Senator Larry Craig
Dear Senator Craig,
Much like other Idahoans, I have been following the news of your arrest and subsequent move toward resignation. Even though I am sure that you are not short on advice regarding this matter I feel compelled to put forth my opinion on this matter. I feel it is my duty as a constituent, voter, and person.
After teaching U.S. Government and history in Nampa for several years I decided I needed a change. I have been living in rural part of the People's Republic of China as a Peace Corps Volunteer for over a year now. As such, I am currently experiencing life outside of the U.S., which includes working with Chinese government officials here and all of the related bureaucracy that goes with such work. Having been here for some time, I found that my appreciation for my government has grown significantly. I also have a new, even larger, appreciation for the election process in the U.S.
As I began to think about what you are experiencing, it occurred to me that, should you decide to leave office, it would essentially be depriving the people of Idaho the chance to decide whether or not you should remain in office. Of course, it is your decision when you want to retire, be that now, in a year, or in the future. What bothers me is the apparent decision you are making to allow the press and your political party make the decision for you. As I see it, the choice belongs to you, your family, and Idaho. A resignation forced by anyone else flies in the face of democracy. It should be up to Idahoans to decide whether or not your transgression, regardless of legitimacy, warrants your removal from office and nobody else, even if it is strategically expedient for others.
Even though I have not voted for you in the past, you have represented me for the past quarter century, and on the occasions when I have taken my students to see you, you have been polite, honest, and courteous to us. Should you choose to resign at the behest of some outside influence I will certainly feel much more disappointed in you than I would for any of your other problems.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Thad Ross
Peace Corps Volunteer (and Idahoan)
Chengxian, Gansu, P.R. of China
Much like other Idahoans, I have been following the news of your arrest and subsequent move toward resignation. Even though I am sure that you are not short on advice regarding this matter I feel compelled to put forth my opinion on this matter. I feel it is my duty as a constituent, voter, and person.
After teaching U.S. Government and history in Nampa for several years I decided I needed a change. I have been living in rural part of the People's Republic of China as a Peace Corps Volunteer for over a year now. As such, I am currently experiencing life outside of the U.S., which includes working with Chinese government officials here and all of the related bureaucracy that goes with such work. Having been here for some time, I found that my appreciation for my government has grown significantly. I also have a new, even larger, appreciation for the election process in the U.S.
As I began to think about what you are experiencing, it occurred to me that, should you decide to leave office, it would essentially be depriving the people of Idaho the chance to decide whether or not you should remain in office. Of course, it is your decision when you want to retire, be that now, in a year, or in the future. What bothers me is the apparent decision you are making to allow the press and your political party make the decision for you. As I see it, the choice belongs to you, your family, and Idaho. A resignation forced by anyone else flies in the face of democracy. It should be up to Idahoans to decide whether or not your transgression, regardless of legitimacy, warrants your removal from office and nobody else, even if it is strategically expedient for others.
Even though I have not voted for you in the past, you have represented me for the past quarter century, and on the occasions when I have taken my students to see you, you have been polite, honest, and courteous to us. Should you choose to resign at the behest of some outside influence I will certainly feel much more disappointed in you than I would for any of your other problems.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Thad Ross
Peace Corps Volunteer (and Idahoan)
Chengxian, Gansu, P.R. of China
3 Comments:
Try to see Al gore's speech on the Everglades. Same thing. Cop in toilet; didn't hit him.
Budget:IFA 150
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/80151.pdf
Al Hurra is pretty funny.
hi mr ross!!!!!
its bethany... you remember me I suppose. sorry its taken me so long to get to this blog...you know life. mr schmidt read your Larry Craig letter in our 12th english class, and i absalutley agree...you know i always have been such a quiet individual, so this is unusual???? anyways, i personally have been compleley disgusted with the republican party, in their reaction to Larry Craig. He has served us for a quarter of a century. he makes one mistake, and we for get everything. becki rodgers pointed this out, if someone lives a quetionable life and decides to turn it around for good, we are exicted and all they have done is forgiven, but if someone acts like an idiot, who cares about the good they have done. its a hypocritcal mindset on both sides of the party line. i asked mr schmidt what the reaction was to the Clinton/Monica scandal, and was appaled and ashamed to hear that they stood by him in spite of what he had supposdely done, though not in support of the action, but in support of the man and the things that he had done for the party and the nation. You are right, his reaction to my parties spitballing sension does take our opportunity to decide what we want (and I can say our, I’ll be voitng age in January!!!!!!!!!!!!!). what if I don’t want him to resign??? As you put it, it “flies in the face of democracy”.
But anyways, hope to see you sometime when you get back, I’ll definelty come back and visit after I graduate (which is really depressing, we had our first Jostens meeting last night, we got measured for our hats and other related items….very depressing)
bethany
Hi Bethany! It is great to hear from you. I hope your senior year is going very well. It is easy to understand the Republicans' actions. They have had a hard time dealing with many scandals that have caused them to lose some elections. They want to clean up their image. Unfortunately, this means that they feel that they must push some people around to do so and that is the problem. They shouldn't be allowed to tell a person how to conduct his life or force him to make a decision. It is our job as voters to choose who we want to represent us, not theirs.
I look forward to seeing all of you and I wish I could see you all graduate this May, but I'll just miss it by a few months. Your class is a special one and I hope you all have a wonderful senior year. You should be happy about your ring/hat fittings. They are for a special celebration. Talk to you later!
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