Open Letter to the President

March 30, 2005

Dear Mr. President:

I call your attention to the incident in Denver as reported by Knight Ridder and carried on Yahoo News concerning three individuals who were escorted out of your Social Security presentation on March 21.

If the story is accurate and these individuals had not demonstrated any behavior that prompted their ejection from the hall, I am deeply concerned. I am even more concerned when spokesmen from your office at the White House attribute the action to "overzealous supporters" and Scott McClellan responds that "We welcome a diversity of opinion at the events."

Respectfully, Mr. President, if indeed the ejection was due to overzealous supporters and you do welcome a diversity of opinion at the events as Mr. McClellan claims, I strongly recommend that you publicly denounce this type of action and take immediate steps to insure that there is in fact a diversity of opinions present at your events. There have been similar reported instances not only relating to Social Security and your silence on the matter is beginning to seriously erode your credibility.

What I would welcome, particularly on an issue as important as Social Security, is an open, public discussion led by you in which all aspects of the matter can be explored without hype and without rancor. Your passion for your proposal is clear. With your solid, no-nonsense, "bring-it-on" approach, I would think you would be the first to insist that your audiences truly reflect all of the diverse viewpoints. Since the outcome impacts me, my children, my grandchildren, and their children's children, I for one would welcome solid give-and-take with all voices being heard and acknowledged. How can we afford to do otherwise?

The cornerstone of a democracy is an informed and educated citizenry who can then select their leaders wisely. The corollary is that our leaders must insure that adequate means to obtain that information and education is available, accessible, factual, comprehensible, and utilized. This is the essence of good citizenship. To effectively silence opposing voices, as seems to be happening at your events, is to turn our beloved country into the very thing we claim to most thoroughly despise.

Take the high road, Mr. President. Show us that you can really lead and that the courage of your convictions can withstand exposure in front of an audience composed of other than your proven supporters.

Best regards,

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