To the Editor:

I’m new to Fillmore. I’m impressed you have a local newspaper. That’s a rare thing these days and something to be proud of. I am disheartened to see your recent editorial descends into calling those who disagree with you “evil.” As a citizen, it is of concern. It is a short leap from inflammatory rhetoric to violence. As a responsible publisher, I’d think you’d have more discipline. My conservative friends tell me that their guiding principles are personal responsibility and individual freedom. I share those principles; however, I include responsibilities beyond my immediate family, to my neighbors, to my community in circles that ripple outward. I don’t condemn those who seek to protect and secure their families by attempting to come to this great country of ours. I recognize there is good and bad in people, even in my fellow citizens. I believe in freedom over my personal decisions—including my healthcare and decisions about the welfare of my children. I do not believe I’ve been anointed to make those decisions for others. That doesn’t make me evil. If you believe the border must be secured, support President Biden and call on congress to pass the immigration bill without delay.

Pat Collins,
Fillmore, Ca.