LETTERS: IF YOU DISAGREE, LET OTHERS KNOW WHAT YOU THINK

To the editor:

I'm not defending anyone with this letter, but I wonder what the attacks on Gary Rust, David and Rush Limbaugh, Jim Drury, state Senator Pete Kinder and others are all about. I do not agree with everything these individuals do. At the same time, I realize that these individuals are doing what they believe is best for the community. Sometimes they do not know that they are way off base in their attempts to better the community.

These individuals' thought patterns are developed through life experiences. This means these individuals may not have had the same life experiences as others. Also, this means that their way of approaching a situation may not be the correct way. At the same time, it may be the only way they know how to deal with a given situation.

If you do not like how they are handling something, try writing or calling them. These individuals are not mind readers. They are only able to develop an opinion through input. With a lack of input, they may make a choice you do not agree with.

As I said, I am not defending anyone. I wrote this letter because these attacks remind me of a story I was told as child. If the story is true or not I do not know. Here is story:

In Nazi Poland there were three groups of people: Jewish, Polish and the say-nothing people. First the Nazis came for the Jews, and the Polish people said this was wrong. The say-nothing people said nothing because they feared that the Nazis would take them away.

The Nazis did return, and they took away the Poles, just as the say-nothing people feared would happen if they said something.

Then the Nazis returned one more time and took away the say-nothing people, and there was no one left to say anything at all.

ANDREW OSTROWSKI

Perryville, Mo.