LETTER: Get involved and start by voting

I echo the sentiments in the recent Hubbard County GOP's commentary in the Jan. 28 Enterprise.

The easiest and simplest way to get involved is to vote. One of the most important rights of American citizens is the right to vote. Voting is a vital link between citizen participation and democratic representation and provides the mechanism for free and fair elections and political change.

But sadly, it is something many area residents do not do. The Hubbard County population in 2021 was 21,715. Potential voters aged 18 and over totaled 17,067. Registered voters in Hubbard County totaled 14,159, but only 10,089 voted. That leaves almost 7,000 eligible voters that did not cast a ballot.

Other than voting, here are other ways to get involved. In mid-March, most townships in the area hold their annual meeting. Many also hold elections for township office holders. Take in that meeting and meet your local officials, find out what the issues are in your township, where does their funding come from, how are they spending these tax dollars, etc.

Attend your county board meetings and school board meetings.

And finally, connect with others who share your values and beliefs and are community minded. And if you see things that you agree or disagree with and the spirit moves you, let your voice be heard with a letter to the editor.

That all being said, I would be remiss if I did not point out the erroneous statement in that GOP commentary. They stated, “Joe Biden's attorney general Merrick Garland presided over the distribution of a memo encouraging the FBI to investigate parents who speak out at school board meetings as potential domestic terrorists. The liberal press denies it, but it really happened.”

As they say, “let's fact check” that statement and here are the facts: In Sept. 2021, following threats against school officials, the National School Boards Association wrote a letter to President Joe Biden requesting assistance to address concerns about school employees’ and board members’ safety.

(Check out this link to see examples of the threats and harassment they experienced:

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On Oct. 4, 2021, Garland sent a five-paragraph memo to the FBI and federal prosecutors acknowledging a "disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation and threats of violence" against school officials. Garland directed the FBI to hold meetings across the country and bring together government leaders to discuss strategies to address those threats.

“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views," Garland wrote.

The memo focused on criminal conduct, not parents’ views about COVID-19 policies or school curriculum. The memo led to misinformation such as the debunked claim that parents who "challenge school curriculums" were being labeled "domestic terrorists."

A Trump-nominated judge dismissed a case by parents challenging the memo. The judge concluded that the memo does not target protected conduct under the Constitution and covers only criminal conduct.

So the GOP commentary suggested getting your information from the Epoch Times. This publication has been known to put forward conspiracy theories, anti-vaccine misinformation as well as false claims of fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

While it’s good to educate oneself, it’s good to use a variety of sources offering diverse viewpoints to come closer to the “truth.”