I am an independent voter, either party, but after reading about Sen. Dean Johnson's situation, I thought this was the worst that another minister would try to ruin the reputation of one of our more honest politicians and who also is a minister. Whichever party you belong to, this was the worst of the worst.
When Johnson apologized the next day and said he embellished his comments, he showed his integrity. Even the vice president of the United States took four days to come up with the right apology to say he accidentally shot a friend, which I thought was politics at its worst.
I, an ordinary college graduate, know why the vice president waited. He was afraid to say something until he told the president and to have his political writers come up with the right statement. I guess we can blame the news media, papers and TV for why politicians hedge to say anything off the cuff.
Growing up in Willmar in the 1950s was wonderful compared to now. Fear now of playing outdoors, day or night, because someone could grab you and worst of all, having to lock your house doors.
Now politicians have to be fearful of speaking their thoughts -- "Should I have said that?"
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I was voted Dry Humorist of my class of 204 from Willmar High School, Class of 1955. Sometimes I say things in fun, now I better re-think more before I speak, right?
On Sunday morning, I had Channel 9 on, and the early news host asked a panel of one Democrat and one Republican, "Do you think Sen. Dean Johnson should step down now because of his embellished apology for his comments about some Minnesota court judges?" The question got poofed down right away.
Can you see what the news media wants to create? When there is only negativeness, that can keep newspapers and TV afloat, then we as a nation are really in trouble.
Thank you to the Willmar paper to let us laypeople express our thoughts.
Nona Torbert
Hector
