Letters To The Editor
Vote to defend your freedom to live safely
Leslie DeMuth, Lake Mills
Whether going to school, the grocery store, or a place of worship, every American should feel free to live without the threat of gun violence. The tragic carnage of mass shootings, suicide and domestic homicides are preventable.
Rigged maps are ruining democracy
Leslie DeMuth, Lake Mills
This is truly grim. Millions of Wisconsin residents have been calling for fair voting maps, and earlier this year a reasonable compromise had been reached. But now the Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in favor of extreme partisan gerrymandering.
Our Democracy is Fragile
Leo Kucek, Aztalan
As tanks roll into Ukraine, I am reminded of how fragile our democracy is. As Americans, we can agree to disagree, but we should stand united to ensure that all of our voices are heard and votes are counted.
Lawmakers: Make voting accessible to everyone
Steve Bower, Lake Mills
The people of Wisconsin believe that voting is a fundamental right of citizenship. Wisconsin voters turned out in record numbers in 2020.
Greatest Freedom
Patricia Giese, Johnson Creek
It is an incredibly difficult time to be optimistic about participating in the greatest freedom we have, going to the polls. We continue to watch politicians wrangle over the boundaries of our voting districts, one side attempting to cement the gerrymandering of 2011 in place, while the other side promotes non-partisan Fair Maps.
We must protect our right to vote
Leslie DeMuth, Lake Mills
We all want the freedom to vote and to know that our votes count. Yet some Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin seem intent on fighting against voters.
Stand up for our democracy
Sandy Whisler, Lake Mills
Our democracy is built on the freedom of everyone — regardless of zip code, color of skin or economic status — to have a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Our democracy works when our leaders value the input of everyone and, through robust discussion, pass laws that the majority favors.
Fight for our voting rights once again is urgent
Ken Eimers, Lake Mills
In a few days the Senate is expected to debate and hopefully pass the Freedom to Vote Act. This will decrease the influence of money in politics, curb partisan gerrymandering, and enable practical national standards for access to the ballot.
Encourage our Senators to put country over party
Lynn von Huben, Waterloo
Since 2011, we in Wisconsin have witnessed how partisan gerrymandering created a more lopsided, polarized legislature that lost its ability to work together and solve problems. This divide and conquer philosophy now is being applied across the country as 19 other states have enacted more than 33 bills that make it harder for people to vote and sometimes to allow partisan state legislatures to not certify the votes actually cast.
This is a Disgrace
Kelli Rowley, Fort Atkinson
This pandemic has taught us so much about what’s important. Most people now see that community schools are vital places of learning and emotional support for children. But the lawmakers who control the state’s Joint Finance Committee are blocking an entire $77 million allocation of federal relief funds because not every school was able to provide an early plan for full in-person learning.