JOHNSON: He is human, after all

This is in response to the letter titled, “Press indebted to the reader.”

If The Press is indebted to the reader, then that reader is indebted to me. Sat down after a hard day’s work last Friday, popped open a cold beer, then knocked it over from laughing so hard when I read the letter of “another reader” responding the same way as others have to Adam Johnson’s announcement to run for sheriff.

I must admit that I too was rather amused when I read about Mr. Johnson’s announcement. Yet after thinking it through, I felt a strong sense of admiration for him. Like others (myself included) good people make bad choices, while that incident downtown could happen to anyone who ends up at “the wrong place at the wrong time.” However, unlike others, Adam is man enough to own up to it, and now he just wants to move on. I totally agree with him that others have “slipped up” too, but it was probably never made public — or they just never got caught at it.

While I admire Adam’s desire to move forward in a positive direction, I only find it typical for those who wish to make a mockery of it (such as the readers I mentioned). Oh, and not to mention I witnessed one of Adam’s opponents throw his criminal background in his face during the “Sheriff’s Forum.” Sorry to break the bad news, folks, but if you have to make the guy look bad just to make yourself look good, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that you’re only making yourself look worse. No worries though; we’re just human beings like Adam is.

It’s still too early to say that Adam Johnson has my vote, but there’s no doubt he has my support. Obviously he did something right to become a well-accomplished businessman at one time. And just to avoid any hard feelings, I’ll say his opponents seem to be upstanding citizens who also have a lot of positive changes to offer this county I’m proud to live in.

I wish them the best of luck as well as I do to Adam Johnson.

ROBERT F. MITCHAM

Coeur d’Alene