OPINIONS: Don't discount the young

I take exception to the LTE from Bob Hunt that appeared in the Press on 6/28/19 concerning Zoe O’Brien and her activist roles. He says he’s “for her having the rights of any citizen when she is paying her way. When she is a productive, taxpaying, working person with a dog in the fight and when she has studied and considered her positions after taking input from many different sources, then her opinions would be worthy of attention.”

Mr. Hunt, you don’t know Zoe, you don’t know how informed she is or what her experiences are. Before long she will be 18 and will be able to more fully participate in the adult arena where she will be a voter. Her voice does matter and her opinions are worthy of attention. She has studied the issues, she’s knowledgeable and DOES know what she’s talking about. She’s not stirring “a group to emotional actions,” she’s speaking out about real issues with real consequences in a rational and informed way.

I know her and have worked with her on some of the causes she has been involved with and I am inspired by her as a leader for the next generation that will find solutions to some of our most serious problems. How arrogant of him to say she needs to realize how little she knows and how deep her ignorance is. Perhaps he needs to check his own ignorance and humility in his limited world view.

ALICE ARAMBARRI

Coeur d’Alene