WRITER: Stirring up division

Columnist Ralph Ginorio, as a self-described educator, could do a better job of educating our community.

In his column last week Ginorio targeted Jeanette Laster, who leads the Human Rights Education Institute.

Ginorio made an unsupported assumption, put words in Laster’s mouth, and then distorted their meaning.

Laster had spoken to the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce saying, in part: “We need to come back together as a community and listen to each other and respect each other and bring kindness to the table. Just stifle division.”

Who would want to twist such a hopeful call to overcome our differences for the good of all? Especially during the holiday season?

Unfortunately, Ginorio cherry-picked the final two words from Laster’s message, “stifle division.” He then accused Laster of silencing the dissenting views of the “common people,” saying “Stifle division? Never!”

Ginorio, like the GOP, must be aware that this tactic only stirs up more division. In fact rabble-rousing is their only political tool, disruption school board meetings, Optional Forms of Government meetings, and NIC Board meetings.

What sort of future does rabble-rousing offer? None.

And Ginorio calls for “Never” ending that sort of hopeless behavior.

We would all do better to talk about the many benefits that will come our way because of President Biden’s infrastructure bill, and soon-to-be-passed Build Back Better Bill.

Let’s talk about the many ways we can build a better community with faster internet service, better safer roads and bridges, sufficient clean water and sewer systems that keep pace with development.

Let’s talk about adequately funding pre-kindergarten, public education and the Forest Service.

In sum, let’s just stifle the divisiveness.

EVAN KOCH, Chair

Kootenai Democratic Central Committee