To the editor:
As a nation, we have been enduring many internal issues. I dare not try to cover them in this letter. Our county has its own issues. We have been affected by the very issues we hear on the news, in the paper, and on social media. We all too often cry out as a gut response. Your Editorial page this Saturday made a valid point for many of those responses. In fact, I was preparing to write you when I read it. Locally, we hear the bickering from elected officials against each other. Few, if any, have stopped long enough to reflect upon themselves as to what they could do better. Instead of reacting with insults and accusations, why not ponder on comments or information? Yet we get to hear much of the same rhetoric we endured, and continue to endure, from our election. Our society has become one where no longer do we accept those things that have long stood as good and righteous. We simply react however we please with no consideration of the results. I would wonder how many of our nation’s inmates are incarcerated because of one moment of reaction that resulted in the death or injury of another? It is a good thing that we cannot get arrested for hurting someone’s feelings! Once said or done, we cannot easily amend a wrong.
Council meetings have become stagnant in that the waters have become a cesspool of what I described above. For anyone not knowing what I mean by stagnant is a body of water left uncirculated with fresh water becomes a petri dish of algae and other nasty things. They thrive in this environment. Instead of continuing the current processes, it is a good thing to have some fresh inputs. Those elected still have an obligation to the people of Scotland County to listen to their legitimate concerns. Mayor Block appears to be attempting to try this approach. If all elected officials for all areas of Scotland County could come together, with open minds, just think what may result! Many of our citizens have reacted one way or another, both for and against, in a manner as described above.
We all have ideas and opinions. We all need to consider what President John F. Kennedy once said. “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”
We all need to be diligent in matters that affect us. Merely complaining or creating chaos is not productive. My suggestion is that we get a compilation of all members’ visions for improving our county. Throw in the public’s opinion. There should be a thorough review of these things before any action. Give our minds time to process them. Write our responses down, once, twice, or however many times it may take to develop an unbiased, unemotional, and non-reactive strategy for the future of our county. Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. Using that as the foundation of our actions would surely result in a much more disciplined and structured county.
Bill Hawkins
Laurinburg