Be civil

Having once again stepped into the political arena as a candidate for a seat in the Montana House of Representatives, I am discovering some of the inherent up sides and down sides of the political experience. In the relatively short time since I made my intentions known, I have been very encouraged by the expressions of support, while at the same time very disappointed by the discovery of some incredibly despicable efforts on the part of one political camp to discredit an opponent.

I recently received an anonymous mailing which called into question the integrity and character of Sheriff Candidate John Weaver. I soon learned that I am not the only person to receive anonymous mailings of this nature. Since I don't care to direct undue attention to the content of the mailing, I will not address the specific insinuations therein. I will simply say that if there is any truth in the accusations found in the mailing, I would expect them to be presented in a forthright manner by an honorable person who would not be afraid to sign his/her name.

Given the divisive nature of our political environment, I am somewhat surprised that we continue to have individuals who are willing to step forward and vie for elected positions, knowing full well that they may be subject to all sorts of criticism from other citizens who may have differing opinions. Throughout the rest of this campaign season it is my sincere hope that everyone who has an opinion will chose to express it in a civil manner, and not resort to treacherous tactics that involve the anonymous distribution of rumors and innuendos.

Edd Blackler

Bigfork

HD 9 candidate