Not acting in the spirit of democracy

While democratic procedures may have been followed at the Downers Grove Township Annual Meeting of April 8, my experience is that the spirit of democracy was not. Those in attendance blocked the resolution to allow citizens to vote on an advisory question of public policy regarding Iraq, and cut short both discussion about the resolution and the "Open Forum" portion of the agenda.

Simply talking things out is a powerful tool, when all parties commit to giving each other a fair hearing. Given the township's rule of three minutes per speaker, we could have heard ten voices in just a half-hour; 20 in only an hour. Instead, though we were asked to be "neighborly," the room was full of fence-builders. We were instructed not even to clap, so as not to "get out of control." Others groaned loudly or walked out.

I believe in the right and obligation of every American to raise concerns through the channels available to us at every level of government and to vote our conscience. This is especially important when citizens feel their concerns are not being adequately addressed through the usual forums.

Americans come together at government meetings to find workable solutions because we are a democracy. I hope that we will not succumb to using the precious tools of our democracy to intimidate or to dismiss the very differences that must be embraced in order to be true to our country's deepest principles.

Bonnie T. Summers

Downers Grove