Dear Editor: Freedom House

Dear Editor,

Freedom House, a non-profit NGO conducting research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights, recently reported that US democracy is in decline and has been for the last decade. They urgently recommend reforms to reverse this nefarious trend toward authoritarian rule. They listed several reasons for our decline, which, in my opinion, can be summed up to the extreme forces in play on both ends of the political spectrum. The far-left liberals and the ultra-right-wing conservatives, neither of whom understand the concept of compromise, share a significant portion of the blame for our country’s decline.

So, I was somewhat alarmed, but not surprised when Representative Skees recently called the Constitution of the State of Montana a socialist rag. The Montana Constitution has served us extraordinarily well over the years. The Republicans and Democrats who drafted this document deserve our continuing thanks. The Declaration of Rights in Article II is an exceptional tool for ensuring a lasting freedom and an enduring Democracy for all Montanans. To me, these rights are sacrosanct. Which of these rights would you and or your colleagues amend or remove, Representative Skees?

In conclusion, the blame for a declining Democracy does not rest exclusively on the left or the right. It also belongs to those of us who would keep silent. Silence is consent. It is my belief that those of us in the middle need to speak out for policies that serve all Montanans.

Sincerely,

Don Lepinsky

Whitehall, Montana