I am an American. I don’t care if my president is white, black, red, yellow or any combinations of those races or colors. It doesn’t matter to me if he is Christian, Jewish, Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, atheist or has any other religious affiliation — that is his/her choice. Nor do I care if the person is male, female, gay or what have you.

I do care that the person has integrity, a helluva lot of courage, and believes in freedom.

Unfortunately, we Americans are victims of that great American innovation of advertising. Advertising is generated from both Madison Avenue gurus as well as the oft-biased media. Print, radio and TV news and commentaries are lively products of our freedom of speech — sometimes with questionable integrity.

Freedom of speech, one of our most important constitutional rights, engenders both the best and worst, but it must be protected. It is imperative in this free environment that we use our own talents to sort it all out — think!

Do you want the government to be responsible for your support? Do you want to work for yourself or work for someone, a corporation, or a small business? Do you want to be represented by an organization in your employment? Do you want government medical, private insurance, or a combination of the two? What do you want for your tax dollar? Should those tax dollars be primarily local or federal? How do you feel about government debt? Will it or won’t it affect you?

Take a strong look at who best represents what you want. Don’t be sold a bill of goods. Check out the information, candidates and policies. Perhaps the advice you have been subjected to is not what you really want or truly believe. Think for yourself. Question what we must do to keep American free and to help us lead the world to a bright future.

Sort it all out first, and then vote!

Pegge Bennett

Lake Stevens