In a crazy turn of events, this letter to the editor wasn’t from Bill Stone
Posted on | June 1, 2004 |
Backstory: South Dakota is voting today on a replacement for Bill Janklow. The race is a close one between Republican Larry Diedrich and Democrat Stephanie Herseth. The race has brought people out of the proverbial woodwork feeling the need to write letters to the editor of the Rapid City Journal. This one was in the May 28, 2004 edition.
Simple decision
Life is full of choices! We have a choice on June 1 to send someone to Washington, D.C., to represent our interests. Will we choose a man that has experience in farming or a lady that has no experience? Will we choose a man who has experience with tough decisions in the S.D. Legislature or a lady who has no experience! Will we choose a man that is a family man, or a lady that has no experience raising children! Will we elect a man that has lived in South Dakota all his life, or a lady that has lived here permanently only since she ran for Congress two years ago.
Stephanie Herseth claims that she grew up on a family farm, but has no actual work experience in running that farm. Larry Diedrich has experience of running a farm. Larry has led trade missions to many places. He can “hit the road running” with his experience! Do we want a pro-life candidate or one who would support abortion?
It appears to me, that the decision is simple - elect Larry Diedrich to represent us all in Congress!
Name withheld [by me]
I must admit that this letter confounds me and brings to mind a few questions. Is it now a requirement to have experience on the farm to properly represent South Dakota in Congress? Also, if I’m reading it correctly, it insinuates that a woman that has no experience raising children is not fit to be a legislative representative. Am I getting this right? Because if I’m not, than I guess it isn’t as blatantly sexist as I thought it was.
I highly doubt that having “no experience raising children” would ever be a concern for a male candidate.
I’m sorry, but I can’t quite make the connections the writer seems to be inferring.
UPDATE 06.02.04 8:26am: Stephanie Herseth won by a slim margin.
Comments
4 Responses to “In a crazy turn of events, this letter to the editor wasn’t from Bill Stone”
June 1st, 2004 @ 10:42 pm
I highly doubt that having “no experience raising children” would ever be a concern for a male candidate.
Oh, I don’t know about that. I can easily see one candidate impugning a single male candidate as not being a “family man”.
June 2nd, 2004 @ 8:15 am
Okay, maybe you’re right. But, it still ticks me off. Even if a candidate doesn’t have children, they still, most likely, have FAMILY. And the inferred conclusion is still wrong.
June 2nd, 2004 @ 12:01 pm
all right Stephanie YOU GO GIRL I think she knows not to speed
June 8th, 2004 @ 6:45 am
were all screwed now