Letter to the Editor: Free Speech Doesn’t Come With a Seniority System

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Without referring to me by name, Purcellville Mayor Robert W. Lazaro criticized me during Tuesday's Town Council meeting because I got involved in a town issue after having lived in Purcellville less than a year.

"It's truly disturbing to see people who've not lived here for a year write nasty things about a former mayor," Mr. Lazaro said, according to Leesburg Today. He was referring to my letter in another local newspaper, in which I took issue with former mayor Bill Druhan's characterization of residents opposed to a new Taco Bell.

Mr. Lazaro's comment shows a failure to understand who is the employee and who is the employer in a representative democracy. Mr. Mayor and members of the Town Council, we taxpayers do not work for you. And as American citizens, we have the responsibility to be involved regardless of how long we have lived in a particular place.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, "The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well-enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over the government."

If Mr. Lazaro has a different view of how citizens should interact with their elected representatives, there are other nations that surely will open their doors to him. And if our opinions aren't valid until we have been town residents for a certain length of time, please let me know so that I and others can cease paying taxes, water and sewer bills, etc., until this period of time has elapsed.

Ryan J. Cool, Purcellville

Tagged: Letter to the Editor, Mayor Bob Lazaro , opinions, Purcellville

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