To the editor:

It is so disappointing to see the people of this great community constantly bickering and backbiting regarding matters which seem insignificant to our longevity and prosperity. While there does seem to be a deficiency of trustworthy leaders in today’s country, let’s don’t fool ourselves about where leadership originates.

Perhaps we can focus more effort on being strong leaders for our households. Strong families are the headwaters for strong communities. In regards to our love of criticizing others, let us please not forget the words of those who went before us.

Matthew 7:1-5 — “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

Galatians 5:13-15 — “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.”

Please keep in mind that in respect to the survival of not only our small community but our dysfunctional country, we have but one way forward by the timeless words of Benjamin Franklin. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Brendan Kraus, Marion