Make a difference, get involved

I am thankful not only for Daniel Grota’s service to our country, but for his excellent Frontiersman columns, including Sunday’s on exercising our right to vote.

I would contend that voting is the least we can do. If we truly want to make a difference, then you should get involved in choosing and supporting candidates for public office. This may necessitate leaving the security of an “N” or “I” voter registration, but these days the options couldn’t be clearer.

Last Saturday, the Conservative Patriots Group had a rally and voiced its fears of gay rights, Sharia law, not enough drug testing and liberal enemies. It also supports taking away women’s reproductive rights, destroying unions, public funding for religious schools, more restrictive voter ID laws, trickle-down economics, less gun control, fighting an invasion of illegal immigrants and keeping a close eye on those pesky Girl Scouts.

At the same time, Mat-Su Democrats were caucusing nearby on a platform that supports equality and opportunity for all Alaskans, women’s rights, separation of church and state, the right of workers to organize, affordable health care for all, quality public education, a living wage, individual rights over corporate rights, fair share taxation, sustainable economic growth through wise, responsible development and elimination of wasteful spending.

As Democrats, we choose to move forward positively with President Barack Obama rather than live under a cloud of fear, hatred and misinformation.

We invite other progressive-minded Alaskans to choose “D” and join us at matsudemocrats.org.

Dan Heynen

Palmer