It is my hope that the Thursday night debate (8/6/15) will finally convince all registered Republicans in Mariposa County that they are supporting the wrong people and the wrong party.  We Democrats will welcome you and happily educate you to the world of civility and commonsense.  We do not publicly insult people by referring to their intimate body parts for its shock value, nor do we insult women by insisting they have no intelligence to make their own health care decisions.  We do not insult people because of the color of their skin, nor do we denigrate people because of their ethnic background. 

We do not insist that in order to hold public office they must belong to a certain religious group, nor do we demand that they produce a recent photograph of themselves in order to cast a vote. 

We are rightfully concerned about the obvious change in climatic conditions and make every effort to lessen the impact of the industrial revolution upon our fragile planet.  We recognize that all things are finite especially our limited supply of clean air and water, and try to introduce the concept of saving rather than wasting. 

We are cognizant of the fact that in order to preserve a civil society, we must educate our children from an early age, and that no human person can possibly be over-educated.  We are deeply committed to humanity and the rights of all persons of any gender to conduct their lives in content.

Above all, we respect the gifts of nature, the sun, the moon, the stars at night, the changes of seasons, the trees, the blooms of spring and the rejuvenating snows of winter.  We respect the enormous variety of wildlife that shares this planet with us, the birds of the air and the fish of the seas. 

We are Democrats. 

Lucille Apcar
Mariposa, CA