To the editor:

The anonymous writer who sent hate mail attacking Alma Marin for her gender, her ethnicity and her opinion also attacked the League of Women Voters, of which Alma is a valued and active member. For those who are unfamiliar with our work, the League of Women Voters encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy. People who join League become part of an organization with national, state and local connections and interests in a wide variety of public policy initiatives.

League members are dedicated to inclusiveness, equity and diversity. While we believe that everyone has a voice, our standards require that all voices be used in a civil and respectful manner. The anonymous writer’s words were disrespectful to women, to people of color and to all fair and justice-minded people in our historically immigrant community His intention was clearly to hurt people about whom he knows nothing.

League members value truthful information and thoughtful consideration of complex issues. The hate mail letter and the website posting accompanying that letter each contained statements which displayed a willful ignorance of United States history and of our country’s current political circumstances. The philosopher Plato described ignorance as the root and stem of all evil.

The New Ulm League of Women Voters is here to help; we educate the public in order to further democracy, this country’s most cherished value. Our most recent effort was a presentation on “Minnesota’s Legislature: Building a Process for the People” which can be found on the NUCAT You Tube channel. Coming up, the public is invited to attend our Book Club event at the New Ulm Public Library on Tuesday March 26, 2019, at 6:30 pm. The event will feature a discussion of “A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota” which is a book of essays by Minnesota writers on their individual experiences as Minnesotans who are people of color. Copies of the book will be available at the library in mid- February. Please join us.

Ruth Ann Webster

President

League of Women Voters New Ulm