Dear editor,
The U.S. Army demands the highest ethical standard from its members. In particular, the Army sets out a fundamental principle of integrity:
Do what’s right, legally and morally. Integrity is a quality you develop by adhering to moral principles. It requires that you do and say nothing that deceives others. As your integrity grows, so does the trust others place in you. The more choices you make based on integrity, the more this highly prized value will affect your relationships with family and friends, and, finally, the fundamental acceptance of yourself.
So it was with great surprise that I opened my mailbox to discover it had been stuffed by outsider-funded Diny campaign fliers so grotesque, venomous, incompetent and packed full of farcical lies that I had to wash my hands after touching them. Doug, as a former member of the Army, this is beneath you. Frankly, it’s beneath anyone.
It has recently become a custom of some to seek earthly power by saying anything, compromising any value, making any lie-filled claim that might work. We live in a time of grifters and insincerity, of abuse as virtue, of rank shamelessness that would make Nixon twitch uncomfortably in his grave. The ends justifying the means. The theater of the cruel and insincere.
But you know what – not Wausau. Many of us came here to escape all of that. Wausau has shifted over its history from lumber camp to insurance titan to small city and is still on its journey, but through all of that has kept a common thread of a blue collar, thoughtful, just, no-nonsense, Wisconsin American attitude. Ask your priest, your pastor, your rabbi, your mom, your CO, your boss, or your Wausau neighbor if lying is OK. Try it, Doug. See what they say. Your CO would give you a thousand pushups. Your mom would probably whack you with a spatula.
You’ll notice that Mayor Katie doesn’t engage in silly lies and ridiculous accusations. Katie, born and raised a true Wausau citizen, instead works day and night for us on actual problems, like making sure our water is not killing our children, working to recoup that expense from those responsible, successfully bringing in $3.1mm of federal funding in to get 12 much needed firefighters, trying to make Wausau an attractive, livable place to raise our kids, the list is endless as she is tireless. A blue collar, thoughtful, just, no-nonsense, Wisconsin American. Probably like your readers.
I urge everyone to show up to vote for Katie for Mayor. Looks like it’s important this time folks.
Felix Gallo of Wausau
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
