Some people are builders, and others are destroyers. Some people want to help others by creating new opportunities, giving them new skills, or finding new ways to help them achieve their dreams. Other people want to create obstacles, deny opportunities, or frustrate their hopes.

Take the skill of reading, for example. Some people want to help others learn to read — showing them how to recognize letters and sounds, giving them the opportunity to comprehend written material, guiding them to books, inspiring their passion for understanding.

We call these people teachers and librarians.

Other people want to prevent people from reading. They want to deny them access to books, put obstacles in the paths of the teachers, take things off the shelves of libraries, or even punish librarians for doing their job.

This person is Representative Dean Fisher. See his recent letter to the News-Chronicle (March 21) attacking Iowa libraries and librarians.

Ask yourself this: what do you want in a legislator? Do you want someone who is spending their time trying to help people learn to read, and therefore making Iowa stronger? Or do you want someone who is spending their time trying to prevent people from reading, and thereby weakening Iowa? Do you want someone who listens to teachers and librarians, or someone who disregards them and treats them as enemies? Do you want a builder, or do you want a destroyer?

I encourage you to contact Representative Fisher and tell him what kind of legislator you want him to be.

David Harrison

Grinnell