'Values' campaign ad insulting, meaningless

In a campaign ad for a candidate running for the 23rd Congressional District, he says that his parents taught him "north country values" such as hard work, love of country and community and so on.

I'm not commenting, here, about the candidate. I'm objecting to this kind of campaigning: insulting by being utterly meaningless and by assuming that the viewers/listeners will, without question, believe that it means something. It suggests that this person has a special sort of "values" that make him a particularly good candidate.

When did the north country get a monopoly on hard work, love of country and community or any other such characteristics? Yes, many folks up here have to work hard, have to deal with harsh weather conditions and experience other things that build a strong moral character.

But let's face it, people grow up with the same types of character-building situations all over the state, the nation and the world. Personally, I love the particular aspects of living here that require intelligent planning, hard work and a willingness to confront forces with which you cannot argue or negotiate. And I'm passionate about the four seasons that give us four different climates, all in one spot.

But I have never thought that dealing with these things, set me above people who live where the challenges are different ones. Nor have I ever imagined that because it's this region that I know and love best, my kind of patriotism or my love for community is somehow superior when compared to that of people in other regions.

It would be refreshing — and quite a surprise — to see this year's campaigns based on qualities, experiences and/or abilities that are unique to the candidate and also demonstrably useful to the people in the position for which that candidate is running.

Please, please, folks, put away the tired, old nothings that are designed to convince the public that the candidate has got some special (but extremely vague) quality for which we should cast our votes. Give us and our intelligence some respect. And find some ad writers who can convey the substance of your positions and character in a manner that's concise and informative — and actually means something.

Holly Helmstetter

Antwerp