Courtney Answers Questions Patiently

The following letter to the editor appeared in the September 5, 2009 edition of The Day:

Anyone who expressed doubts in these letters to the editor about Rep. Joe Courtney's willingness to meet with the public should have been at his town hall meeting Wednesday night in Montville.

Despite the hostile and rude nature of the opposition to health care, Congressman Courtney's answers were earnest, clear and forthright. He was patient and informative.

Why the hostility? I can understand that there are legitimate differences of opinion about health care, but the hostile tone of the opposition seems beyond health care issues. It seems as though people have anger problems and have chosen this issue to focus their anger on.

It's not easy to be a public official these days. Rep. Courtney stayed beyond the town hall meeting to answer questions for more people in the cafeteria. Some questions he had to answer over and over, and he did, patiently. I'm very proud he's my congressman.

Mary von Dorster, Noank