Activists not always doing positive work

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The recent letter castigating The Bellingham Herald editorial board for its expressed view of the City Council resolution regarding U.S. military action revealed what many, I'm afraid, have long believed about some "activists." In particular, it asserted that "activists work and speak for the common good."

"Common good" is not easily defined, and, in truth, most activists work and speak for their own personal preferances or views of the world. They have every right to do that, of course, and apparently have the time to devote to their particular cause(s).

But there is no compelling argument that activists are more factually familiar with any subject than "those in power," and given the state of U.S. education, the national media, and the false and misleading content of many Web sites, its a pretty good bet that they know less.

Activists are just lobbyists for a certain political view. That some may also work for worthwhile social improvements and refer to themselves as "activists" rather than "volunteers" is laudable, but not germaine to the question of whether The Bellingham Herald's view is shared by many of us. It is.

Mike Stephenson

Bellingham

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