Dear editor,

While reading through the comments in the Andalusia Star-News Web pages, I saw several comments complimenting our area and state, some from persons that have moved into our area from other parts of the U.S. and even other parts of the world.

One, in particular, stated that the rest of the U.S. should take lessons from us on how to conduct business and maybe they would not be in the shape they are presently in. I take my hat off to this person (I won’t mention their Internet handle). If watch Leno, O’Brien, Letterman, or Fallon, (but not Craig Ferguson), you will hear them make fun of our state weekly. There is no basis for this, except for the 1960s civil rights movement, almost 50 years ago. The only one who has ever had the “cojones” to appear in Alabama was Ferguson and he said he had a good time.

Now, on to serious matters. Our Constitution was written “by the people, for the people,” not for the party, the president, nor any other entity. It states that each state will elect two senators to go to Washington, D.C., to represent the interests of that state (not the interest of other states, not the interest of the parties, not the interests of the president), and they are to vote as the “people” of that state decide.

Also, at the same time, each state was divided into districts according to population, and allowed to elect a Representative to go to Washington, D.C., to vote in the best interest of that particular district (not for the state, the party, nor the president).

If you kept up with the Sotomayor appointment and with health care reform, then you will see that our senators and our representative have voted as we, the majority, believe.

I know that approximately 25 percent of our district voted for Obama and 75 percent did not, so, our U.S. congresspersons voted the way the 75 percent wanted them to vote and our rights were upheld. Even though Sotomayor was approved (and that will someday hurt Alabama), the health care reform will be shot down and subject to re-evaluation.

Just remember, the Constitution was “by the people, for the people,” a republic, not an empire. We survived the dictatorship of Bush, and now we have to stop the “imperialism” of Obama. The rest of the country could and should take notice of how things are handled here in the “Heart of Dixie.”

According to the media, a lot of communities are standing up to their elected officials and demanding that they follow as the voters direct. We are once again on the march to D.C., and, hopefully, our congresspersons will do “as directed” by the people, for the people.

Thank you for your time.

Steven A. Bryant

Andalusia