Here’s a letter in response to this article “Garfield BOCC votes 2-1 to ban pot businesses” in the Aug. 20 edition.

County Commissioners Mike Samson and John Martin have used the heavy hand of government to hurt entrepreneurs who wish to take advantage of the new state law allowing the recreational use of marijuana. Samson and Martin have overstepped their bounds as elected officials and insulted the parents, teachers and everyone in the lives of our young people. They were not elected to preach their version of morality, and they were not elected to pass ordinances that are in direct opposition to the voters’ wishes.

Both John Martin and Mike Samson believe that they are the crusaders of Garfield County, each bent on promoting their version of truth and justice. Their public positions and now the actions they have taken are aggressive, offensive and immoral because they violate the freedom of choice we have as humans. They have not been elected to “save” our children from marijuana, and they have not been elected to shut out legal business propositions.

Their level of aggression toward the marijuana industry is obviously a product of their right-wing religious beliefs. Right? What else would it be? Why aren’t they against alcohol? There’s the real “gateway” drug. I won’t argue that pot is a much safer intoxicant than alcohol because when the Bible or God or whatever divine entity tells them something is wrong then it must be true. And I can’t argue with a man’s faith.

In this country, we should leave morality and parenting to parents, not to an ex-cop and an ex-principal who happen to fill the roles of county commissioners. We didn’t elect these men to tell us what to do with our bodies and we sure don’t care about their personal opinions on drug use. By passing a ban on commercial marijuana operations for recreational purposes outside of city limits they have taken a choice away from businessmen who wish to profit from a legal activity. This is an abuse of their power and I encourage everyone who agrees with what I’ve written today to e-mail Mike Samson and John Martin to tell them that they were not elected to enforce their personal and biblical ideas on the free people of Garfield County.

Dylan Lewis

Silt