Florida resident offers thoughts on “doers” column

 Dear editor,

 An acquaintance sent me a copy of your June 24 “What’s Going On” article. Permit me to offer just a quick note from down here on the  Gulf coast where the Goodemotes used to live. I very much appreciated  your ‘doer’ article and can testify that Rod hasn’t changed much since he left to be nearer to family. 

While here, whether working on his horse ranch or helping repair a widow’s roof, he was much involved in  community life--and always in motion. To your point, every community needs more Horners and Goodemotes. But I appeal to you to see purpose must count as much as personal dynamism, energy, and resolve. In other words, what is the outcome of someone’s activity? Is society better off, or not, due to someone’s willingness to be a ‘doer’? 

Hitler was very much a ‘doer’ yet would we say the world was better off for his zeal and dynamic energy aimed at expanding Fascism  throughout the world? Many European Jews were thankful to just still be alive by 1945—and at least six million were not. 

Likewise, while I appreciate your pointing to two dynamic Red Oak notables as doers, not mere whiners, shouldn’t we ask what is the end result of their work? I submit it matters. 

In Horner’s case, babies who no  one wanted will never enjoy an Iowa sunrise. In Goodemote’s case, babies will live, through Red Oak saying “we don’t want Planned Parenthood’s idea of remote control death-for-a-fee.” Does the result of dedicated, go-getters like Horner and Goodemote matter?

Yes, it does. Or at least it should.

Erik Stoer

Freeport, Florida