Rep. Dan Kelley
Newton
There are some things we can just count on — summer always ends too soon, the Chicago Cubs will always have “next year” and Michael Ware will always have a bone to pick with me.
Here we go again. Ware is the owner of Controlled Chaos Arms gun-shop, and a leader in the extreme gun lobby at the Capitol. His unethical lobbying techniques have earned him distrust from legislators on both side of the aisle. He’s personally contacted me hundreds of times. He demands extreme gun laws, including one to arm children, and he personally insults me. That’s his right. But he’s wrong.
He’s upset, but it’s easy to see why. As the Jasper County spokesman for the extreme gun lobby, he’s downright angry that he’s fighting a losing battle. He’s entitled to his opinion, and he’s entitled to a courteous response to anything he sends me. But, I represent all residents of Newton and surrounding communities, not just him. So whatever his objections are, I will continue to oppose arming schoolchildren.
Interestingly, Mr. Ware shies away from his extreme views in his public letters and instead criticizes me for doing my job. In his most recent letter to this newspaper, he’s upset about the Department of Transportation and the Baxter interchange. He’s angry at me, but he needs to direct his anger elsewhere.
For example, earlier this year, I encouraged him to contact me concerning the safety of our public roads and bridges. Some in the courthouse cried foul and, in fact, the Baxter Mayor even stated, “State Legislators have no control over local roads.” I disagree. Legislators indeed have a role to play with the state DOT. For that reason, as I have long done, I will continue to insist that whatever the Department of Transportation decides regarding the roads in Jasper County is done with one goal in mind: keeping our people safe.
So, I will continue to encourage the director of the Department of Transportation to make sure DOT personnel live up to their duties in light of the difficulties with the interchange. Regardless of Ware’s opinion, I believe that’s my job. I’ll keep doing it.
I am proud to serve as your state representative. We must continue to work together to make this a great place to live, work and raise a family, and I thank you for the continued opportunity you have given me to serve.