To the editor:

Last week's Phoenix contained two letters from members of the Bristol County Concerned Citizens, criticizing me for a letter I submitted the previous week regarding local political candidates and their affiliations and relationships with the BCCC.

The entire point of my letter was to highlight various local political candidates who have very cozy relationships with the BCCC, a group that features controversial and divisive speakers such as Erika Sanzi and Pat Morgan, but when it comes election time, these candidates try and downplay their relationships with the BCCC in an attempt to pander for votes from a more liberal constituency. Unfortunately, the two letter writers from the BCCC who attempted to discredit me mistakenly believed I was attacking the BCCC, which is patently false.

As I have stated repeatedly, I have no problem at all with the BCCC. They are a private political advocacy group which I consider to be a right-wing offshoot of the Republican party, and they have every right to support any candidates of their choosing. My problem is with the candidates who are not honest and forthcoming with their affiliation with the BCCC, which can mislead many voters.

As a liberal progressive, I'm proud to publicly state I support a woman's right to safe, legal, and easily accessible abortion, I believe the wealthy should pay more in taxes, I support LGBTQ rights, and I'm a strong advocate for public schools and a modern day curriculum which teaches sex education and the oppression that persons of color and other minority groups have suffered over the years.

Unfortunately, Bristol has had many self serving politicians over the years who have dodged or ignored those politically sensitive issues for their own selfish political gain, but hopefully come election time, they will grow a spine and state their beliefs, so the voters can see where they truly stand on those issues.

The political landscape in Bristol has changed drastically over the years, and as the election approaches, we will see if the local candidates will choose to embrace the BCCC mantra of "traditional American and Bristol family values" (whatever that means), or will they choose to move the town forward instead of living in the past.

Mike Proto
245 Chestnut St.