Several weeks ago, I happened to catch an Armstrong Cable broadcast of our county commissioners' monthly public meeting in which Commissioner James Lokhaiser said what I judged to be some very rude and demeaning things to a citizen following a public comment segment.

Realizing that the two gentlemen probably are not best friends, I was nevertheless shocked by the total lack of professionalism and decorum on Lokhaiser's part. I think we have a right to expect better behavior from our public servants.

My next move was entirely out of character for me. I wrote Lokhaiser a very polite, but to the point, letter in which I expressed in no uncertain terms my disappointment and suggested that he offer an apology to the gentleman in the same venue in which the insult was made.

There, I thought, that ought to do it. Now all I would have to do is sit back and wait for the next public meeting to see the fruit of my labor. After all, how could any reasonable person not see it my way and rush to make it right?

Let's just say I was disappointed. Not only was there no public apology offered, but there was another personal attack by Lokhaiser on the same citizen following the public comment segment, during which the gentleman had asked some very hard questions that obviously were out of the commissioners' comfort zone.

There also was no personal response to me from Lokhaiser.

My next move surprised even me. I sent Chairman Commissioner Dale Pinkerton a copy of the letter I wrote to Lokhaiser, along with a letter explaining why I was involving him. I suggested that since Lokhaiser was unwilling to "step up," that it fell to him to offer an apology on behalf of the commissioners.

And, I indicated that, because of his lack of leadership in allowing this situation to continue, it would be appropriate for him to offer an apology of his own.

I suppose by now I should be used to disappointment. There has been no public or private response from either commissioner.

Now, I'm not naive. I hardly expect any elected official to jump when I say, nor do I expect them to sit quietly while being challenged. But their responses, in public, must be measured and thoughtful.

An elected representative of the people has a higher obligation to be respectful, especially when he or she disagrees with us. Elected officials were not elected to criticize, chastise or demean us, but to take the high road, whenever possible, and lead us toward prosperity, security and civility.

That should and must be their ultimate goal.

So, I guess the honest reason I wrote this is to ask others to please get involved. Too many times we turn a blind eye to things that we know in our hearts are wrong. All too often we allow elected officials to behave rudely or unreasonably without so much as a word of objection.

The offices they hold are only temporarily entrusted to them by us. We are the ultimate controlling authority.

We must exercise that control. We must use our voices.