New respect for Hovis

Even though we find ourselves in the midst of a time where everyone has a virtual platform to speak their minds, it can sometimes be hard to cut through the noise in order to address the real concerns that we have in our communities. It's easy to get in a Facebook argument with someone who disagrees on abortion rights, but it is so much more difficult to have a productive discussion with those who are responsible for the legislation on such issues. Having said that, I was able to attend the In-District meeting with Rep Barry Hovis that the constituents in Southeast Missouri sponsored in June. I was very grateful that Mr. Hovis agreed to attend the meeting, as I think it gave his constituents an opportunity to feel as though they were truly heard.

Even though I strongly disagree with his opinions, even now, I respect him for addressing the concerns of his constituents head-on. Although it was difficult, it meant a lot to me that he was willing to do that. I sincerely hope that other representatives in Southeast Missouri, such as State Representative Kathy Swan, State Senator Wayne Wallingford and Congressman Jason Smith are willing to defend their support of abortion bans and access to contraception in a public forum where the people are allowed to hold them accountable and ask important questions face-to-face, and not just through a computer screen.

ZACHARY HUNN, Cape Girardeau