This Is Why I Ran for Dresden Town Justice
“Do the good deed that needs to be done.” I think about that “good deed” every time I drive by Comstock and Washington County Prisons in Granville, NY. Especially at night, the prison’s low eerie light seems to illuminate the devastation of the lives within those walls…employees as well as inmates.
I ran for Dresden Town Justice because in some small way I wanted to inject more compassion into the court system. As early as the 18th century in this country some Quakers and Calvinists tried to inject rehabilitation rather than destruction into the prison system. Today we call these attempts Restorative Justice which tries to repair the harm done if possible but not destroy the person who did it. The offender should be offered the opportunity to give back to the community what she or he took away.
I thank the 100 people who voted for me in person and in absentee ballot. I lost this election; however, I encourage the people of Dresden to run for public office because many good deeds still need to be accomplished in our town. Run for office rather than from office!
Helenmarie Sunkenberg