Put your thoughts in Focus

Today, the Havre Daily News launches its Community Focus feature. People from throughout the community have volunteered to write columns and take part in a community dialogue on issues — large and small — that face the Hi-Line, Montana and the world.

Mary Heller starts the series with a column on her firmly held beliefs on gun rights.

John Kelleher

If you agree or disagree with Heller's comments, please join the conversation. Write a letter to the editor, post a comment on havredailynews.com, or, better yet, write a column of your own and we will include it in the Community Focus series.

This page has always included columnists from all sides of the political spectrum. And we will continue to have columns such as Michelle Malkin and Donald Kaul.

But the real goal of this page is to get people talking to one another.

It seems that today, most people talk with people they already agree with.

A good back-and-forth on the issues can get the creative juices flowing and get people to talk, so we hope this feature will help encourage this.

We think a good, old-fashioned debate is what is needed on most issues. And Hi-Liners have a long history of holding strong opinions.

It doesn't always have to be an important issue like abortion or gun control.

One person promises to write a column on how good the schools are on the Hi-Line.

And another person promises to write a column about what drives her crazy about Havre people — how they always complain about the town. We would welcome columns on everything from the weather to the perceived notion that there's nothing to do here.

So, if you want to talk back to Mary Heller or add your own opinions, send us a letter — or better yet, write your own Community Focus column. Email it to the address below.