To the Editor:

The episode the American people recently witnessed beginning the 118th Congress should be remembered as we begin the next two years and beyond. Yes, a handful of congressional members prevented the House of Representatives from advancing to other business but it was not without valiant cause and purpose.

The attempt to paint these members as far or extreme and to label the event as chaotic is anti-American at its core. We give all opinions, representation, and convictions equal merit here in the United States.

We also conduct the people’s business publicly through representative votes that sometimes take time. Those few members had enough of a coalition to stand up against a quick advancement of a predetermined idea and successfully held out for changes they felt were necessary.

It appears we may all end up in a better place for it. If in fact our federal agencies will be checked for crossing the line on numerous recent occasions, then we all win.

If House bills are restricted to a single subject and representatives are held accountable for every vote, then we all win. If a small few with enough courage and conviction can stand up against groupthink and eroding individualism to create positive change, then we all win.

Let’s hope and pray that the work this new Congress began so courageously helps to bring our communities back together while promoting the uniqueness of every individual and protecting the freedoms we so desperately don’t want to lose.

Christopher Longo

Guilderland

Editor’s note: Christopher Longo is a member of the Guilderland Planning Board.