News - Tabor Takes Heavy Hits

News

Tabor Takes Heavy Hits

Delta Township -- State Representative Susan Tabor's campaign slogan Another Neighbor for Tabor has backfired, and constituents rally instead that they are Neighbors NOT FOR Tabor.

All this after Representative Tabor, District 71, underhandedly introduced and fast tracked a bill that would have opened the door for shooters to hunt mourning doves. Bill 6147 was cunningly introduced after the November 2000 election and pushed through a lame duck session.

Letters to Tabor and to the editors of the Lansing State Journal, Grand Ledge Independent and Delta Waverly Community News have decried the action as cruel and legislatively irresponsible. Tabor continues to take heavy hits from constituents and other citizens of Michigan, including concerned citizens and sportsmen alike.

Tabor herself has admitted that the lack of support from sportsmen on opening a mourning dove season has been discouraging, "I've been very frustrated with the sportsmen, because I get letters that say, 'I like to hunt, but I don't care about (hunting) mourning doves.'"

Tabor, however, claimed the flood of letters directed against her initiative fly in the face of reason and common courtesy "whether you're watching birds or hunting birds, there is no reason we can't all share." The one ounce of breast meat being too small to serve didn't fly with Tabor either: "I would ask people: Do you eat shrimp? I've tasted them (mourning doves), and they're delicious to eat."

She continued to insult the voting public countering their reasons of opposition as "emotional" and attempted to disparagingly label the majority's opinion (including the majority of hunters) as "anti-hunting." She snidely remarked of people who disagreed with her special interest agenda as "a very unlikable group" and complained that "these missives" have flocked to her office since January.

The consistent theme of letters: Susan Tabor is not representing the view of the majority in District 71. Sportsmen assert the "type" wanting this legislation passed are shooters, not hunters. Others ran down the list of negative bills full of dirty politics aimed to push through historically unpopular legislation complete with deceptive amendments and provisions designed to prevent public recourse.

Tabor attempted to shift focus by claiming most of the opposing letters to editors came from writers outside of her district - which was untrue. In fact, it was the few letters supporting her stance that came from outside her district (all in the same week) -- all of which seemed a result of some transparent public relations ploy to community residents.

Tabor continues to disregard the majority and reaffirmed that "she" feels very strongly Michigan should have a mourning dove season. "The issue," Tabor said, "is not dead. I would like to introduce that bill again, but, as they say, in politics, timing is everything."

Letters continue to be published on a weekly basis. To voice your opinion, submit your letter to:

Letter to the Editor
Lansing State Journal
120 E Lenewee
Lansing, MI 48919
Fax: 517-377-1298
opinions@lsj.com Letter to the Editor
Grand Ledge Independent/Delta Waverly News
11963 W Andre Dr
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
Fax: 517-627-3497
jnagel@cn.homecomm.net