DEAR EDITOR:
In recent weeks and months everyone in this area has heard plenty about, and formed an opinion about, fracking. I am now hearing about people who want local legislators to pass laws preventing such activity.
At what point does the opinion of a few have the right to stop me from doing what I think is right? I do not have, but know people who, have enough acreage to profit from what is in the ground that they paid for. Who are these people to say that those who stand to profit do not have that right? The last time I checked this was still a free country.
I would like to know how many of these people do not own enough property to be paid and how many would have a different opinion if there was a fat check in it for them. Everyone in this area is strapped for cash and has the right to do anything within the law to make money. Now we have these people who say that they have more right to private property than the person who sacrificed to buy the land.
It is my opinion that these people would take a stand if someone was trying to decide for them what they can or cannot do with their property and they need to respect the rights of their neighbor to do the same. If they want the right to say what people are allowed to do then let them pay the same amount as the oil companies are to stop people from drilling. Until that happens they need to just go back into the hole they crawled out of.
Tod Johnson
Leavittsburg