Re: “Democrats’ comments touting welfare to lure immigrants under fire” (March 17):

Our taxes support elected representatives who we expect to work together to run our state smoothly. Why did the Maine Republican Party post on their website out-of-context audio recordings of state Reps. Scott Hamann and Jennifer Parker from a recent committee meeting focusing on aid to immigrants?

Why would Republican Party Chairwoman Demi Kouzounas say, “If Mainers could take a day off from their backbreaking work and listen to what liberal politicians are saying about welfare and work, they would be shocked at how out of touch many of their representatives in Augusta are. … No matter how much they lose at the polls, the Democratic Party remains the party of more welfare, less work and more insults for the everyday, hardworking people of our great state”?

When we feel our fires being fanned by politicians, it seems important to question their motivations, to ask why they engage in rhetoric inflaming sentiments. Constituents are not served through manipulation.

Reality has us living in a world where hundreds of thousands of humans are currently being displaced from their homelands because of military conflict and scarce natural resources, food and potable water. They go to other places, Maine included, in order to survive, as you and I would if we were so unfortunate to be in their positions. To me, the relevant questions seem obvious: Will Maine close its borders to immigrants, conserving resources for itself, or will Maine share its resources with world citizens in need?

If we choose to close our borders to immigrants, not offering them assistance as they work to comply with federal laws and become contributing members of our society, then we have to face the truth that we are willing to be active participants in the global genocide now underway.

Joan Newton

South Berwick