A Democrat for Copeland
To the Times:
I am a long term Democrat, having lived in Delaware County for about a half century. But I believe we must recognize talent, hard work, intelligence and dedication even when it isn’t in our party.
Case in point, we have a D.A. who has devoted almost her whole working life toward protecting the people of Delaware County. She started in the D.A.’s office after finishing law school at Temple University. She has lived in this area her entire adult life, plus attending grade six through college and law school nearby. She has tried thousands of cases for Delaware County and worked for the Philadelphia-based federal courts in drug enforcement.
Her primary interest is protecting the public, enforcing the law and prosecuting serious wrong doers. She isn’t a politician – her job is law enforcement working for the people in this county. I love the rising tide of Democrats – we will do great things, but we have chosen a weak opponent with limited court experience or law enforcement background. Copeland has prosecuted cases extensively, led task forces and now manages a staff of more than 150 people in the D.A.’s office. This is a serious job for someone with experience and background.
In addition we have waited for 200 years to see a woman elected for this job. Does anybody remember when we got our first woman Supreme Court justice? Sandra Day O’Connor was a staunch Republican who ended up quietly doing much on a number of women’s issues. In our courts we need someone sensitive to women’s issues and that would be our first woman elected D.A., Ms. Copeland. As the presently appointed DA, Copeland like most first women in important jobs did it the usual way by being smarter, working harder and being better prepared than all of her former and current white male counterparts. Recently I heard a woman refer to Copeland as tough – it is hard being blasted by Soros money and an implied connection to Trump when she is about as connected to Trump as I have as a Democrat. Yes, maybe she sounds tough. She has a tough election fight, not based on her strength and dedication and hard work.
Copeland is warm and compassionate and kind; she will lead Delaware County as a nonpolitical D.A., serving all of us fairly and equally regardless of party, gender or any of the things that might divide us – and she will be the first person in 200 years to recognize things that affect woman as only a woman can do.
“We have waited for 200 years to see a woman elected for this job.”
— Ruth Sower