Arrest demonstrates lack of fairness, civility

To the Editor:

There are moments when civility should be used by all of us, especially when the reputation of neighbors and acquaintances known for many years are concerned. What occurred in Bessemer on Thursday, May 22, to Bill McDonald, a member of the Bessemer Area School Board of Education, while he was preparing the weekly American Legion Post 27 spaghetti dinner is a perfect example of what I speak.

That an officer of the court, the county prosecutor, Michigan State Police and other elected officials timed this arrest to publicly embarrass and humiliate McDonald is morally reprehensible and ethically questionable. Having multiple MSP officers arrest him demonstrates lack of fairness, common sense and a very real suspicion of conflict of interest among government agencies concerned.

The prosecutor’s secretary could have walked across the street and asked McDonald to stop by the office with his attorney to explain any irregularities in the petitions turned in for the consolidation of the Bessemer and Wakefield-Marensico school districts. Rather, we had this embarrassing situation to all concerned take place and to the good name of a respected citizen of Gogebic County.

Anyone who has known McDonald for any length of time understands that regardless of opinion, he is a man of enthusiastic and passionate energy in pursing his goal of a better education for all and a cost-effective system of management for our schools.

Before this politically frivolous episode is over, others will also suffer from the manner this was conducted by the officials concerned.

John L. Turkal

Bessemer