To the Editor:

Mark Meadows represents a district that covers over 6,600 square miles and a constituent base of nearly 750,000 people. Notice the word “represents.” He is supposed to be our representative. 

Yet it has been over one year since he had a town hall — August 7, 2017, at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock. That was the last and only town hall he has had since he was re-elected in 2016. Given the size of the district, it would have taken over two hours for someone from Blowing Rock to have driven to Flat Rock to have been heard and about two-and-a-half hours from Murphy, in the west. That’s if that one day, which apparently was convenient for Meadows, could have worked with the schedules of the working people in Murphy or Blowing Rock.

As of today, August 10, Meadows’ website does not show that he has any town halls planned for this year — not a single one anywhere in the district. I am left wondering: why? Why is he not actively seeking input from his constituents so that he can represent us? Why has he held only a single Town Hall in one location in nearly two years? Why is he not interested in listening to and understanding our worries, concerns, needs? Why has he in the past forced people in the far reaches of the district to drive two hours plus to be heard? Why does he make it so difficult for constituents to be able to face him to ask questions and get answers? What is he afraid of?

Finally, why should we support a representative who does not seem to be interested in listening to and truly representing us?

Maria Chasins

Cashiers