Dear Editor:
Last week’s letter by one Stephanie Decet , confirmed by the Secretary of State’s office as “There is no registered voter by the name of Stephanie Decet” (see attached documentation), violates journalistic ethics and threatens every person in Chaffee County who deserves protection from their abuser.
Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault as well as workplace harassment have very good reasons for changing their names. Many abusers continue to stalk their victims even though protective and restraining orders are in place.
The Mountain Mail’s publishing of Stephanie Decet’s letter listing Kimberly Parker’s previous names in an effort to smear her character sends a powerful message to all survivors residing in Chaffee County that their private information could be published in the paper of record and possibly give their abusers information they need to pursue a continuing cycle of violence.
The information presented in Decet’s letter has little to do with qualifications for the office county commissioner and much more to do with intimidating a courageous woman. Mountain Mail sends a powerful message to all vulnerable women and children in Chaffee County, that, “ You have no privacy and you can be exposed in a most profound, threatening and dangerous way at any time.”
Kimberly’s courage is inspiring to me and many other voters in Chaffee County.
I call upon Rusty Granzella to show his courage by strongly condemning this vicious attack on Kimberly’s Parker’s safety by the Mountain Mail. The Mountain Mail owes Kimberly Parker an apology and all of us an answer as to the value of their unprincipled attack on a courageous woman.
JoANNE ALLEN
Buena Vista
Hello Ms. Allen,
There is no registered voter by the name of Stephanie Decet.
Sincerely,
Kerry Colburn
Legal and Policy Analyst
Colorado Secretary of State’s Office
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