Letter to the Editor: Writer calls for representative to do better

The open letter from House Republicans to Gov. John Carney (“Republicans urge Carney to end COVID restrictions now,” Feb. 18) was signed by several well-intentioned individuals, I have no doubt. Everyone wants to move on from this extended pandemic and live their lives according to previous norms. It is reasonable to speculate about what conditions must be met in order to do so.

However, I must call out my representative of District 41, Rich Collins, a signer of this letter. Collins’ abysmal lack of leadership on the issue is largely responsible for his district to include areas with low full-vaccination rates, according to the delaware.gov Coronavirus Data Dashboard. At best, Collins has been indifferent, leading from behind uninformed constituent opinions. Collins seems more interested in appeasing his misinformed base. Leadership requires taking positions for the good of one’s constituents, even if unpopular. Collins has not demonstrated such courage.

In his July 20, 2020, newsletter, Collins supported the proposition that COVID-19 is not a dire threat to the general public. He also posted an opinion on social media on Sept. 4, 2020, that the curve was flattened four months prior and accused Gov. Carney of being a “single leader imposing his paternalistic will on all citizens.” Anyone can be made to look foolish given the benefit of hindsight. However, Collins’ misguided and inflammatory statements are part of a pattern of dividing us into adversarial camps.

If Collins had led on the issue and worked to bring vaccination rates within his district in line with the state’s numbers, we would be much closer to the end of this dark era in Delaware. Thank goodness for leaders like Gov. Carney, who look out for the welfare of their constituents knowing they may be subject to undeserved criticism from the likes of Collins. It is because of Gov. Carney’s leadership that the state has achieved the vaccination rates cited in the Republicans’ letter.

Mr. Collins, it is you and other non-leaders like you that hold the state back and prevent Delaware from achieving the vaccination and hospitalization rates statewide that would allow us to move on. You don’t get to cite positive data as reason to drop restrictions when you have actively prevented us from achieving the necessary thresholds that real leaders work to attain for the general welfare of all Delawareans.

Representative District 41 deserves better than Richard Collins!

Tom Brett

Millsboro