Letter to the Editor

To the editor:
We are writing in response to your Sept. 21 editorial affirming the Sunset Hills Board of Aldermen for voting to oppose any effort to unify the city of St. Louis with St. Louis County.
We understand that local control of government is desirable and agree that we are blessed with good leaders in Sunset Hills.
However, the belief that we can flourish in our corner of the community while our neighbors in the city flounder is sadly mistaken. Ward 1 Alderman Dee Baebler, here are two residents in favor of the county and city joining forces.
The protests we have seen rock the region have as their foundation the assessment that for too long we, the “haves” in cozy enclaves like Sunset Hills, have directly or indirectly failed to treat those “others” in our city as we would like to be treated. We have excluded “others” based on their income, accent, faith, skin color, ZIP code or high school.
We fail to see that unless St. Louis thrives as a region, we will fail together. When you fly out of town, watch the Cardinals or the Blues or tell someone from Florida where you are from, it is St. Louis. We must work together for the good of all, not allowing our fears, busy schedules, distance, or “superior quality of life” to blind us to our calling to serve our neighbors — all of them.
Dr. Keith and Kathy Odegard
Sunset Hills