DEAR EDITOR:

For a person or a nation to succeed, become better and stronger, especially in today’s world, there are some basic, fundamental skills we as individuals and any populace must have.

Those elements and skills that are necessary to analyze and respond to complex, not easily understood or accepted situations are emotional, social and critical thinking skills.

To introduce and implement the doctrine of critical thinking, one must have available facts, evidence, observations and supporting arguments to form a decision as to an accepted, progressive, positive impact response or action.

It is important to understand that assumptions or false accusations should not ever enter the discussion when applying critical thinking.

When the facts, evidence and observations are not provided, hidden or excluded from review, evaluation or assessment, well critical thinking is no longer capable.

The noted required elements supporting critical thinking can be shrouded, not available by defining them as illegal, and banned from public access.

Such as banning certain books, certain acts or even certain words, language that we have seen currently occurring, under the umbrella of protection.

When the, much-needed capability to invoke critical thinking is removed, interrupted or weakened, someone else must make the decision, set mandates or tell you what to and not to do.

These may appear valid, but again your thoughts were corrupted, shrouded by the inability to invoke critical thinking.

Often this reliance can hurt an individual or a nation itself; such impact can include dangerous and costly errors, bad decisions, failed systems and inaction when action is needed.

It is then that we, as an individual or a nation, realize a different approach must be considered and taken.

Give me all the facts and all the information, allow me to observe the situation and conditions that need addressed, and by implementing critical thinking, I can make my own decisions as to how I want to address the concern. As a nation, those same facts and observations must be presented, and not hidden, ignored, banned or deemed illegal.

God bless America.

JOHN P. LESEGANICH SR.

Canfield