‘Powerful out-of-state donors’
An article in The Commercial Dispatch on October 17 refers to Mississippi Safety and Justice, a political super PAC supporting Scott Colom in his bid to be elected District Attorney of Lowndes, Oktibbeha, Noxubee and Clay counties, as if this support was inimical to a free and fair election.
If you are getting mail sponsored by the Open Society Foundation, you may be curious about its claim to fame. What exactly is the Open Society? According to its Mission Statement: “The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people.”
In the United States, “the Open Society Foundations aim to nurture the development of a society that allows all people to participate equitably in political, economic, and cultural life; encourages diverse opinions and critical debate; protects human rights; and promotes broadly shared prosperity and security.”
George Soros is the founder and chairman of Open Society — “a network of foundations, partners, and projects in more than 100 countries.” His commitment to the idea of an open society — “where rights are respected, government is accountable, and no one has the monopoly on the truth”– makes the Open Society Foundation a unique endeavor. George Soros began this work in 1979 after he had amassed a fortune. So who is George Soros? Essentially he is a man who gives away money to good causes such as promoting social justice, human rights and free enterprise because prosperity and social justice are linked.
The Open Society Foundation must believe that we need encouragement here in Mississippi to elect a fair-minded district attorney and to see the need to right wrongs or overcome inertia stuck on a same old, same old status quo.
Elizabeth Simpson
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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