"When statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties ... they lead their country by a short route to chaos." When playwright John Bolt attributed this quote to Sir Thomas More in his 1960 work, "A Man For All Seasons," he was criticizing politicians who see no pause in sacrificing their beliefs for political expediency. The public has come to regard this sad trait in politicians as acceptable.

It is not only unusual, then, but particularly shocking in our time to find an individual in public office who is willing to sacrifice personal gain for his beliefs. Your Feb. 25 article about reform-minded John Blust invokes that type of shock as he has seen his position relegated to the back rows and dungeons of the state House in exchange for preserving his integrity.

For those citizens who still care about what goes on in Raleigh (and how that impacts your community), now is the time to support principled public servants like John Blust and reroute the ship away from destination chaos.

Eric A. Richardson
Greensboro