I am writing to you, not as the wife of a council member, but as a citizen of State College Borough. I usually refrain from actively engaging in rhetoric concerning Borough issues, but a deep concern over the Mayor's veto of the Fair Housing Ordinance based on Federal guidelines makes it necessary for me to address those concerns in this letter.

I had planned to do this at the July 3 council meeting, but the one minute limit made it clear that you were not really interested in listening to citizens. It is my hope that you will read this letter, because it presents a view from outside the battle zone where thoughts are sometimes more clear and reasoning more logical.

I ask that Council Members and Mayor (Arnold) Addison review the history of our freedoms and why our forefathers established those freedoms so soundly that only the resounding vote of all could change or alter the design.

Constitutional amendment is the long and difficult challenge necessary to change our freedoms. This master design which our forefathers gave us to protest our freedoms, was done so because they feared most the possibility of lessening our freedoms by change, additions, or restrictions.

Throughout our history as a nation, the government has protected these freedoms as they relate to all Americans.

Lifestyles in America change and vary as we are free to pick and choose those in which we live and those to which we relate. We choose a lifestyle that suits us personally, makes us happy, fulfills our desires both moral or immoral, and satisfies our needs. This is what America is, freedom of choice.

Specifically indicating one chosen lifestyle over another in any legislation narrows our freedoms.

America has been made up of people living many different and changing life-styles including: Hippies of the 70's, Pilgrims, the Oakies, Moonies, Yuppies, Hell's Angels, the Shakers, or the Flower Children. Can you, Borough Council, truly legislate for one chosen lifestyle -- some loved, some hated, some feared -- without infringing on the freedom of another lifestyle?

I have always believed that the Council reviews each ordinance as to its current and future impact on the health, safety and welfare of all citizens. Citizens are allowed to have input into this review at open hearings and the ordinance is weighed by the wisdom of the council, then voted.

Could you, the Borough Council, legislate fair housing for some chosen lifestyle because the Mayor tells you he has made a commitment, and you must approve it or he will be ashamed of you for making him look bad.

With a stroke of your pen, Mayor Addison, you dispelled freedoms by trying to force passage of a Housing Ordinance which narrows our freedoms by containing items concerned with discrimination against specific chosen lifestyles of homosexuality and cohabitation. The decision concerning what lifestyle is acceptable, is for many citizens a moral decision.

Forced decisions concerning moral issues usually make the situation worse instead of better. You set one group against another causing polarization of people; thus, friction begins and infringement results. Soon, the courts are besieged with costly, news-making cases, and as a result the behavior of people becomes more discriminatory.

I love America, blessed with freedom where I am free to decide what lifestyle is suitable for me and acceptable to me. This is America where freedom is precious. I ask Mayor Addison to reverse his veto.

If he will not reverse his veto, I ask the Borough Council to override his veto and pass the Fair Housing Ordinance based on federal statutes, a law that is in order with the America lifestyle called freedom.