I write this letter in defense of playing nice.

I recently attended a public meeting that one of our county supervisors attended. Eight people attended, including the supervisor.

Three individuals seemed to be there only to challenge this supervisor regarding the Lake County Board of Supervisors’ vote on an ordinance regulating marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of Lake County.

They accused the supervisor of accepting a monetary bribe for voting in favor of the ordinance.

Name calling, innuendos, lack of courtesy do not promote positive outcomes.

The few who were there to confront the supervisor were rude. They did not allow the common courtesy of letting each person express their views without being interrupted by rude side comments.

However, when they were speaking common courtesy was expected.

I am a passionate person, so I know how it feels to be passionate about an issue.

Courteous and respectful debates generally result in finding common ground somewhere in the middle.

Maybe the outcome isn’t exactly what we want, but that is the foundation our country was built on: Finding common ground that addresses opposing views.

I think that is what our supervisors tried to do: Find a compromise between those who want dispensaries banned, and those that want them to be unregulated.

All individuals who wish to do business in Lake County have guidelines imposed by the county and state governments. The guidelines vary and are based on type of business, location, products sold, services rendered, etc.

Dispensaries are a business and as such should be treated as other businesses in Lake County with guidelines to follow.

All those present at the meeting agreed that medical marijuana seems to help people and those individuals should be allowed access to their medicine.

One person stated that he does possess a marijuana card, but that he got it purely for recreational purposes.

Other comments were made regarding having to hide the use of marijuana, yet people are allowed to drink and use pharmaceuticals openly.

After a few more rude comments, two people at the meeting got up to leave clearly angry, and one commented that the room was full of bigots.

I looked up the definition of a bigot: “One who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed, opinion, etc.”

The comment reminded me of the old saying, “When you point your finger at someone, there are three pointing back at you.”

Clearly some people have forgotten how to play nice.

Linda Diehl-Darms lives in Middletown, Calif.