To the Editor:

This is in response to a letter in last week’s Cabinet in which it was asserted that Democrats hold private meetings, whereas Republicans welcome all comers. I was named as a person who is particularly unwelcoming.

Democrats of Amherst and Milford have held pot luck suppers at which a guest speaker or occasionally a panel of knowledgeable people hold forth on a topic of current interest. We have always welcomed all progressive thinkers of whatever political party. The person who wrote the letter published last week has in fact attended two such meetings, and no one asked him to leave, although we knew at the time that he was a registered Republican.

The one time we did ask him to leave was from a session held at the Amherst Library at which we offered training for prospective candidates who might wish to run for State Representative on the Democratic ticket. Most people of average intelligence would understand why organizers of such a session would not wish to train a member of the opposing party to run against their candidates.

Graham V. Smith

Chair, Amherst NH Democrats

Chair Hillsborough County Democrats