With respect to the matter concerning County Councilor Michelle Belkot (“Fellow Clark County councilors oust Michelle Belkot from C-Tran board after she broke ranks on vote,” The Columbian, March 13), the great Edmund Burke made the following observation to the electors of Bristol, which we ought to consider: “But his (in this case, a member of Parliament’s) unbiassed opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. These he does not derive from your pleasure; no, nor from the law and the constitution. They are a trust from Providence, for the abuse of which he is deeply answerable. Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion.” Belkot used her judgment, which I dare say reflected the judgment of the great majority of Clark County residents, in opposing the extension of light rail into the county. Like Burke, she was elected to use her judgment, not to be an automaton. The council’s sacking of her was legal, no doubt, but it was wrong, and deserves the rebuke of the electorate at the earliest opportunity.