Most of a July 3 letter about the 2012 campaign ("Do your homework; don't be manipulated") I can agree with. I completely disagree, however, with the advice of the writer's father, 42 years ago, to "never tell anyone (especially relatives) how you are going to vote." In 1970, communications possibilities were very different than they are today -- far more primitive, but paradoxically more open and honest than now. Today, people can and do balkanize themselves into affinity groups, where they have no need to consider any opinion other than their parochial view. This fragmentation is dangerous to our democracy. I'm probably a bit older than the letter writer. My wonderful father and mother are both long departed, and to this day I can't tell you how they voted. It was their notion. It may have worked then, but it is not good now.
DICK BERNARD, Woodbury
