Meet your new mute representatives

The silence we're hearing from the Taj Mahal in Jefferson and the offices of newly elected state representatives over the proposed Mount Jefferson closure is becoming deafening.

So far, the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, the Ashe County Board of Realtors, the Jefferson Board of Aldermen, Lonnie Adamson at the Jefferson Post and Ron Fitzwater at the Ashe Mountain Times have pleaded for public support to keep Ashe County's majestic lady open. Even Rep. Cullie Tarleton and Sen. Steve Goss have weighed in with their support for the mountain.

But no one's heard a peep from new Representative-elect Jonathan Jordan, Senator-elect Dan Soucek or the Ashe County Board of Commissioners. If this is how they're going to govern, it's going to be a long, dark two years for Ashe County.

Com'n guys, is this even a debatable issue for you? Mount Jefferson and New River State Park brought an estimated 268,000 people to the county in 2009, and spent an estimated $6.3 million if you use the state park economic impact figures.

If this governing thing is going to be a problem, please let someone know. If you can't even voice an opinion on closing the county's most well-known landmark, God help us when you have to actually tackle a tough issue.