I was both angered and embarrassed to see our U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, sitting sullenly through the standing ovations during Volodymyr Zelensky’s impassioned speech at the Capitol on Wednesday. Boebert’s behavior does not represent the attitude or the decorum of so many in this district, who support and encourage his embattled country’s fight for freedom from oppression. For one who supposedly is a fighter and proponent of personal freedoms and the rights of individuals, I cannot understand her lack of support for those who are fighting and dying to protect the freedom of their country from unlawful aggression and oppression.

Was this simply another stunt to embarrass Democratic President Joe Biden because Zelensky spoke on Biden’s watch or an anti-Semitic statement about a Jewish leader? Whatever the reason, I found it to be an affront to dignified behavior from someone who – for better or worse – represents me as a constituent. She has, once again, brought an unwanted and juvenile spotlight to shine on our great state with her antics.

I believe that voters in this district can and should expect better from those who represent us.

Thomas Penn

Durango