No one is an island.

That seemed to be a big part of Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley’s message to Selma at the monthly Buttonhole Breakfast Thursday.

Held by the Centre for Commerce, Baxley used the visit as a chance to speak to the business and civic leadership of Selma and encourage them to work together.

Baxley’s message was simple and universal: Nothing can be done without the citizens of any community, state or local, coming together.

Baxley said everyone must be heard, and no voice can be ignored in building a community that helps everyone equally. Baxley pointed out, as all responsible citizens know, that without criticism or opposing viewpoints, someone is going unheard.

In many different circumstances, both public and private, certain parties may be inclined to take the criticism of others as a personal attack.

In order to keep improving our government, our businesses and our lives, all ideas and viewpoints need to be heard and considered, because without a full representation something, or more importantly, someone gets left out.

All too often, people forget that a democracy is designed to thrive on the opposing viewpoint.

Baxley’s message, that every viewpoint should be heard, is a positive one, and a welcome one.

The Selma Times-Journal hopes that our own locally elected officials take this message to heart, and not only tolerate criticism and opposing views, but encourage them.

The result will be a more active community and a more economically viable one, as any industry coming into Selma will want to know their interests will be represented fully.

While encouraging outside ideas may be time consuming, the ultimate goal of our city is not to save time, but to become a better community.

Lt. Gov. Baxley realizes this and the Times-Journal hopes the leaders of our community do as well.