One of the important aspects of the proposed merger that the consultant group clearly missed is the emotional aspect called pride of place.

Pride of place is a simple concept — people who live in Lewiston, choose to live in Lewiston; people who live in Auburn, choose to live in Auburn. Where they live is their own choice, not the dictates of some old-guard community activist who wants to build a legacy to tell his grandchildren.

All of the slick commercials and signs won’t change voters’ emotional attachment to their home towns. The whole notion of merging is a badly flawed idea. I wish the Joint Charter Commission would just find something else to tell their grandchildren about and leave people alone in the town of our choosing.

Roger Walker, Auburn