I’m as bigoted as the next idiot. I know the right choice for senator is Tom Allen, but my heart sure wishes it were Susan Collins. After Michael Collins’ brilliant and heroic leadership during Ireland’s struggle for freedom, Irish have a sentimental reverence to the name itself.

Collins comes from the county. My mother’s family is from the county for five generations. On my mother’s knee I learned Aroostook County produced the best of people and potatoes.

Yet, try as I might, I can’t ignore that when Olympia Snowe stood up to Bush’s disastrous spending, she had no backing from Collins, who should have been backbone itself, if true to her surname.

Apart from not being from the western part of the state, I can’t find a darn thing wrong with Tom Allen. Just this once, I’ll do the right thing and vote my conscience, not my prejudice.

Sorry, Ma.

Tom Bulger, Avon