Country Grieves Senseless Assassination
This week our country grieves a senseless assassination of a mother and father; public official and her husband in Minnesota. A heartbreaking reminder of how dangerously polarized our politics have become.
Our small town may seem a world away from violence, but we are not immune to the ripple effects of the national climate. I have watched, with growing concern, how our own local discourse has shifted. Respectful disagreements are now overshadowed by public attacks — in meetings, in letters, and online. People who step forward to serve, whether elected, appointed, or volunteering, are being accused and vilified of breaking ethics laws or being part of conspiracies, often without cause or context, beyond assumptions and disagreements.
This isn’t who we are, and it’s certainly not the example we should be setting for the next generation of civic leaders — who would want to step into that kind of climate? What are we doing to help the division when we are constantly trying to police others and not be accountable to ourselves and our own actions?
I want to be clear: I am committed to holding our government accountable. I serve alongside many of you, and I take that responsibility seriously. But I also refuse to be a part of the public shaming that has come to define too much of our local conversation. When I speak out, it will not be just to stir controversy — I will do so with facts, documentation, and intention. Our voices matter, and so does the way we use them.
We must not confuse civility with silence. We must not dismiss valid criticism in the name of “keeping the peace.” And we certainly must not weaponize disagreement as a tool to censure, shame, or ostracize those who show up and do the work. Democracy doesn’t ask us to always agree. But it does ask us to respect one another, even when we don’t.
It’s time we stopped trying to police each other’s tone or social media presence and, instead, focus on what we came here to do: serve the town we love. Most of us are volunteers. We give our time, our energy, and often our peace of mind because we care deeply. We all want to improve our schools, protect our water, make smart decisions with limited resources, and leave our community better than we found it. That should be the shared goal — not tearing one another down or stacking boards with friends so we don’t have to worry about dissent. Democracy needs dissenters.
The violence in Minnesota is a chilling reminder that words have weight, and actions have consequences. We can not allow our town to slip further into a culture of blame and suspicion. Let’s lead with empathy. Let’s give each other the benefit of the doubt. And let’s remember why we’re here in the first place.
This is our town. Our shared responsibility. Our opportunity to do better — for each other, and for those who will come after us.
In solidarity, Jess Fidalgo, Fairhaven
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