Time to address the elephant in the room. When has it become acceptable in American politics to assault, threaten, intimidate, or bully the opposition party. When simply announcing a candidacy in a mayoral race makes you the target of death threats, threats to your children and physical assault. This is not normal, and should never be condoned.
In the course of the last few weeks, a reporter was assaulted by a man subsequently elected to the House of Representatives, a Texas legislator insinuate shooting a colleague from an opposing party in the head, in the Wisconsin legislature reminding a colleague that he is armed before she casts a vote, a Kansas candidate for the House of Representatives drop from a race amid death threats and threats against her family and now, in Binghamton, a Mayoral candidate assaulted for simply entering a race.
This is not the America we all love. This should be unacceptable, yet we accept it. The political leaders Mayor Rich David, Rep. Claudia Tenney are silent. I can only guess as to their reason for pretending mute on the subject, because they have offered no other stance. It is because it is on their collective behalf as part of the ruling party. This should not be what we expect from our so-called leaders. We should expect a rebuke of these tactics even if not full-throated. Silence and acceptance is what we have in return. The only reason I can understand for the complicity of our local leadership is that they are the beneficiaries of these disgusting tactics.
I am disheartened by the actions of these thugs, but am enraged by the collective acceptance of these actions by our public servants that purport to be the voice of the citizenry. I am appalled that condemnation has not rained down on the perpetrators and this is now acceptable form of legislating and electioneering. We are better than this, but only if we demand it of ourselves and our public servants. I worry about the direction this country has seemingly taken. We in upstate New York are a kind and pragmatic people, this is not who we are and we should demand more from our elected representatives.
John Juraska
3 Chamberlain St
Binghamton
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