A dark day in Pennsylvania

Today I will be attending a candidate networking event in Waltham, and I hope to meet many residents enthusiastic about defending democracy and championing respect for everyone’s time and attention. However, I am very concerned about the tragic events that occurred in Pennsylvania yesterday.

I was born and grew up in Pennsylvania, and many times I’ve toured the battlefields at Gettysburg — a solemn reminder of what can happen when political discourse truly breaks down.

I strongly condemn violence in pursuit of political change or intimidation. Regardless of how much we disagree with each other’s policies, any steps toward violence in politics can portend the end of the great American experiment. We cannot let that happen. The stakes are too high.

The incident yesterday also reminded me of an off handed comment (and presumably intended joke) that occurred in the Waltham Housing Summit the other week, where a Waltham resident — frustrated with the lack of progress by the city government — joked that “domestic terrorism” might be the only way to see progress on housing.

I shook my head at this in dismay, but I realize now that I should have stood up and said something in the room. Even in a joking manner, political violence should never be part of the political discussion in America, because we never know how others (especially younger folks or those that are mentally disturbed) will interpret such comments.

My heart goes out to the victim of yesterday’s shooting, former President Trump for the injury he suffered, and to everyone in America who supports a free and open society. I can only hope that this “near miss” assassination attempt can be an opportunity for the country to reflect and deescalate our rhetoric.