In contrast to national politics, I would very much like our city to be an exemplar of civil political discourse. No one ever changed their mind or opinion because someone else was disrespectful, disparaging of their efforts, or called them a bad name. All too often, in letters to the editor, political speeches, or informational pamphlets, I witness people enemizing and demeaning those with whom they disagree.
Let me propose five “rules of engagement” for the upcoming political season: 1. Never treat your opponents as the enemy. 2. Always respect what other people have done, or are doing, in their efforts to make Northampton a better place for all whether you agree with their approach or not. 3. Never assume that you know another person’s thoughts, motivation, knowledge, or skillset. 4. Never make allegations unsupported by objective facts easily verifiable by a disinterested third party. 5. Always campaign on your own merits and not on criticism of your opponent, their political party, or a specific group of people.
We are all fellow citizens in a democracy. Our mutual obligation is to work together to find better ways to govern our city for the benefit of all.
Bill Mailler
Northampton