People in this state, people in this country, need to decide where they stand. One way or another. The sidelines just will not do. Not for candidates, not for elected officials – of any party – and not for the average citizen. When candidates and political leaders can organize and participate in a public event that features the hanging-in-effigy of a life-sized figure of our state’s governor – or any political leader, for that matter – then something is very wrong with our body politic. As we have learned through history, disgusting displays, like the one that took place outside the Hamburg Town Hall near Buffalo, NY this past weekend, are often just precursors of potentially even more and real violence coming in the future. We can engage in legitimate debate on even the most contentious of issues. But when that debate devolves into the display or violent, hateful symbols, like the hanging in effigy of our Governor, decent people everywhere need to speak out. And, the candidates and elected officials who attended, remained or participated in that rally need to apologize.
