Has the divisive rhetoric of the nation started to exacerbate cracks in Newton’s own community? An article on WGBH.com by Gabrielle Emanuel seems to argue that yes it has. Using the recent meeting about sanctuary cities as a backdrop, Emanuel points to some of the caustic language used to paint a picture of a community divided, even one that agreed overwhelmingly (75%) that we elected the wrong person.
President Trump is known for caustic tweets and a disregard for political correctness. His campaign ushered in a new level of name-calling and mudslinging to presidential politics. There’s been a similar tenor to the debates playing out locally in Newton.
On a rainy night, people filed past several police officers and packed City Hall. They were there to debate whether Newton should position itself as a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants.
Newton is not alone in debating whether to adopt sanctuary city status – and, it’s not a big change from Newton’s existing police practice. What’s interesting in Newton is the bitterness of the debate.
Give it a read, I’m curious to hear if people think if Newton is more divided, or if this was simply a divisive issue that is being made into much more.
I don’t think it’s fair to say that we’re a community divided. We’re a community that overwhelmingly supports protecting and caring for all of our people, with a small minority who are concerned or scared and an even smaller minority who are happy to use those concerns and fears to stoke hatred.
They are no doubt emboldened, but lets be clear that the hate is coming from a very small minority, and that many of the worst speakers were not residents of the city.
I also attended the meeting. Bryan while I agree with almost all your points, I would say many of the people booing in the audience were likely not from Newton but many of the worst speakers identified themselves as being Newton. And we certainly know the resident who spoke of machete attacks, TB and Ebola is from Newton. That is when I knew the meeting was going off the tracks. The old man who tried to imply that those of us looking to ensure everyone in our city feels welcome and safe, don’t care about our families really pissed me off. He told the story that we would have a moral delema about who to save in a fire, our families or strangers. We seem to be in the alt-“it takes a village” part of our history. It is very sad.
I think the current climate has seriously exacerbated the divide in Newton. Even among like-minded people, divides have appeared that could take a long time to repair.
People are on edge, ready to jump at any minor difference of opinion on important issues. We’re 13 days into the “real thing” and a lot of people are scared.
The word “divided” is so overused these days. A divided nation, a divided city. Are people “divided” whenever they disagree on something? If we vote for different school committee candidates, are we “divided”?
BTW, considering what is slowly being revealed about the Day MS incidents, there is no factual basis to say hate crimes in Newton have increased since Trump’s election, as some people claim. Maybe they will, but saying it’s already happening is pure nonsense.