Failure of Officials to Address Hateful Act is a Stain on Putnam County
I am writing today to express my deep sadness and shame. As a lifelong resident of Putnam County, I have experienced so many wonderful things. I am proud to be a resident of the Town of Southeast and a graduate of Brewster High School.
However, today I have a very heavy heart. A week ago Saturday, at a peaceful demonstration to support Black Live Matter and other social justice issues, a man driving a truck covered in obscenities, ones I refuse to repeat here, obstructed traffic and threatened the demonstrators, most of whom are local students. It was blatant, it was hateful, and yet many of our leaders remain silent. Even more sadly, only weeks ago our county legislator voted against creating a Human Rights Commission in our county.
I love this county but I refuse to be blinded to the half-hearted and anemic response to this hateful act by Assemblyman Kevin Byrne. He has spent more time defending his non-response on Facebook than making a substantive statement against this act of hatful aggression. If we can’t as a county come together and agree that this cannot and will not stand in Putman, what does that say about us? What does that say to our residents – all our residents? We need to show the people of Putnam that everyone is welcome here, you are safe here and hate has no place here. As a community we will be judged by how we treat all our people.
Finally, I want to say there have been a few bright spots. State Sen. Peter Harckham put out an immediate response condemning this hateful act, and Stephanie Keegan, who is a candidate for Assembly, was at the demonstration, and has been a voice of hope, unity and leadership. Remember people like them in November. The people we elect represent all of us, and we should hope in the face of hate those elected officials would stand up for what is right. It is the very least they can do.
Zach Disador
Southeast
