By Charles Kingsley, Three Mile Bay, NY 

Jefferson –Lewis SCOPE (Shooters Committee on Political Education) had been actively seeking a site that would hold 300 or more people. The purpose was to invite the public to meet the candidates from either Democrat or Republican Parties. The venue was to be in Watertown which is a central location for Jefferson County. We have been seeking a well-known establishment during a week day for an evening “Meet and Greet” to no avail. Our Chapter is willing to pay the facilities and has insurance that is required to cover events. There would be no charge to the public to come and hear the candidates discuss their agenda, followed by Q & A. We have contacted several facilities multiple times and have received no response.

This seems indicative of where we are in society and it confirms my assumptions. We want to be politically correct and allow ourselves to be silenced. Are we afraid of being exposed to demonstrations like those at the Kavanaugh Supreme Court committee hearing? Campaign signs are void of party association and missing red or blue. More and more of us are reluctant to put campaign signs in our yards. We refuse to put campaign stickers on our cars for fear of having broken windows or other damage to our car. The worst embarrassment is, only 30% of us get out and vote. We are blessed in the United States of America with many privileges and we don’t even have to blacken our finger with indelible ink to vote.

We can only blame ourselves for letting the process get out of control. We cater to a small minority of those who are disruptive and who fail to contribute meaningful ideas. We tolerate vulgar language by the opposition, rude vocal outbursts, and in many cases violence against us for voicing dissenting viewpoints. Facilities are fearful of controversy and acrimony. We don’t like these facts or the situation but shamefully the tactics of certain political forces are working. They are working because our candidates are reluctant to even attend a town hall meeting. The public will soon withdraw completely from the process. Increasingly worse voter turnout, engagement, and election results will be the proof that the politically correct environment has destroyed public discourse.