Following the Amherst town referendum, we find ourselves in a community riven by fierce division.
Some are gleeful with triumph. Others are devastated with defeat, this because a future form of community government has been chosen. Whatever virtues its proponents may feel confident it will provide, it also surely will produce more times such as this, with bitterly contested campaigns yielding winners who ascend to power and losers whose ability to influence community life has been diminished.
But this is not feared by those who have felt their power constrained by the old system of government and anticipate more authority now, who are confident their ideas are virtuous and are now more likely to prevail. Yet, the fierce and overt divisions, the creation of polarized parties (call them what you will), of aggressive oppositional campaigns such as the one that has just had a shattering effect upon the community, will now be part of the fabric of life here.
Surely candidacies are already being formed with anticipation of individual ascendancy to the great power this new charter accords to a small governing council.
Many are exultant, optimistic for the future of our town. Others are apprehensive about our future having witnessed the rending of its fabric during this campaign.
It falls mainly to the winners to manifest graciousness to foster healing, since those who are languishing in defeat have no way forward but to reluctantly participate in a new regime they did not choose and do not want. Much will be foretold by the attitude and behavior we observe displayed by the pro-charter partisans.
Perhaps healing can come from conflict civilly engaged as festering divisions are brought to the surface and rendered evident. Perhaps, although this is rare, and our national politics do not offer encouragement in this regard.
Jonathan Klate
Amherst