Shelter Island Supervisor Gerry Siller read a message on behalf of the Town Board at the beginning of its weekly work session Tuesday, calling on Islanders to “unite, heal and lead the way” during the unprecedented siege on democracy that began when the joint session of Congress to certify the presidential election results was interrupted by rioting last week.
The text below was provided by the Supervisor’s office after the meeting:
“As we all personally deal with the rioting and violence that occurred at our nation’s Capitol building last week, we are likely to experience a combination of shock, fear, and outrage, and even a profound sense that our democracy is under siege in a way that feels unprecedented.
“We watched as one of the governmental processes emblematic of the peaceful transfer of power was halted by extreme violence. We’re appalled at the reality of people being injured and losing their lives while our nation’s leaders directly in harm’s way feared for their own lives. We were disheartened at the destruction and desecration of the cherished places and symbols of our democracy. We recoiled in disgust as we watched unrestrained hate being acted out in a full display on our TV screens.
“Our nation faces great challenges included eliminating the pandemic, restoring our economy, addressing racial injustice and social inequality, managing climate change, and blocking threats by other countries trying to weaken us and assert their own world dominance. It is a time when, more than ever, we need to be working together as Americans to narrow the gaps that divide us, not to widen them.
“As a nation, we are questioning who we are, what we believe, and where we want to be in the future; questions that have been asked many times over the life of our nation. These can be healthy debates, as long as care, respect and civility, not hatred and violence, guide our interactions with each other as we work toward answering these important questions. It is tempting to think that the hatred and divisiveness we saw in Washington last week could never be issues for us here on Shelter Island Island, but I think that would be naive.
“On national holidays, we often hear speakers saying that freedom isn’t free. We feel good, wave the flag and celebration our democracy. I doubt that very may of us ever pause to reflect on just how fragile our freedoms and democracy that sustains it truly are. Last week was a demonstration of that fragility.
“Each of us as citizens has the power to unite, heal, and lead the way toward a bright future for ALL Americans. Let’s all make that our mission both as individuals and as the special community of Shelter Island.”
You can watch the Supervisor make these remarks in the rebroadcast of the Town Board work session airing on Channel 22, the Island’s public access station. Or, find a recording of the meeting at townhallstreams.com on the Shelter Island Town page.
