Letter to the Editor: Old Lyme is a Functioning Democracy, No Need for ‘Venom’ Being Injected Into Local Campaign Rhetoric

To the Editor:

As an independent resident of Old Lyme for the past 38 years, I have recently become very distressed by the unpleasant tone of the local campaign rhetoric. The people who serve in our local public offices are our neighbors, most of whom volunteer their time and energy in service to the town welfare and functioning. In a town the size of Old Lyme the material and status benefits are minimal at best. It is reasonable to expect a wide variety of values and opinions as to how best to achieve optimal benefit and function. Most town business is also conducted either in public or at least on public record. Thus, citizens are free to keep fully informed as what is being considered and done.

In recent political discourse one party has decided to accuse their neighbors and current office holders of greed, dishonesty, laziness, ignorance and concealment. They have, further, claimed to have the mission to “protect” the town from these destructive forces. This inflammatory language seems designed to arouse anger and fear that our town is under malevolent threat.

Most people who live in Old Lyme do so by choice and value the small semi-rural nature of the town. Old Lyme does face some important challenges, as our local strip malls go up for sale for instance. People will and should have many differing ideas about these issues. it is, however, a functioning, small New England democracy, with town meetings and neighborly town office holders. There is no need for the venom that is being injected into our civil discourse.

Sincerely,

Suzanne Derry,
Old Lyme.