A little kindness

 Yesterday, I wrote about flag gate and some vile comments made by a couple of local councillors about the flying of a rainbow flag on a local building during same sex weddings. Today, I’m feeling just a little bit sorry for one of them.

Can you imagine spending your whole life in public service, barely having anything you say challenged? People hang off your every word. You are the conservative voice of reason, justice and fairness. Then, one day, out of the blue you are persona non grata. You might not have been the only one to express these views but your name has been singled out. How hard would this be?

I know what you are thinking. You think I should make my mind up, that I can’t have it both ways. But I disagree. My mind refuses to settle. It always flip flops between issues like a caught fish on the deck of a boat. I think I can disagree with someone and not want them to die. I know! Radical, right?

In debates where people are asked to challenge long held beliefs, a lack of compassion will only cause them to dig their heels in. 

On one of the social media posts about the flag there were a lot of comments calling for the man’s resignation. I’ve never liked a knee jerk resignation. Scapegoating one person for a collective decision is wrong. Much better to re-debate the issue, knowing the views of your constituents. It’s one thing to hold a personal belief but if that goes against the wishes of the people you should represent it might be time to think again. 

Some people had said that they had contacted this councillor to demand his resignation. To be on the local council your details are published and easily accessible. Home address, telephone number, companies you work for, clubs you join, allotment plots you work. They are all there for anyone to find at the click of a button. In this permanently angry world, it makes these people very vulnerable. 

I’m imagining a man and his wife, in their eighties being bombarded with telephone calls for saying the same things he has said for the last thirty years and it makes me a bit itchy. I hate to imagine the things that might be pushed through his letter box. 

Yes, it was right to write the letter. Fantastic to allow public opinion to rally and show that times have changed and that all people are accepted in our town (I hope). Yes, it was correct to call out his offensive statements. However, what is needed now is a little kindness for those we disagree with. Not too much, mind. Remember you don’t want to vote for him next time round.

A shocked looking tank just because it made me smile