Democracy becomes demagoguery

Growing awareness of divisiveness permeating these times

OK, it's anecdotal, but the apprehension gripping a South Shore grandmother ever since displaying a Geoff Diehl sign on her tidy lawn is also instructive, illustrating how far we've drifted from our civic moorings.

In the politically charged wards of West Roxbury where she was born, political proselytizing in the fall was as common as Christmas decorations in December. It was Americana.

When she and her late husband moved down Route 3 to the leafy community where they would raise their family, they remained politically astute, but always from the sidelines.

“We voted in every election,” Nancy explained, “but never did anything that would draw attention to ourselves.”

That changed last week. “I found myself becoming more and more annoyed by Elizabeth Warren,” she said. “Whenever I heard Geoff Diehl, he seemed so in line with my own thinking. So I did something I've never done before; I went online, found his campaign office and I called, telling the lady who answered they could put a sign in front of my house.

“I even told them it was a good location because cars are always cutting through here from Routes 53 and 27. Who knows? Maybe it'll make someone think.”

When she awoke the next morning the first thing Nancy did was peek out her window.

“I've done it every morning since,” she said. “I guess I want to be sure it's still there. Isn't that an awful thought to wake up with? I've never felt insecure in this home, but since putting up that sign I find myself wondering how many crazies might be driving by, too.”

Even at the dental office where she's worked for many years, there's an awareness of the divisiveness permeating these times.

“I was talking with a longtime patient the other day and we were both agreeing that President Trump has some good ideas. Then we realized we were almost whispering in case someone who didn't feel the same way could hear us. Can you believe that?”

Every day the divide seems to deepen.

Some sicko decides to send explosives to Democratic lightning rods such as Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and an empty vessel like Somerville mayor Joe Curtatone, seeing a chance for a cheap headline, leaps to the conclusion Diehl and his supporters bear some responsibility.

That's more than incendiary. It's indecent.

Democracy? Please. It's shameless demagoguery.

Little wonder a suburban grandmother has reason to look out her window every morning, just to see what price she might have to pay for exercising citizenship.

‘Maybe it’ll make someone think.’ SOUTH SHORE GRANDMOTHER, formerly of West Roxbury