For Your Consideration
Mike Lowry
For over 50 years, Buena Vista has sponsored the annual Labor Day celebration that included candidates from the two major parties; third parties; and independents to give campaign speeches with common respect by all parties and groups to let those attending hear what each had to say. At the conclusion of a speech, one side would give polite applause, and the other would cheer loudly at the park.
The speeches followed a parade with both parties being joined by local organization groups, floats, decorated cars, bands, fire engines and other entries.
There were occasional sounds of disapproval to what one candidate might say and if a candidate would talk too long as happened a few years ago when a candidate reading from page after page droned on and on, until someone yelled, “Are giving a speech or conducting a filibuster?”
The comment got laughs from both sides of the political aisle and the candidate got the message and said, “Let me end my speech here” to the good-natured applause by both sides of the aisle.
This give and take, occasional comments, ended sadly a few elections back when the Republican candidates for attorney general, lieutenant governor and governor showed up for the event in Buena Vista and the Democrats did not show.
Instead of allowing the candidates to be heard, Democrats reacted with constant comments, chants, and continuous efforts to drown out the speaker. The candidate for attorney general telling how his family fled Communist Cuba had to literally yell into the microphone to be heard over the Democrat side of the aisle.
It got far worse when the candidate for lieutenant governor tried to speak. Candidate Winsome Sears was greeted with heckling and even racial comments like “Oreo” and “You ain’t Black” and other insults like “Go back to Jamaica.”
Sears did not take it and instead left the podium, walked to the front of the stage and pointed at the hecklers and said, “You are not going to shut me down. I have as much right as anyone to speak in America.”
The response by the former Marine seemed to surprise the hecklers and got loud applause from the Republicans and other independents and some Democrats not sitting with the Democrat group. She continued to be heard but the heckling, while more civil, continued and picked up in volume as Glenn Youngkin, then candidate for governor, outlined what he hoped to do as governor. Youngkin ignored the Democrats trying to drown out his presentation but talked louder into the microphone.
Sadly, this long-time promotion of Labor Day as the unofficial kickoff of the political season and celebration of our political system and exercise in free speech may end as a result of actions by the Democrats in recent years.
As noted in an earlier editorial by this newspaper, the actions of the Democrats do not win votes. Buena Vista was for many years Democrat territory but now votes heavily Republican.
Do the actions of the Democrats really help Republicans? The year the insults were first hurled at Winsome Sears, the Republican headquarters had more requests of Winsome Sears for lieutenant governor signs than they were able to provide and Youngkin signs became common in all corners of the county.
It was good to see both candidates from both parties for state office to show up and speak but sadly one party felt uncomfortable allowing the other to speak and even more sadly, the candidates for the Democrat Party could not bring themselves to condemn the action of their supporters indicating they, like the hecklers, had no respect for freedom of speech or for presentation of different political opinion.
Rather than allow both sides to give their views of controversial issues dividing our country like transgenders taking part in women’s sports or sharing locker rooms; what to do with the over 20 million illegal immigrants; parents rights in education, and other similar issues, Republicans trying to bring up these issues go drowned out. Instead, Democrat after Democrat talked about the personality of Donald Trump at the same time totally ignoring the issue of Biden’s mental state as president and his thousands of autopen pardons, legislation, and government policy pronouncements — many of which Biden had told reporters he knew nothing about.
None of the Democrats talked of the high inflation of the Biden years, falling incomes, open borders and other real issues they would prefer the public to forget. Maybe this is why they felt the need to keep the other side from being heard?
We seriously want activities like the historically great Labor Day event in Buena Vista to continue or we are to become dependent on commercial and social media to find out what candidates think? Thoughts for your consideration. - After submitting my column, I was shocked and saddened by the assassination of Charlie Kirk. He fought for open and public civil discourse. He enjoyed the opportunity to debate political, economic, and even religious views on college campuses across the country and even overseas.
He showed people with different views could debate and discuss issues in a friendly and respectful manner. America and the world have sadly lost a champion for free speech and civil discourse.
