Editorial: Bush league
Wednesday, August 18, 2004

You can disagree with the message, but lay off the messenger.

As reporter Andrew Lightman found out last week, the Golden Rule is regularly broken when it comes to the way some Newtonites deal with neighbors who support George W. Bush.

By all means, supporters of John Kerry (or Ralph Nader, for that matter) should question President Bush's policies as well as his very fitness to lead our country. They should argue the merits of Kerry's platform, his record, and his moral stamina. They shouldn't hesitate to engage in serious debate or give money to their favorite candidate.

But anyone who gives the finger to a neighbor holding a Bush-Cheney sign ought to be ashamed.

Such boorish behavior reflects badly on all of us and it sets a horrible example for our children.

We're not the first to note the irony that for a city which prides itself on diversity, as "No Place For Hate," Newton is one of the most inhospitable places to be a conservative you'll ever see.

Our nation is deeply divided this election year. And yes, the stakes are high.

But we can do better than that here.