The civil unrest, racial antipathy and disregard for the rule of law that is occurring across America is disturbing, to say the least. It seems like 1968 again, with a war abroad, riots and assassinations at home and presidential candidates calling for a renewed commitment to law and order. Luckily, we in Cazenovia are basically insulated from the violence, however, the root of so much hatred is selfishness and disrespect. And no community is immune from those. Recently, that intolerance has been on display in Cazenovia more than usual, starting with the outrageous treatment of our town board members at last week’s meeting by Owera’s neighbors, and culminating with the resignation of our columnist Blunt Belle, who has decided she can no longer endure people attacking her for what she writes.

This is a sad state of affairs. And unacceptable.

We all have a right, and a duty, to speak our opinions and peacefully protest what we see as injustice, but expressing our interests never means we are free to hurt others, whether through words, fists or bullets. Regardless of the merits of the arguments of Owera’s East Lake Road neighbors last week, many of them treated the town board members with rudeness and contempt, yelling at them, slinging accusations and insults. At one point, one counselor told one neighbor to stop yelling because it was becoming threatening. We agree. It was threatening. The patience and aplomb with which the board and the town attorney accepted more than two hours of diatribes against them was impressive, and we thank them for their service and for allowing the neighbors the freedom and respect to vent their frustrations.

All we can say about Blunt Belle’s decision to end her column is that we are disappointed, but we understand. It is difficult to offer opinions that thousands of people read, and just as difficult to take the criticism that often comes with it. We wish our readers had been kinder and more tolerant, and we hope that in the future everyone will look at the divisiveness that is engulfing America, consider its impact and influence on everyone and decide whether a legitimate, passionate opinion needs to be degraded into insulting, threatening or harmful expressions. Not only is it wrong, it is not the way to positively change a discourse, influence the law or affect someone’s opinion.