To the Editor:
As a candidate for Hopewell Borough Council and, more importantly, as a neighbor and member of this community, I am asking everyone to lower the political temperature.
I have watched with growing concern as this election has become increasingly personal, divisive, and, at times, hostile. The actions of a handful of individuals are beginning to affect the very fabric of our small town. That should concern every one of us.
This is a local election. It is about who will represent our residents and help shape Hopewell’s future. It is not a referendum on national politics, nor should it become an opportunity to impose personal beliefs on others.
Please don’t participate in whisper campaigns. Don’t believe every rumor. Don’t label people or make assumptions about their beliefs or intentions. Instead, engage in conversation. Ask questions. Listen to one another. It is perfectly acceptable to disagree, even passionately, while remaining respectful. Intimidation, bullying, and hurtful speech are not who we are as a community.
In a few days, this election will be over. We will still be neighbors. We will see one another on Broad Street, in our restaurants, at community events, and around town. We will continue to share the same hopes and concerns for the place we call home.
As Michelle Obama once said, “When they go low, we go high.” Those words are particularly meaningful today.
We do not have to agree to respect one another. We do not have to share the same political beliefs to be good neighbors.
I am asking everyone, regardless of whom you support, to remember what makes Hopewell special. Choose kindness over hostility, respect over intimidation, and community over division.
Please, lower the political temperature. Our friendships, our neighbors, and the character of this wonderful town are far more important than the outcome of any election.
Sincerely,
James Higgins
Independent Candidate, Hopewell Borough Council
