Mayor Brodeur Hopes Capitol Siege Was Turning Point: Op-Ed

The following was submitted by Mayor Paul Brodeur:

Wednesday, January 6 should have been a good day for democracy—a critical run-off election was held in Georgia with huge turnout and without incident. The Massachusetts legislature were sworn for a new session. And in Washington, Congress was poised to ratify the most enduring part of our democratic experiment – the peaceful transfer of power. The storming of the Capitol – urged on by the president of the United States and abetted by elected officials who continued to insist on groundlessly challenging the results of a free and fair election – made January 6, 2021 a tragic day for American democracy.

I have struggled to come to grips with what happened and what I should be saying as an elected official in response. I’ve been involved in campaigns and politics since I’ve been a kid, and I understand losing an election can be hard. The stakes always seem so high; you work so hard for your cause or candidate. You put your principles into action, and it can be devastating when things do not turn out your way. But the comfort we all could take is that despite a loss, our belief in democratic principles unites us and provides the opportunity to continue the debate. When you win, it should be with humility. When you lose, it should be with grace.

In our community, we have seen our residents peacefully rally for racial justice; we have conducted controversial debates with dignity and respect; and we have had hard-fought elections and then come together to work for a better Melrose. At our best, we actively participate in our civic enterprise to do the hard work of self-government that is at the heart of the democratic experience.

Paraphrasing my friend Mayor Tom Bernard, who so ably represents the people of North Adams, our democratic ideals are imperfectly and inequitably realized. We learned on January 6 how truly and desperately vulnerable we are to those who would cynically or violently manipulate our democratic system and seek to overturn a free, fair, secure, and certified election. We saw insurrectionists proudly displaying racist symbols in our Capitol. And we saw stark differences between how a violent mostly-white mob was treated at the Capitol compared to how Black protestors and their allies have been treated at demonstrations in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. I hope January 6 marks a turning point, where we step away from divisive rhetoric and conspiracy theories; where we cherish peaceful protest and reject violence and cynicism; and where we work toward a more perfect union.