Brian Perkins, left.
For those residents that know me, they know I have a very deep love for where I come from, both locally and nationally.
Even though I am currently abroad, Ansonia is still my home and I am eager to return and live there once I have successfully finished my current occupation.
Community and unity is a value that I hold very close to me. Whether it was local events like the Harvest Festival, Rock the Valley, or just a home football game, I always tried to make it a priority to attend. Ansonia is more than just a city, it is a culturally diverse population of amazing residents who have one goal in mind: Make Ansonia better.
Now of course, this goal will have different means of accomplishment from both the Republican and Democratic parties. This is normal. What is not normal is what I have seen over the past few weeks.
Harassing local businesses, chasing down the opposition for some cheap negative PR, and the splitting of the Republican Party over a frivolous primary is not what election season is about.
Elections are about picking who you think is the right fit for the city. Of course people will disagree, and that is okay.
However, there seems to be some serious confusion this election cycle. I have consistently seen this trend of the opposition being painted as the enemy. This can’t be further from the truth. We are all Ansonia residents. We may come from different backgrounds, and some may have been around longer than others, but in the end we are all looking to make our community better.
So I ask this of all involved in this election season, challengers and incumbents, supporters and non-supporters, please keep politics civil.
Hostility and pettiness drives away people who want to get involved in their government. Democracy is an amazing thing, each one of us gets to have a say in how our city, state, and country is run.
Hostility and attacks such as those seen this election cycle do nothing but intimidate the residents, making them scared to voice their opinion in fear of getting attacked for it.
It is time for us to unite as a city, and as a proud Republican it hurts me to see such division within my party. We need to work together to move forward, not divide over whether or not we are part of some political team.
In fact, at a local level, political parties should be irrelevant. There is no reason to align to a specific side when our city’s future is the topic of discussion. As elected officials, it is your responsibility to do what is best for the city and the residents.
It is an honor to be from Ansonia, and I can’t wait to return permanently in the next few years. Thank you to all of our elected officials, especially the unpaid ones, that keep the city moving forward.
The writer, a 2015 graduate of Ansonia High School, is currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps. The views expressed are those of the individual and not those of the Department of Defense.
Views expressed in guest columns (aka ‘letters to the editor’) and press releases do not necessarily reflect the views of ValleyIndy.org. The Valley Indy has a 550-word limit on guest columns.
