To The Editor:

This past weekend I was at a candidate meet and greet event, where a resident praised Newtown residents for their show of courtesy toward each other. During a campaign it is common to be asked questions or be met with serious concerns, but it is rare (and very welcome) to hear praise for the town and its residents.

The compliment was naturally followed by the question, how do we ensure that such a nice part of being a Newtown resident is preserved in the future. This is a fair question, especially in a world where social media can make the world feel like an increasingly negative place. My first thought and the one that I responded with, was that we have to start at the top. All of us that are currently in office, and those that are running for the next term in office (be it their first or twentieth) need to show courtesy and compassion toward each other as we work for the residents of town.

What does this mean? Every one of us comes from different backgrounds and has different opinions. Those views may be political, secular, or ideological and each of us may have very different opinions from each other. But those differing opinions don’t have to breed divisiveness, it is possible for them to lead to great compromises and stronger decisions.

Personally, I enjoy the chance to have discussions with those who want to sit down and discuss a topic openly and honestly. That is where courtesy and compassion come in, taking the time to offer a chance for someone of an opposing viewpoint to sit down and discuss their thoughts with an open mind. Not approaching them as an enemy, but as someone with a different viewpoint that may be able to teach me something new. Not every discussion will end with minds changed, but there is always the chance that it might. At the very least it leads to an understanding of the other person’s position and coming to an informed decision. I have had opportunities to have these discussions in my prior roles on the Board of Education and the Board of Selectmen (these were some of the most interesting conversations I had) and look forward to continuing to do so on the Police Commission.

I echo the sentiments of the individual that brought up that Newtown is full of courteous people, and it is a great quality for us to have. I hope that we will all continue to live up to that compliment and will endeavor to bring courtesy and compassion to the work we do as elected officials in Newtown. I can only say for certain that I will.

Dan Cruson

Newtown