Dear Lincoln Town,
I left last night’s town meeting feeling deeply saddened and disturbed by what I witnessed. A woman, new to our community and brave enough to stand up and speak her truth in a room full of strangers, was met not with respect—but with heckling, mockery, and disdain. She may not have known the “two-minute rule,” but even so—what harm would it have done to let her finish a heartfelt thought? What does it say about us as a town when our response to someone’s vulnerability is to shut them down and shout them out? I felt compelled to speak—not because of the issue at hand, but because of how we treat one another. This wasn’t about politics. It was about kindness, humanity, and the kind of community we want to be. No one was in danger. No lives were on the line. And yet we responded with cruelty, not compassion. When our local discourse starts to mirror the worst examples of public behavior we see in national politics and on our screens, something is broken. We can do better. We must do better. To those who joined in the heckling: I ask you to reflect. Imagine yourself or someone you love in that woman’s place. Would you want them to be met with ridicule? I am proud that I stood up for her. I hope next time more of you will, too. Because this isn’t about a vote. It’s about decency. Shame on what happened last night. But it’s not too late to change. Be better, Lincoln! Love, Kathryn Hawkins
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