The Partial Observer by Darla M. Youngs

Community Weighs in on Shooting

Whether traveling, doing yard work, relaxing with family and friends, making dinner or attending a wedding anniversary, Otsego County citizens remember where they were when they heard the news that former U.S. President Donald Trump had been shot.

The apparent assassination attempt on Trump at an election rally held in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday, July 13 stunned some; others were not surprised, given the current political climate. The shooting occurred just two days before the start of the Republican National Convention and Trump’s announcement that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance would be his running mate in November. According to CBS News, investigation into the motive of the gunman who opened fire during the rally—grazing the former president’s ear, killing one bystander and critically wounding two others—is ongoing. The 20-year-old shooter was killed at the scene by a Secret Service sniper.

Iron String Press reached out to Otsego County leaders and readers for their thoughts on Saturday’s shooting and repercussions to the nation and to society moving forward. Here is what those who responded had to say:

I truly believe that we need to become more tolerant of opposing opinions in this country. Just because someone may have a polar opposite position than you does not give you the right to physically harm them. The framers of our constitution did not agree on everything from the very start of the drafting of the document, but they debated, discussed and eventually settled on the terms. Not one author got everything that they desired; we need to act more like them. Hopefully, everyone takes a step back now and does some self-reflection to ensure that they are not contributing to the divisive rhetoric.

Edwin Frazier Jr., Chair, Otsego County Board of Representatives, District No. 1 (Unadilla)

My concerns increase with each passing day. I am alarmed at the proliferation of social media-fed disinformation, the escalating distrust of government, the dismissal of “facts” that challenge opinion, the vilification of those who espouse different points of view, and the continued fracturing of the bounds of acceptable behavior (even as it includes threats of violence.) On a macro-level, I don’t have an answer to it. On a micro-level, I’m personally committed to creating partnerships, inclusive discussions and planning, and even though my intentions and actions are occasionally challenged, I continue to find that respectful dialogue wins in the end. That, and prayers. Lots of prayers.

Mark Drnek, Mayor, City of Oneonta

I am old enough to remember the assassinations of President Kennedy, his brother, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King. Gun violence is abhorrent and political violence antithetical to our democracy, where choices are made at the ballot box.

Ellen Tillapaugh, Mayor, Village of Cooperstown