To the Editor:

The Westerlo Democratic caucus, held on April 24 at the town park pavilion, was a rip-roaring disappointment. Coached along by an Albany County Board of Elections representative, it was presided over by the heir to the chairmanship of the Democratic Committee that has run the town for decades like a privileged club. And let’s not forget the favor of the Albany Democratic machine.

How does this committee get to be in charge without broad representation or accountability, without the input of all enrolled Democrats? How do they recruit members? Do they open it up to all party members? (Rhetorical question. I know the answer: No.)

How do they inform the public about who and how many are on the committee? How do they select candidates for office? Do they issue a call for candidates? How do they determine a platform? Do they even have a platform? No one spoke about it. No one said why they were running, what their vision is, why they think they’ll be good in the various offices they want to fill.

Apparently, there was no need. Friends and family and all that. In a final, pathetically predictable move, the committee reinstated four of its own, never asking for others who would like to serve.

Of course, those who like the status quo will disagree, but they always do, don’t they? It is broadly true that, “Those benefiting from the present system have no interest in new ideas. In fact, thinking is a threat to them. The minute we start thinking, we’ll want to change something [“Turning to One Another, Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future,” Margaret J. Wheatley, 2009].”

It’s not “liberty and justice for all” to them, even though the pledge is mouthed robotically at every meeting. It’s about power and control, keeping things just as they are or getting more for them and theirs.

When four members of town government resigned or retired in the last few months, I had some hope for reform. That hope is nearly gone. Unless someone defects and shows themselves to be fair and independent, who has the guts to stand up for each and every person in town; it will be the same old elitist shenanigans.

It comes down to favoring the favored, to depending on those who are nice, bobbing their heads while their insides shout or whisper no.

By the way, did you know you can die of politeness? Of obedience? People do every day, never saying “no” to anything, not on behalf of themselves, their children, their dependent parents, anyone. They “yes” unto death. This is one of the ways tyranny takes hold.

Maybe 50 people were at the caucus, most of them stakeholders in the business-as-usual camp, and at best 5 percent of the 995 registered Democrats in town, most of whom don’t know what goes on locally.

A very small number of people attend town board meetings. Less than 56 percent of Americans of voting age voted in 2016, according to the Pew Research Center. The number is far less for non-presidential elections, except for a spike in 2018.

It’s often said that “democracy is not a spectator sport.” I agree. It requires us to sign up, be on the active list, give it our best, not sit by with a beer in our hands and watch it go down the tubes. Of course, one could argue that these guys are participating. They’re participating in politics, not in effective government. I don't like political parties. I like them even less since living here.

The committee chairman said he wants a peaceful town. What I hear is that he wants compliance: just go along with us and we’ll have peace. Peace requires fairness and justice. Peace requires constant attention because conflicts, grievances, injury. and different points of view are inevitable.

You have to earn peace. It takes profound listening. You have to correct things to have peace. Peace is not polite agreement. Nor does it come at the receiving end of a threat. It takes work. It takes commitment. It takes honesty.

I can hear it now. “Westerlo: Love it or leave it. Don’t like it? Switch parties. Give up: It’ll never change. It’s the same everywhere.” That's exactly what the powers-that-be want, and not just here in Westerlo, and not just among Democrats: if you don’t agree, just be quiet, tuck tail, and slink away.

Dream on, I say.

You must give birth to your images.

They are the future waiting to be born.

Fear not the strangeness you feel.

The future must enter you

long before it happens.

Just wait for the birth,

for the hour of new clarity.

— Rainer Maria Rilke, poet

Dianne Sefcik

Westerlo