Where is the outrage?
To the editor:
Last November, voters in Maine Senate District 2 had a choice between Michael Carpenter, a proven public servant with unquestionable integrity and sound character, and Michael Willette, whose flawed character has recently been displayed through his Facebook postings of racist, hate-speech, inciting violence against a major religious group in this country, and the President of the United States. The election is over: Willette won; Mainers, in District 2 and beyond, lost.
The embarrassment of this tawdry episode has been widely reported in the media, including Willette’s half-hearted apology in the Senate Chamber. Statewide petition-signers and multiple letters to the editors have condemned Willette, many calling for his resignation. However, Willette’s Republican party leaders have not responded, beyond saying that the tepid apology is good enough for them.
The 127th Maine Legislature needs to take a loud and public stand stating that this racist, hatefulness has no place in our state government, and that racist legislators will be held accountable.
I believe that Senator Willette should resign, either on his own, or with assistance. If not that, he should be stripped of his committee chairmanship, or publicly reprimanded or sanctioned by his fellow Senators. Perhaps he should be required to come back home and face his constituents in a publicized Town Meeting without prescreened questions.
The silence of the Republican leadership is deafening. If this mess goes on unanswered, no one in the Senate, regardless of party, comes out smelling like a rose.
Can anyone ever imagine Michael Carpenter stooping to such depths as Willette? I cannot. There will be other elections.
Gail Maynard
Woodland
