Dear Editor:
A rare event happened involving me and Mr. Leonard Calvo. I, a candidate on the F Slate, running against Column A, wrote a letter to Mr. Calvo, an important member of the Board of Education. I asked his opinion on whether the BOE should be elected or appointed. I did not mean to be audacious but wanted to be fair and give him an opportunity to share his viewpoints. At some risk to myself he replied to my letter. His reply was cogent, respectful and timely.
It is my aim here to thank Mr. Calvo. In a prior meeting at a public event, he gave me his word that he would reply to my concerns. He did and earned my respect, for he has shown himself to be honorable. Here “politics as usual” that pejorative phrase often heard in Hudson County, did not divide but united two very different men.
To those persons who told me I would “waste my time” writing to Mr. Calvo; to those persons who have nothing but bad words to say about Mr. Calvo, I think there’s a need to give the man a fair hearing and to approach him with an open mind and open heart. To tear down a man’s reputation is easy; to seek to understand a man is harder. Both Mr. Calvo and I acted from the nobler aspects of our being and built a bridge instead of a wall.
If two men, from two entirely different political camps could broaden our perspectives and treat each other respectfully and fair, this surely is politics at its best rather than worst. Thank you, Mr. Calvo
R. Anthony Squire