OPINION | ‘We can mourn and still respect a process that seeks truth’

Our elected officials have a special responsibility to lead with restraint, not speculation. Citizens have the same obligation. Justice requires patience. Fairness demands that we allow investigators to complete their work before drawing conclusions that may prove incomplete—or wrong.

By BEN NEVEUX | Biddeford

It has only been 96 hours, yet it feels as though much more time has passed.

Biddeford is hurting. I’m hurting. You may be too.

Like so many others, I have followed the news, listened to conversations around town and online, and watched our community struggle to make sense of Monday’s tragic killing.

Regardless of how the investigation ultimately concludes, a life was taken violently, tragically and unexpectedly. Grief, anger, fear and uncertainty are understandable. So, too, is our responsibility to remember who we are.

Biddeford was built by immigrants. The first great waves came from Quebec, Ireland, Greece, England, and many other places to build the mills and work in them. They arrived speaking different languages, practicing different customs, and carrying different traditions. Together they built the neighborhoods, churches, businesses, families and civic institutions that shaped this city.

Our history reminds us that our greatest strength has never been our uniformity. It has always been our ability to become one community despite our differences.

That is why we must be careful about what comes next.

Some of the comments heard on our streets—and far too many posted on social media—have been frankly abhorrent. The veil of anonymity encourages people to say things they would likely never say to a neighbor’s face.

It is especially disappointing when those voices come from the descendants of the very immigrants who built this city. If we truly value Biddeford’s history, we should honor it by extending the same grace and opportunity that earlier generations hoped to find here.

In the hours after any tragedy, facts are often incomplete. Witnesses remember events differently. Rumors spread faster than facts. Social media rewards certainty long before investigators have finished asking the first questions. Once accusations are made, the damage cannot always be undone.

We can mourn a life lost while also respecting the process that seeks the truth. Those two principles are not in conflict.

The politics of our city should be rooted in inclusion rather than division. We should resist the temptation to define entire groups of people by the actions of one individual or to turn a tragedy into another opportunity for ideological warfare.

Communities are not strengthened by choosing sides before the facts are known. They are strengthened by choosing one another.

Our elected officials have a special
responsibility to lead with
restraint, not speculation.
Citizens have the same obligation.

The wounds left by Monday’s events are real. But some of the deepest damage has come from the rush to judgment, conflicting accounts presented as fact, and the growing suspicion among neighbors. If we allow that to continue, we risk harming the very fabric of the city we all call home.

Biddeford has endured difficult times before. It has always found its way forward through decency, compassion and a shared commitment to the truth.

I hope we choose that path again. Let us honor Sebastian Guerrero by our actions moving forward.

Respectfully,

Ben Neveux

ABOUT THE AUTHOR | Ben Neveux is a lifelong Biddeford resident, the son and grandson of immigrants and a retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He is also a member of the Biddeford Gazette’s Advisory Council.

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NOTE | The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the Biddeford Gazette, its staff, affiliates or sponsors. We encourage robust and diverse community conversations on topics related to the city of Biddeford. For information about how to submit your own letter or column, please CONTACT US

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