After completing his second term as mayor of Biddeford in 2007, General Wallace Nutting told the Journal Tribune in December of that year that his top priority when first elected was to bring civil discourse to Biddeford city government.

Nutting said he felt that was something that was absent prior to entering office but that it “took hold fairly early on” during his first term.

It seems all his work was for naught.

Shouting, obscenities and personal attacks have become standard fare for much of the year at these meetings.

The vitriol has caused current Mayor Alan Casavant to twice end council meetings early.

And on Monday, the mayor sent out an email deploring behavior at meetings that he termed “rude” and unacceptable.” Such behavior, he stated, has been “an impediment to conducting city business.”

He concluded by saying order will be resumed.

City government in Biddeford is not that different from other municipal governments throughout the state. And strong emotions also abound at the state and national level. One only has to listen to some of the back an forth between Maine’s Republican Governor Paul LePage and Democratic legislators. And Republic presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his attackers can also get a bit testy.

Let’s face it, government on all levels can inspire strong feelings, whether positive or negative. But over the years, Biddeford has had maybe a little more than its share of issues that have given rise to passionate views.

For more than 25 years, residents often shouted their condemnation about the waste-to-energy incinerator that was located in the city’s downtown – until it was purchased by the city in 2012 and razed the following year.

Mold in city schools has been a cause of concern and heated discussion in the past.

And whenever spending on the Biddeford Municipal Airport is on the agenda, speech and tempers often flare.

In the past six months, allegations of sexual abuse of minors by former police officers and what could/should be done about it has been a major topic of discussion at Biddeford City Council meetings.

This is the touchiest of subjects and passionate speech is to be expected.

But the extent of the negative speech and personal attacks on city officials that has taken place at City Council and on social media surrounding this subject has been excessive.

In a democracy, everyone has a right to their own opinion and free speech is a protected right under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

That said, respect and civility in a public forum that is supposed to address the needs of all citizens should be upheld.

As human beings, sharing a planet, we should be considerate of one another.

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