Rights, Judgment and Lachterman’s Leadership

Dear Editor,

As someone who stood alongside the Gorman family during the recent demonstration near their home, I feel compelled to share what I witnessed and to recognize the leadership shown by Yorktown Supervisor Ed Lachterman.

The tragic loss of Sheridan Gorman is not a political issue. It is a deeply personal tragedy that forever changed the lives of a family and touched the hearts of our entire community. That is why it was so difficult to watch a political protest take place less than a quarter mile from the Gorman family's home.

The anti-ICE protest, organized by the Yorktown Indivisibles as part of a broader anti-Trump and anti-Lawler demonstration, was certainly within the organizers' constitutional rights. However, rights and judgment are not always the same thing. Standing there with the Gorman family, I could not help but think that there had to be a better place and a better time to make a political statement than in such close proximity to a family still grieving the loss of their daughter.

What I witnessed that day was not politics. I witnessed a family carrying a burden that no family should ever have to bear. I witnessed friends, neighbors and community members coming together to support them. And I witnessed Ed Lachterman standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Gormans, not for political gain, but because it was the right thing to do.

In an era when many elected officials are quick to issue statements from a distance, Ed chose to be present. He listened. He showed respect. Most importantly, he helped ensure that Sheridan's memory was not lost amid the noise of political activism.

Whether you agree or disagree with the protesters' message is beside the point. What matters is that a grieving family deserved compassion and consideration. Ed Lachterman understood that and acted accordingly.

Leadership is often revealed in moments when there is no easy path and no opportunity for applause. It is revealed through character, empathy and a willingness to stand with people when they need support the most. That is exactly what Ed Lachterman demonstrated.

As someone who was there, standing with the Gorman family, I am grateful that our town supervisor was there too.

-James Pugliese, Yorktown