The announcement by our Congresswoman Katherine Clark that she will not be attending the inauguration on Friday of President-elect Donald Trump as a sign of protest is wrong.
As a private citizen, Clark is entitled to make any lawful statement as she deems necessary.
However, Clark is not a private citizen.
She is an elected representative of all the people of the 5th Congressional District. In particular, almost 4,000 Winthrop residents who voted for Trump in the November election will not be represented at the inauguration.
Clark’s action reminds us more of a school yard child who is losing a game and decides to leave the field taking his bat and ball rather than following the example of a Henry Clay, a leading congressional statesman who coined the phrase, “the art of politics is the art of compromise.â€
By her action, Clark leaves no doubt that she has no intention of working with Trump.
We can only wonder if in the next four years, if a natural disaster strikes Winthrop, will Congresswoman Clark still refuse to go to President Donald Trump and ask for federal assistance?
Her action on Friday dictates that she will not seek help from Trump. In the end, who will suffer for her arrogance but the very people she is elected to represent and serve.