A lone Dallas sniper. A nation reels in shock. It is unimaginable, surreal that 12 policemen, charged with keeping the peace during a peaceful rally, are viciously gunned down. Words fail to describe the helplessness and sickened horror of a nation’s people.

We hear the list of victims’ names read, and their photographs and stories barely help us comprehend their humanity, their lives and futures too viciously stolen.

One policeman’s account catches my attention: that of Jesus Retana, one of seven wounded in the shooting. We are told that he “will likely recover from his injuries,” though we cannot begin to know his trauma. A 10-year veteran of the force, he is now home recuperating with his husband, also a retired, disabled policeman. For fear of retaliation, both men have refused interviews. Without question, they deserve their solitude and our unmeasured respect. They also deserve society’s support for their courage, service and sacrifice.

Here in Lewiston/Auburn, we struggle to convert our helplessness, sadness and sympathy for the victims of this senseless shooting into something positive. We are forced to realize that terrorist acts could happen anywhere. Yes, even here.

Putting aside differences and letting go of individual agendas, together we share the need to express support, somehow, some way toward our own law enforcement officials. We recognize that they, too, like the policemen and policewomen in Dallas and everywhere, risk their lives every day to keep the peace here in our communities. Our efforts combine to let our law officers know that we care, and that we respect what they do.

Businesses put up signs of support. We send doughnuts, pizzas, cards and notes. We thank them in person. We long somehow to retrieve our balance, our neighborhood peace and its all-too-fragile safety.

In an at-first, seemingly unrelated issue, once again a few individuals seek to incite anger and divide our communities as they have worked to do so for decades.

Once again, a few individuals would have us believe that a policeman such as Officer Retana, and countless other gay officers who serve across the nation, do not deserve our respect or support as they face incredible challenges on our behalf.

Once again, a few individuals renew failed attempts to have Mainers vote on the humanity of our fellow citizens and repeal basic civil rights protecting their jobs, families and homes.

“Didn’t we already vote on this?” one might ask. Yes, we did, many times.

The city of Lewiston was slow to finally realize the humanity of all its citizens. Had Officer Retana lived here in 2009, Lewiston voters would have denied him the right to marry his husband by a 7 to 5 majority. It was a long journey working to understand that some would equate gay people with the devil before our community comprehended the humanity of its LGBT citizens and the extremists who would deny that humanity.

Finally, in 2012, Maine became the “I lead” state in being the first to legalize marriage equality by popular vote. So went the nation.

Once again, when we go to the polls in November, a small group will contort the facts and couch equal rights in the tired canard of “special rights,” as though whatever services Officer Retana receives to aid his recovery are in some way special over the other officers. That small group hopes we will forget those policemen’s faces and stories. That we will forget that thousands of LGBT Mainers are living in peace as policemen, firemen, doctors, teachers, clergy and in all walks of life.

Let’s not forget that we walk beside each other every day, living the peace that is Maine, for now.

Lew Alessio is a retired teacher, theater artist and life-long civil rights activist. He and his husband, Jim Shaffer, live in Greene.

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