Earlier this week, several people called to discuss their dismay and disbelief with certain actions and decisions made within the Borough. In each case, the callers wanted to have assurance that “their identities not be revealed.” Each suggested that they did not want to be targeted for their observations.

It is not the first time that the fear of selective reprisal, diminishing or casting aspersions has been suggested. We are reminded of this quote from a writer writing about the search and difficulty of achieving positive change in an African nation:

“The fact is, there will always be a significant sector that resists change because they are beneficiaries of the existing order and the reformists have to be more pragmatic in dealing with the challenges. There will be a lot of people who support change but are reluctant to show it because they fear that those benefiting from the status quo have control of the power structures, which they can use against them.”

In “The Prince,” Machiavelli wrote of the component groups who would be affected by any popular change in a system.

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