FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 When Salem artist Anna Dugan saw what a vandal did to a mural of her family that she had drawn in downtown Lynn, it made her sick to her stomach. Literally. “My stomach turned,” Dugan said. “I thought I was going to throw up.” What she saw would have, or should have, turned anyone’s stomach. There, on a portrait of her mother, someone had drawn a Hitler mustache, and what looked to be the insignia of the Schutz- staffel (SS), the Nazis who killed six million Jews during the Holocaust. Her revulsion was so strong she had to immediately x it because “I didn’t want a portrait of my mom to stay that way.” Dugan is not Jewish. But she understood exactly what this was. “It wasn’t any innocent kind of vandalism,” she said. “It was very racist.” And hateful. And it’s not the only expression of hatred that we’re seeing all too often. Today we examine a few. IS THERE NO END TO THE HATRED? ITEM GRAPHIC | MARK SUTHERLAND Sadly, fear and panic Let’s call Nazi imagery is the new normal what it is: hatred This past weekend my daughter and I went to the movies. Hate is like mold or fungus. It thrives in dark places. It We walked into the semi-darkened theater, and as we settled repels and disgusts most of us when we happen upon it. It is into our reclining seats with the rising footrests that make spreading in Lynn. you think you’re in your home recliner (but with cuphold- If we love our city, if we love all people who make it a great ers!), I found myself doing what I always do at the movies. place in which to live and do business, then we are long over- I noted the exits to the front of the stage, on either side of due in our responsibility to confront hate, to make it a public the screen. And I wondered, as I always do, if we were sud- discussion topic in the broadest possible forum, and to sup- denly in the line of re from an intruder from those front port all efforts to expose those responsible for perpetuating exits, how fast could I duck down/hide/escape/throw my body it in our community. in front of my precious daughter before the hail of bullets Fortunately, individual hate- ghters are hard at work in came ying at us. Lynn and other communities and a local institution, Lynn This is my new normal — ever since the Aurora, Colo., Community Television (LCTV), is shining its own light on hate. FEAR AND PANIC, B8 NAZI IMAGERY, B8 The internet is Hatred. Racism. Party of two: a feeding ground What’s the difference? a political divide It is important to consider the effect free and Today’s topic is hatred. In my mind, racism is When did we stop identifying ourselves as hu- unfettered use of the internet has on a national one of its ugliest children. mans and resort to only Democrats or Republi- dialogue that festers with hatred. It is corrosive. Not a day goes by where I don’t see or read some- cans? While it is impossible to control what invective is one calling somebody a “racist.” But what does There has been a dangerous division between posted on which site, it is incumbent upon all of us that word entail? Maybe I should start by using these political parties since the current adminis- to take it for what it is: an opinion. Moreover, much an of cial de nition of the word, let me Google it. tration took of ce. While there has always been a of it comes not from intelligent people capable of Racist: a person who shows or feels discrimina- divide, it’s never been as hostile as it is now. well-thought-out presentations of fact but from the tion or prejudice against people of other races, or Families with partisan differences can barely INTERNET, B8 RACISM, B8 POLITICAL DIVIDE, B8 OBITUARIES ..............................A2 LOOK! .......................................A8 DIVERSIONS .............................B5 HIGH 84° VOL. 141, ISSUE 206 OPINION ...................................A4 SPORTS ................................ B1-3 CLASSIFIED ........................... B6-7 LOW 67° POLICE/FIRE .............................A6 COMICS ....................................B4 PAGE A8 ONE DOLLAR A2 THE DAILY ITEM FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 OBITUARIES Bruce A. Rideout, 81 David M. Higgins, 81 LYNN — Bruce Albion Ride- LYNN — Mr. David M. Hig- out, age 81, of Lynn, passed gins, 81 years, of Lynn, died away and joined his beloved on Monday evening, Aug. 5, wife Diana, on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019 at his home surrounded 2019, after a brief illness. He by his loving family. He is the was a lifelong resident of Lynn husband of Mrs. Barbara L. who spent 26 years working (Ulm) Higgins, with whom he for the Lynn Water and Sewer shared 52 years of marriage. FILE PHOTO | ASSOCIATED PRESS Commission. He was born in Lynn, the Bruce was the son of the son of the late George and Commuters head out of town on the Massachu- late Ozro and Josephine setts Turnpike in Boston. Lena (Amero) Higgins. He (Spinney) Rideout, and the was raised in Lynn and lived brother of the late Ozro Free- in Lynn all of his life. He was man Rideout Jr., Virginia Mary a 1955 graduate of St. Mary’s Traf c congestion Frain and Barbara Piper. Boy’s High School. Bruce had served in the He was employed as an reaches tipping point United States Air Force from exterminator with Dennis the 1955-1959 as an Airman Menace exterminators. Mr. 2nd class with the 496th Higgins was involved in St. By Steve LeBlanc other areas. Wellman, Aniela Suttle, Jack- nephews. He is the brother of Tactical Fighter Squadron in Mary’s Church in many capac- ASSOCIATED PRESS “By 6 o’clock in the son Banks, Lucian Wellman, the late Sally DiPrisco, Virgin- Europe. ities. He was a communicant morning, one in four miles Kenny Wood, Lily Wood, Dom- ia Carey, George, Russel and BOSTON — Traf c He loved the fresh summer of St. Mary’s. He served as a of roadway inside of Rt. inic Rideout, Arianna Green, James Higgins. congestion in Massachu- corn from Tilly’s Farm and eat- lector, Eucharistic Minister, 128 is already congested Andrew Newhall and Diana Service information: His fu- setts has reached a tip- ing breakfast at the Capital lector, senior acolyte and a or highly congested and Wood; and his niece, Jean neral will be held on Monday, ping point as the state’s Diner. He thought his grand- member of the Altar Guild. He the afternoon rush hour McMahon of Winthrop. Aug. 12, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. existing transportation kids were the most incredible taught Sunday school, as well essentially begins at 3 in Service information: His from the SOLIMINE Funeral infrastructure bumps up things on the planet. His cat as worked the food pantry. Mr. the afternoon,” she said. funeral will be held on Mon- Home, 426 Broadway (Route against a surging econo- “Peanut Butter Cup” meant Higgins pretty much did every- “The commonwealth has day at 11 a.m. in the SOLI- 129), Lynn, followed by a my. the world to him. He enjoyed reached a tipping point MINE Funeral Home, 426 thing at St. Mary’s that need- funeral Mass in St. Mary’s That’s according to a walking around his yard and ed to be done. with respect to conges- sharing laughs with his family Broadway (Route 129), Lynn. Church at 10:30 a.m. Burial report released Thursday In addition to his wife, he tion.” and friends. Burial will follow in Riverside will be private. Visiting hours by the state Department is survived by his son, Da- She said the roads are He is survived by his chil- Cemetery, Saugus. Relatives are on Sunday from 4-8 p.m. of Transportation. Repub- vid M. Higgins II and his wife so full that the smallest dren, Kecia Rideout and her and friends are respectfully Donations may be made to lican Gov. Charlie Baker disruption can have rip- Tracey of Manchester, N.H.; the Lewy Body Dementia had directed the agen- ancé James Barrett, The- invited to attend. Visiting ple effects that clog up resa Wood and her partner hours prior to the service his daughter, Jean Higgins of Association, 912 Killian Hill cy last August to study roadways more severely Lynn; his brothers and sisters, Road SW, Lilburn, GA 30097. when, where and why Mike Scaduto, David Beals, from 9-11 a.m. In lieu of than in the past, in part Bruce Rideout Jr., and Don- James Higgins and Paul Hig- Directions and guestbook at traf c congestion occurs owers donations may be because of the state’s red- ald Yezerski and his wife gins of Lynn, Ellen Dulivitz of www.solimine.com. in Massachusetts. made to the Item Santa, 110 hot economy. Laurie; his grandchildren and Peabody and Nancy Amidon The report found small Munroe St., Lynn, MA 01901. “While the average day great-grandchildren, Kenneth of Rowley; two grandchildren, disruptions like a fender Directions and guestbook at has not gotten that much Wood Jr., Keith Wood, Nich- Stephanie and Joshua Belle- bender or bad weather www.solimine.com. worse, the bad days have olas Wood, Julie Wood, Tara rose; and several nieces and can have a greater cascad- become much worse,” she Beals, Jamie Beals, Patrick ing effect on traf c than added. “Congestion is bad Beals, Damien Wood, Kaylah in the past, causing com- because the economy is Wood, Jodie Yezerski, Victoria mute times to spike.