To the Editor:"Take the Pledge" dated July 25, 2017. Republicans consider our flag a symbol of America, a reminder to us of all the brave men and women who have fought for America, many of whom have been injured; others have made the ultimate sacrifice. Today, there are American soldiers spread throughout the world defending our flag and the freedoms we hold dear. I try to thank a veteran for his service whenever I'm afforded the opportunity.

I was quite disturbed when I read Tiffany Hawley's letter,

Monday night, the Pledge [of Allegiance] was not recited during our caucus. The caucus, however, was preceded by a special meeting called for the purpose of recommending a slate of candidates for the November election. On the same day Ms Hawley wrote her letter, the executive board of the RTC was excoriated by a fellow member for not starting the meeting on time. The meeting was delayed in part due to the ensuing chaos of 350+ Newtowners pouring into the Edmond Town Hall and partly because the vice chairman, Dan Wiedemann, had to search the premises for a flag to honor. Once Dan returned with a flag and things had settled, I opened the meeting with a recitation of our Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting adjourned around 6:45 pm.

At 7 pm, candidates, RTC members, and caucusgoers were urging the caucus chair to begin. Because of the size of the crowd, it took time for the registrars to admit all attendees. The chair was adamant about not starting until everyone who came to participate in our democracy could be admitted. At about 7:20 pm the caucus was finally brought to order and began with the business on the agenda. While I do not excuse the fact that the Pledge was not recited, I can understand, considering the circumstances, how it was overlooked. On behalf of the RTC, I apologize to Mr Hawley and everyone else present for its omission.

The other striking thing about the letter was the apparent harsh treatment of Mr Hawley by the caucus chair. While a terse response is never justified, I can imagine the level of stress the chair was under maintaining control of the caucus and assuring that nominations were decided fairly and reflective of the will of the attendees. I know the chair to be a reputable member of our community who does not ordinarily treat anyone without the utmost respect.

Finally, I want to thank Mr Hawley and all other attendees for joining us Monday evening and I am confident we will not omit the Pledge again. We drew a large crowd and I encourage similar crowds (smaller magnitude) at our regular meetings which are usually held on the fourth Wednesday of the month at the Senior Center. I invite Mr Hawley and his family to join us next month where I will proudly ask him to lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Jeff Capeci

Chairman, Newtown RTC

52 Bear Hills Road, Newtown         July 26, 2017