During any powerful storm that threatens Bermuda, it is always amazing how during the crucial stages people tend to focus on helping each other without any thought of differences — politically or otherwise. It is a time when doing things together has a greater priority because everyone knows a major storm favours no one.

If only that attitude could be applied when our core values come under threat from anyone with demeaning and destructive objectives, disguised as some type of informative lecture. One would have to be mentally blind not to be concerned about remarks recently that promote divisiveness and which are ingredients for creating evil acts that run against the grain of any decent society anywhere on this earth.

In any democracy, constituents who elect or remove people from office who fall terribly short of upholding standards and values will always have power to make their voices heard. By letting representatives know their feelings or by using the power of the ballot box to make a statement. That is how democracy works and politicians throughout the world in democratic jurisdictions have often paid a price for failing to listen, no matter how unpleasant the criticism may be. Truth will always be the winner.

United States President Barack Obama was visibly shaken by the recent shooting at a community college in Oregon, where nine people were killed by a deranged gunman, who in fact was a student at the college. Once again, the President found himself smack in the middle of the contentious issue of gun control, which seems to have America bitterly divided over what to do about guns falling into the hands of criminals and mentally disturbed people.

On one hand, many Americans are obsessed with the right to bear arms, which they claim is their constitutional right, while others believe better control is needed to prevent so many guns getting into wrong hands with often tragic results.

Some in America see the National Rifle Association (NRA) as a significant stumbling block in bringing about the change that is needed to halt a trend of killings, which the President said occurs every few months.

This is where he injected into his remarks that nothing will change until the people let their elected representatives know that, if they choose to look the other way, the people will look the other way when the time comes to vote. He emphasised that until pressure is applied to politicians by constituents on the gun issue, change will not happen.

The vital factor here is that no politician should be allowed to feel untouchable once in office, no matter what group or party he or she represents.

The electorate in Bermuda has grown very diversified in recent years, although there are still shades of divisiveness with racial undertones that serve to break down, rather than

build, community harmony. In trying to move forward, it would be extremely difficult if our rear-view mirror was the same size as the windscreen. No one can embrace the future with both hands if one hand is still clinging to the past.

Bermuda has much to look forward to, providing that future will involve every single Bermudian who is willing to strive for standards and values that form the foundation for

decency and dignity. The power of constituents should never be underestimated by anyone seeking or holding public office. Constituents will have the final say. After all, that is the

fundamental right of democracy.

History teaches that by learning from the past, the potential for a repeat performance is greatly reduced. Our parliamentary and community leaders should keep this principle in mind. By doing so, a better Bermuda for everyone is far more promising.