The idea that the first citizen of a city could be threatened by extremists for extending the hand of friendship to all sections of society belongs to the dark ages.
However, it seems that there are elements in Derry who still prefer to point guns rather than engage in rational debate.
The city's SDLP mayor, Shaun Gallagher, made a strong and positive contribution to the reconciliation process by laying a wreath at the war memorial in the centre of Derry on Remembrance Sunday.
A matter of days later, he, his family and their neighbours had to be evacuated when a suspect device, which turned out to be an elaborate hoax, was discovered outside their home in the Shantallow area.
In the early hours of yesterday (Monday), three masked men, two of whom were said to be carrying rifles, appeared at the window of the same house.
They may have slipped away into the shadows but their message could hardly have been more blunt and sinister.
Mr Gallagher has said that he refuses to be intimidated, will not be moving out and intends to continue with all his civic duties.
He deserves the support of the entire community as he stands up to a small group which can only be described as fascist.
If dissident republicans have a case to put forward, they should stand in next week's Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
Their failure to do so confirms that their tactics have already been rejected by the vast majority of Irish people, north and south.
