Page 761 - Enders_Game_Full_Book

"So perhaps you'll get defeated at the next election," said Valentine. "What of that?"
Peregrino laughed aloud. "She thinks like a cleric," he said.
"I'm willing to lose an election in order to do the right thing," said Kovano, a little resentfully.
"You're just not sure it's the right thing," said Valentine.
"Well, you can't know that there'll be a riot tonight," said Kovano.
"Yes I can," said Valentine. "I promise that unless you take firm control right now, and stifle any possibility of crowds forming tonight, you will lose a lot more than the next election."
The Bishop was still chuckling. "This does not sound like the woman who told us that whatever wisdom she had, she would share, but we mustn't hope for much."
"If you think I'm overreacting, what do you propose?"
"I'll announce a memorial service for Quim tonight, and prayers for peace and calm."
"That will bring to the cathedral exactly the people who would never be part of a riot anyway," said Valentine.
"You don't understand how important faith is to the people of Lusitania," said Peregrino.
"And you don't understand how devastating fear and rage can be, and how quickly religion and civilization and human decency are forgotten when a mob forms."
"I'll put all the police on alert tonight," said Mayor Kovano, "and put half of them on duty from dusk to midnight. But I won't close the bars or declare a curfew. I want life to go on as normally as possible. If we started changing everything, shutting everything down, we'd just be giving them more reasons to be afraid and angry."
"You'd be giving them a sense that authority was in command," said Valentine. "You'd be taking action that was commensurate with the terrible feelings they have. They'd know that somebody was doing something."
"You are very wise," said Bishop Peregrino, "and this would be the best advice for a large city, especially on a planet less true to the Christian faith. But we are a mere village, and the people are pious. They don't need to be bullied. They need encouragement and solace tonight, not curfews and closings and pistols and patrols."
"These are your choices to make," said Valentine. "As I said, what wisdom I have, I share." "And we appreciate it. You can be sure I'll be watching things closely tonight," said Kovano.