The following letter was published in this week’s issue of the Gazette.
To the editor:
People can do the right thing, even if only for selfish ends. Such was the case with the Board of Trustees and the protest last month at Vassallo Park.
“The next time that a group wants to exercise their constitutional right to speak, they should be accorded the same treatment as the group which exercised their rights in Vassallo Park last month. Whether that group wants to speak out on climate change, racial justice, blue lives matter, or abortion should not matter. Nor should it matter whether a favored political candidate is a featured speaker while primary voting is taking place.”
I can understand the objection to waiving the normal requirement for insurance and permit approval, but I think those who object are looking at this the wrong way. We should be encouraging free speech, particularly in these times which are so hostile to any deviation from the majority viewpoint.
It is true that the protest gave an opportunity for a campaign speech by a Congressional candidate in the middle of a hotly-contested primary. It is naive to think that this opportunity was not a factor in the decision of the Board of Trustees not to require insurance and permits. But while the motives of our political leaders may have been improper, the action was taken and a precedent was set by our municipal government.
The Village Manager and Police Chief managed to successfully work with the residents and enable them to express their viewpoint in a village park, without buying expensive insurance or applying for permits months in advance. That is a good thing, and we should encourage more of that behavior on the part of our village government.
The next time that a group wants to exercise their constitutional right to speak, they should be accorded the same treatment as the group which exercised their rights in Vassallo Park last month. Whether that group wants to speak out on climate change, racial justice, blue lives matter, or abortion should not matter. Nor should it matter whether a favored political candidate is a featured speaker while primary voting is taking place.
Freedom of speech and equal treatment under the law are both principles of our democracy under attack from both sides of the political spectrum. In waiving requirements for the protest last month, the Board of Trustees acted in a manner that furthered freedom of speech and I applaud them for that. I hope that in the future the Board of Trustees will start to treat all residents as equal under the law.
Paul Steinberg