We Will Not Back Down
The following letter has been received for publication in The Newtown Bee:
Dear Newtown Community,
The recent remarks made by former BOE members, and the chairwoman have sparked outrage in our community. It is important to address the harmful implications of these remarks, which attempt to bring fascism to our town.
As citizens, we have the right to express our opinions and stand up for what we believe in. We will not be silenced or treated like lap dogs and punching bags. Our voices matter, and we will continue to fight for our rights and values.
The Republican contingent in our community has been distorting the message of love and inclusivity that our residents are promoting. Instead, they have been pushing their own religious agenda and trying to silence those who do not share their beliefs.
We will not stand for this kind of bigotry and intolerance. Our public schools should be a safe space for all students, regardless of race, sexual orientation/identity, and/or religious background. We must stand up against any attempts to bring religious fanaticism into our public institutions.
It is important to remember that America stands for freedom of expression and the right to hold different beliefs. We will always fight to uphold these values and protect the rights of all citizens. We must continue to speak out against any attempts to silence our voices and undermine our democratic principles.
In conclusion, we must remain vigilant and steadfast in our commitment to fight against intolerance, bigotry, and hatred. We will not let those who seek to erode our rights and values off the hook for their undemocratic and backwards attitudes. We will continue to be vocal and fight for what we believe in, and we will not back down.
Sincerely,
Dan Grossman
Newtown
People also have a right to petition the government (First Amendment,) and while you may not agree with their concerns around sexual materials being made available to kids, that does not give you or anyone else the authority to deny their grievance be heard in accordance with policy; though it is not surprising someone who does a Nazi salute during a board meeting would feel people with contrary opinions ought not be heard.
Dan Grossman, I was hoping to see an apology from you, but instead you wrote a letter laced with hypocrisy. Maybe you don’t realize what you did at the June 1 BOE meeting, I will give you the benefit of the doubt. Please read “Kudos Newtown: The Sequel” for a perspective on your behavior that hopefully will encourage you to write that apology.
Your Newtown neighbor,
Brendan Lukaniec
Tough to tell if the irony in this letter is intentional or not. “It is important to remember that America stands for freedom of expression and the right to hold different beliefs.” Unless those thoughts or beliefs are at odds with the the Democratic party. Lets not forget, it was GOP BOE Member Kuzma’s suggested resolution (i.e., allowing the books to say, but with an opt-out mechanism for parents) that ultimately was the compromise adopted by the BOE.
The ruthless mob rose up to bully the elected BOE which buckled under the hateful rhetoric. All the GOP members who did not quit should be shown the door. The BOE could not fulfill a basic oversight function so why have it?