Letter: Open Response to CRG/Sherry Harris and June Logie
While I regret giving your messages any more amplification than they deserve, I feel I must respond to your recent letter about Critical Race Theory and “cancel culture.”
You state “CRG expected criticism, but the level of venom was astounding and demonstrates that the fear many citizens are experiencing is well-founded.”
Personally, what I find astounding is that instead of trying to understand why your leaflets are received so badly, you just call your critics “attackers” and “cancel culture.” The fact is, you are trying to cancel a culture of diversity and inclusion; block a greater worldview from entering our classrooms; attack any action in town that might move Easton out of your bubble. So whose fear are you talking about, exactly?
You bring up Ron DeSantis as a stand-up guy for banning Critical Race Theory. Absurd. He has a well-documented history of offensive and/or outright racist statements. Please refer to this article, written during his campaign for governor – a race he won by less than a half-percent, fewer than 35,000 votes, and only after a machine recount. No mandate there. https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/eight-times-ron-desantis-did-racist-stuff-by-accid ent-10687534 In addition, your interpretation of CRT is astoundingly narrow. As described in the long- respected publication Time Magazine, CRT is a “commitment to examine how laws and systems uphold and perpetuate inequality for traditionally marginalized groups.” By teaching CRT, we can look at history through a different lens, and look to the future in a more equitable, inclusive way.
According to Minister and activist Bernice King, a daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. (whose views you seem to hold dear), “there is no teaching on the horrors and myriad of monstrous manifestations of white supremacy and racism that will be palatable to white supremacists and racists.” Your solution: CRT vilifies white people. We must not talk about it. https://time.com/5891138/critical-race-theory-explained/
I’m also astounded by your cavalier use of “cancel culture.” To quote The Nation, which is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States, complaints of “cancel culture” by conservatives “are laughable concerns from those who tried to cancel millions of Black people’s votes in the last presidential election, and whose party is now cranking out literally hundreds of voter suppression laws to cancel Black people’s voting rights.” https://www.thenation.com/article/society/republicans-cancel-culture-kaepernick/
And I must say to Sherry: you have often shared photos of your multiracial family (most recently in February and March of this year). Yet you call Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion “offensive and dangerous ideas.” I wonder if your children of color have ever experienced any bias, bigotry, racism, or prejudice?
For me, I agree with a recent letter sent to the Courier from Christ Church, which stated in part: “It takes willful indifference in today’s world not to acknowledge the rampant and harmful impact of racism in the lives of our Black, Asian, Latina, and Native American neighbors.” So go ahead. Continue informing Easton on what you believe to be the important issues in our town. Just don’t be astounded when hundreds of Eastonites disagree with what you deem to be important, and vote against your positions.
Debbi Barer
19-year Easton resident
Letter: CRG Cancel Culture
To the Editor:
Wait, wait, wait. Did I just read what I thought I read? Sherry Harris of CRG wrote a letter complaining about cancel culture and how we are not allowed to express our opinions anymore, and she presents the Governor of Florida Ron Desantis as a shining example of being brave. He banned Critical Race Theory in Florida. She says he banned the theory!
I guess she is suggesting that banning thought is a good thing. As they used to say on Monty Python. “Say na more”! Nathaniel Yordon
Easton
Letter: Cancel Culture Attacks Citizens for Responsible Government
To the Editor:
Citizens for Responsible Government would again like to thank our supporters. Easton citizens have now received Important Easton Issues 6th Edition and we continue to receive letters, emails, phone calls, donations, and even flowers from citizens who are grateful for the work that we do. Easton used to be a place where people could be on different sides of an issue and remain friends, but over 90% of the messages we receive tell us that citizens are now afraid to speak out against Critical Race Theory (CRT), social justice, intersectionality, voter fraud, Covid and vaccine rules, or any other thought they have that runs counter to the cancel culture. In case you think concern about CRT is a creation of Citizens for Responsible Government, Governor Ron DeSantis recently banned the theory in Florida and numerous other states have pending legislation. We applaud their courage in standing against this divisive philosophy.
Our critics pretend they are for tolerance and inclusivity, but in reality, anything written counter to their viewpoint can result in personal attacks and attempts to “cancel” the other person, business, or group.
In response to our publication, Important Easton Issues, 5th Edition, a favorite line of some critics was “That’s not who we are.” We agree, but a look at their actions reveals who they are. CRG expected criticism, but the level of venom was astounding and demonstrates that the fear many citizens are experiencing is well-founded. Sadly, rather than engaging in discussion of the issues, some have engaged in name-calling and personal attacks. However, the attacks did not stop there. They took steps to cancel our GoFundMe page. We were hoping for better but were aware that GoFundMe has a history of cancelling conservative accounts, Candace Owens being a notable example. Now our attackers are advocating on a Facebook page for people to complain about our recent email. All the email addresses were obtained legally; this was our first email ever; and it had a button to unsubscribe. However, true to their name, the cancel culture is not content to unsubscribe themselves, they want to stop everyone from reading what we write. There is no need for the critics to explain who they are – they have shown us. Fortunately, we were prepared to quickly overcome these attacks against free speech. If you would like to learn more about CRG, you can visit our website at www.EastonEye.org.
CRG will continue to work to inform Easton citizens on the important issues in our town. We encourage debate and continue to hope that our critics will respect the First Amendment right to free speech and take the opportunity to engage in civil public discourse on the issues.
Sherry Harris President, Citizens for Responsible Government June Logie Treasurer, Citizens for Responsible Government
Letter: Response to CRG Flyer
To the Editor:
The reason the CRG Flier was created was to inform the public about the serious, drastic, and abrupt policies being made to our town and our schools. An informed citizenry is an invaluable asset to our community. We are governed by the Town Meeting. However, our Board of Selectmen had one meeting, one vote, where they adopted a resolution which states,” Racism is a public health crisis in Easton.” There was no public discussion, no debate, no public input before they voted to adopt this radical resolution.
This resolution was written by Health Equity Solutions in Hartford for towns having populations with 30,000 to 130,000 residents. By adopting this resolution, the BOS triggered a mechanism to change all aspects of our schools and town policies and procedures. Easton does not need a company from Hartford dictating we have a problem and their resolution to resolve it. A very serious accusation! The citizens get to decide what works best for Easton. Our tax dollars are used to fund this effort.
Critical Race Theory adherents believe they stand on a higher moral ground than those who question their views. They believe they can see the prejudice and racism in others which they themselves cannot see. This is why some of them look down on us. This ideology defines whites as oppressors and people of color oppressed.
CRG simply brought this topic front and center for our fellow residents to consider because this fundamentally changes our town. The Board of Selectmen had no right to unilaterally implement this resolution. Our ordinances state “Resolutions must go to Town Meeting.”
In our schools, the curriculum is being dismantled by this resolution. The Board of Education is assuming your role as a parent to teach values and beliefs to your children. Because our leadership excluded the citizenry, it has caused cancel culture in Easton. Parents, business owners, and citizens share in well founded fear of marginalization and retribution and are paralyzed to come forward or speak out. This is frightening and unacceptable.
CRG stands for Citizens for Responsible Government, this vote by our Board of Selectmen is far from responsible. Critical Race Theory assumes racism. We are more then race, gender, and class. Easton is a community that embraces debate, critical thinking, and your powerful right to vote at a Town Meeting our form of government. Critical Race Theory rejects that view and assumes that you are racist, and your thought process needs to be corrected.
CRG will always advocate for freedom, debate, and your right to vote on what matters in your community. Process matters, voting at a Town Meeting isn’t a luxury, it is our right. It cannot be cancelled. Easton is a special place to be protected and cherished. CRT is not who we are. We need to do better. June Logie
Treasurer CRG
Letter: MLK, Yes — CRT, No: A Response to Christ Church
To the Editor:
As Christians, we are disheartened that people identifying as Christian would so highhandedly misappropriate the words of Doctor Martin Luther King. Perhaps the most famous quote of Doctor King is “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” This is the message that CRG supports. Nothing in what CRG wrote or stands for embraces racism, disrespect, or unfair behavior of any kind. Nothing we wrote suggested that people are not interconnected. Commenters are entitled to their own opinions. They are not entitled to their own facts. The world view based on Critical Race Theory (CRT), criticized by Citizens for Responsible Government, judges all individuals based on the color of their skin. It proclaims that white people are oppressors and people of color are victims. According to CRT that’s all you need to know to judge your neighbor. CRG opposes that idea. What could possibly be more racist, more divisive, or more in contradiction to the unifying message of Martin Luther King?
In addition, the basic fallacy in the letter from Christ Church members is simple and obvious. The United States of the 2020s is a very different place from the United States of the 1960s. It takes a bit of hubris to suggest that you know where Dr. King would stand today.
Jim Crow is gone. The Civil Rights Act was passed. Schools are no longer segregated. The black and Latino middle class has grown significantly. We have had leaders of color in the Presidency, the Supreme Court, Congress, Governorships, and state and local leadership. More people of color graduate from high school and college. And on and on and on. Our country is certainly not perfect, but it is definitely different.
Perhaps Dr. King would stand with his niece, Alveda King, or with Clarence Thomas, Ben Carson, Tim Scott, Larry Elder, Thomas Sowell, Star Parker, or Candace Owens, to name just a few of our country’s most distinguished conservative leaders of color. Or perhaps he would join the almost one third of Latino voters who supported Donald Trump in 2016. I don’t know that and neither do the members of Christ Church.
We do know this. We will not find unity by walking away from the unifying legacy of Martin Luther King and embracing a world view that divides us by race, indicts us based on whiteness, and forces the label of victim onto people of color.
Sherry L. Harris President Citizens for Responsible Government June Logie Treasurer Citizens for Responsible Government
Letter: Let the People Set the Path
To the Editor:
As the First Selectman of the town of Easton I had planned to explain my position regarding an advisory ballot question on funding Easton’s portion of the development of a multi-use path along Sport Hill Road. I still plan to do that in the future. However, I feel obligated to respond to the letter to the editor regarding the Board of Selectmen’s action at our March 4 meeting. There are several inaccuracies which I do not want to let linger prior to my more detailed discussion.
The authors of the letter, June Logie and Sherry Harris of Citizens for Responsible Government, state that — during the Planning and Zoning Commission members’ March 4 presentation in support of the pathway — that “no mention was made of the town wide charette informing citizens about this project.” This is an error as Ross Ogden of the commission extensively quoted statements made at the design charette.
Far more importantly, they state that “the legal authority to govern town finances rests with the BOF.” Of course the legislative body of the town of Easton is the Town Meeting. It is that body which approves budgets and appropriations as recommended to them by the Board of Finance. In this case on the question of an appropriation for the multi-use path, the Board of Finance voted 3-3 which prevented the question of the appropriation from being put to the Town Meeting.
Given the Planning and Zoning Commission’s unanimous position that this was needed by the town, why not put this question to the town as a whole? Is allowing them to do so and safeguarding the rights of the people to be heard not exactly what the Board of Selectmen should be doing? For those concerned that the Town Meeting is somehow usurping the Board of Finance’s power, the vote would be advisory only.
The authors present this as a partisan issue suggesting that only the Democratic members of the Board of Selectman voted to put this advisory question on the ballot, while in fact the vote was unanimous. Furthermore, it is worth noting that one of the Republican members of the Board of Finance who supported putting the appropriation on the ballot did so saying that she believed the people should vote on this important question.
Since running for this office I have tried to remain transparent. I have said all along that where the town faced difficult and potentially controversial issues the people of the town should decide what is best. The authors give every appearance of arguing that the people of Easton, through the Town Meeting process, are not qualified to make the financial decisions expressly granted to them by town ordinance and state statute. For a number of reasons their argument is difficult to comprehend.
First Selectman David Bindelglass Letter: Board of Selectmen Pathway Position is Outside of Purview
To the Editor:
The Board of Finance (BOF) met on March 2nd and denied a capital expenditure of $249,000 for the sidewalk project proposed by the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission. This decision followed a discussion with Justin Giorlando (town land use consultant) regarding the details of this project.
Within 48 hours, at the March 4th Board of Selectmen (BOS) meeting, two members of Planning & Zoning (Ross Ogden and Ray Martin) requested that the BOS revisit the sidewalk project, based on the premise that a thorough review of the proposal was not undertaken by the BOF. In other words, these P&Z members were suggesting that the BOF didn’t do its homework. No mention was made of the town wide Charrette informing citizens about this project.
The Board of Finance certainly knows more about town finances than the Planning and Zoning Commission. The BOF recognized that there are essential, major capital expenses that demand immediate financial investment, such as 2 bridge repairs (which are time sensitive for grant funding) and the HKMS roof. The BOF is to be commended for recognizing that during this highly stressful pandemic period, our community’s financial commitments have limits.
As the Executive branch of our local government, it is not in the BOS’s purview to address fiduciary matters. The legal authority to govern town finances rests with the BOF. The BOS, at the urging of P&Z, chose to undercut the work of the BOF and readdress funding for the sidewalk project via an advisory question on the upcoming referendum. This poses the question of whether or not citizens want sidewalks outside the context of our town’s overall financial health. We vote on our overall budget, but we elect the BOF to weigh what we need against what we want and determine what is best for the town. This is a seriously irresponsible move on the part of both the BOS and P&Z. They have ignited a battle among powerful town boards — the BOS, BOF and P&Z, undermined the BOF, and set a dangerous precedent in pitting town boards against each other.
We are disappointed with First Selectman Bindelglass, in concert with Selectman Robert Lessler, (Easton’s current democratic leadership) in their acquiescing to P&Z’s attempt to nullify a decision made by the BOF. It calls into question their leadership, their support and respect for other boards, and their understanding of our governance process. It is critical to the town’s stability that each board’s role is respected, that their decisions are honored, and that proper process and protocol are followed.
Sherry L. Harris President, CRG
June Logie Treasurer, CRG Newsletter Mailed to Easton Residents Sparks Outcry
A newsletter that appeared unsolicited in Easton mailboxes is coming under fire for its stance against the town‘s and school district’s effort to address systemic racism.
The newsletter, published by the Citizens for Responsible Government, encourages residents to fight against the Easton, Redding and Region 9 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, which it says is “pushing this poisonous ideology closer to our students.”
It also criticized the Board of Selectmen’s attempt last summer to study the link between racism and public health. And a social justice group formed by Joel Barlow High School alumni, students and faculty after the death of George Floyd last summer is also highlighted in the newsletter.
Those who see tackling systemic racism as an important societal responsibility denounced the newsletter’s content on social media. Others penned letters to the Easton Courier.
“As a Latina married to a Black man with two bi-racial children living in Easton for four years now, I’m deeply disturbed and disgusted by the Easton Eye mailer I received today, “ Elle Morris said.
Citizens for Responsible Government’s claims on its Facebook page it is the oldest political action committee in the state with roots as a tax watchdog. The group is funded in part through a Go Fund Me account and runs the website EastonEye.org. It has recently zeroed in on the town’s anti-racism and social justice efforts that began last summer.
Sherry Harris, the president of Citizens for Responsible Government, said she expected some residents to disagree with the newsletter.
“We didn’t invent critical race theory,” Harris said. “We have strong feelings about issues going on in our town, and we put those issues in front of people with quotes from documents.”
The group collected donations of $2,000 to print and mail the newsletter. Half of the $2,000 came in after the newsletter was mailed to residents, said Harris, adding that the positive response the group received from some residents about the newsletter was encouraging.
Members of the group have opposed a Board of Selectman resolution to address racism as a public health crisis. The Board of Selectmen at its March 4 meeting rescinded the resolution in favor of sending it to a town-wide vote.
Republican Selectman Kristi Sogofsky found the newsletter divisive. “Anything that causes any more division in our community isn’t helpful,” she said. “People are trying to have difficult and hard conversations. We don’t need to be pulling each other apart.”
“I really hope this was an effort by a small group of misguided people who gathered some money and put this together,” said resident Alisha Gorder. “It doesn’t represent my values and the values of this town.” Letter: CRG Thanks Supporters and Responds to Detractors
To the Editor:
Important Easton Issues, 5th Edition, landed yesterday in Easton mailboxes and the responses “yea” and “nay” are as expected. To those who have spoken up to support our concern about the destructive world view surrounding critical race theory and especially to those who made donations, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our goal remains to provide accurate information to Easton citizens, but it has taken on a new urgency as we work to overcome the censorship of conservative thought and the fear instilled by the cancel culture.
To our detractors, let us respond to some of what we have read.
• For bringing this information to light, we have been labeled on social media as a hate group, a shadowy hateful conspiracy group, an extremist group, a disgruntled fringe, ULTRA conservative (caps not mine), racist, Nazi and fascist. Name calling and labeling is what people do when they have no facts to offer. Please note that in our pamphlet we did not call names. • For bringing this information to light, we have been called a danger to property values. According to William Raveis, Easton property values are currently up 30%. It would appear that the suggested drag on property values is a smokescreen designed to intimidate. We have been cautioned to think twice about whether or not we are exposing ourselves to a lawsuit. And there it is – the attempt to intimidate those who hold views different from your own.
• As for not publishing a membership list, CRG is a Political Action Committee. We are not required to publish a membership list nor even to keep one. We operate on donations from supporters. It is important to note that the laws governing PACs are there to give donors some protection from threats or acts of retribution from opponents.
• We have been accused of misleading donors and preying on people who want a printed newspaper. Every person who donated before reading the pamphlet was aware of the content and additional donations have come in since the pamphlet was delivered.
• Our fund raising has been called a “scam to enrich a few people.” No one makes a cent from this publication. No one is paid or reimbursed in any way for the hours and hours of work it takes to write, edit, fund, and mail a 16-page publication. We pay for printing and postage. If funds are short, the workers make up the difference. We will only have extra money if people visit our Go Fund Me page and decide to donate beyond the goal. If that happens, the money will go into the next flyer.
• One commenter said the pamphlet is “full of misinformation.” If that is the case, tell us what it is. If we agree we will correct said misinformation. If you read carefully, you will note that much of the key information was actually quoted from documents we find disturbing. If you have not looked at the 52-page suggested curriculum, we strongly suggest that you do.
• And finally, we have been accused of an “act of extreme cowardice” for not signing our names. Citizens for Responsible Government has been in Easton for over 30 years and most people know who we are. Check the bottom of this letter and the countless other letters that CRG has sent to the media and you will find my name and the name of our treasurer. Always there. Never a secret. Proud of what we do.
Sherry Harris President, CRG June Logie Treasurer, CRG
Easton
Letter: Racial Justice Should Be Discussed Civilly
To the Editor:
Today, my mailbox contained a document from the Citizens for Responsible Government that alarmed me because it was filled with accusations and vitriol. Words like “infected,” “foist,” “poisonous ideology” are meant to inflame and alarm the reader but the thought that came to my mind was hate. This kind of diatribe just exemplifies the racism that the CRG doesn’t think exists in Easton.
White folks, myself included, can be uncomfortable tackling issues of race. That is not surprising since it was the White man who drove the indigenous people off their land. It was the White European who enslaved people for their own economic advantage. White real estate brokers steered people of color away from predominantly White communities and White bankers turned down Black mortgages.
That’s just history, just plain facts. That knowledge is not meant to make people feel guilty. It should help us to understand the foundations of our country and why White privilege exists. The three theories that the writer denounced are academic constructs that help people understand society and the “isms” that might be influencing that society. What great conversations they can spark in a Social Studies classroom!
The founding father’s ideal, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” can never be replaced. But it can and should be realized. Martin Luther King’s dream was based on those words, to see the forces of injustice defeated to make a truly inclusive society possible.
As a Christian, I am called to see all people as made in the image and likeness of God. As a member of the Vestry of Christ Episcopal Church and the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Team we are examining our own historic complicity in racism so that we might help to combat it. I am pleased that the town is doing this important work. We are called to do God’s work here in Easton. Moreover, I believe that all humanity is called to do God’s work. Racial justice is God’s work.
I hope that any positions held by the community members are voiced and owned. But they should be discussed civilly and without inflammatory language. Let us treat everyone as children of God, even if we disagree. Vicki MarkAnthony
Easton