To the Editor:
Easton needs open discussion and honest discord about racism and bias in our town. A referendum resolution will not change racism or biases if it dictates changes without identifying the problems, excludes the public, inflicts changes upon our schools, dictates policies and procedures, and recommends changes to all our boards and commissions — all without public or parental discussion and input. It will divide our town and close the door to healthy discussion.
A swastika drawn on the sidewalk of our school, flyers and numerous letters in the Courier have not compelled our town to hold open forums and healthy discussions. By not taking this important first step, these have ignited cancel culture behavior and brought hateful acts against those who think differently. It has paralyzed people to speak in fear of retribution to themselves and their children.
Racism and biases are beliefs that drive behaviors, and unless you address the thinking you will never change the behavior. Unless we talk to each other and listen and learn all perspectives we can never truly address racism and bias.
This referendum resolution on Racism and Public Health we are being asked to vote on May 4 does not reflect issues that we have here in Easton and does not reflect the townspeople of Easton. It just assumes that we are racists. It looks at everything through a racial lens first, and by doing so, it stands in judgment and dictates changes through a mechanism controlled outside of our local control and leaves our citizens powerless.
VOTE NO to this resolution because it is not the first step to addressing racism or biases. Controlling people will not change their thinking nor change their behavior. Judgment closes the door to listening and discussion and prevents sharing of ideas. All this has accomplished is to divide our town. We can only be responsible for our own actions and not the actions of others, and that starts with each and every one of us.
DEMAND CHANGE! DEMAND OPEN FORUMS, HEALTHY DISCUSSION, COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND LISTENING as our FIRST STEPS TO ADDRESSING RACISM and BIASES IN OUR TOWN. These are what we need, NOT A RESOLUTION WITH MANDATES INAPPLICABLE TO EASTON.
VOTE NO on May 4!
June Logie
Easton
