Censorship Is The Handmaiden Of A Police State
by Jarret B. Wollstein
Censorship is the use of force to control what you can say, read, or see. Although occasionally private individuals and groups engage in censorship – for example by stealing "insensitive" newspapers (which has occurred on several US college campuses) or threatening to kill "indecent" or "blasphemous" artists, like The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie – the primary agent of censorship is government.
In Nazi Germany, the works of Jewish writers were seized and burned by storm troopers. Resisters were beaten and shot. Merely criticizing the government could mean being sent to a concentration camp. In the Soviet Union and Communist China, the government burned bibles and churches, as well as unapproved books and art.
Although no one is being beaten or shot for exercising their right to free speech in Rumford or Dixfield, the intent to censor what people may say is the same, especially if you are a public employee. The people that have control over these employees, the local selectmen, are sending a message that they better conform to whatever the selectman want. These selectmen think that the citizens of their towns don’t deserve to hear what the town employees think. We think that is absolutely wrong and it starts us down the slippery path of censorship, allowing only what GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS want the people to hear.
As a citizen of one of these fine towns, I want to hear what the people that ACTUALLY DO THESE JOBS have to say about what they need to keep us safe. Who will know better than the people that actually do these jobs?
We have a message for Rumford Selectman Mark Belanger and Dixfield Selectmen Bettina Martin, Raymond Carlton and Jim Desjardins. We are competent to make informed decisions about what level of service we want in out towns. Stop treating the people of your respective towns like we shouldn’t have all the information necessary to make those decisions. We deserve to know and have a right to know both sides of an issue, not just what you want us to know.
Lastly, your attempts to censor your employees is the beginning of everything we have stood against as a nation since our humble beginnings. In fact, it’s one of the reasons we formed as a nation and wrote the First Amendment into our Constitution. The basic premise of your actions are exactly the same as what occured in Nazi Germany, to censor the free speech of those who think differently than you, or else...
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11 comments:
What the selectmen are doing is abusing their power, terminating and disciplining people that don’t support them politically.
The selectmen haven't done anything, the Town Manager administered the punishment in accordance with the rules.
Mark Belanger, a selectman, filed a complaint against the fire department because they tried to provide information to the residents of the town that he didn’t want them to have and because some of them supported a candidate other than him.
The Dixfield Selectmen fired their Chief of Police because he provided information to residents at a town meeting that they didn’t want the residents to have.
Both cases are an abuse of power and an act of censorship.
Belanger filed a complaint because the firefighters violated a rule. The investigation and punishment was done by the town manager. It is not an abuse of power to file a complaint.
Anonymous, you are absolutely correct. It is NOT an abuse of power to file a complaint. It IS, however, still censorship to prevent one from expressing opinions or information. I find it ironic that Belanger filed his complaint under the auspices of that "rule" to prevent the fire department from presenting facts and informing the people who they think would act more in the interest of the town. After all, didn't he lie to the people as a public official concerning police coverage from The Oxford County Sheriff's Department?
I got a speeding ticket the other day. I don't think it's fair. I was simply exercising my freedom of expression, at 95mph. Sounds silly, doesn't it? The article restricting members of the Police and Fire Depts from publicly endorsing a candidate have been on the books for many years. If you don't like it lobby the town to have it changed - perhaps they'll form another Charter Commission to look into it. On the other hand, it's a fairly common ordinance and similar ones are on the books of many Maine towns. Perhaps you should think about WHY it's there...
You got a speeding ticket too? I thought it was just a seat belt violation. I'm surprised you didn't use your right to free speech to try to blame the police for your violation of the law - again. Pathetic!
Does the law against speeding violate your Constitutional Rights?
The fire department must be doing something right they have over 25 articles on TRR.
TRR is a joke.
They continue to bury themselves deeper every post.
This argument is ludicrous. As members of the Fire and Police forces those people represent the town. While they can certainly lobby for specific articles (like funding for their department) for them to lobby for a specific candidate would suggest support (indirect or otherwise) for that candidate by the town government.
Anon said "for them to lobby for a specific candidate would suggest support (indirect or otherwise) for that candidate by the town government"
I disagree. If the action was taken by the department and not individuals, then for them to lobby for a specific candidate suggest that that department supports a specific candidate.
The Fire and Police Departments and the Road Crew don't govern the town.
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