EASTON, MD -- Today, a letter was sent to the Talbot County Council making clear how Councilmember Laura Price’s use of authority to silence her critics violates the First Amendment. The letter was sent by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, on behalf of the Talbot County Branch of the NAACP and its President, Richard Potter, as well as Trappe resident Ari Rubenstein.
The following can be attributed to Deborah Jeon, Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland:
"Never has the right to speak freely and petition the government for redress of grievances been more vital than today, as America faces a historic reckoning about race and racial justice. Members of the community strongly support Talbot County’s resolutions and initiatives on race, equity and diversity and want their elected officials to courageously acknowledge and reconcile the evils of the past and their continuing legacy. County Council members need to speak boldly, but also to listen thoughtfully, especially to viewpoints and opinions that differ from their own. Regrettably, Councilmember Laura Price’s approach instead displayed both ignorance about the lived reality of many Black people in the community, and an unwillingness to listen and learn about perspectives different from her own. That is unacceptable."
Read the letter to the Talbot County Council
###
