Date: 10/19/2022
The Monson Democratic Town Committee is aware of the discussion by the Select Board at its Oct. 11 meeting regarding the placement of political signs around the Civil War Soldiers Monument in Monson.
The Select Board indicated it had no current authority to restrict these signs at that location or at Memorial Hall, the site of monuments to other wars. During the meeting members of the Monson Republican Town Committee spoke about its right to place signs circling the Soldiers Monument as its exercise of freedom of speech.
As a result, the precedent was established that our committee, or anyone, could place political signs at these locations. The Monson Democratic Town Committee is opting not to do so out of respect for the meaning and intent of this monument going back to its original dedication by the people of Monson, many who were veterans of the war. The monument consecrates the “patriotism and valor of our soldiers” and names four battles, New Bern, Knoxville, Roanoke, and Gettysburg. Some places do not need to be host to political speech. Some places deserve our respect, and these monuments are places in our town that we believe should remain pristine from commercial and political signs.
Sometimes exercising freedom can mean choosing to respect that which residents of our community honored and revered over 150 years ago. The Monson Democratic Town Committee is not going to place signs at this location, comfortable that the town provides many other opportunities and locations for political speech so that we can leave this Civil War Soldiers Monument as it was intended – a place to honor and remember those who served to “defend the national cause.”
Karen Nothe-Valley
Chair
Monson Democratic Town Committee
