To the Editor,
Several recordings from some of the Village of Croton’s IDEA Advisory Committee meetings (or ‘member gatherings,’ as they may come to be designated in order to assuage responsibility) have made their way to public ears.
I was appalled to hear members (one would presume they are members) list Croton residents by name, identifying them as problematic “lunatics” based on assumed political affiliations. In one recording, a member comments about “wanting to do something” at a village resident’s house, simply because they don’t like their views or beliefs. My own name came up, because of my previous letters featured within The Gazette (“She’s always in the paper”) but fortunately I am designated as “not a lunatic,” making me “a little more difficult to deal with.” Perhaps a compliment, but valueless given the callousness of the people putting the words forth.
The recordings reveal more disturbing attitudes than simple name-calling and loose threats against neighbors: members negatively discussed Jewish people and defend having deliberately not celebrated or even acknowledged Jewish American Heritage Month. They mock and laugh at a group of Jewish people as having “a funny innocence,” for visiting a mosque. It is perplexing as to what that could even suggest, but it certainly sounds demeaning. Though perhaps flippant and off-handed, a comment made on one recording by a man stating that they are, “planning to overthrow The United States Government,” does give a shiver down one’s spine.
Statements about importing influencers from other towns and ‘getting ahold of these kids’ (in Croton) to organize a ‘walkout’ are heard, based on dissatisfaction with the ages of local protestors (a very disparaging attitude towards some of our own local senior citizens who take their time to respectfully assemble and exercise their right to demonstrate). One wonders how it might lie within the purview of a village appointed committee to brainstorm ways of influencing our CHUFSD youth, telling them what to think or protest about.
The usefulness of the IDEA Advisory Committee should be evaluated; perhaps it would be well for it to simply be disbanded. The recorded conversations do not represent inclusivity or equitability; they reveal a toxic and divisive clique.
It remains unclear, aside from being appointed by the mayor, and aside from the fact that guidelines for village committees state that they (committees) operate under the village manager's authority, whether the IDEA Advisory Committee is simply a renegade band of sharply opinionated agents harboring private condemnations towards their neighbors, or in some way, a functional component of the village government.
It is at least known and acknowledged within a recent missive from the village manager that “it would not be permissible for the Village to limit the speech of advisory committee volunteers in their discussions.” Despite having been recorded in the first place, and apparently having been cataloged as official village documents, the ‘spin’ on the recordings will likely position them as non-official gatherings of individuals, with no contextual bearing on official village business.
Regardless of any ‘spin,’ the recorded word ultimately remains free from distortion or manipulation, as noted by lawyer and legal author Raoul Berger; “What [people] say while they are acting, are themselves facts, as distinguished from opinions about facts.” Words matter, especially recorded words, and they operate as a measure of public accountability. Early voting for the coming election begins on October 24th, at the Stanley H. Kellerhouse Municipal Building.
Thank you,
Jessica Dieckman
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