Hunter Taylor: Liberty and community are not incompatible

To The Daily Sun,

In his recent letter, Rep. Michael Sylvia complained that "leftists" and "Marxists" had screamed and shouted about not having remote access to the county budget hearing he scheduled as an in-person meeting at the County Complex. Mr. Sylvia neglected to mention that the meeting room in question is not large enough to allow social distancing. He also chose not to remind readers that he had announced in advance that he would not wear a mask. So, it was clear from the outset that the Governor's recent mask mandate would not be complied with or enforced.

 

At the Tuesday meeting, 17 members of the 18 member delegation were present; 7 wore masks, while Mr. Sylvia and 9 others did not. The meeting room is directly adjacent to a hallway that connects to the county nursing home. Given the recent tragic deaths at the Veterans Home in Tilton, together with the known Covid infections of some GOP representatives who attended a November event, one might expect an especially high degree of care to be exercised. The needed care would be to protect not only all those wanting to participate without being present in the meeting room, but also the vulnerable residents of the nursing home and their overworked caregivers.

 

One positive that came from the meeting was a vote by a majority of the delegation, over the objection of Mr. Sylvia, to recess the budget hearing until the public and other meeting participants could be provided a workable means of remote participation. Hopefully, that is being done.

 

Members of the public who called for a remote meeting, and the minority of representatives who wore masks showed not only concern for themselves, but for all community members. In contrast, Rep. Sylvia showed concern only for himself and his misguided concept of "liberty". Liberty and community are not incompatible. Our individual freedom was never intended to be a license to needlessly expose others in the community to harm.

 

Hunter Taylor

Alton