To the editor:
On Monday (Item, March 15) you published our opinion piece on the proposed Black Lives Matter mural, and in the harsh light of day we think that we may have unfairly suggested that the mayor and city leaders have an agenda against the mural. We don’t think that.
We are frustrated that things move slowly here while it seems that, in other cities, they move quickly. Mayor McGee has said, “Systemic racism adversely affects the Black Community and Communities of Color every day. Absolutely no one should live in fear of the act of simply living because of the color of their skin. We must listen and learn from those who have endured far too much.”
Thank you to everyone for listening to us.
We want everyone to know why the mural unites us rather than divides us. A Black Lives Matter mural on Essex Street will remind the mayor of his passionate concern, reinforce our elected officials’ commitment to represent and support all of our city’s citizens, inspire the judges entering the courthouse, motivate the police who protect us, and let everyone passing through downtown Lynn know that we find great strength in the diversity of our city.
We understand that city leadership is concerned with the legal implications of allowing a Black Lives Matter mural on a prominent downtown street. We understand that if we petition the city to allow our private speech on public property, and if the city says, yes, then other groups could demand an equal right to share other messages, even hateful ones.
But we also understand that the city has its own rights to speech and expression, and that when the city speaks on its own accord, it can essentially say anything it wants.
By becoming the “speaker,” the city is expressing a viewpoint that is immune to First Amendment challenges of viewpoint discrimination. If the city thinks we should all wear masks, it can say so and doesn’t need to offer equal time to anti-maskers. If the city thinks that Black Lives Matter, then it can say so on Essex Street without any requirement to offer equal opportunity to the Ku Klux Klan.
This week we will be submitting a detailed proposal to the mayor, including a vision for a beautiful and positive mural, use of local professional artists and high-quality materials, a timeline, a maintenance plan, a budget, and a fundraising plan.
Mayor McGee and City Councilors: You will have the message, the plan, the funds, the legal green light, broad community backing and the right timing. Please lead us in this moment.
Carlos Prudencio and Damianny Garrido
Seniors, Lynn English High School
