From the Derry News
Freedom of speech is not absolute
By Sherry Farrell Londonderry Town Clerk 7/6/2023
Here it is early Monday morning and I’ve decided to move ahead with this story. Sometimes I write stories for us and then I never send them to Julie, because I want most of our time together to be celebrating — simply put, the good. Good people, good places, good memories that remind us that we are all in this together… in our little corner of the world.
A few weeks back my town clerk office family suffered the unexpected and it was deemed acceptable because as “they” stated or yelled I should say… It’s their First Amendment right. Their constitutional right. Well,, I’m telling you now on the eve of our country’s birthday, the Fourth of July, when good people gave everything to create “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all” as our Pledge of Allegiance reminds us of each time we say it.
What happened to us under the pretense of Freedom of Speech, and I am certain this is not what our forefathers and mothers had in mind back in 1776, nor again in 1789 when our United States Constitution was written to establish the law of our new country where freedom would prevail for all.
Hiding behind the veil of Freedom of Speech on a quiet afternoon when all of us in our town clerk/tax collector’s office were working hard and trying to get caught up, while helping our wonderful citizens that came in to conduct business in what should be a safe, protected place three adults — two men and one woman came barging into our office. Were we all startled and afraid. Was that their goal? Yes.
What we witnessed coming into our quiet world while a resident was being helped, was one excessively loud man, demanding what my assistant clerks were doing and what their names were? That may not sound that bad to you, but toss in the fact they came unexpectedly through our office door, one wearing a black hoodie and holding a long stick up in the air which later we realized was a video camera.
Read the complete column HERE
Clerk Farrell also took displeasure in the fact that the video in question was shared
Sadder still was when a few people from our own community, located the video site and then reposted it to local sites which showed support for their behavior. My understanding is that Facebook pulled it down, because it was inappropriate and threatening.
Sherry Farrell Derry News 7/6/2023
The video was shared on this website, as are a number of other items concerning Londonderry. There was no commentary an no support of the individuals. The video was later removed. The video has not been removed by Facebook. See Posts Removed
Since Clerk Farrell has chosen three weeks after the incident to make a number of statements regarding the video as well as allegations that the intent was to threaten and defame and incite violence it seem only fair to present the video.