Selectman Cathie Winston on Tuesday night denied her criticism of a recent Walpole Peace and Justice Group demonstration was an effort to stifle free speech.
Winston was referring to the group's assertion that a letter she wrote was a "disturbing threat" to that liberty.
The selectman said the group had every right to hold its June 21 demonstration. She added that she simply wished Peace and Justice had told the Board of Selectmen that it intended to use small, coffin-like boxes covered by a black sheet to portray U.S. soldiers lost in Iraq.
Several residents complained about the coffins and black cloth - a display never mentioned to the board - at the time of the demonstration, Winston said at a previous meeting.
The group in May received selectmen's approval by a 3-2 vote for its Town Common demonstration: "Tribute to U.S. Military Killed in Iraq."
Winston voted in favor.
Winston on Tuesday disagreed with the suggestion that the board would have restricted the group's free speech, or that it might do so in the future. They have "every right" to hold public demonstrations, she said. "I just wish they'd told us."
Had Peace and Justice fully described what they were going to do, Winston said at the board's July 1 meeting, the conversation would have been different.
The flap arose around the letter Winston wrote with the support of two board colleagues - Cliff Snuffer and Al DeNapoli - in which she said the demonstration "evolved" beyond the bounds of what the board approved.
In response, the group wrote the board to accuse Winston of "sensationalizing" a minor issue, she said. Due to the state Open Meeting Law, any formal remarks she makes on the issue must be made in public.
And she would not have felt comfortable sending a letter of concern without the support of her fellow board members, she concluded.
Winston's remarks seemed an effort to wrap up a mini controversy that began at the board's July 1 meeting. At the time, the board - short members Chris Timson and David Sullivan - voted unanimously to send the group a letter.
That became Winston's letter to Peace and Justice member Philip Czachorowski.
Winston's letter said the group's "insensitive inclusion of caskets or coffins ... served no other purpose than to exacerbate and heighten" the fears of those residents with friends and family serving in the military.
Peace and Justice fired back with its own letter to Winston and the board. In a press release the group said it was "taken aback" by the comments from the town's highest board.
"We were surprised that the board failed to first contact the Peace Group, instead acting to sensationalize the matter and detract from the serious intent of the tribute," read the statement, signed by six members of the group.
It continued: "The selectmen's statement, coming from an official town board, represents a disturbing threat to the constitutionally protected exercise of free speech."
Winston, yesterday, said she considers the matter settled.
"As far as I'm concerned, (the issue is) over," she said.
Czachorowski could not be reached for comment.
Jeb Bobseine can be reached at jeb@walpoletimes.com or 508-668-0243, ext. 13.
