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The River Reporter, June 22, 1995 Let democracy live What happened in Monticello two years ago shocked observers. A job swap among officials was the type of coup d'etat which most thought the Constitution would prevent. It seemed a fatal blow had been dealt. But through a campaign for democracy in courts and other venues, the voters prevailed. There was an election in Monticello 15 months ago. Most of the perpetrators of the illegal job swap have been thrown out. One exception was former trustee Bob Friedland, who convinced a majority of electors that he was their best choice for mayor. Right or wrong, one factor which swayed some was Friedland's pledge to dump Mark Schulman as village attorney. Schulman had represented the village and himself (giving him a fool for a client and an apparent conflict of interest), in a full-speed nose-dive to the ground. Taxpayers paid dearly for Schulman's folly after two brave souls sued to overturn the renegade government. When Schulman left office, former village manager Jim Malloy -- one of Schulman's relatives -- swung a deal for the lawyer to get an unprecedented severance bailout. Schulman is now lawyering a similar deal for Malloy's replacement -- Bill Cummings. Sources say he may well get it, whether he merits it or not. Despite moving to . . . Wurtsboro -- where he has lived and voted for over two years -- Schulman still hounds Monticello's mayor. Seemingly bent on making Friedland's remaining months in office miserable, Schulman appears determined to exact several pounds of flesh in revenge for the loss of a job to which he was never entitled. If Schulman feels compelled to speak out publicly in a village where he does not reside, he should at least do so with civility. His fight has taken on an ugly tone, as many attest. Reliable sources point to Schulman as the source of an anonymous flyer which personally assaults my wife, Carmen Rue, and myself. Carmen is a Peruvian immigrant and naturalized U.S. citizen appointed last year by the village board to serve on the village Human Rights Commission. Local and federal human rights officials have branded the bizarre little sheet "racist" and "hate literature." Publicly confronted over his alleged role in its preparation, Schulman did not deny having a part. He also refused to discuss on the subject with a reporter from WZAD radio. The River Reporter is as firm a supporter of First Amendment liberties as can be found anywhere. Even bigots are entitled to infect the world with their contagion, as offensive as it may be. Schulman and his ilk claim to support free speech, but seemingly only when they are the ones speaking. For example, it was Schulman who sued this newspaper and its entire editorial staff for $25 million over an April Fool parody. He failed to drive this small press out of business, but tried because he didn't like what was said about him. Schulman has hung a number of insulting signs outside his office, poking fun at the mayor. Signs are allowed -- he knows -- even in Monticello. But at the entry to the village, they are simply ugly and give a bad first impression to visitors. I acknowledge the right of bigots to publish racist trash. But offended parties retain our own Constitutional rights to denounce it for what it is. And public denunciation is among the best antidotes to racism. Good citizens of Sullivan County -- the vast majority, all colors and ethnic groups -- hold dear the core American values of liberty, equality and inclusiveness. Please join in denouncing this racist hate literature and calling on its writer (whomever that may be) to come out from under the sheet, identify himself, and apologize. Democracy is still on life-support in Monticello. It needs room to breathe. Any epitaphs are premature. Viva la democracia. Tom Rue, contributing editor
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© 1985-2006, Tom Rue. All rights reserved.
