Wednesday’s discussion of the Lansdale
Black Lives Matter mural movement at Borough Council’s monthly work session showed that council and the folks behind the proposal are generally on the same page.
They’re just not on the same canvas.
And that’s apparently all right with both sides, who agreed in an amiable discussion during the borough’s Admin and Finance Committee meeting to form a public-private working group to find a fitting location and define an achievable set of goals for a BLM memorial.
The original online petition, envisioning a 180-foot BLACK LIVES MATTER mural painted along the Liberty Bell Trail behind Lansdale Borough Hall, has become a public flashpoint, spurring often vitriolic exchanges on social media and unleashing a stream of pro and con emails and feedback to local officials.
The proposal also is proving legally problematic. Allowing that message on government property would create a First Amendment public forum area where anyone with any point of view could have demanded similar access, according to an opinion from the borough solicitor.
"I know this is not what some of you wanted, and I recognize there’s probably some frustration there, but I agree with (your) message 1,000%, and I recognize the want, the need and the desire to do something,” said Borough Council President Denton Burnell. "I think that’s important, and I don’t think we should let go of that.”
But, he added, "If we said yes to what was proposed, we would have been in a position where we were creating this public forum where we were saying yes to a lot of other things that I don’t think a lot of us would ever want painted on the street.”
"I appreciate the flexibility,” he said, "and I want you to hear me say it: This matters to us, this message is important to us, and we want to find a way to do it that is meaningful.”
Councilman Leon Angelichio, chairman of the Admin and Finance Committee, said, "We need to put together a smaller group that is able to meet more frequently so we don’t have this big gap (between borough council meetings), to bring it into a concise package and to pitch it to council, have questions answered before they’re asked and hopefully put something together that is amenable to everyone involved.”
Both Angelichio and Burnell indicated their willingness to help form the combined working group.
"The purpose of this project is to signify our community’s commitment to equality, justice, respect, inclusivity, freedom and peace,” said Anthony Simpson, the petition’s organizer and a founder of the Lansdale Equality Coalition, formed in the wake of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police in Minneapolis. "Racism is a systematic problem affecting individuals throughout every community. We believe in sending a strong and clear message to, from and with the borough that together we are committed to fighting against racism.”
Through conversations with Mayor Garry Herbert, said Sierra Ritchie-Gruver, another project organizer, the group "understands that there are certain legalities behind this as to why this may not be able to happen perhaps the way we would like it to happen, and (wants to) let you know that we will advocate for any project that holds up the ideals of equality, freedom and diversity.”
Said Ritchie-Gruver, "As we move forward, we would like to stay a part of this conversation. We like to see ourselves as partners of the borough and an added resource for the borough. We want to be there to advocate for and represent the community, to hold the borough and our representatives accountable for whatever this final project does look like, and make sure it does represent what we’re looking for.”
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