Letter: Protesting is a fundamental right in a democracy

The police log in the Aug. 21 Weston Observer showed that, “A caller told police they were upset by a political sign on the Town Green. Police found people protesting with a banner, but no disturbance.”

On Saturday, Aug. 8, peacefully protesting Indivisible Weston members had put up a sign that read “Dr. Fauci is a hero.” Indivisible is a pro-democracy organization concerned about the erosion of the fundamental ideals of America.

An enlightened democracy, for which many of our forbearers sacrificed, is essential for a prosperous and just society. Enlightenment and self-government require a free exchange of ideas based in truth and reason. The right to free speech is codified in our Constitution, while totalitarian governments ban free speech and spread propaganda.

In his lifetime of public service, Dr. Fauci courageously put humanity and science ahead of political pressures. Advances in medicine and public health require applying critical thinking to the best available evidence in the face of unknowns – and then adapting to newly acquired knowledge.

By contrast, Dr. Fauci’s persecutors flout the scientific method in favor of power. Ruthless politicians spread disinformation and implement anti-science policies causing preventable illness and death. Children are not spared.

Science must inform policy, but politics must not distort science. Clearly, America needs an education system that enlightens citizens about our constitutional rights which are pillars of democracy, the distinctive markers of authoritarianism, and the scientific method.

Sept. 8 marked the 250th anniversary of the reading of the Declaration of Independence in Weston. The founders took bold and deliberate action to form a nation they hoped would ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We have a responsibility to fortify their vision, and our education system, to preserve and improve democracy for generations to come.

Jon Harris, Kim Bergner, Brook Road

Indivisible Weston, Co-Leaders