Sussex Co. Passes Pro-Respect, Constitutional Government Measures

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ - In response to an “anti-hate” resolution shared by a resident on Jan. 27 for onsideration by the Sussex County Board of County Commissioners, and the presentation of a counter anti-hate resolution by the Board on Feb. 10, the Board unanimously passed a “pro-respect” resolution instead.

According to the commissioners, their version is a more positive and comprehensive version of the first two resolutions.

After a marathon meeting on Feb. 24 of more than four hours, last week’s meeting exceeded that at close to 4.5 hours, again with more than 80 virtual attendees, expressing their favor or opposition to the newest resolution.

Some asked for approval of the original resident-submitted version, while others supported the board on the latest version. Others stated it was unnecessary to pass any resolution, reiterating how they believe, residents already are empowered with the knowledge of how to treat one another nicely, without government telling them to do so.

The pro-respect resolution, which called Sussex County an “excellent place to live, work and visit because of the people who call it home,” incorporated words of support and protection for all residents, “no matter their ethnicity, race, faith or gender; and stands united with all its citizens in condemning hate in all forms.”

The pro-respect resolution focused on Constitutional freedoms with “equitable treatment for all citizens;” and the Declaration of Independence, with “all men and women created equal” and “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.”

One point the submitted resolution from the public focused on, was asking the Commissioners to condemn the riots at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, which Commissioner Director Dawn Fantasia reminded meeting participants on that four of the Commissioners weighed in on that topic previously in a press release after the Jan. 6 incident occurred.

Commissioner Chris Carney did not comment on the release, as he was not yet a member of the Board. Fantasia repeated her statements from that particular press release, which called the violence and loss of life “completely unacceptable,” while complimenting the residents of Sussex County for safely rallying within varying rallies in 2020, referring to Sussex County as “a shining example of how exercising our First Amendment rights should look.”

“Whether we write this down on paper or say this, I’m not sure what the difference is, I do want to say, I do not condone any derogatory statements towards people, any hate, any destruction of property, whether it be at the Capitol, New York, Philadelphia, wherever it may happen in America,” Carney said. “I don’t like being called a racist. When I get called that and the rest of us get called that, that’s wrong and to me, that’s hate.”

Commissioner Sylvia Petillo noted the Commissioners were asked to write a resolution about hate.

"But in order to write about hate, you must first understand it,” she said.

Petillo called hate “an emotion” and a “deep force that can control the hearts and minds of men.” She said hate always lies close to the surface, with the “power to twist, distort and block out the truth for its own purpose.”

“Much of the unrest in our nation today springs from hate,” she said. “It shows itself as disdain, judgment, prejudice, bias, bigotry and racism.”

Petillo said hate and racism should be replaced with love, dignity, respect and acceptance, with each person granted rights under the U.S. Constitution to have their dignity respected and protected.

Deputy Director Anthony Fasano thanked many residents who took time to share their feedback about the topic of the resolutions, which he said took place at meetings, via messages he received or if he ran into residents in person.

“The opinions we have heard have certainly been diverse and I think it’s the best way to characterize it,” Fasano said. “I ran for this office because I believe in the potential of Sussex County.”

He said challenges that individuals have in the county are best faced collectively as neighbors, before anything else.

The Commissioners additionally unanimously voted on the resolution asking Gov. Phil Murphy and the legislature to return to Constitutional Government, the resolution asking the governor to sign no further extensions of the Emergency Health Powers Act and to immediately return the state to “Constitutional Government and democratic ideals.”

“This is not a resolution to say from the rooftops, ‘open the State of New Jersey to 100 percent
capacity, no questions asked, and no safety nets,’” Fantasia clarified. “What this is, is asking
the legislature to assert itself and return to Constitutional Government where both the Senate
and the Assembly, again those who we elect, to best make the decisions for the state, as
opposed to single, unilateral governance by Governor Murphy.”

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