Munson Fire Stands Behind Conflict of Interest Claim
I am counsel for The Munson Fire Department, Inc. Munson Fire is a completely separate corporation from Munson Township. My client and I read Ms. Wishart’s April 6 article as well as Ms. McMullen’s text response.
Ms. McMullen has been a Trustee for approximately fourteen years. She actually signed and approved the contract between the Township and Munson Fire. The contract gives the Township Trustees the right to review Munson Fire’s records on a quarterly basis.
Moreover, despite her statement at the March 28th meeting, Ms. McMullen was invited, in writing, to review minutes from the Fire Department Board more than a week before the last Trustee meeting.
In addition, she has repeatedly made other inaccurate statements about Munson Fire at Trustee meetings. Her claim of ignorance about Munson Fire does not stand the objective light of public scrutiny.
Further, there is no mistake about the facts and circumstances that lead Munson Fire to request Ms. McMullen to recuse herself from any discussions about Munson Fire. My client and I stand behind all claims in our March 27, 2023, correspondence to all of the Trustees requesting Ms. McMullen recuse herself as e mailed through Munson Township Office Manager, Ms. Friebertshauser, for immediate distribution to the Trustees.
Charles P. Royer, Esq.
Buckley King LPA
Cleveland
Drag Queen Debacle
What is a drag queen? It is a slang term that is used to describe one variation of male-to-female cross-dressing; mostly men who dress as women. They are typified by exaggeration and excess, often resulting in a clownish or cartoonlike presentation. Wigs, makeup and fashion often are overdone or out of proportion creating an exaggerated femininity that is instantly recognizable as false or appropriated. This is adult entertainment, not appropriate for children.
Drag Story Hour started in 2015 by Michelle Tea in San Francisco. She attended a children’s reading event and thought it was too “heteronormative” for her young family, so she started her own. Drag Story Hour has 40 chapters across the United States and many abroad. In their own words, Drag Story Hour “captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and give kids glamourous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models. In spaces like this, kids are able to see people who defy rigid gender restrictions and imagine a world where everyone can be their authentic selves!”
Some drag performers have spoken out against the events, pointing out that drag is a sexualized art form, and as such is inappropriate for children. Drag queen “Kitty Demure” is one of them. Early in 2022, he made a video addressing parents directly, asking: “Would you want a stripper or a porn star to influence your child? It makes no sense at all! A drag queen performs in a nightclub for adults: there is a lot of filth that goes on, a lot of sexual stuff that goes on. And backstage, there’s a lot of nudity, sex, and drugs, okay? So, I don’t think that this is an avenue you would want your child to explore.”
He also stated that drag queens are at story hour for an agenda, not just to read “Alice in Wonderland” and just leave. “They’re there to talk about being different, homosexuality, trans issues, 10 million genders that we have now, tell boys they can be girls, tell girls they can be boys” etc. These topics are not meant for a child’s minds.
It is up to parents to teach their children about sexuality. I believe that if people who hire drag queens did not have an agenda, they would not pay for a drag queen, but instead have a teacher, librarian, older sibling, pastor, etc. read to children. They insist it is harmless, but you be the judge.
Sharon Madger
Hambden Township
