Dear Editor:
Parsippany Councilman Justin Musella has done some good work in Parsippany and I know that he has devoted a lot of time to being a public servant.
However, I was disturbed to see that he organized a vigil to honor Charlie Kirk. Political violence is frightening and wrong and antithetical to a society that protects free speech. No one deserves to be hurt or killed because of the views they hold or the things they say. But by now, it’s been well documented that Charlie Kirk said a lot of horrible things that encouraged harm and hatred toward others (Black people, women, trans people, LGBTQ people, immigrants etc).
He does not deserve to be celebrated or honored on publicly owned property by an elected official, whose role is to represent everyone in Parsippany, including the people that Charlie Kirk condemned. I am wondering if any municipal funds were spent on this event.
I’m assuming they weren’t and he organized this as a private citizen and not a public official. But the fact remains that he is a councilman and organizing an event that paid tribute to Charlie Kirk is condoning the views he espoused, in addition to his advocacy of “country, faith, freedom and family,’’ as the Councilman Musella was quoted as saying at the vigil.
I’m angry and disappointed that someone who was elected to represent me and my fellow residents is extolling a man who explicitly sowed racism, hatred and cruelty.
Carrie Stetler
