Free Speech is Not a "Stunt": A Letter to Nashua's Ward 8 Constituents

To the Residents of Ward 8,

I am writing to you today as a concerned citizen and an active participant in our city's legislative process. I want to address the recent newsletter from your Alderman, Derek Thibeault, and correct several factual inaccuracies regarding the public comment/Flags, Banners, and Signs policy and my actions at the Personnel and Administrative Affairs Committee meeting on August 4, 2025.

Alderman Thibeault described my recent public comment, where I used silent signs to protest a flawed ordinance, as a "stunt" and an attempt to get "a few minutes of fame." This could not be further from the truth. My purpose was to highlight a critical constitutional issue that your alderman, and others, appear to be ignoring.

The City of Nashua is considering Ordinance O-25-060, which would prohibit signs, banners, and flags at public meetings. The city's legal office has drafted this ordinance, and it is a bad one. It creates a clear risk of viewpoint discrimination, a direct violation of our First Amendment rights.

Alderman Thibeault's newsletter claims that our proposed policy is "identical to what Manchester has." This is patently false. For over ten months, Manchester's city officials debated a similar policy. After being informed by the New England First Amendment Coalition (NEFAC) and the ACLU that their policy was unconstitutional, Manchester wisely adopted a new policy on May 6, 2025, that fixed its constitutional issues. Our city's legal office (which sponsored this ordinance and presented it to the Board at their July 8, 2025 meeting) and Alderman Thibeault should have been aware of this and learned from their neighbor's experience. Instead, they are pushing forward with legislation that sets us up for a lawsuit.

My silent signs were a demonstration of this exact problem. I was cut off for using "vulgar language" on a sign, even though my expression was directly relevant to the policy being discussed and Nashua’s public comment policy does not restruct “vulgarity”. This is precisely the kind of subjective and unconstitutional restriction that organizations like NEFAC and the ACLU have warned against.

Your alderman's dismissive attitude toward these serious constitutional concerns is troubling. Public comment is not a "stunt." It is a fundamental right and a vital part of our democracy. The Board of Aldermen has a responsibility to protect these rights, not to pass flawed ordinances that trample on them.

This November, all nine ward aldermen seats are up for re-election. It is time to replace Mr. Thibeault with someone who cares about the facts and the Constitution.