George Colby recall, New Gloucester, Maine (2021)
| New Gloucester Selectman recall |
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| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2021 Recalls in Maine Maine recall laws City council recalls Recall reports |
An effort in New Gloucester, Maine, to recall Selectman George Colby was initiated in December 2020.[1] Although a recall election was scheduled for March 30, 2021, the New Gloucester Board of Selectmen canceled it after Colby formally resigned on February 2.[2] Colby's resignation followed the recall petition's certification on January 19 after organizers submitted 337 signatures.[3]
The recall centered around a comment that Colby made during a meeting of the Board of Selectmen on December 3, 2020. Colby ended the Pledge of Allegiance by saying, "[L]iberty and justice for all, for everyone. Even us white folks!"[1] Recall supporters said that the comment was racist because it ignored the history of racial oppression in the United States and dismissed ongoing economic and political inequality.[4] Colby responded by saying that the comment wasn't racist but was expressing his opposition to cancel culture.[5]
Recall supporters
Stephen Hathorn, a former member of the New Gloucester Board of Selectmen, and Nichole Stevens, a board member for Maine School Administrative District 15, led the recall effort. Members of the organization New Gloucester United Against Racism also participated.[1][6]
The recall effort was initiated after a board meeting on December 3, 2020, when Colby ended the Pledge of Allegiance by saying, "[L]iberty and justice for all, for everyone. Even us white folks!" Recall supporters alleged that Colby engaged in a pattern of making racist comments. They also pointed to an email exchange from December 2010 between Colby and former Selectman Josh McHenry in which Colby used racial slurs.[1]
Laura Fralich explained her support for the recall effort in an op-ed in NGXchange entitled "White grievance is racism: Why George Colby needs to be recalled," the full text of which is available here. She wrote, in part:
| “ | New Gloucester Selectman George Colby’s comment at the December 3rd select board meeting has recently raised the question of what it means to be racist and what qualifies as a racist comment. There is often a misleading and false rhetoric that in order to be racist, someone has to explicitly espouse racist views, slurs, or comments. This narrative leads to the mentality that we can easily categorize people, comments, or ideas as racist or not racist. This oversimplification of racism gives a false sense of self-assurance and moral high ground to anyone who does not explicitly promote views of racial superiority or use racial slurs. However, the racial grievance mentality of George Colby’s comments are deeply harmful in that they disregard the centuries of racial violence and racist policies as well as the realities of the current racial inequities in wealth, housing, education, criminal justice, and health. George Colby’s comment after the Pledge of Allegiance, '…liberty and justice for all. Everyone. Even us white folks!' paints a picture of a town and a society where white people are the victims, where white people do not have equal access to liberty and justice compared to other races, and where white people have been discriminated against and disadvantaged. This is a categorically false idea that directly harms people of color in our town, our state, and our nation who are dealing with racial injustice on a daily basis.[4][7] | ” |
Recall opponents
Colby responded to the recall effort in an op-ed in NGXchange entitled "It’s time to be brave and stop the 'cancel culture'," the full text of which can be found here. He wrote, in part:
| “ | America, if you hadn’t noticed, is under severe attack. Fear and condemnation are trying to infect our beautiful country with what is now called the 'cancel culture.' You’ve all seen it. Comedians are being canceled because of a joke they told ten years prior. A taco stand was canceled for 'cultural appropriation' because the two ladies who owned it were white and had gotten their recipes from other ladies in Mexico. Anybody with a lick of sense would know that the white owners were demonstrating cultural appreciation. They loved the food!
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” |
Colby also read the following statement at the board meeting on February 1, 2021.[8][9]
| “ | There is nothing illegal or unlawful about being offensive. Is a recall effort for not liking what someone said really legitimate?
The statement I made on Dec. 3rd is absolutely true and I stand by it as it is happening right now I cannot believe all the support and offers of donations I have received from good people ALL over Maine & the country, however that is not enough. I would love to stay and continue the fight, however for the sake of my wife, and having time for myself and my family I am done with everything concerning New Gloucester. Good Night And Good bye[7] |
” |
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Maine
According to the New Gloucester recall ordinance, a recall petition must have "signatures equal to ten percent (10%) of the number of votes cast for Governor in the last gubernatorial election in New Gloucester."[10] In this case, 293 signatures were required.[1]
Recall supporters collected 337 signatures and submitted the petition on January 19, 2021.[6] The town registrar certified the petition on the same day.[3] To qualify for the ballot, a recall petition must also be approved by the Board of Selectmen within 10 days of being certified by the registrar.[6] The board voted to approve the recall on January 28, 2021, and the election was scheduled for March 30.[3] According to the town ordinance, a recall must be approved by 55% of voters to be successful.[6]
Colby formally resigned on February 2, 2021, before the election could take place. The board canceled the election during its meeting on February 22, 2021.[2]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Portland Press Herald, "New Gloucester residents start petition to recall selectman," December 29, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Portland Press Herald, "NG Selectboard to cancel recall election," February 10, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Portland Press Herald, "New Gloucester selectman facing recall quits at meeting," February 2, 2021
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 NGXchange, "White grievance is racism: Why George Colby needs to be recalled," January 1, 2021
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 NGXchange, "It’s time to be brave and stop the 'cancel culture'," January 27, 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Portland Press Herald, "NG selectman recall petition submitted, awaits certification," January 19, 2021
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Bangor Daily News, "New Gloucester selectman resigns after he allegedly made racist comment," February 3, 2021
- ↑ New Gloucester, Maine, "Agenda Packet February 22, 2021," February 22, 2021
- ↑ New Gloucester, "Ordinance for the Recall of Elected Officials Town of New Gloucester," accessed February 22, 2021
