Starkville aldermen receive ‘Jefferson Muzzle'

Free speech advocacy group criticizes city after Pride fallout

The negative backlash continues following the Starkville Board of Aldermen's initial decision to block a grassroots group from holding the city's first LGBTQ Pride parade earlier this year.

On Sunday, the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression - a nationally-recognized group dedicated to advocacy for issues relating to freedom of speech - listed the city aldermen opposed to the parade among its “award-winners” for the 2018 Jefferson Muzzles.

The awards are most often given to individuals or entities who reject “longstanding free speech norms.”

The vignette focusing on the Pride Parade controversy names the four aldermen initially opposed to the parade: Ward 1 Alderman Ben Carver, Ward 3 Alderman David Little, Vice Mayor and Ward 6 Alderman Roy A'. Perkins and Ward 7 Alderman Henry N. Vaughn.

“(The four aldermen) have a duty as government officials to apply the law equally to all those who come before them, no matter how much they may personally disagree,” the award story says. “These aldermen ignored that responsibility when they unconstitutionally voted to deny Starkville Pride the right to assemble and speak. Their attempts to govern based on personal animus rather than the rule of law earns them a 2018 Jefferson Muzzle.”

Also mentioned was the 2014 decision that saw Starkville become the first city in the state to pass a resolution denouncing discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. The same four aldermen are also criticized for their decision to vote in favor of repealing the anti-discrimination resolution, in addition to the city's insurance coverage policy that allowed city employees to insure other adults who live with them, not just legal spouses.

The story did not name the three

aldermen who initially supported the parade: Ward 2 Alderman Sandra Sistrunk, Ward 4 Alderman Jason Walker and Ward 5 Alderman Patrick Miller.

The grassroots group Starkville Pride eventually filed a lawsuit against the city. However, the issue would return to consideration as the lawsuit loomed over the heads of the Board of Aldermen.

When a vote for the parade came around a second time in March, Little abstained from voting, which opened the door for a tie-breaker vote from Mayor Lynn Spruill.

The Pride parade was held and attended by roughly 2,500 people, making it the highest attendance for a parade in the city's history.