Springfield commissioner taken to task

To the Times:

Recently, we came across the public Facebook page of Springfield Township’s Sixth Ward Commissioner, Bob Layden and found an extremely offensive and damaging meme. The picture posted on his page showed two people making a joke about rape.

As survivors of sexual violence and rape, coming across such an insensitive and polarizing “joke” posted by one of our local elected officials makes us feel less safe in our own town. It is exactly this kind of joke that further perpetuates rape culture and signals to our kids that objectifying people is an acceptable behavior.

We believe our elected officials should be held to a higher standard of respect and inclusion and should represent all constituents in their wards. An elected official who can make such a callous post without regard to how it may trigger his constituents, has lost our faith in his ability to lead in a fair and just manner. Rape is not something to be reduced to a meme, nor is it a joke.

On Tuesday, Nov. 12, we called for the resignation of Bob Layden at the most recent board of commissioners meeting. Several members of the community were present and constituents from the 6th ward in Springfield were able to speak directly to the commissioners about their concerns for safety and respect. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network) every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted; one out of every six American women, and one out of every 33 American men, has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. We deserve elected officials who seek to end rape culture, rather than those who promote it through “jokes.”

Jeanette Herrington, Erin Rogers, Karen McCunney, Bonny Hodges, Residents of Springfield