Stephen Brigidi has done it again. This is the second time in recent weeks that he makes my case, although that was clearly never his intent.

In his letter to the editor last week, “Each Bristol Citizen has Rights and a Voice,” he takes issue with my comments made at a recent Bristol Town Council virtual meeting. I spoke in opposition to Rob Hancock’s petition to have the town council approve the creation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee, which Mr. Brigidi supports.

His characterizations of my comments, however, are represented inaccurately and I suspect deliberately so.

My comments were that I did not see any need for this committee and that Bristol is already diverse, fair and inclusive. To illustrate this, I mentioned that our elected town council is composed of one female, one immigrant and one gay man … and that our superintendent of schools is a black man.

This is factually accurate, not crude, rude, sinister, mocking, bigoted or insensitive, as Mr. Brigidi has chosen to characterize it. Nor was there any intention on my part to have my comments perceived as such.

Mr. Brigidi disagrees. He believes that my stated truths reveal an unconscious discrimination and bias so pervasive in Bristol that justifies the DEI committee. And therein lies the essence of my reasoning for opposing creation of this committee with the imprimatur of the council.

I agree when Mr. Brigidi states that every Bristol citizen has rights and a voice. The difference is that I do not resort to nasty name calling when someone voices an opinion I disagree with.

I cautioned the council to be wary of creating a needless committee whose members may take issue when their advice on human rights and other DEI-related issues or their recommendations for their resolutions are rejected. It’s difficult to imagine the council always agreeing with the committee.

If the committee is approved, council members, the town administrator and every Bristol resident should be prepared to be vilified when their voices do not go the way of the committee — just as Mr. Brigidi has done with me and Mike Byrnes.

Peter Hewett
Bristol