Southern Tier News: Owego community up in arms over swastika displays

Owego mayor Mike Baratta (Tioga County, NY) says there is little that can be done regarding community concerns after swastikas were displayed on a village home and property. The mayor issued an eight-line press today saying the job of elected officials was to determine if laws were broken or codes violated. Baratta said in this case, the answer to those questions is no…there were no violations. The mayor continued to say that the 1st amendment protects citizens’ rights to free speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of press, and the right to petition the government. In this case the item in question is displaying a swastika...this is not against the law. There was a supreme court case…Texas vs. Johnson, that covered this very issue. He concluded by saying he in no way supports what is being displayed and he thinks the Owego community doesn’t support the idea… but it is not the governments place to say what can or cannot be displayed on an individual’s private property. Social media reactions have been slightly mixed.