Last week, New Ipswich Selectman Jason Somero unsuccessfully tried to strip from the town warrant donations of $500 each that the town makes to Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children and Monadnock Family Services. , 

Somero said he has concerns about using town money to support nonprofits, and concerns that CASA and Monadnock Family Services were “pushing an agenda” and participating in “the culture war.” He acknowledged the amount of money was “paltry” and called his proposal “symbolic.” 

Somero’s issue with CASA, which “recruits, trains, and supports community volunteers to serve as advocates for children throughout the state who have experienced abuse or neglect,” was that it took part in Keene Pride celebrations last year.

The mission of Keene Pride is “to promote the visibility of LGBTQ+ people in the Monadnock Region, create community-building programming and develop a coalition of services, organizations and businesses that embrace and serve the LGBTQ+ population.”

As for Monadnock Family Services, part of its June 2021 statement on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging states, “We understand both overt and systemic racism as a public health issue since hatred, alienation and violence cause trauma and poverty. With other social determinants of health, racism fuels inequities in health causing unnecessary and unjust pain and suffering, premature death and civil unrest.”

If CASA and Monadnock Family Services are taking part in a “culture war,” what exactly is that war?

“Culture war” is defined as “a conflict or struggle for dominance between groups within a society or between societies, arising from their differing beliefs, practices, etc.” In this case, does that mean the war is between people who support the LGBTQ+ residents of the community or believe racism is an ongoing issue – and those who don’t? 

We live in a country where states are banningpuberty blockers, hormone therapy and "gender-affirming" medical treatment for transgender minors, even if they have parental consent. A country where a likely presidential front-runner wants to block state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

By trying to pull funding, Somero was the one engaging in a culture war.

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